title: Model systems of precursor cellular membranes: long-chain alcohols stabilize spontaneously formed oleic acid vesicles.
abstract: Oleic acid vesicles have been used as model systems to study the properties of membranes that could be the evolutionary precursors of more complex, stable, and impermeable phospholipid biomembranes. Pure fatty acid vesicles in general show high sensitivity to ionic strength and pH variation, but there is growing evidence that this lack of stability can be counterbalanced through mixtures with other amphiphilic or surfactant compounds. Here, we present a systematic experimental analysis of the oleic acid system and explore the spontaneous formation of vesicles under different conditions, as well as the effects that alcohols and alkanes may have in the process. Our results support the hypothesis that alcohols (in particular 10- to 14-C-atom alcohols) contribute to the stability of oleic acid vesicles under a wider range of experimental conditions. Moreover, studies of mixed oleic-acid-alkane and oleic-acid-alcohol systems using infrared spectroscopy and Langmuir trough measurements indicate that precisely those alcohols that increased vesicle stability also decreased the mobility of oleic acid polar headgroups, as well as the area/molecule of lipid.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Biofísica (CSIC-UPV/EHU), and Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidad del País Vasco, Bilbao, Spain.
authors.forename: Adela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rendón
authors.forename: David Gil
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Carton
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sot
authors.forename: Marcos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García-Pacios
authors.forename: L-Ruth
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Montes
authors.forename: Mikel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: José-Luis R
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Arrondo
authors.forename: Felix M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Goñi
authors.forename: Kepa
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Mirazo
mesh_terms: D000438:Alcohols / Q000737:chemistry*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D019301:Oleic Acid / Q000737:chemistry*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000438:Alcohols; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D014867:Water; D019301:Oleic Acid