Effect of Sphingomyelin Headgroup Size on Molecular Properties and Interactions with Cholesterol

• Published in: Biophysical journal Vol. 99; no. 10; pp. 3300 - 3308
• Main Authors: Björkbom, Anders, Róg, Tomasz, Kaszuba, Karol, Kurita, Mayuko, Yamaguchi, Shou, Lönnfors, Max, Nyholm, Thomas K.M., Vattulainen, Ilpo, Katsumura, Shigeo, Slotte, J. Peter
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 17.11.2010; Biophysical Society; The Biophysical Society
• Subjects: Affinity; Analogs; Anisotropy; Cholestenes - chemistry; Cholesterol; Cholesterol - metabolism; Diphenylhexatriene - chemistry; Fluorescence; Lipid Bilayers - chemistry; Lipid Bilayers - metabolism; Lipids; Membrane; Membrane Microdomains - metabolism; Membranes; Models, Biological; Molecular dynamics; Molecules; Order disorder; Phase Transition; Simulation; Sphingomyelins - chemistry; Sphingomyelins - metabolism; Sterols; Transition Temperature; Transition temperatures; Unilamellar Liposomes - chemistry; Water

Sphingomyelins (SMs) and sterols are important constituents of the plasma membrane and have also been identified as major lipid components in membrane rafts. Using SM analogs with decreasing headgroup methylation, we systemically analyzed the effect of headgroup size on membrane properties and inter...