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Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging and Force Spectroscopy of Supported Lipid Bilayers
Published on: July 22, 2015
Fluorinated Alcohols' Effects on Lipid Bilayer Properties
Mike Zhang1, Thasin Peyear2, Ilias Patmanidis3
1Department Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York City, New York; The Bronx High School of Science, New York City, New York.
Biophysical Journal
|August 6, 2018
Summary
Fluorinated alcohols perturb lipid bilayers, with potency varying by concentration and alcohol size. Even small amounts can alter membrane properties, impacting protein function.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Biophysics
- Membrane Biology
Background:
- Fluorinated alcohols (fluoroalcohols) possess unique physicochemical properties making them effective solvents.
- Like conventional alcohols, fluoroalcohols can influence membrane protein function and lipid bilayer characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the lipid bilayer-perturbing potency of fluoroalcohols.
- To investigate whether residual fluoroalcohol amounts affect membrane properties and protein function.
- To compare the behavior of fluoroalcohols with their nonfluorinated counterparts.
Main Methods:
- Gramicidin-based fluorescence assay to measure bilayer modification and alcohol partitioning.
- Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to analyze molecular-level interactions.
- Absorbance measurements and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance to assess bilayer breakdown.
Main Results:
- Fluoroalcohols alter bilayer properties in the millimolar range, with potency varying from PFTB (low mM) to TFE (high mM).
- Compared to aqueous concentrations, fluoroalcohols are more potent bilayer perturbators than nonfluorinated alcohols.
- When considering membrane mole fractions, fluoroalcohols show equal or lesser potency, with TFE being more potent than PFTB.
Conclusions:
- Fluoroalcohols can significantly alter lipid bilayer properties and stability.
- The observed effects depend on the fluoroalcohol's concentration, size, and partitioning behavior.
- Understanding these interactions is crucial for applications involving fluoroalcohols and biological membranes.
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