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The organization of n-alkanes in lipid bilayers.

Publication ,  Journal Article
McIntosh, TJ; Simon, SA; MacDonald, RC
Published in: Biochim Biophys Acta
April 24, 1980

The interaction of n-alkanes (C6--C16) with phosphatidylcholine has been studied by the combined use of differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and monolayer techniques. It has been found that the thermal properties and ultrastructure of lipid-alkane vesicles are strongly dependent on the length of the n-alkanes. Long alkanes, such as tetradecane and hexadecane, increase the transition temperature of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine and dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine, while the X-ray data indicate that these long alkanes align parallel to the lipid acyl chains. In contrast, shorter alkanes, such as hexane and octane, decrease and broaden the thermal transition and electron density profiles show that these alkanes increase bilayer width by partitioning between the apposing monolayers of the bilayer. For lipids in the gel and liquid crystalline states, the short alkanes form an alkane region in the geometric center of the bilayer.

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Published In

Biochim Biophys Acta

DOI

ISSN

0006-3002

Publication Date

April 24, 1980

Volume

597

Issue

3

Start / End Page

445 / 463

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • X-Ray Diffraction
  • Thermodynamics
  • Pulmonary Surfactants
  • Phosphatidylcholines
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Membrane Potentials
  • Liposomes
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine
  • Calorimetry, Differential Scanning
 

Citation

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McIntosh, T. J., Simon, S. A., & MacDonald, R. C. (1980). The organization of n-alkanes in lipid bilayers. Biochim Biophys Acta, 597(3), 445–463. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-2736(80)90219-9
McIntosh, T. J., S. A. Simon, and R. C. MacDonald. “The organization of n-alkanes in lipid bilayers.Biochim Biophys Acta 597, no. 3 (April 24, 1980): 445–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-2736(80)90219-9.
McIntosh TJ, Simon SA, MacDonald RC. The organization of n-alkanes in lipid bilayers. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1980 Apr 24;597(3):445–63.
McIntosh, T. J., et al. “The organization of n-alkanes in lipid bilayers.Biochim Biophys Acta, vol. 597, no. 3, Apr. 1980, pp. 445–63. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/0005-2736(80)90219-9.
McIntosh TJ, Simon SA, MacDonald RC. The organization of n-alkanes in lipid bilayers. Biochim Biophys Acta. 1980 Apr 24;597(3):445–463.

Published In

Biochim Biophys Acta

DOI

ISSN

0006-3002

Publication Date

April 24, 1980

Volume

597

Issue

3

Start / End Page

445 / 463

Location

Netherlands

Related Subject Headings

  • X-Ray Diffraction
  • Thermodynamics
  • Pulmonary Surfactants
  • Phosphatidylcholines
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Membrane Potentials
  • Liposomes
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine
  • Calorimetry, Differential Scanning