Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Realistic Membrane Modeling Using Complex Lipid Mixtures in Simulation Studies
Published on: September 1, 2023
Lamellar to inverted hexagonal mesophase transition in DNA complexes with calamitic, discotic, and cubic shaped
1Polymer Program, Institute of Materials Science and Department of Chemical, Materials, and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3136, USA.
Abstract:
In this study, we report on the lipid tail molecular shape/size effect on the mesophase self-assembly behaviors of various cationic lipids complexed with double-stranded DNA. The molecular shape of the cationic lipids was tailored from rodlike (a cyanobiphenyl imidazolium salt) to discotic (a triphenylene imidazolium salt), and finally to cubic [a polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) imidazolium salt]. An increase in the cross-sectional area of the hydrophobic tails with respect to the hydrophilic imidazolium head induced a negative spontaneous curvature of the cationic lipids. As a result, a morphological change from lamello-columnar (L(C)(alpha)) phase for the DNA-cyanobiphenyl imidazolium salt (DNA-rod) and DNA-triphenylene imidazolium salt (DNA-disk) complexes to an inverted hexagonal columnar (H(C)(II)) phase for the DNA-POSS imidazolium salt (DNA-cube) complex was observed. The DNA-rod complex had a typical smectic A (SmA) L(C)(alpha) morphology, whereas the DNA-disk complex had a double lamello-columnar liquid crystalline phase. However, when the lipid tail changed to POSS, an H(C)(II) morphology was achieved. These morphological changes were successfully characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. We expect that these liquid crystalline and crystalline DNA hybrid materials may become potential functional materials for various applications such as organic microelectronics and gene transfection.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Fluid Mosaic Model
Micelles
Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation
Another mechanism for membrane domain formation involves membrane proteins interacting with cytoskeletal...
Membrane Fluidity
Mosaic nature of the membrane
The mosaic characteristic of the membrane helps the plasma membrane remain fluid. The integral proteins and lipids exist as separate but loosely-attached molecules in the membrane. The membrane is a relatively...
Colors and Magnetism
When atoms or molecules absorb light at the proper frequency, their electrons are excited to higher-energy orbitals. For many main group atoms and molecules, the absorbed photons are in the ultraviolet range of the electromagnetic spectrum, which cannot be detected by the human eye. For coordination compounds, the energy difference between the d orbitals often allows photons in the visible range to be absorbed and emitted, which is seen as colors by the human eye.
Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer

