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    Adding glycolipid functionality to model membranes – phase behaviour of a synthetic glycolipid in a phospholipid membrane


    Migas, Urszula M. and Abbey, Lorna and Velasco-Torrijos, Trinidad and McManus, Jennifer (2014) Adding glycolipid functionality to model membranes – phase behaviour of a synthetic glycolipid in a phospholipid membrane. Soft Matter, 10 (22). pp. 3978-3983. ISSN 1744-683X

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    Abstract

    Glycolipid phase behaviour is less well understood than for many phospholipids, but due to their structural and functional diversity, glycolipids represent an important group of amphiphiles from which biological function is derived. Here we have incorporated a synthetic glycolipid in binary mixtures with DOPC (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) into giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) at biologically relevant concentrations and observed the phase behaviour of the lipid mixtures for a range of glycolipid concentrations. At low concentrations, the glycolipid is fully dispersed in the GUV membrane. At glycolipid molar concentrations above 10%, the formation of lipid tubules is observed, and is consistent with the formation of a columnar lipid phase. Lipid tubules are observed in aqueous and oil solvents, suggesting that both hexagonal and inverted hexagonal lipid arrangements can be formed. This work may offer insights into the biological function of glycolipids and the challenges in formulating them for use in industrial applications.

    Item Type: Article
    Keywords: glycolipid functionality; model membranes; phase behaviour; synthetic glycolipid; phospholipid membrane;
    Academic Unit: Faculty of Science and Engineering > Chemistry
    Item ID: 7755
    Identification Number: https://doi.org/10.1039/C4SM00147H
    Depositing User: Jennifer McManus
    Date Deposited: 13 Jan 2017 17:02
    Journal or Publication Title: Soft Matter
    Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
    Refereed: Yes
    Funders: Higher Education Authority (HEA), Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), Irish Research Council
    URI:
    Use Licence: This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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