title: Unusual hydration properties of C16:0 sulfatide bilayer membranes.
abstract: After deacylation of bovine brain sulfatide under mild alkaline conditions and reacylation using palmitoyl chloride (, Chem. Phys. Lipids. 34:41-53), the anionic glycosphingolipid N-palmitoyl galactosulfatide (C16:0-GalSulf) has been synthesized. By differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), anhydrous C16:0-GalSulf exhibits an endothermic transition, T(M) = 93 degrees C (DeltaH = 5. 5 kcal/mol C16:0-GalSulf) on heating. With increasing hydration (50 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0; 50 mM NaCl), T(M) decreases, reaching a limiting value of 49 degrees C (DeltaH = 8.2 kcal/mol C16:0-GalSulf) at 20 wt% buffer. X-ray diffraction data have been recorded over the hydration range 0-62% at temperatures below (20 degrees C) and above (60 degrees C) T(M). At 20 degrees C, sharp wide-angle reflections at approximately 1/4.4 A(-1), approximately 1/4.1 A(-1), and approximately 1/3.8 A(-1) indicate the presence of an ordered-chain gel phase, whereas at 60 degrees C a broad reflection at 1/4.5 A(-1) characteristic of a melted-chain phase is observed. Lamellar diffraction patterns consistent with the presence of bilayer phases are observed at both temperatures. At 60 degrees C, in the liquid-crystalline L(alpha) phase, the bilayer periodicity increases with hydration, in both water and 100 mM Na(+) buffer. Interestingly, in the gel phase at 20 degrees C, the bilayer periodicity (d = 64 A) is insensitive to hydration (over the range 30-60 wt%) with either water or buffer. The continuous swelling behavior exhibited by the L(alpha) bilayer phase of C16:0-GalSulf is typical of lipids bearing a net negative charge and confirms that the presence of 100 mM Na(+) is insufficient to shield the charge contributed by the sulfate group. In contrast, the lack of continuous swelling behavior of the bilayer gel phase of C16:0-GalSulf is unusual and resembles that of Na(+) soaps. Thus, presumably, alterations in the surface charge characteristics of the C16:0-GalSulf bilayer occur on hydrocarbon chain melting and lead to major changes in lipid hydration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biophysics, Center for Advanced Biomedical Research, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Saxena
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Duclos
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Sripada
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Shipley
mesh_terms: D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D005699:Galactosylceramides / Q000737:chemistry; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D005699:Galactosylceramides; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; C411363:N-palmitoyl galactosulfatide; D013433:Sulfoglycosphingolipids; D014867:Water; C032840:N-palmitoylgalactosylsphingosine