Interleaflet Coupling of n-Alkane Incorporated Bilayers

Hatsuho USUDA, Mafumi HISHIDA, Elizabeth G. Kelley, Yasuhisa YAMAMURA, Michihiro NAGAO and Kazuya SAITO

The relationship between the membrane bending modulus (kappa) and compressibility modulus (KA) depends on the extent of coupling between the two monolayers (leaflets). Using neutron spin echo (NSE) spectroscopy, we investigate the effects of n-alkanes on the interleaflet coupling of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) bilayers. Structural studies with small-angle X-ray and neutron scattering (SAXS and SANS) showed that the bilayer thickness increased with increasing n-alkane length, while NSE suggested that the bilayers became softer. Additional measurements of the membrane thickness fluctuations with NSE suggested that the changes in elastic moduli were due to a decrease in coupling between the leaflets upon addition of the longer n-alkanes. The decreased coupling with elongating n-alkane length was explained based on the n-alkane distribution within the bilayers characterized by SANS measurement of bilayers composed of protiated DPPC and deuterated n-alkanes. A higher fraction of the incorporated long n-alkanes were concentrated at the central plane of the bilayers and decreased the physical interaction between the leaflets. Using NSE and SANS, we successfully correlated changes in the mesoscopic collective dynamics and microscopic membrane structure upon incorporation of n-alkanes.
(Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 22, 5418-5426 (2020))


Phase Separation of a Ternary Lipid Vesicle Including n-Alkane: Rugged Vesicle and Bilayer Flakes Formed by Separation between Highly Rigid and Flexible Domains

Mafumi HISHIDA, Ryuta YANAGISAWA, Yasuhisa YAMAMURA and Kazuya SAITO

We investigate the phase separation of a ternary lipid bilayer including n-alkane and construct the ternary phase diagram. When a certain proportion of a long n-alkane is mixed with a binary mixture of lipids, which, respectively, exhibit the disordered liquid-crystalline phase and the ordered gel phase at room temperature, we observed the characteristic morphology of bilayers with phase separation. The ordered bilayer forms flat and rigid domains, which is connected or rimmed with flexible domains in the disordered phase. The asymmetric emergence of the phase separation region close to the ordered phase side is interpreted based on the almost equal distribution of the n-alkane to the ordered and disordered phase domains.
(J. Chem. Phys., 150, 064904 (2019))


Common Effects of Incorporated n-Alkane Derivatives on Molecular Packing and Phase Behavior of DPPC Bilayers

Hatsuho USUDA, Mafumi HISHIDA, Yasuhisa YAMAMURA and Kazuya SAITO

Effects of nine incorporated n-alkane derivatives on molecular packing and phase behavior of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) bilayers were investigated using wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The incorporation commonly resulted in closer packing of the lipid alkyl chains in the ordered phase and shift of the thermal anomaly due to the main transition to a higher temperature. These common features suggest that effects of incorporated molecules on structure and phase behavior of DPPC bilayers can be classified by their shape.
(Chem. Lett., 47, 1512-1514 (2018))


Reduction of Shear Viscosity in Phospholipid Vesicle Dispersions by Self-Organized Ripple Structures of Vesicle Surfaces

Koyomi NAKAZAWA, Yuki KAWATA, Mafumi HISHIDA, Yasuhisa YAMAMURA and Kazuya SAITO

Possible influence of the nanoscale rippled structure at a lipid vesicle surface on macroscopic physical properties of their dispersions was investigated. The macroscopic shear viscosity of highly concentrated lipid vesicle dispersions dramatically decreased at the condition in which the ripple pattern was formed on surfaces. The decrease in the shear viscosity is suggested to originate in the prevention of aggregation of vesicles by mismatch of static rippled structures at vesicle surfaces.
(Chem. Lett., 47, 240-242 (2018))


Contrasting Effects of a Rigid Core and an Alkyl Chain in nCB on the Phase Behavior of Lipid Bilayers

