Quantitation of lateral stress in lipid layer containing nonbilayer phase preferring lipids by frequency-domain fluorescence spectroscopy.

Frequency-resolved fluorescence measurements have been performed to quantitate the lateral stress of the lipid layer containing nonbilayer phase preferring dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE). On the basis of a new rotational diffusion model, the wobbling diffusion constant (Dw), the curvature-related hopping diffusion constant (DH), and the two local orientational order parameters (P2] and P4]) of 1-palmitoyl-2-2-4-(6-phenyl-trans-1,3,5-hexatrienyl)phenyl]ethyl] carbonyl]-3-sn-phosphatidylcholine (DPH-PC) in fully hydrated DOPE and DOPE/dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) mixtures were calculated from the frequency-domain anisotropy data. The values of P2], P4], and DH for DOPE were found to increase significantly at approximately 12 degrees C, the known lamellar liquid crystalline (L alpha) to inverted hexagonal (HII) phase transition temperature of DOPE. Similar features as well as a decline of Dw were detected in the DOPE/DOPC mixtures as the DOPE content was increased from 85% to 90% at 23 degrees C, corresponding to the known lyotropic phase transition of the DOPE/DOPC. In contrast, for DOPC (0-40 degrees C) and DOPE/DOPC (0-100% DOPE at 3 degrees C), which remained in the L alpha phase, these changes were not detected. The most probable local orientation of DPH-PC in the DOPE/DOPC mixtures shifted progressively toward the normal of the lipid/water interface as the content of DOPE increased. We concluded that the curvature-related lateral stress in the lipid layer increases with the content of the nonbilayer phase preferring lipids.