How much solute is needed to inhibit the fluid to gel membrane phase transition at low hydration?

Thomas Lenné; Gary Bryant; Roland Holcomb; Karen L Koster

doi:10.1016/j.bbamem.2007.01.008

How much solute is needed to inhibit the fluid to gel membrane phase transition at low hydration?

Biochim Biophys Acta. 2007 May;1768(5):1019-22. doi: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2007.01.008. Epub 2007 Jan 20.

Authors

Thomas Lenné¹, Gary Bryant, Roland Holcomb, Karen L Koster

Affiliation

¹ Applied Physics, School of Applied Sciences, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia.

PMID: 17306217
DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2007.01.008

Abstract

We present a quantitative study of the effect of sugars on the membrane gel-fluid phase transition as a function of sugar:lipid ratio. We show that the maximum effect occurs at around 1.5 sugar rings per molecule for both mono- and di-saccharides. We present a theoretical model to try to explain these results, and discuss the assumptions inherent in the model.

MeSH terms

1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine / metabolism
Carbohydrate Metabolism*
Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine / metabolism
Gels
Membranes, Artificial*
Phase Transition*
Temperature
Water / metabolism*

Substances

Gels
Membranes, Artificial
Water
1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine
Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine