Patent ID: 8877517

Claim:
A method for determining an amount of pore forming bacterial toxin protein in a sample, comprising: a) forming a membrane comprising a lipid bilayer and a receptor in a receptacle comprising an aperture, such that the membrane forms across the aperture and provides separation between two compartments in the receptacle, b) contacting the membrane with an ion solution and the sample, wherein the sample comprises an amount of pore forming bacterial toxin protein, whereby the pore forming bacterial toxin protein binds the receptor and forms a pore in the membrane, c) measuring ion flow through the membrane, d) comparing the ion flow through the membrane measured in step (c) to a standard curve, and e) determining the amount of pore forming bacterial toxin protein in the sample based on the comparing of step (d), wherein the lipid bilayer comprises at least one of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC), 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (POPE), 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylserine (POPS), 1,2-diphytanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine, and cholesterol.