Bilayer properties of totally synthetic C16:0-lactosyl-ceramide

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and x-ray diffraction have been used to study the structural and thermal properties of totally synthetic D-erythro-N-palmitoyl-lactosyl-C(18)-sphingosine (C16:0-LacCer). Over the temperature range 0-90 degrees C, fully hydrated C16:0-LacCer shows complex thermal transitions characteristic of polymorphic behavior of exclusively bilayer phases. On heating at 5 degrees C/min, hydrated C16:0-LacCer undergoes a complex two-peak endothermic transition with maxima at 69 degrees C and 74 degrees C and a total enthalpy of 14.6 kcal/mol C16:0-LacCer. At a slower heating rate (1.5 degrees C/min), two endothermic transitions are observed at 66 degrees C and 78 degrees C. After cooling to 0 degrees C, the subsequent heating run shows three overlapping endothermic transitions at 66 degrees C, 69 degrees C, and 71.5 degrees C, followed by a chain-melting endothermic transition at 78 degrees C. Two thermal protocols were used to completely convert C16:0-LacCer to its stable, high melting temperature (78 degrees C) form. As revealed by x-ray diffraction, over the temperature range 20-78 degrees C this stable phase exhibits a bilayer structure, periodicity d approximately 65 A with an ordered chain packing mode. At the phase transition (78 degrees C) chain melting occurs, and C16:0-LacCer converts to a liquid crystalline bilayer (L(alpha)) phase of reduced periodicity d approximately 59 A. On cooling from the L(alpha) phase, C16:0-LacCer converts to metastable bilayer phases undergoing transitions at 66-72 degrees C. These studies allow comparisons to be made with the behavior of the corresponding C16:0-Cer (. J. Lipid Res. 36:1936-1944) and C16:0-GluCer and C16:0-GalCer (. J. Lipid Res. 40:839-849). Our systematic studies are aimed at understanding the role of oligosaccharide complexity in regulating glycosphingolipid structure and properties.     

Effect of chain unsaturation on the structure and thermotropic properties of galactocerebrosides.

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and x-ray diffraction have been used to study the effect of increasing chain-unsaturation on the structure and properties of the hydrated cerebrosides N-stearoyl, -oleoyl, and -linoleoyl galactosylsphingosine (NSGS, NOGS, and NLnGS, respectively). DSC of hydrated (70 wt% water) NSGS shows an endothermic transition at 85 degrees C (delta H = 18.0 kcal/mol NSGS) and a broad exothermic transition at 40-60 degrees C, the latter being dependent upon the previous cooling rate. X-Ray diffraction patterns recorded at 21, 61, and 86 degrees C provide evidence for interconversions between metastable and stable crystalline NSGS bilayer phases. The properties of the unsaturated-chain cerebrosides are more complex. Hydrated NOGS shows a single endothermic transition at 44.8 degrees C (delta H = 11.5 kcal/mol NOGS). However, incubation of NOGS at 49 degrees C for 24 h results in a second transition at 55.5 degrees C. By cycling NOGS between 0 and 49 degrees C complete conversion into this higher melting phase (delta H = 12.1 kcal/mol NOGS) is achieved. X-ray diffraction confirms a bilayer phase at all temperatures and delineates the conversions between a crystalline phase at 21 degrees C (bilayer period d = 56.5A), a second crystalline phase at 47 degrees C (d = 69.9A), and a liquid crystalline phase at 59 degrees C (d = 52.0A). The more unsaturated NLnGS shows two transitions, a sharp transition at 28 degrees C (delta H = 8.0 kcal/mol NLGS) and a broad, low-enthalpy transition at 42 degrees C (delta H = 0.4 kcal/mol NLGS). Again, incubation between the two transitions leads to a single transition at 44 degrees C (delta H = 9.3 kcal/mol NLGS). X-ray diffraction demonstrates conversions between two crystalline bilayer phases (d = 55.2A and d = 68.4A), and a liquid crystalline bilayer phase (d = 51.8A). Thus, increased unsaturation in the amide-linked fatty acyl chain of cerebrosides results in decreased chain-melting temperatures (NSGS greater than NOGS greater than NLnGS) and has marked effects on their structural properties.     

Interactions of N-stearoyl sphingomyelin with cholesterol and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine in bilayer membranes.

Differential scanning calorimetry and x-ray diffraction have been utilized to investigate the interaction of N-stearoylsphingomyelin (C18:0-SM) with cholesterol and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC). Fully hydrated C18:0-SM forms bilayers that undergo a chain-melting (gel -->liquid-crystalline) transition at 45 degrees C, delta H = 6.7 kcal/mol. Addition of cholesterol results in a progressive decrease in the enthalpy of the transition at 45 degrees C and the appearance of a broad transition centered at 46.3 degrees C; this latter transition progressively broadens and is not detectable at cholesterol contents of >40 mol%. X-ray diffraction and electron density profiles indicate that bilayers of C18:0-SM/cholesterol (50 mol%) are essentially identical at 22 degrees C and 58 degrees C in terms of bilayer periodicity (d = 63-64 A), bilayer thickness (d rho-p = 46-47 A), and lateral molecular packing (wide-angle reflection, 1/4.8 A-(1)). These data show that cholesterol inserts into C18:0-SM bilayers, progressively removing the chain-melting transition and altering the bilayer structural characteristics. In contrast, DPPC has relatively minor effects on the structure and thermotropic properties of C18:0-SM. DPPC and C18:0-SM exhibit complete miscibility in both the gel and liquid-crystalline bilayer phases, but the pre-transition exhibited by DPPC is eliminated at >30 mol% C18:0-SM. The bilayer periodicity in both the gel and liquid-crystalline phases decreases significantly at high DPPC contents, probably reflecting differences in hydration and/or chain tilt (gel phase) of C18:0-SM and DPPC.     

Structure and metastability of N-lignocerylgalactosylsphingosine (cerebroside) bilayers

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction have been used to study hydrated N-lignocerylgalactosylsphingosine (NLGS) bilayers. DSC of fully hydrated NLGS shows an endothermic transition at 69-70 degrees C, immediately followed by an exothermic transition at 72-73 degrees C; further heating shows a high-temperature (Tc = 82 degrees C), high-enthalpy (delta H = 15.3 kcal/mol NLGS) transition. Heating to 75 degrees C, cooling to 20 degrees C and subsequent reheating shows no transitions at 69-73 degrees C; only the high-temperature (82 degrees C), high-enthalpy (15.3 kcal/mol) transition. Two exothermic transitions are observed on cooling; for the upper transition its temperature (about 65 degrees C) and enthalpy (about 6 kcal/mol NLGS) are essentially independent of cooling rate, whereas the lower transition exhibits marked changes in both temperature (30----60 degrees C) and enthalpy (2.2----9.5 kcal/mol NLGS) as the cooling rate decreases from 40 to 0.625 Cdeg/min. On reheating, the enthalpy of the 69-70 degrees C transition is dependent on the previous cooling rate. The DSC data provide clear evidence of conversions between metastable and stable forms. X-ray diffraction data recorded at 26, 75 and 93 degrees C show clearly that NLGS bilayer phases are present at all temperatures. The X-ray diffraction pattern at 75 degrees C shows a bilayer periodicity d = 65.4 A, and a number of sharp reflections in the wide-angle region indicative of a crystalline chain packing mode. This stable bilayer form converts to a liquid-crystal bilayer phase; at 93 degrees C, the bilayer periodicity d = 59.1 A, and a diffuse reflection at 1/4.6 A-1 is observed. The diffraction pattern at 22 degrees C represents a combination of the stable and metastable low-temperature bilayer forms. NLGS exhibits a complex pattern of thermotropic changes related to conversions between metastable (gel), stable (crystalline) and liquid-crystalline bilayer phases. The structure and thermotropic properties of NLGS are compared with those of hydrated N-palmitoylgalactosylsphingosine reported previously (Ruocco, M.J., Atkinson, D., Small, D.M., Skarjune, R.P., Oldfield, E. and Shipley, G.G. (1981) Biochemistry 20, 5957-5966).     

Freezing of phosphocholine headgroup in fully hydrated sphingomyelin bilayers and its effect on the dynamics of nonfreezable water at subzero temperatures.

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy are applied to characterize the nonfreezable water molecules in fully hydrated D2O/sphingomyelin at temperatures below 0 degrees C. Upon cooling, DSC thermogram displays two thermal transitions peaked at -11 and -34 degrees C. The high-temperature exothermic transition corresponds to the freezing of the bulk D2O, and the low-temperature transition, which has not previously been reported, can be ascribed to the freezing of the phosphocholine headgroup in the lipid bilayer. The dynamics of nonfreezable water are also studied by 2H NMR T1 (spin-lattice relaxation time) and T2e (spin-spin relaxation time obtained by two pulse echo) measurements at 30.7 MHz and at temperatures down to -110 degrees C. The temperature dependence of the T1 relaxation time is characterized by a distinct minimum value of 2.1 +/- 0.1 ms at -30 degrees C. T2e is discontinuous at temperature around -70 degrees C, indicating another freezing-like event for the bound water at this temperature. Analysis of the relaxation data suggest that nonfreezable water undergoes both fast and slow motions at characteristic NMR time scales. The slow motions are affected when the lipid headgroup freezes.     

