Observation of an interdigitated gel phase in dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol bilayers treated with ionene-6,6

Abstract

We have been interested for some time in modification of phospholipid bilayers by synthetic polymers. With molecular dimensions comparable to or greater than the thickness of the lipid bilayer and many times the intermolecular spacing in the bilayer plane, synthetic polymers might be expected to serve as potent modifiers of bilayer structure and function. We have reported recently that synthetic poly(carboxylic acids) behave as "molecular switches" in phosphatidylcholine bilayers, triggering the release of bilayer-entrapped substances in response to small changes in ambient pH. We describe herein the observation of an interdigitated gel phase in dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol (DPPG) bilayers treated with ionene-6,6 (1).

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