Physicochemical behavior of the ganglioside GM3 in dilute aqueous solution

The aggregative properties of the ganglioside GM3 have been studied with small-angle X-ray scattering and dynamic light scattering in dilute aqueous solutions. Dynamic light scattering experiments show that GM3 solutions are very polydisperse containing a large amount of small aggregates (hydrodynamic radius of 7-9 nm) in addition to a quite broad distribution of aggregates with an average hydrodynamic radius of 50-60 nm and a small fraction of very large aggregates (> 200 nm). This together with small-angle X-ray scattering scattering experiments and model calculations suggests the coexistence of a lamellar phase (vesicles or extended lamellae) with small aggregates (modelled as lamellar platelets). The latter can also be viewed as lamellar fragments coming from GM3 vesicles which constantly break and reform.