A water soluble, amphiphilic α-helical, non-denaturing lipopeptide detergent (LPD) that forms small micelles (CMC <1 μM; micelle MW ~23,100; aggregation number ~8.1; partial specific volume ~0.77 cm3/g) and effectively mimics lipid bilayers. Shown to solubilize as well as stabilize bacteriorhodopsin, lactose permease and E. coli PagP protein ([LPD] ~250 μM and [protein] ~22 μM) by forming complexes and precluding aggregation. Useful for NMR and X-ray structural studies of membrane proteins.
