Molecular volumes of DOPC and DOPS in mixed bilayers of multilamellar vesicles

Abstract

The mixtures of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-L-serine (DOPS) in bilayers of multilamellar vesicles were studied by method of densitometry. In the range of DOPS molar fraction 0–100%, specific volumes of mixtures of lipids coincide with theoretical values in the case of ideal mixing of lipids. The coefficient of thermal volume expansivity was evaluated for different DOPS molar fractions; it has values in the range (71.1–73.6) × 10⁻⁵ K⁻¹. Molecular volumes for pure DOPC and DOPS were evaluated for temperature range 15–45 °C. At 30 °C, molecular volumes are 1304 ų and 1254 ų for DOPC and DOPS, respectively. The estimated volume of head group of DOPS at 30 °C is 275 ų. Time-dependent density scans revealed that the dispersion of DOPC vesicle sedimentation during measurements induces an observed increasing density of dispersion in agreement with recently published observations. The presence of charged DOPS in vesicles prevents them from sedimentation and values of density are stable over a prolonged time.