Measurement of glucose exclusion from the fully hydrated DOPE inverse hexagonal phase

Abstract

The degree of exclusion of glucose from the inverse hexagonal H_II phase of fully hydrated DOPE is determined using contrast variation small angle neutron scattering and small angle X-ray scattering. The presence of glucose is found to favour the formation of the non-lamellar H_II phase over the fluid lamellar phase, over a wide range of temperatures, while having no significant effect on the structure of the H_II phase. Glucose is preferentially excluded from the lipid–water interface resulting in a glucose concentration in the H_II phase of less than half that in the coexisting aqueous phase. The degree of exclusion is quantified and the results are consistent with a hydration layer of pure water adjacent to the lipid head groups from which glucose is excluded. The osmotic gradient created by the difference in glucose concentration is determined and the influence of glucose on the phase behaviour of non-lamellar phase forming lipid systems is discussed.