The Observation of Highly Ordered Domains in Membranes with Cholesterol

Journal Article · Mon Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 2012 · PLoS ONE

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0066162· OSTI ID:1087515

Armstrong, Clare L ^[1]; Marquardt, Drew ^[2]; Dies, Hannah ^[1]; Kucerka, Norbert ^[3]; Yamani, Zahra ^[4]; Harroun, Thad ^[2]; Katsaras, John ^[5]; Shi, A-C ^[1]; Rheinstadter, Maikel C ^[1]

---

1. McMaster University
2. Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada
3. Canadian Neutron Beam Centre and Comelius University (Slovakia)
4. Canadian Neutron Beam Centre, National Research Council, Chalk River Laboratorie
5. ORNL

Rafts, or functional domains, are transient nano- or mesoscopic structures in the exoplasmic leaflet of the plasma membrane, and are thought to be essential for many cellular processes. Using neutron diffraction and computer modelling, we present evidence for the existence of highly ordered lipid domains in the cholesterol-rich (32.5 mol%) liquid-ordered (lo) phase of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine membranes. The liquid ordered phase in one-component lipid membranes has previously been thought to be a homogeneous phase. The presence of highly ordered lipid domains embedded in a disordered lipid matrix implies non-uniform distribution of cholesterol between the two phases. The experimental results are in excellent agreement with recent computer simulations of DPPC/cholesterol complexes [Meinhardt, Vink and Schmid (2013). Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 110(12): 4476 4481], which reported the existence of nanometer size lo domains in a liquid disordered lipid environment.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
• Sponsoring Organization: ORNL LDRD Director's R&D; SC USDOE - Office of Science (SC)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-00OR22725
• OSTI ID: 1087515
• Journal Information: PLoS ONE, Journal Name: PLoS ONE Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 8; ISSN 1932-6203
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English