Melting-Temperature-Dependent Interactions of Ergosterol with Unsaturated and Saturated Lipids in Model Membranes

Sterols such as cholesterol (Chol) and ergosterol (Erg) are known to regulate membrane properties in higher eukaryotes and in lower eukaryotes, respectively. To better understand the modulation of membrane properties by Erg, binary lipid membranes composed of Erg and diacylglycerophosphocholine (PC) were studied in Langmuir monolayer and bilayer vesicle systems. From the excess area measured by pressure-area isotherms, attractive interactions between Erg and saturated PC were significant above the melting temperature (T_m) of PC. Conversely, repulsive interactions were observed at temperatures below T_m. From the analyses of membrane fluidity and polarity using fluorescence probes, similar trends were observed for bilayer systems where Erg had an ordering effect on saturated PC vesicles in the fluid state. However, Chol had a stronger ordering effect than Erg. In unsaturated PC systems, Erg did not alter membrane ordering. These findings demonstrate that the interaction of Erg with the fluid-state PC lipids will maintain lower-eukaryote membranes in a more ordered state, similar to the effect of cholesterol in higher eukaryotes.