Data collection methods are described in full in the publication "Fluorescent Styrene Maleic Acid Copolymers to Facilitate Membrane Protein Studies in Lipid Nanodiscs". 

Briefly, various copolymers were prepared by RAFT polymerisation. These were characterised by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, GPC and fluorescence spectroscopy. Subsequently the copolymers were introduced to DMPC vesicles, both with and without the model membrane protein, gramicidin (1.65% wt. SMA with 0.55% wt. DMPC [0.04% wt. gramicidin] in 50 mM PBS, 200 mM NaCl, pH=8.0). Here, turbid vesicle suspensions spontaneously cleared, indicating the successful formation of nanodiscs. Nanodiscs samples were characterised by DLS and SAXS, and their fluorescent behaviour captured through fluorescence spectroscopy.

RAFT Copolymerisation: 
Briefly, styrene, maleic anhydride, AIBN, DDMAT, and the appropriate fluorophore in the ratios indicated, were dissolved in 1,4-dioxane before oxygen was purged using nitrogen and three freeze-pump-thaw cycles. Reactions were heated to 60 oC for 24 hours and subsequently precipitated from diethyl ether, before drying. 

Hydrolysis of SMAnh to SMA:
Styrene maleic anhydride (SMAnh) was hydrolysed to styrene maleic acid (SMA) under basic reflux conditions. Typically, a 10% wt./vol. copolymer solution was prepared in 1 M NaOH (aq) and heated under reflux for 2 hours. The solution was then acidified to pH=3.0 using 4 M HCl, and centrifuged at 8000 rpm using an Eppendorf 5804R centrifuge for 15 minutes at 21 oC. The supernatant was removed and the copolymer pellet washed with ultrapure water and again recovered by centrifugation. The procedure was repeated a further three times. The pellet was then dissolved in 0.6 M NaOH before repeating the precipitation and washing procedure. The final precipitate was then dissolved in a minimal amount of 0.6 M NaOH and adjusted to pH=8.0 before freeze drying (Virtis SP Scientific) for a minimum of 24 hours.