Phenylalanine Blocks Defects Induced in Gel Lipid Membranes by Osmotic Stress

J Phys Chem B. 2015 Aug 6;119(31):10060-5. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.5b05590. Epub 2015 Jul 28.

Abstract

We study the binding of phenylalanine (Phe) with dipalmitoylphosphocholine (DPPC) vesicles in gel (25 °C) and in liquid crystalline states (50 °C) and in gel large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs) subjected to osmotic dehydration with merocyanine (MC 540) as a fluorescent surface membrane marker. Phe does not produce significant changes in MC 540 monomer concentration in DPPC LUVs at 50 °C. In contrast, it significantly decreases the monomer adsorption in defects present in DPPC LUVs at 25 °C. When DPPC LUVs were subjected to hypertonic stress, dehydration caused more defects, and in this case phenylalanine is also able to block such defects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine / chemistry
  • Gels / chemistry
  • Membrane Lipids / chemistry*
  • Molecular Structure
  • Osmotic Pressure*
  • Phenylalanine / chemistry*
  • Unilamellar Liposomes / chemistry*

Substances

  • Gels
  • Membrane Lipids
  • Unilamellar Liposomes
  • 1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine
  • Phenylalanine