Structure and thermotropic properties of 1-stearoyl-2-acetyl-phosphatidylcholine bilayer membranes.

The structural and thermotropic properties of 1-stearoyl-2-acetyl-phosphatidylcholine (C(18):C(2)-PC) were studied as a function of hydration. A combination of differential scanning calorimetry and x-ray diffraction techniques have been used to investigate the phase behavior of C(18):C(2)-PC. At low hydration (e.g., 20% H2O), the differential scanning calorimetry heating curve shows a single reversible endothermic transition at 44.6 degrees C with transition enthalpy delta H = 6.4 kcal/mol. The x-ray diffraction pattern at -8 degrees C shows a lamellar structure with a small bilayer periodicity d = 46.3 A and two wide angle reflections at 4.3 and 3.95 A, characteristic of a tilted chain, L beta' bilayer gel structure. Above the main transition temperature, a liquid crystalline L alpha phase is observed with d = 53.3 A. Electron density profiles at 20% hydration suggest that C(18):C(2)-PC forms a fully interdigitated bilayer at -8 degrees C and a noninterdigitated, liquid crystalline phase above its transition temperature (T > Tm). Between 30 and 50% hydration, on heating C(18):C(2)-PC converts from a highly ordered, fully interdigitated gel phase (L beta') to a less ordered, interdigitated gel phase (L beta), which on further heating converts to a noninterdigitated liquid crystalline L alpha phase. However, the fully hydrated (> 60% H2O) C(18):C(2)-PC, after incubation at 0 degrees C, displays three endothermic transitions at 8.9 degrees C (transition I, delta H = 1.6 kcal/mol), 18.0 degrees C (transition II), and 20.1 degrees C (transition III, delta HII+III = 4.8 kcal/mol). X-ray diffraction at -8 degrees C again showed a lamellar gel phase (L beta') with a small periodicity d = 52.3 A. At 14 degrees C a less ordered, lamellar gel phase (L beta) is observed with d = 60.5 A. However, above the transition III, a broad, diffuse reflection is observed at approximately 39 A, consistent with the presence of a micellar phase. The following scheme is proposed for structural changes of fully hydrated C(18):C(2)-PC, occurring with temperature: L beta' (interdigitated)-->L beta (interdigitated)-->L alpha(noninterdigitated)-->Micelles. Thus, at low temperature C(18):C(2)-PC forms a bilayer gel phase (L beta') at all hydrations, whereas above the main transition temperature it forms a bilayer liquid crystalline phase L alpha at low hydrations and a micellar phase at high hydrations (> 60 wt% water).     

Phase behavior of galactocerebrosides from bovine brain

Bovine brain cerebrosides (BOV-CER) were separated by high-performance liquid chromatography into cerebroside fractions with a single acyl chain type or with a relatively homogeneous acyl chain distribution. The thermal behavior of these isolated cerebroside fractions was studied by differential scanning calorimetry. Nonhydroxy (n-acyl) fatty acid cerebrosides (NFA-CER) possessing a saturated acyl chain (C16:0, C18:0, C24:0) exhibit their major order-disorder transition temperature TM at 83 degrees C, independent of chain length. NFA-CER possessing primarily unsaturated acyl chains (C24:1) exhibits TM at 70 degrees C. 2-Hydroxy fatty acid cerebrosides (HFA-CER), which possess a saturated hydroxyacyl chain (C18:0h, C24:0h), exhibit TM at 70-72 degrees C. Thus, naturally occurring cerebrosides exhibit high TM's that do not depend significantly on acyl chain length and that depend only to a small degree on unsaturation and the presence of a 2-hydroxy branch in the amide-linked chain. Isolated NFA-CER's each exhibit metastable polymorphism of the type previously described for unfractionated NFA-CER [Curatolo, W. (1982) Biochemistry 21, 1761]. Polymorphism in HFA-CER is complex, with a different type of thermal behavior observed for each isolated acyl chain fraction studied. On prolonged storage at low temperature, unfractionated HFA-CER and unfractionated BOV-CER reach a highly ordered gel state similar to that which is readily reached by NFA-CER's. These results indicate that all cerebrosides exhibit metastable polymorphism. However, the kinetic barriers to reaching the stable gel state are greater for HFA-CER and BOV-CER than for NFA-CER.     

Differential scanning calorimetry of thermotropic phase transitions in vitaminylated lipids: aqueous dispersions of N-biotinyl phosphatidylethanolamines.

