The Cubic Lipid Phase and Bacteriorhodopsin

The cubic lipid phase (CLP, aka LCP) is a novel type of membrane protein crystallization. It is composed of a bicontinuous surface (bilayer lipids, typically monoolein), of an average surface curvature of zero (minimal surface), that creates two mutually exclusive solvent compartments. A detergent-solubilized protein such as bacteriorhodopsin (BR, shown in magenta surrounding by 'green' detergent) is exposed to the CLP environment and integrates itself into the bilayer, most likely due to an energetic gain between membrane protein and lipid, versus membrane protein and detergent. The CLP-incorporated protein is believed to act as a reservoir for growing crystals.

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