Headgroup effects of template monolayers on the adsorption behavior and conformation of glucose oxidase adsorbed at air/liquid interfaces

Stearic acid (SA) and octadecylamine (ODA) monolayers at the air/liquid interface were used as template layers to adsorb glucose oxidase (GOx) from aqueous solution. The effect of the template monolayers on the adsorption behavior of GOx was studied in terms of the variation of surface pressure, the evolution of surface morphology observed by BAM and AFM, and the conformation of adsorbed GOx. The results show that the presence of a template monolayer can enhance the adsorption rate of GOx; furthermore, ODA has a higher ability, compared to SA, to adsorb GOx, which is attributed to the electrostatic attractive interaction between ODA and GOx. For adsorption performed on a bare surface or on an SA monolayer, the surface pressure approaches an equilibrium value (ca. 8 mN/m) after 2 to 3 h of adsorption and remains nearly constant in the following adsorption process. For the adsorption on an ODA monolayer, the surface pressure will increase further 1 to 2 h after approaching the first equilibrium pressure, which is termed the second adsorption stage. The measurement of circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy indicates that the Langmuir-Blodgett films of adsorbed GOx transferred at the first equilibrium state (π = 8 mN/m) have mainly a β-sheet conformation, which is independent of the type of template monolayers. However, the ODA/GOx LB film transferred at the second adsorption stage has mainly an α-helix conformation. It is concluded that the specific interaction between ODA and GOx not only leads to a higher adsorption rate and adsorbed amount of GOx but also induces a conformation change in adsorbed GOx from β-sheet to α-helix. The present results indicate that is possible to control the conformation of adsorbed protein by selecting the appropriate template monolayer.     

Adsorption behavior of glucose oxidase on a dipalmitoylphosphatic acid monolayer and the characteristics of the mixed monolayer at air/liquid interfaces

A dipalmitoylphosphatic acid (DPPA) monolayer at the air/liquid interface is used as a binding layer to incorporate glucose oxidase (GOx) from the subphase. The effects of the adsorption time of GOx on the behavior of the mixed DPPA/GOx monolayer and the relevant structure of the mixed LB film were studied using the characteristics of the pressure-area (pi-A) isotherm, Brewster angle microscopy (BAM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The experimental results show that two equilibrium states of GOx adsorption exist in the presence of a DPPA monolayer. The first equilibrium stage occurs at tens of minutes after spreading of DPPA, and a surface pressure of ca. 7.5 mN/m is obtained. The second equilibrium stage approaches slowly, and a higher equilibrium surface pressure (ca. 16 mN/m) was obtained at ca. 8 h after the first stage. The BAM and AFM images show that, after the second equilibrium stage is reached, a more condensed phase and rough morphology are obtained on the mixed DPPA/GOx monolayer, indicating a higher amount of GOx incorporated into the mixed film. For the first equilibrium stage of GOx adsorption, DPPA molecules can still pack regularly and closely under compression, suggesting that GOx molecules are mainly located beneath the DPPA monolayer at the compressed state. A more uniform phase was detected on a film prepared after the first equilibrium stage was reached. The present result indicates that distinct structures and properties of mixed DPPA/GOx films can be prepared from the various stages of GOx adsorption.     

Adsorption of detergent-solubilized and phospholipase C-solubilized alkaline phosphatase at air/liquid interfaces