The thermotropic phase behavior of a homologous series of saturated diacyl phosphatidylethanolamines in which the headgroup is N-derivatized with biotin has been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. In 1 M NaCl, derivatives with acyl chainlengths from C(12:0) to C(20:0) all exhibit sharp chain-melting phase transitions, which are reversible with a hysteresis of 1.5 degrees or less, except for the C(12:0) lipid which has a transition temperature below 0 degree C. The transition enthalpy and the transition entropy depend approximately linearly on the lipid chainlength, with incremental values per CH2 group that are very similar to those obtained for the corresponding underivatized phosphatidylethanolamines in aqueous dispersion. The chainlength-independent contribution to the transition enthalpy is significantly smaller than that for the underivatized phosphatidylethanolamines, and that for the transition entropy is much smaller; the latter suggesting that the N-biotinylated phosphatidylethanolamine headgroups are differently hydrated from those of the underivatized lipids. The gel-to-fluid phase transition temperatures of the N-biotinylated lipids are lower than those of the parent phosphatidylethanolamines, and their chainlength dependence conforms well with that predicted by assuming that the transition enthalpy and entropy are linearly dependent on chainlength. Although the chain-melting phase behavior is generally similar to that of the parent phosphatidylethanolamines, the gel phases (and the fluid phases in the case of chainlengths C(12:0) to C(16:0)) have a different lyotropic structure in the two cases, and this is reflected in the chainlength-independent contributions to the thermodynamic parameters. In the absence of salt, the thermotropic phase behavior of aqueous dispersions of the N-biotinyl phosphatidylethanolamines is considerably more complex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Two types of hydrocarbon chain interdigitation in sphingomyelin bilayers

Vibrational Raman spectroscopic experiments have been performed as a function of temperature on aqueous dispersions of synthetic DL-erythro-N-lignoceroylsphingosylphosphocholine [C(24):SPM], a racemic mixture of two highly asymmetric hydrocarbon chain length sphingomyelins. Raman spectral peak-height intensity ratios of vibrational transitions in the C-H stretching-mode region show that the C(24):SPM-H2O system undergoes two thermal phase transitions centered at 48.5 and 54.5 degrees C. Vibrational data for fully hydrated C(24):SPM are compared to those of highly asymmetric phosphatidylcholine dispersions. The Raman data are consistent with the plausible model that the lower temperature transition can be ascribed to the conversion of a mixed interdigitated gel state (gel II) to a partially interdigitated gel state (gel I) and that the higher temperature transition corresponds to a gel I----liquid-crystalline phase transition. The observation of a mixed interdigitated gel state (gel II) at temperatures below 48.5 degrees C implies that biological membranes may have lipid domains in which some of the lipid hydrocarbon chains penetrate completely across the entire hydrocarbon width of the lipid bilayer.     

Calorimetric and x-ray diffraction studies of rye glucocerebroside mesomorphism.

Glucocerebrosides (GlcCer) isolated from the leaves of winter rye (Secale cereale L. cv Puma) differ from the more commonly investigated natural and synthetic cerebrosides, in that greater than 95% of the fatty acids are saturated and monounsaturated hydroxy fatty acids. Isomers of the trihydroxy long chain base hydroxysphingenine (t1(8:18 cis or trans)) and isomers of sphingadienine (d18:2(4trans, 8 cis or trans)) comprise 77% and 17%, respectively, of the total long chain bases. The phase behavior of fully hydrated and dry rye leaf GlcCer was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and x-ray diffraction. On initial heating, aqueous dispersions of GlcCer exhibit a single endothermic transition at 56 degrees C and have an enthalpy (delta H) of 46 J/g. Cooling to 0 degrees C is accompanied by a small exothermic transition (delta H = -8 J/g) at 8 degrees C. On immediate reheating, a broad exothermic transition (delta H = -39 J/g) is observed between 10 and 20 degrees C in addition to a transition at 56 degrees C. These transitions are not reversible, and the exothermic transition rapidly diminishes when the sample is held at low temperature. Using x-ray diffraction, it was determined that the endotherm at 56 degrees C represents a transition from a highly ordered lamellar crystalline phase (Lc) with a d-spacing of 57 A and a series of wide-angle reflections in the 3-10 A range, to a lamellar liquid crystalline (L alpha) phase having a d-spacing of 55 A and a diffuse wide-angle scattering peak centered at 4.7 A. Cooling leads to the formation of a metastable gel phase (L beta) with a d-spacing of 64.0 A and a single broad reflection at 4.28 A. Subsequent warming to above 15 degrees C restores the original Lc phase. Thus, rye GlcCer in excess water exhibit a series of irreversible transitions and gel phase metastability. Dry GlcCer undergo an initial heating endothermic transition at 130 degrees C, which is ascribed to a transformation into the HII phase from a two phase state characterized by the coexistence of phases with disordered (alpha) and helical (delta) type chain conformations but of unknown lattice identity: An exotherm at 67.5 degrees C observed upon subsequent cooling is of unknown origin. Since an undercooled HII phase persists down to 19 degrees C, the exotherm may derive in part from an alpha-to-delta type chain packing conformational change especially under slow cooling conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Structure and properties of mixed-chain phosphatidylcholine bilayers

