Effect of membrane phase transition on long-time calcium-induced fusion of phosphatidylserine vesicles.
Dynamic light scattering has been used to study the temperature dependence of the extent of long-time calcium-induced fusion of sonicated vesicles composed of various natural and synthetic phosphatidylserine with different acyl chains. The vesicles of each composition are found to exhibit a peak temperature in the vicinity of which the extent of fusion shows a distinct maximum. The fusion peak temperature increases as the bilayer gel-to-liquid-crystal phase transition temperature increases. The results suggest a role played by membrane fluidity in determining fusion efficiency.
Leung
S O
SO
Department of Physics and Astronomy, State University of New York, Buffalo 14260.
Ho
J T
JT
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002417:Cattle; D008027:Light; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry; D008560:Membrane Fluidity; D008561:Membrane Fusion / Q000187:drug effects*; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000737:chemistry; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010718:Phosphatidylserines / Q000737:chemistry*; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013010:Sonication; D013696:Temperature
D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010718:Phosphatidylserines; C042859:dimyristoylphosphatidylserine; D002118:Calcium