title: Interfacial water facilitates energy transfer by inducing extended vibrations in membrane lipids.
abstract: We report the complete assignment of the vibrational spectrum of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), which belongs to the most ubiquitous membrane phospholipid family, phosphatidylcholine. We find that water hydrating the lipid headgroups enables efficient energy transfer across membrane leaflets on sub-picosecond time scales. The emergence of spatially extended vibrational modes upon hydration, underlies this phenomenon. Our findings illustrate the importance of collective molecular behavior of biomembranes and reveal that hydrated lipid membranes can act as efficient media for the transfer of vibrational energy.
authors.affiliation: FOM Institute AMOLF, Science Park 104, 1098XG Amsterdam, The Netherlands. mashaghi@amolf.nl
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mashaghi
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Partovi-Azar
authors.forename: Tayebeh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jadidi
authors.forename: Nasser
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nafari
authors.forename: Keivan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Esfarjani
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maass
authors.forename: M Reza Rahimi
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Tabar
authors.forename: Huib J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Bakker
authors.forename: Mischa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonn
mesh_terms: D015060:1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine / Q000737:chemistry*; D004735:Energy Transfer; D014732:Vibration; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014867:Water; D015060:1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine