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Biophys. J. BioFAST: First Published December 13, 2004. doi:10.1529/biophysj.104.052456
© 2004 by the Biophysical Society.

A more recent version of this article appeared on March 1, 2005.
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SPECTROSCOPY, IMAGING, OTHER TECHNIQUES

Direct Visualization of Asymmetric Behavior in Supported Lipid Bilayers at the Gel-Fluid Phase Transition

Z. Vivian Feng 1, Tighe A. Spurlin 1 and Andrew A. Gewirth 1*

1 University of Illinois

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: agewirth{at}uiuc.edu.

Submitted on September 7, 2004
Revised on October 19, 2004
Accepted on 18 November 2004


  Abstract
We utilize in situ, temperature dependent Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to examine the gel-to-fluid phase transition behavior in supported phospholipids bilayers constructed from 1.2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC), 1,2-dipentadecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (diC15-PC), and 1,2-Dipalmitoyl-sn-Glycero-3-Phosphocholine (DPPC). The primary gel-to-fluid phase transition at Tm occurs through development of anisotropic cracks in the gel phase, which develop into the fluid phase. At ca. 5°C above Tm AFM studies reveal the presence of a secondary phase transition in all three bilayers studied. The secondary phase transition occurs as a consequence of decoupling between the two leaflets of the bilayer, due to enhanced stabilization of the lower leaflet with either the support or the water entrained between the support and the bilayer. Addition of the transmembrane protein gramicidin A, or construction of a highly defected gel phase results in elimination of this decoupling and removal of the secondary phase transition.

Key Words: AFM, DMPC, DPPC, decoupling, diC15-PC, temperature control




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Copyright © 2004 by the Biophysical Society.