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Locating Intercalants Within Lipid Bilayers Using Fluorescence Quenching by Bromophospholipids and Iodophospholipids
Chemistry and Physics of Lipids
  • Carmit Alexenberg, Bar-Ilan University - Ramat Gan, Israel
  • Michal Afri, Bar-Ilan University - Ramat Gan, Israel
  • Shlomi Eliyahu, Bar-Ilan University - Ramat Gan, Israel
  • Hani Porat, Bar-Ilan University - Ramat Gan, Israel
  • Ayala Ranz, Bar-Ilan University - Ramat Gan, Israel
  • Aryeh A. Frimer, Bar-Ilan University - Ramat Gan, Israel
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-1-2019
Keywords
  • DMPC liposomes,
  • Bioliposomes,
  • Erythrocyte ghosts,
  • Bromophospholipid,
  • Iodophospholipid,
  • Fluorescence quenching,
  • Intercalant depth,
  • Porphyrins
Abstract

In previous work, we have been able to determine the depth of intercalated molecules within the lipid bilayer using the solvent polarity sensitivity of three spectroscopic techniques: the 13C NMR chemical shift (δ); the fluorescence emission wavelength (λem), and the ESR β-H splitting constants (aβ-H). In the present paper, we use the quenching by a heavy atom (Br or I), situated at a known location along a phospholipid chain, as a probe of the location of a fluorescent moiety. We have synthesized various phospholipids with bromine (or iodine) atoms substituted at various locations along the lipid chain. The latter halolipids were intercalated in turn with various fluorophores into DMPC liposomes, biomembranes and erythrocyte ghosts. The most effective fluorescence quenching occurs when the heavy atom location corresponds to that of the fluorophore. The results show that generally speaking the fluorophore intercalates the same depth independent of which lipid bilayer is used. KBr (or KI) is the most effective quencher when the fluorophore resides in or at the aqueous phase. Presumably because of iodine's larger radius and spin coupling constant, the iodine analogs are far less discriminating in the depth range it quenches.

Comments

©2019 Published by Elsevier B.V.

DOI
10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2019.03.018
Citation Information
Carmit Alexenberg, Michal Afri, Shlomi Eliyahu, Hani Porat, et al.. "Locating Intercalants Within Lipid Bilayers Using Fluorescence Quenching by Bromophospholipids and Iodophospholipids" Chemistry and Physics of Lipids Vol. 221 (2019) p. 128 - 139 ISSN: 0009-3084
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/carmit-alexenberg/9/