Hatsuho USUDA, Mafumi HISHIDA, Yasuhisa YAMAMURA and Kazuya SAITO

Incorporated molecules in biomembranes often have both a core and an alkyl chain in a single molecule like sterols. To clarify effects of these two parts in a molecule, phase behaviors of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) bilayer containing 4-n-alkyl-6-cyanobiphenyl (nCB) (n = 0 - 8) are investigated. Both the trends of the main transition temperature (Tm) with respect to n and the pretransition temperature (Tp) with respect to nCB content change at n = 3. It is suggested that two parts have contrary effects on the phase behavior of DPPC bilayer. The core part likely perturbs the molecular ordering in the gel phase and lowers Tm as cholesterol, whereas an alkyl chain orders the lipids in the gel phase and raises Tm as n-alkanes. Tm shows the odd-even effect depending on the alkyl chain length of minor component, nCB. Depending on n, effects of the additives on Tp show the content dependences, although the pretransition is rarely observed at the high contents.
(Langmuir, 32, 5966-5972 (2016))


Rigidification of a Lipid Bilayer by an Incorporated n-Alkanes

Mafumi HISHIDA, Ryuta YANAGISAWA, Hatsuho USUDA, Yasuhisa YAMAMURA and Kazuya SAITO

Towards a greater understanding of the effects of organic molecules in biomembranes, the effects of a flexible alkyl chain on the morphologies of phospholipid vesicles are investigated. Vesicles composed of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine and tetradecane (TD) rupture during cooling from the liquid-crystalline phase to the gel phase. A model calculation based on the size-dependent rupture probability indicates that the bending rigidity of the bilayer in the gel phase is more than 10 times higher than that without TD, resulting in the rupture arising from elastic stress. The rigidification is caused by the denser molecular packing in the hydrophobic region by TD. There is little change of the rigidity in the liquid-crystalline phase. Additionally, the rigidification produces a characteristic morphology of the ternary giant vesicles including TD. Reported thermal behaviors imply that molecules with a linear and long alkyl chain, such as trans fatty acids, universally exhibit a similar effect, in contrast to rigid and bulky molecules, such as cholesterol.
(J. Chem. Phys., 144, 041103 (2016))


Effect of n-Alkanes on Lipid Bilayers Depending on Headgroups

Mafumi HISHIDA, Asami ENDO, Koyomi NAKAZAWA, Yasuhisa YAMAMURA and Kazuya SAITO

Phase behavior and structural properties were examined for bilayers of phospholipids with different headgroups (DMPC, DMPS and DMPE) while adding n-alkanes to study effect of flexible additives. Change in the temperatures of main transition of the lipid/alkane mixtures against the length of added alkanes depends largely on the headgroup. Theoretical analysis of the change of the temperature of transition indicates that the headgroup dependence is dominantly originated in the strong dependence of total enthalpy on the headgroups. The results of X-ray diffraction show that the enthalpic stabilization due to enhanced packing of lipid molecules by alkanes in the gel phase causes the headgroup-dependent change in the phase transition behavior. The enhanced packing in the gel phase also lead to easy emergence of the subgel phase with very short relaxation times at room temperature in the DMPE-based bilayers.
(Chem. Phys. Lipids, 188, 61-67 (2015))


Effect of Cis and Trans Double Bonds on Conformational Disordering of Hydrocarbon-Chain of Lipid, Unsaturated Monoacylglycerols, in Lamellar Phase of Binary System with Water

Yasuhisa YAMAMURA and Kazuya SAITO

To clarify the influence of cis and trans double bonds on conformational disordering of unsaturated hydrocarbon-chain of lipids in bilayer formed in the binary system with water, calorimetric study was conducted for systems of unsaturated monoacylglycerols; monoolein (MO), monovaccenin (MV), and monoelaidin (ME). Heat capacities of the binary systems were measured by adiabatic calorimetry. The observed entropies of transition (DeltatrsS) from lamellar phase (Lalpha) to fluid isotropic (FI) phase are very small and depend on lipids: DeltatrsS of MO/water, MV/water, and ME/water were ca. 0.8 J K-1 (mol of lipid) -1, ca. 0.9 J K-1 (mol of lipid) -1, and ca. 0.4 J K-1 (mol of lipid) -1, respectively. These show that the conformational disordering of the hydrocarbon chain over gauche and trans conformations is suppresed in Lalpha phase. Through the comparison of DeltatrsS among the binary systems, the suppresed conformational disordering of hydrocarbon chain in the bilayer is discussed.
(J. Phys. Chem. B, 115, 14963-14968 (2011))


See also Photocontrol of Materials Properties


 

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