To investigate the influence of a hydrophobic anchor on protein adsorption, equilibrium and dynamic aspects of the adsorption of two different solubilized forms of rat osseous plate alkaline phosphatase on Langmuir monolayers of dimyristoylphosphatidic acid (DMPA) were studied. Surface pressure and surface potential measurements at air/liquid interfaces were carried out using the detergent-solubilized form (DSAP) of alkaline phosphatase, which holds a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) hydrophobic anchor, and the glycosylphosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C-solubilized form (PLSAP), lacking the GPI anchor. Similar surface transitions observed for both DMPA and DMPA/PLSAP mixed monolayers indicate that the presence of PLSAP does not promote significant changes in surface packing of the DMPA monolayer. However, PLSAP interacts with the polar portion of the phospholipid even at high lateral compression. The presence of the GPI anchor increases the adsorption of DSAP at a plain air/liquid interface and also enables the penetration of the protein into the DMPA monolayers. The penetration is dependent on both time and surface pressure. Up to 20 mN/m, the surface pressure increases smoothly indicating a diffusion followed by an adsorption process. Above 20 mN/m, after a fast increase, the surface pressure slowly decays to equilibrium values quite close to the initial surface pressures. The results indicate that the molecular packing of the lipid layer drives the enzyme adsorption to the interface either through the GPI anchor or by the polypeptide moiety.     

Evaluation of the interactions between lipids and γ-globulin protein at the air–liquid interface

The interactions between lipids (cholesterol, distearoylphosphatidylcholine, distearoylphosphatidylethanolamine and sphingomyelin) and the γ-globulin protein have been analyzed using the monolayer technique at the air–liquid interface. The analysis has been carried out using both state equations and an adequate thermodynamic formulation for the surface pressure (π)–molecular area (a) isotherms. Different parameters as the virial coefficients, have been estimated. For the uncharged lipid monolayers, the interactions between the molecules are of an attractive nature, at medium and long distance, and of a steric repulsive nature at short distance. At low surface pressures the lipid molecules form small domains. The net force between γ-Globulin molecules in the monolayers has been found to be attractive. Finally, it can be concluded that when the lipid monolayers are uncharged, there is practically no interaction between the protein and lipid molecules at the mentioned interface.     

Effect of gramicidin on phospholipid-modified monolayers and on ion transfer at a liquid-liquid interface.

The interaction of hybrid lipid/gramicidin A (gA) monolayers with dextran sulfate (DS) and the effect of this interaction on ion transfer at a liquid-liquid interface is reported. The interfacial and physicochemical properties are studied with Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) and electrochemical techniques. The results obtained from compression isotherms demonstrate that the interactions between the different species in the hybrid monolayer vary according to the chemical nature of the lipid (hydrocarbon region and charge of the head group). Interfacial capacitance measured with AC voltammetry indicates that the DS chains form a rather flat and compact layer when adsorbed to either zwitterionic or negatively charged phospholipid monolayers, and that calcium, even at low concentrations, interacts with the monolayers. These results are successfully described by a model based on the solution of the Poisson-Boltzmann equation in the interfacial region. Ion transfer and interactions with the lipid/gA/DS-modified monolayers were also studied with electrochemical techniques. Admittance data show that although the studied ions are not using gA channels for the transfer through the lipid membranes, the incorporation of gA in the lipid domain and the adsorption of DS at the interface have a significant effect on ion transfer across the monolayers. This effect can be explained as a consequence of the modified surface charge and of the compactness of the lipid domain due to its interaction with gA and to calcium and DS adsorption at the interface. The ion-transfer rate, therefore, depends on the composition of the monolayer and the chemical nature of the ion.     

Interactions of anthracyclines with zwitterionic phospholipid monolayers at the air-water interface

The present note describes the use of surface pressure measurements (Langmuir monolayer technique) for the analysis of interactions of two different anthracyclines (adriamycin and daunorubicin) with a non-ionic, zwitterionic phospholipid monolayer, at the air-water interface. Because the surface membrane of the cell is the first barrier encountered by the anthracyclines in the treatment of cancer, drug-membrane interactions studied in model (monolayers or bilayers) and natural systems play an important role in the understanding of the bioactivity properties of these molecules. We report here the rate constants of the adsorption process of adriamycin and daunorubicin in the presence of a zwitterionic phospholipid monolayer at the air-water interface. Because interactions with the lipid monolayer strongly depend on the molecular packing of the lipid, we investigated this process at a relatively low surface pressure (7 mN/m), the interactions being favoured by the gaseous and liquid expanded structure of the lipid monolayer. The apparent molecular area of these molecules during the insertion into the lipid film and their interactions with the phospholipid polar head groups was evaluated and the estimated percentage of anthracyclines at the interface after adsorption into the lipid monolayer is briefly discussed. The rate constants for the adsorption and desorption process at the water-monolayer interface have been calculated on the basis of a single-exponential model. The observed difference of these parameters for daunorubicin and adriamycin suggests a different interaction of these anthracyclines during the adsorption to and/or penetration across the phospholipid monolayer.     

