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Spontaneous transfer of ganglioside GM/sub 1/ between phospholipid vesicles

Journal Article · · Biochemistry; (United States)
OSTI ID:5880472

The transfer kinetics of the negatively charged glycosphingolipid II/sup 3/-N-acetylneuraminosyl-gangliotetraosylceramide (GM/sub 1/) were investigated by monitoring tritiated GM/sub 1/ movement between donor and acceptor vesicles. After appropriate incubation times at 45 /sup 0/C, donor and acceptor vesicles were separated by molecular sieve chromatography. Donors were small unilamellar vesicles produced by sonication, whereas acceptors were large unilamellar vesicles produced by either fusion or ethanol injection. Initial GM/sub 1/ transfer to acceptors followed first-order kinetics with a half-time of about 40 h assuming that GM/sub 1/ is present in equal mole fractions in the exterior and interior surfaces of the donor vesicle bilayer and that no glycolipid flip-flop occurs. GM/sub 1/ net transfer was calculated relative to that of (/sup 14/C)cholesteryl oleate, which served as a nontransferable marker in the donor vesicles. Factors affecting the GM/sub 1/ interbilayer transfer rate included phospholipid matrix composition, initial GM/sub 1/ concentration in donor vesicles, and the GM/sub 1/ distribution in donor vesicles with respect to total lipid symmetry. The findings provide evidence that GM/sub 1/ is molecularly dispersed at low concentrations within liquid-crystalline phospholipid bilayers.

Research Organization:
Univ. of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville
OSTI ID:
5880472
Journal Information:
Biochemistry; (United States), Journal Name: Biochemistry; (United States) Vol. 26:17; ISSN BICHA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English