The structural and thermotropic properties of the hydrated mixed-chain phosphatidylcholines (PCs), C(8):C(18)-PC and C(10):C(18)-PC, have been studied by X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry. For fully hydrated C(8):C(18)-PC, the reversible chain melting transition is observed at 9.9 degrees C (delta H = 7.3 kcal/mol). X-ray diffraction at 0 degrees C (below the chain melting transition) shows a small bilayer repeat distance, d = 51.0 A, and a sharp, symmetric wide-angle reflection at 4.1 A, characteristic of a mixed interdigitated bilayer gel phase [see McIntosh, T. J., Simon, S. A., Ellington, J. C., Jr., & Porter, N. A. (1984) Biochemistry 23, 4038-4044; Hui, S. W., Mason, J. T., & Huang, C. (1984) Biochemistry 23, 5570-5577]. At 30 degrees C (above the chain melting transition), a diffuse band is observed at 4.5 A characteristic of an L alpha phase but with an increased bilayer periodicity, d = 61 A. Both the calculated lipid bilayer thickness (d1) and that determined directly from electron density profiles (dp-p) show unusual increases as a consequence of chain melting. In contrast, fully hydrated C(10):C(18)-PC shows an asymmetric endothermic transition at 11.8 degrees C. Below the chain melting transition, two lamellar phases are present, corresponding to coexisting interdigitated (d = 52.3 A) and noninterdigitated (d = 62.5 A) bilayer gel phases. The relative amounts of these phases depend upon the low-temperature incubation and/or hydration conditions, suggesting conversions, albeit kinetically complex, between metastable, and stable phases. The different behavior of C(8):C(18)-PC and C(10):C(18)-PC, as well as their positional isomers, is rationalized in terms of the molecular conformation of PC.     

Temperature and compositional dependence of the structure of hydrated dimyristoyl lecithin.

Differential scanning calorimetry and x-ray diffraction techniques have been used to investigate the structure and phase behavior of hydrated dimyristoyl lecithin (DML) in the hydration range 7.5 to 60 weight % water and the temperature range -10 to +60 degrees C. Four different calorimetric transitions have been observed: T1, a low enthalpy transition (deltaH approximately equal to 1 kcal/mol of DML) at 0 degrees C between lamellar phases (L leads to Lbeta); T2, the low enthalpy "pretransition" at water contents greater than 20 weight % corresponding to the transition Lbeta leads to Pbeta; T3, the hydrocarbon chain order-disorder transition (deltaH = 6 to 7 kcal/mol of DML) representing the transition of the more ordered low temperature phases (Lbeta, Pbeta, or crystal C, depending on the water content) to the lamellar Lalpha phase; T4, a transition occurring at 25--27 degrees C at low water contents representing the transition from the lamellar Lbeta phase to a hydrated crystalline phase C. The structures of the Lbeta, Pbeta, C, and Lalpha phases have been examined as a function of temperature and water content. The Lbeta structure has a lamellar bilayer organization with the hydrocarbon chains fully extended and tilted with respect to the normal to the bilayer plane, but packed in a distorted quasihexagonal lattice. The Pbeta structure consists of lipid bilayer lamellae distorted by a periodic "ripple" in the plane of the lamellae; the hydrocarbon chains are tilted but appear to be packed in a regular hexagonal lattice. The diffraction pattern from the crystalline phase C indexes according to an orthorhombic cell with a = 53.8 A, b = 9.33 A, c = 8.82 A. In the lamellae bilayer Lalpha strucure, the hydrocarbon chains adopt a liquid-like conformation. Analysis of the hydration characteristics and bilayer parameters (lipid thickness, surface area/molecule) of synthetic lecithins permits an evaluation of the generalized hydration and structural behavior of this class of lipids.     

Properties of ganglioside GM1 in phosphatidylcholine bilayer membranes.

