A statistical mechanical analysis of the effect of long-chain alcohols and high pressure upon the phase transition temperature of lipid bilayer membranes

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Abstract

Long-chain n-alcohols decrease the main phase-transition temperature lipid vesicle membranes at low concentrations but increase it at high concentrations. The nonlinear phenomenon is unrelated to the interdigitation and is analyzed by assuming that alcohols form solid solutions with solid as well as liquid phases. The biphasic response originates from the balance of the free energy difference of alcohols in the liquid and solid membranes (ΔgA) and the alcohol-lipid interaction free energy difference (Δu) between the two phases. WhenΔgA < Δu < 0, the transition temperature decreases monotnously according to the increase in the alcohol concentration. When ΔgA > 0 and ΔgA > Δu > 0, it increases monotonously. Biphasic response occurs with a minimum temperature when Δu > ΔgA > 0, and with a maximum temperature when Δu < ΔgA < 0. When the alcohol carbon-chain length becomes closer to the lipid carbon-chain length, Δu is equalized by ΔgA, and the temperature minimum of the main transition is shifted to extremely low alcohol concentrations. Hence, long-chain alcohols predominantly elevate the main transition temperature and lose their anesthetic potency. High pressure decreased both ΔgA and Δu. Presumably, high pressure improves the packing efficiency of liquid membranes and decreases the difference between the solid and liquid membrane properties.

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