Steady-state Probe-partitioning Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer: a Simple and Robust Tool for the Study of Membrane Phase Behavior

An experimental strategy has been developed specifically for the study of composition-dependent phase behavior in multicomponent artificial membranes. The strategy is based on steady-state measurements of fluorescence resonance energy transfer between freely diffusing membrane probe populations, and it is well suited for the rapid generation of large data sets. Presented in this paper are the basic principles that guide the experiment's design, the derivation of an underlying mathematical model that serves to interpret the data, and experimental results that confirm the model's predictive power.