We investigated effect of electrostatic interactions due to surfacecharges on structures and stability of cubic phases of monoolein (MO)membrane using the small-angle X-ray scattering method. Firstly, wechanged the surface charge density of the membrane by usingdioleoylphosphatidic acid (DOPA). As increasing DOPA concentration in themembrane at 30 wt % lipid concentration, a Q(224) to Q(229) phasetransition occurred at 0.6 mol % DOPA, and at and above 25 mol %, DOPA/MOmembranes were in the L(α) phase. NaCl in the bulk phase reduced theeffect of DOPA. These results indicate that as the electrostaticinteractions increase, the most stable phase changes as follows: Q(224)⇒ Q(229) ⇒ L(α). The increase in DOPAconcentration reduced the absolute value of spontaneous curvature of themembrane, | H(0) |. Secondly, we changed the surface charge of themembrane by adding a de novo designed peptide, which has netpositive charges and a binding site on the electrically neutral membraneinterface. The peptide-1 (WLFLLKKK) induced a Q(224) to Q(229)phase transition in the MO membrane at low peptide concentration. As NaClconcentration increases, the MO/peptide-1 membrane changed from Q(229)to Q(224) phase. The increase in peptide-1 concentration reduced |H(0) |. Based on these results, the stability of the cubic phases and themechanism of phase transition between cubic phase and L(α) phase arediscussed.
Keywords: X-ray diffraction; a cubic to Lα phase transition; cubic phases; curvature elastic energy; infinite periodic minimal surface; membrane interface; peptide-membrane interaction; spontaneous curvature.