Abstract
We have used neutron spin echo (NSE) spectroscopy to study the effect of bilayer thicknessand monounsaturation (existence of a single double bond on one of the aliphatic chains) onthe physical properties of unilamellar vesicles. The bending elasticity of saturated andmonounsaturated phospholipid bilayers made of phospholipids with alkyl chainlength ranging from 14 to 20 carbons was investigated. The bending elasticityκc of phosphatidylcholines (PCs) in the liquid crystalline(Lα) phaseranges from 0.38 × 10−19 J for 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine to0.64 × 10−19 J for 1,2-dieicosenoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. It was confirmed that, contrary to thestrong effect on the main transition temperature, the monounsaturation has a limitedinfluence on the bending elasticity of lipid bilayers. In addition, when the area modulusKA varies little with chain unsaturation or length, the elastic ratios(κc/KA)1/2 ofsaturated and monounsaturated phospholipid bilayers varies linearly with lipid hydrophobic thicknessd which agrees well with the theory of ideal fluid membranes.
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