Induced removal of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine by the exclusion of fibrinogen from compressed monolayers at air/liquid interfaces

The induced removal of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) by the exclusion of fibrinogen from mixed DPPC/fibrinogen monolayers at compressed air/liquid interfaces was analyzed. The surface pressure-area hysteresis curves of the monolayers at interfaces were obtained by a Langmuir trough. The hysteresis curves of equilibrium fibrinogen adsorption layers suggest that fibrinogen desorption during the area compression stage became significant at a higher bulk concentration of 1000 ppm. For mixed monolayers of DPPC with fibrinogen, the fibrinogen molecules were expelled from the interface upon compression due to the presence of insoluble DPPC molecules. The squeeze-out of fibrinogen molecules evidently removed a significant number of DPPC molecules from the interface, with the extent depending on fibrinogen surface concentration. During the subsequent area expansion stage, fibrinogen molecules entered the interface and participated in the rise of surface pressure. The induced loss of free DPPC molecules at the interface by the expelled fibrinogen molecules during the area compression stage was then evaluated from the hysteresis curves.     

Structure and orientation of puroindolines into wheat galactolipid monolayers

Puroindolines (PINs), basic and cysteine-rich proteins of wheat endosperm, are composed of two proteins, puroindoline-a (PIN-a) and puroindoline-b (PIN-b). Using a monolayer assay at the air/liquid interface, both PIN-a and PIN-b were studied in pure components and mixed with wheat galactolipids, 1,2-di-O-acyl-3-O-(beta-d-galactopyranosyl)- sn-glycerol (MGDG) and 2-di-O-acyl-3-O-(beta-d-galactopyranosyl-1,6-beta-d-galactopyranosyl)-sn-glycerol (DGDG). Following the adsorption of PINs at the air/liquid interface thanks to surface pressure increases, we concluded that PIN-a displays a more amphipathic character than PIN-b. Compression isotherms combined with ellipsometric measurements showed that the area per molecule is smaller and the protein film is more condensed for PIN-a than for PIN-b. According to the polarization modulation-infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy data, both proteins display a highly alpha-helical structure and the alpha-helices are oriented rather parallel to the interface. By measuring the overpressure due to PIN adsorption into MGDG and DGDG monolayers, we observed that PIN-a interacts more strongly into lipid films than PIN-b. The observation by atomic force microscopy of mixed protein/lipid films showed that the nature of the lipid plays a significant role in the organization of PINs, particularly for PIN-a. The presence of galactolipids at the interface stabilizes the alpha-helical structure of PINs, but significant changes were observed concerning the orientation of the alpha-helices. They adopt a perfect parallel orientation to the interface in the MGDG monolayer, whereas the bundle of alpha-helices orients normal to the interface in the DGDG film.     

Dynamical and morphological studies on the adsorption and penetration of human serum albumin into phospholipid monolayers at the air/water interface

The dynamic adsorption and penetration of human serum albumin (HSA) into the monolayers of five biologically important surfactants—DSPC, DPPC, DMPC, DMPE and DMPA—were systematically studied using Brewster angle microscopy, film balance and pendent drop techniques. Isotherms after different adsorption times show that the presence of HSA changed the monolayer phase behavior (e.g. the shifts of the LE→LC phase transition in the mixed phospholipid/HSA monolayers). Apparent inhomogeneous phases—‘honey-comb’ (J. Mol. Liq., 2001, 90, 149), ‘block’ or ‘stripe’ shape phases are formed due to the adsorption and penetration of HSA into these phospholipid monolayers at the air/water interface. Both the phase behavior changes and the morphological changes were confirmed by our recent structure studies in DPPA/HSA and DPPS/HSA monolayers using X-ray diffraction at grazing incidence, which directly shows that HSA penetration can change the tilt angle of phospholipids. It was found that the adsorption and penetration of HSA strongly depends on the phospholipid head-group structure and the physical state of the phospholipid films. The latter played a dominant role by providing enough space for the penetration of HSA and affecting the hydrophobic interactions of HSA with the aliphatic chains of phospholipids in monolayers at the air/water interface. In general, HSA penetrates more efficiently and quickly into monolayers of phospholipids in liquid state (e.g. DMPC compared to DSPC) and with unprotected charges (e.g. PA compared to PE and PC).     