Gangliosides have been shown to function as cell surface receptors, as well as participating in cell growth, differentiation, and transformation. In spite of their multiple biological functions, relatively little is known about their structure and physical properties in membrane systems. The thermotropic and structural properties of ganglioside GM1 alone and in a binary system with 1,2-dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) have been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and x-ray diffraction. By DSC hydrated GM1 undergoes a broad endothermic transition TM = 26 degrees C (delta H = 1.7 kcal/mol GM1). X-ray diffraction below (-2 degrees C) and above (51 degrees C) this transition indicates a micellar structure with changes occurring only in the wide angle region of the diffraction pattern (relatively sharp reflection at 1/4.12 A-1 at -2 degrees C; more diffuse reflection at 1/4.41 A-1 at 51 degrees C). In hydrated binary mixtures with DPPC, incorporation of GM1 (0-30 mol%; zone 1) decreases the enthalpy of the DPPC pretransition at low molar compositions while increasing the TM of both the pre- and main transitions (limiting values, 39 and 44 degrees C, respectively). X-ray diffraction studies indicate the presence of a single bilayer gel phase in zone 1 that can undergo chain melting to an L alpha bilayer phase. A detailed hydration study of GM1 (5.7 mol %)/DPPC indicated a conversion of the DPPC bilayer gel phase to an infinite swelling system in zone 1 due to the presence of the negatively charged sialic acid moiety of GM1. At 30-61 mol % GM1 (zone 2), two calorimetric transitions are observed at 44 and 47 degrees C, suggesting the presence of two phases. The lower transition reflects the bilayer gel --> L alpha transition (zone 1), whereas the upper transition appears to be a consequence of the formation of a nonbilayer, micellar or hexagonal phase, although the structure of this phase has not been defined by x-ray diffraction. At > 61 mol % GM1 (zone 3) the calorimetric and phase behavior is dominated by the micelle-forming properties of GM1; the presence of mixed GM1/DPPC micellar phases is predicted.     

The polymorphic phase behaviour of phosphatidylethanolamines of natural and synthetic origin. A 31P NMR study.

1. The polymorphic phase behaviour of aqueous dispersions of phosphatidylethanolamines isolated from human erythrocytes, hen egg yolk and Escherichia coli have been investigated employing 31P NMR techniques. All species exhibit well defined, reversible bilayer to hexagonal (H11) phase transitions as the temperature is increased. The temperatures at which these transition take place (10, 25--30 and 55--60 degrees C for erythrocyte, egg yolk and E. coli phosphatidylethanolamine, respectively) are sensitive to the fatty acid composition, occurring at a temperature up to 10 degrees C above the high temperature end of the hydrocarbon phase transition as detected by differential scanning calorimetry. In some cases the bilayer to hexagonal (H11) transitions may also be detected employing calorimetric techniques. 2. The addition of equimolar concentrations of cholesterol to these naturally occurring phosphatidylethanolamines does not dramatically affect the bilayer-hexagonal (H11) transition temperature, producing changes of up to 10 degrees C. 3. 18 : 1t/18 : 1t phosphatidylethanolamine undergoes the bilayer to hexagonal (H11) phase transition as the temperature is increased through the interval 50--55 degrees C. Alternatively, hydrated 12 : 0/12 : 0 phosphatidylethanolamine remains in the bilayer phase at temperatures up to 90 degrees C (50 degrees C above the hydrocarbon phase transition temperature). 4. The presence of 100 mM NaCl or 10 mM CaCl2 in aqueous dispersions of egg yolk phosphatidylethanolamine does not alter the temperature-dependent polymorphic phase behaviour significantly. However, at 40 degrees C, increasing the p2H above 8.0 results in progressive inhibition of the hexagonal (H11) phase and the appearance of a phase possibly of cubic structure at p2H 9.0. At p2H 10.0 the bilayer phase is preferred. 5. It is suggested that in biomembranes containing phosphatidylethanolamine as a majority species (such as that of E. coli) the fatty acid composition may primarily reflect the need to maintain bilayer structure. Alternatively, it is pointed out that in mammalian membranes such as that of the erythrocyte, phosphatidylethanolamine tends to destabilize bilayer structure. The resulting possibility that transitory non-bilayer lipid configurations may occur may be directly related to many important properties of biological membranes.     

Effect of chain-linkage on the structure of phosphatidyl choline bilayers. Hydration studies of 1-hexadecyl 2-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine.

