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Effect of cholesterol on the lateral nanoscale dynamics of fluid membranes

På svenska

Author

  • Clare L. Armstrong
  • Matthew A. Barrett
  • Arno Hiess
  • Tim Salditt
  • John Katsaras
  • An-Chang Shi
  • Maikel C. Rheinstaedter

Summary, in English

Inelastic neutron scattering was used to study the effect of 5 and 40 mol% cholesterol on the lateral nanoscale dynamics of phospholipid membranes. By measuring the excitation spectrum at several lateral q (||) values (up to q (||) = 3 (-1)), complete dispersion curves were determined of gel, fluid and liquid-ordered phase bilayers. The inclusion of cholesterol had a distinct effect on the collective dynamics of the bilayer's hydrocarbon chains; specifically, we observed a pronounced stiffening of the membranes on the nanometer length scale in both gel and fluid bilayers, even though they were experiencing a higher degree of molecular disorder. Also, for the first time we determined the nanoscale dynamics in the high-cholesterol liquid-ordered phase of bilayers containing cholesterol. Namely, this phase appears to be "softer" than fluid bilayers, but better ordered than bilayers in the gel phase.

Publishing year

2012

Language

English

Pages

901-913

Publication/Series

European Biophysics Journal

Volume

41

Issue

10

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Springer

Topic

  • Physical Sciences
  • Natural Sciences

Keywords

  • Lipid membrane
  • Cholesterol
  • Lateral membrane dynamics
  • Nanoscale
  • dynamics
  • Liquid-ordered phase
  • Inelastic neutron scattering
  • Dispersion
  • relation

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0175-7571