Influence of cholesterol on the biophysical properties of the sphingomyelin/DOPC binary system

The influence of cholesterol on the sphingomyelin (SM)/dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) binary system was investigated in various respects. Electron spin resonance (ESR) measurements reveal that the order parameter of 5DS (5-doxyl stearic acid) in SM/DOPC bilayers increases notably when the concentration of cholesterol is over 30 mol%. Membrane potential measurements indicate that the K+ permeability of the SM/DOPC bilayer decreases steeply at 40 mol% cholesterol concentration. Both these experiments suggest that cholesterol reduces the motion amplitude of hydrocarbon chains abruptly above 30 mol%. In contrast to the ordering effects on the hydrocarbon chains, (31)P-NMR results indicate that cholesterol slightly increases the motion of phosphate groups of the lipids. (31)P-NMR also raises the possibility of domain formation in the presence of cholesterol. Fluorescence-quenching experiments verified that solid domains appear in the binary system when cholesterol is present, and percolation threshold occurs at 50 mol% cholesterol concentration. The solid domains bear the properties of liquid ordered phase, which is the basic structure of caveolae and functional rafts. So this work provides an artificial model for the study of rafts and caveolae on biological membranes.