"Bicellar" lipid mixtures as used in biochemical and biophysical studies.
Over the past decade "bicellar" lipid mixtures composed of the long-chain dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and the short-chain dihexanoyl PC (DHPC) molecules have emerged as a powerful medium for studying membrane associated, biologically relevant macromolecules and assemblies. Depending on temperature, lipid concentration and composition these lipid mixtures can assume a variety of morphologies, some of them alignable in the presence of a magnetic field. This article will examine the biophysical studies that have elucidated the various morphologies assumed by these lipid mixtures, and their use in the biochemical studies of biomolecules.
Katsaras
John
J
National Research Council, Chalk River Laboratories, Chalk River, Ontario, Canada. john.katsaras@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
Harroun
Thad A
TA
Pencer
Jeremy
J
Nieh
Mu-Ping
MP
D001669:Biochemical Phenomena; D001671:Biochemistry; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D004134:Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine / Q000737:chemistry; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010742:Phospholipid Ethers / Q000737:chemistry
C052298:1,2-dihexadecyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine; D008081:Liposomes; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010742:Phospholipid Ethers; D004134:Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine