Discontinuous unbinding of lipid multibilayers.
We have observed a discontinuous unbinding transition of lipid bilayer stacks composed of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol using x-ray diffraction. The unbinding is reversible and coincides with the main (L(beta)-->L(alpha)) transition of the lipid mixture. Interbilayer interaction potentials deduced from the diffraction data reveal that the bilayers in the L(beta) phase are only weakly bound. The unbinding transition appears to be driven by an abrupt increase in steric repulsion resulting from increased thermal undulations of the bilayers upon entering the fluid L(alpha) phase.
Pozo-Navas
B
B
Institute of Biophysics and X-Ray Structure Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Schmiedlstrasse 6, 8042 Graz, Austria.
Raghunathan
V A
VA
Katsaras
J
J
Rappolt
M
M
Lohner
K
K
Pabst
G
G
D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry*; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines / Q000737:chemistry*; D010715:Phosphatidylglycerols / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008081:Liposomes; D010714:Phosphatidylethanolamines; D010715:Phosphatidylglycerols; C057561:1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylethanolamine; C007510:1,2-dipalmitoyl-3-phosphatidylethanolamine; C060037:1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylglycero-3-phosphoglycerol; C030345:1,2-dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol