Influence of transmembrane voltage on the structure of membrane components

Building biomimetic membrane at a gold electrode surface

This article describes efforts to build a model biological membrane at a surface of a gold electrode. In this architecture, the membrane may be exposed to static electric fields on the order of 10(7) to 10(8) V m(-1). These fields are comparable in magnitude to the static electric field acting on a natural biological membrane. The field may be conveniently used to manipulate organic molecules within the membrane. By turning a knob on the control instrument one can deposit or lift the membrane from the gold surface. Electrochemical techniques can be used to control the physical state of the film while the infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS), surface imaging by STM and AFM and neutron scattering techniques can be employed to study conformational changes of organic molecules and their ordering within the membrane. This is shown on examples of membranes built of a simple zwitterionic phospholipid such as 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and a mixed membrane composed of DMPC and cholesterol. The results illustrate the tremendous effect of cholesterol on the membrane structure. Two methods of membrane deposition at the electrode surface, namely by unilamellar vesicles fusion and using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique, are compared. Applications of these model systems to study interactions of small antibiotic peptides with lipids are discussed.

Electrochemical and PM-IRRAS Studies of the Effect of Cholesterol on the Properties of the Headgroup Region of a DMPC Bilayer Supported at a Au(111) Electrode

Polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) was employed to investigate the interaction of cholesterol with the headgroups of dimyristoylphosphatidycholine (DMPC) molecules under a static electric field. DMPC/cholesterol (7:3 molar ratio) mixtures form a bilayer on a Au(111) electrode surface by fusion and spreading of small unilamellar vesicles. PM-IRRAS experiments provided detailed information concerning the conformation and hydration of headgroups of DMPC bilayers in the presence and absence of 30% cholesterol. The presence of 30% cholesterol increases the space between the headgroups of DMPC molecules and hence increases the hydration of the DMPC/cholesterol mixed bilayer. The conformational state of the headgroups of DMPC molecules in the mixed bilayer is also significantly changed. The phosphate group is closer to the surface compared with the pure DMPC bilayer. The conformation of the -O-C-C-N moiety changes from gauche to trans in the presence of cholesterol.

Layer-by-layer PMIRRAS characterization of DMPC bilayers deposited on a Au111 electrode surface

A combination of Langmuir-Blodgett and Langmuir-Schaefer techniques was employed to deposit 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) bilayers at a gold electrode surface. One leaflet consisted of hydrogen-substituted acyl chains, and the second leaflet was composed of molecules with deuterium-substituted acyl chains. This architecture allowed for layer-by-layer analysis of the structure of the bilayer. Photon polarization modulation infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS) was used to determine the conformation and orientation of the acyl chains of DMPC molecules in the individual leaflets as a function of the potential applied to the gold electrode. The bilayer is adsorbed onto the metal surface when the field applied to the membrane does not exceed approximately 108 V/m. When adsorbed, the bottom leaflet is in contact with a hydrophobic metal surface, and the top leaflet is interacting with the aqueous solution. The asymmetry of the environment has an effect on the orientation of the DMPC molecules in each leaflet. The tilt angle of the acyl chains of the DMPC molecules in the bottom leaflet that is in contact with the gold is approximately 10 degrees smaller than that observed for the top leaflet that is exposed to the solution. These studies provide direct evidence that the structure of a phospholipid bilayer deposited at an electrode surface is affected by interaction with the metal.

Electric field-induced changes in lipids investigated by modulated excitation FTIR spectroscopy

The effect of electric fields on dry oriented multibilayers of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) was investigated by transmission Fourier transform infrared electric field modulated excitation (E-ME) spectroscopy. A periodic rectangular electric potential (0-150 V, 1.25 Hz, 28.4 degrees C +/- 0.2 degrees C) was applied across the sample. To discriminate electric field-induced effects from possible temperature-induced effects resulting from a current flow (<1 pA) across the sample, corresponding temperature-modulated excitation (T-ME) measurements within the temperature uncertainty limits of +/-0.2 degrees C at 28.4 degrees C were performed. T-ME induced reversible gauche defects in the hydrocarbon chains, whereas E-ME resulted in reversible compression of dry DMPC bilayers. Periodic variation of the tilt angle of the hydrocarbon chains is suggested. The degree of absorbance modulation in the CH-stretching region was found to be in the order of 1:700, corresponding to a variation of the bilayer thickness of Deltaz = 0.0054 nm. Using a series connection of capacitors as equivalent circuit of the cell resulted in E = (1.2 +/- 0.7) x 10(7) V/m for the electric field in DMPC. Young's elasticity modulus of DMPC could be calculated to be E( perpendicular ) = 2.2 x 10(6) Pa +/- 1.8 x 10(6) Pa, which is in good agreement with published data obtained by electric field-dependent capacitance measurements.