While hydrated dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) forms tilted chain L beta' bilayers in the gel phase, the ether-linked analogue dihexadecyl phosphatidylcholine (DHPC) exhibits gel phase polymorphism. At low hydration DHPC forms L beta' phases but at greater than 30% H2O a chain-interdigitated gel phase is observed (Ruocco, M. J., D. S. Siminovitch, and R. G. Griffin. 1985. Biochemistry. 24:2406-2411; Kim, J.T., J. Mattai, and G.G. Shipley. 1987. Biochemistry. 26:6599-6603). In this study we report the behavior of a phosphatidylcholine (PC) with both types of chain linkage, 1-hexadecyl-2-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (HPPC). HPPC has been investigated as a function of hydration using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and x-ray diffraction. By DSC, over the hydration range 5. 1-70.3 wt% H2O, HPPC exhibits two reversible transitions. The reversible main chain-melting transition decreases from 69 degrees C, reaching a limiting value of 40 degrees C at full hydration. X-ray diffraction patterns of hydrated HPPC have been recorded as a function of hydration at 20 degrees and 50 degrees C. At 50 degrees C, melted-chain L alpha bilayer phases are observed at all hydrations. At 20 degrees C, at low hydrations (less than 34 wt% H2O) HPPC exhibits diffraction patterns characteristic of bilayer gel phases similar to those of the gel phase of DPPC. In contrast, at greater than or equal to 34 wt% H2O, HPPC shows a much reduced bilayer periodicity, d = 47 A, and a single sharp reflection at 4.0 A in the wide angle region. This diffraction pattern is identical to that exhibited by the interdigitated phase of DHPC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The peculiar thermo-structural behavior of the anionic lipid DMPG

Aqueous dispersions of the anionic phospholipid dimyristoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DMPG), around 100 mM ionic strength, are known to exhibit a thermal behavior similar to that of the largely studied lipid dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC), which undergoes a gel to liquid crystalline phase transition at 23 degrees C, well characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and other methods. However, at low ionic strength, DMPG has been shown to present a large gel-fluid transition region, ranging from 18 to 35 degrees C. This intermediate phase is optically transparent and characterized by a continuous change in membrane packing. Structural properties of the DMPG gel-fluid transition region will be discussed, based on results obtained by several techniques: electron spin resonance (ESR) of spin labels at the membrane surface and intercalated at different depths in the bilayer; light scattering; DSC; small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS); and fluorescence spectroscopy of probes in the bilayer.     

Structure and thermal history dependent phase behavior of hydrated synthetic sphingomyelin analogue: 1,2-dimyristamido-1,2-deoxyphosphatidylcholine

The physical properties of hydrated multilamellar sample of 1,2-dimyristamido-1,2-deoxyphosphatidylcholine (DDPC) were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), static X-ray diffraction, and simultaneous DSC and X-ray diffraction. The DDPC is a synthetic sphingomyelin analogue and has two amide bonds in its hydrophobic parts. This paper reports on metastable phase behavior of the hydrated DDPC sample. By cooling from a chain-melted state at the rates of greater than 4 degrees C min(-1), hydrated DDPC bilayers form a metastable gel phase. In the gel phase, the hydrophobic chains are tilted with respect to the bilayer normal, as like the gel phase of glycero-phosphatidylcholines. By heating, the metastable gel phase is transformed in to a stable phase associated with an exothermic heat event at 18.3 degrees C (DeltaH=14.6 kJ mol(-1)) and then the stable phase is transformed into a liquid-crystalline phase at 25.6 degrees C (DeltaH=42 kJ mol(-1)). The incubation at 17 degrees C for more than 1 h also induces the formation of the stable phase. In the stable phase, the hydrophobic chains are packed into highly ordered crystal-like structure. However, the X-ray diffraction pattern of the stable phase suggested that the entire DDPC molecules do not form a two-dimensional molecular ordered lattice, differing from normal subgel phase of glycero-phosphatidylcholines. The structure and phase behavior of DDPC revealed by the present study are discussed from the viewpoint of hydrogen bonds.     

Structure and thermotropic properties of hydrated 1-eicosyl-2-dodecyl-rac-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1-dodecyl-2-eicosyl-rac-glycero-3-phosphocholine bilayer membranes

