Photoinduced bidirectional switching in lipid membranes containing azobenzene glycolipids.
Sci Rep
; 13(1): 11480, 2023 Jul 16.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-37455299
ABSTRACT
Following the reaction of biological membranes to external stimuli reveals fundamental insights into cellular function. Here, self-assembled lipid monolayers act as model membranes containing photoswitchable azobenzene glycolipids for investigating structural response during isomerization by combining Langmuir isotherms with X-ray scattering. Controlled in-situ trans/cis photoswitching of the azobenzene N = N double bond alters the DPPC monolayer structure, causing reproducible changes in surface pressure and layer thickness, indicating monolayer reorientation. Interestingly, for monolayers containing azobenzene glycolipids, along with the expected DPPC phase transitions an additional discontinuity is observed. The associated reorintation represents a crossover point, with the surface pressure and layer thickness changing in opposite directions above and below. This is evidence that the azobenzene glycolipids themselves change orientation within the monolayer. Such behaviour suggests that azobenzene glycolipids can act as a bidirectional switch in DPPC monolayers providing a tool to investigate membrane structure-function relationships in depth.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Azo Compounds
/
Glycolipids
/
Membrane Lipids
Language:
En
Journal:
Sci Rep
Year:
2023
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
Alemania