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. 2004 Jan;30(4):377–386. doi: 10.1007/s10867-004-7894-3

Low pH Stabilizes the Inverted Hexagonal II Phase in Dipalmitoleoylphosphatidylethanolamine Membrane

Shu Jie LI 1,3,✉, Masahito Yamazaki 2
PMCID: PMC3456319  PMID: 23345879

Abstract

Dipalmitoleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPOPE) membrane is in the Lα phase in neutral pH at 20 °C. The results of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) indicate that an Lα to HII phase transition in DPOPE membranes occurred at pH 1.9 in the absence of salt, and at pH 2.8 in the presence of 0.5 M KCl, at fully hydrated condition at 20 °C. The spontaneous curvature of DPOPE monolayer membrane did not change with a decrease in pH values. To elucidate the mechanism, we have investigated the effect of the cationic dioctadecyldimethylammonium (DODMA) on the structure and phase behavior of DPOPE membrane. The result shows that DODMA stabilizes the HII phase rather than the Lα phase in DPOPE membrane at its low concentrations. Based on these results, the HII phase stability of DPOPE membrane due to low pH is discussed in terms of the spontaneous curvature of the monolayer membrane and the packing energy of acyl chains in the membrane.

Key words: liquid-crystalline phase, inverted hexagonal phase, phase transition, low pH, spontaneous curvature

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