The ether-linked phosphatidylcholines 1-eicosyl-2-dodecyl-rac-glycero-3-phosphocholine (EDPC) and 1-dodecyl-2-eicosyl-rac-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DEPC) have been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction. DSC of hydrated EDPC shows a single endothermic transition at 34.8 degrees C (delta H = 11.2 kcal/mol) after storage at -4 degrees C while DEPC shows three endothermic transitions at 7.7 and approximately 9.0 degrees C (combined delta H approximately 0.4 kcal/mol) and at 25.2 degrees C (delta H = 4.7 kcal/mol). Both the single transition of EDPC and the two higher temperature transitions of DEPC are reversible, while the approximately 7.7 degrees C transition of DEPC increases in enthalpy on low-temperature incubation. At 23 degrees C, X-ray diffraction of hydrated EDPC shows a sharp reflection at 4.2 A together with lamellar reflections corresponding to a bilayer periodicity, d = 56.2 A. Electron density profiles derived from swelling experiments show a phosphate-phosphate intrabilayer distance, dp-p, of 36 A at all hydrations. This, together with calculated lipid thickness and molecular area considerations, suggests an interdigitated, three chains per head group, bilayer gel phase, L beta*, with no hydrocarbon chain tilt. This is structurally analogous to the bilayer gel phase of hydrated 18:0/10:0 ester PC [McIntosh, T. J., Simon, S. A., Ellington, J. C., Jr., & Porter, N. A. (1984) Biochemistry 23, 4038]. In contrast, DEPC at -4 degrees C shows an L beta' bilayer gel phase with tilted hydrocarbon chains (d = 61.1 A). However, this transforms above 9 degrees C to an interdigitated, triple-chain, L beta* bilayer gel phase (identical with that of EDPC) with d = 56.6 A and a phosphate-phosphate distance of 36 A. Above their respective chain melting transitions, Tm, EDPC and DEPC exhibit liquid-crystalline L alpha bilayer phases with d = 64.5 and 65.0 A at 55 and 45 degrees C, respectively. The ability of both EDPC and DEPC to form triple-chain interdigitated gel-state bilayers suggests that the conformational inequivalence at the sn-1 and sn-2 positions is less pronounced in the ether-linked PCs compared to the ester-linked PCs, where only one of the positional isomers, e.g., 18:0/10:0 PC but not 10:0/18:0 PC, forms the triple-chain structure (J. Mattai, unpublished results). Thus, a different conformation around the glycerol is predicted for ether-linked PC compared to ester-linked PC.     

Interaction of cytochrome P-450 with phospholipids in dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine and dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol mixtures

ESR and microcalorimetry methods were employed to investigate the thermotropic properties and structure of proteoliposomes that incorporate cytochrome P450 and DMPC-DMPG binary mixtures depending on cytochrome P450 content and phospholipid composition. The microcalorimetry data demonstrated that the incorporation of cytochrome P450 into the phospholipid mixture resulted in bilayer thermal stabilization. The maximum shift of the temperature and proteoliposome transition enthalpy were achieved at the protein/lipid molar ratio of 1:1000 in almost equimolar phospholipid mixture. Using fatty acids that were spin-labeled at different positions (C5, C12, C16), it has been shown that the incorporation of cytochrome P450 into lipid mixtures containing 0-100% DMPG decreases C12 and C16 mobility and increases the C5 order parameter at transition phase (30 degrees C) and liquid crystal phase (37 degrees C) of bilayer. The maximum alteration amplitude of the probes used was not characteristic for the separate DMPC and DMPG but rather for the mixture at the molar ratio close to equimolar value. It is proposed that cytochrome P450 incorporation into the binary mixture initiated the formation of the bilayer crystal-like phase.     

Structure and interactions of ether- and ester-linked phosphatidylethanolamines

The ether-linked phospholipid 1,2-dihexadecylphosphatidylethanolamine (DHPE) was studied as a function of hydration and in fully hydrated mixed phospholipid systems with its ester-linked analogue 1,2-dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE). A combination of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction was used to examine the phase behavior of these lipids. By DSC, from 0 to 10 wt % H2O, DHPE displayed a single reversible transition that decreased from 95.2 to 78.8 degrees C and which was shown by X-ray diffraction data to be a direct bilayer gel to inverted hexagonal conversion, L beta----HII. Above 15% H2O, two reversible transitions were observed which stabilized at 67.1 and 92.3 degrees C above 19% H2O. X-ray diffraction data of fully hydrated DHPE confirmed the lower temperature transition to be a bilayer gel to bilayer liquid-crystalline (L beta----L alpha) phase transition and the higher temperature transition to be a bilayer liquid-crystalline to inverted hexagonal (L alpha----HII) phase transition. The lamellar repeat distance of gel-state DHPE increased as a function of hydration to a limiting value of 62.5 A at 19% H2O (8.6 mol of water/mol of DHPE), which corresponds to the hydration at which the transition temperatures are seen to stabilize by DSC. Electron density profiles of DHPE, in addition to calculations of the lipid layer thickness, confirmed that DHPE in the gel state forms a noninterdigitated bilayer at all hydrations. Fully hydrated mixed phospholipid systems of DHPE and DPPE exhibited two reversible transitions by DSC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)