Metastable ripple phase of fully hydrated dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine as studied by small angle x-ray scattering

Fully hydrated dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) undergoes liquid crystalline to metastable P_β, phase transition in cooling. A small angle x-ray scattering study has been performed for obtaining further evidence about the structure of this phase. From a high-resolution observation of x-ray diffraction profiles, a distinct multipeak pattern has become obvious. Among them the (01) reflection in the secondary ripple structure is identified clearly. There are peaks assigned straightforwardly to (10) and (20) reflections in the primary ripple structure and peaks assigned to (10) and (20) reflections in the secondary ripple structure. Therefore the multipeak pattern is due to superposition of the reflections cause by the primary and secondary ripple structures. The lattice parameters are estimated as follows: for the primary ripple structure a = 7.09 nm, b = 13.64 nm, and γ = 95°, and for the secondary ripple structure a = 8.2 nm, b = 26.6 nm, and γ = 90°. The lattice parameters thus obtained for the secondary ripple structure are not conclusive, however. The hydrocarbon chains in the primary ripple structure have been reported as being tilted against the bilayer plane and, on the other hand, the hydrocarbon chains in the secondary ripple structure are likely to be perpendicular to the bilayer plane. This fact seems to be related to a sequential mechanism of phase transitions. On heating from the L_β, phase where the hydrocarbon chains are tilted the primary ripple structure having tilted hydrocarbon chains takes place and on cooling from the L_α phase where the hydrocarbon chains are not tilted the secondary ripple structure with untilted chains tends to be stabilized. It appears that the truly metastable ripple phase is expressed by the second ripple structure although in the course of the actual cooling transition both the secondary and primary ripple structures form and coexist.