Interaction of Bauhinia monandra lectin (BmoLL) with lipid monolayers

The interfacial behavior of the hypoglycemia lectin BmoLL purified from the leaves of Bauhinia monandra, and its ability to interact with lipid monolayers has been studied by surface tension (γ) measurements. The results of these experiments revealed that in the solution concentration range comprised between 0.2 and 1.0 mg/ml, there was an extremely pronounced increase in the BmoLL adsorption at the interface with the air phase. This adsorption at the higher studied BmoLL concentrations gave rise to a more gradual increase in the surface pressure (π = γ₀−γ). The results showed also that the surface pressure of adsorbed films was pH dependent and it substantially increased at low pHs (between pH 4.0 and pH 2.5). Independently carried out ξ potential measurements demonstrated that BmoLL was negatively charged at all pHs and borne the highest charge at the pH around 5.5. The penetrant ability of BmoLL into the two different in chemical nature monolayers: (dioleoylphosphatidylcholine and octadecylamine) have been assessed measuring Δπ increments at constant area. It was observed that, whereas the monolayers of either pure dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) or pure octadecylamine (ODA) stimulated BmoLL adsorption, the lectin adsorption within their mixtures strongly depended on both the content of positively charged octadecylamine in a mixture and on the monolayer compressibility. These findings are discussed in terms of both the electrostatic interaction involved in adsorption of BmoLL and of changes in monolayer compressibilities brought up by the addition of ODA molecules to the phospholipid. The relevance of this work to liposome preparations is indicated in the concluding remarks.     

Enzyme-catalyzed bio-pumping of electrons into au-nanoparticles: a surface plasmon resonance and electrochemical study

The enzyme glucose oxidase (GOx) is reconstituted on a flavin adenin dinucleotide (FAD, 1) cofactor-functionalized Au-nanoparticle (Au-NP), 1.4 nm, and the GOx/Au-NP hybrid is linked to a bulk Au-electrode by a short dithiol, 1,4-benzenedithiol (2), or a long dithiol, 1,9-nonanedithiol (3), monolayer. The reconstituted GOx/Au-NP hybrid system exhibits electrical communication between the enzyme redox cofactor and the Au-NP core. Because the thiol monolayers provide a barrier for electron tunneling, the electron transfer occurring upon the biocatalytic oxidation of glucose results in the Au-NPs charging. The charging of the Au-NPs alters the plasma frequency and the dielectric constant of the Au-NPs, thus leading to the changes of the dielectric constant of the interface. These are reflected in pronounced shifts of the plasmon angle, theta(P), in the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectra. As the biocatalytic charging phenomenon is controlled by the concentration of glucose, the changes in the theta(P) values correlate with the concentration of glucose. The biocatalytic charging process is characterized by following the differential capacitance of the GOx/Au-NP interface and by monitoring the potential generated on the bulk Au-electrode. The charging of the GOx/Au-NPs is also accomplished in the absence of glucose by the application of an external potential on the electrode, that resulted in similar plasmon angle shifts. The results allowed us to estimate the number of electrons stored per Au-NP at variable concentrations of glucose in the presence of the two different thiol linkers.     

Aggregation of a peptide antibiotic alamethicin at the air-water interface and its influence on the viscoelasticity of phospholipid monolayers

The aggregation properties of an antibiotic membrane-active peptide alamethicin at the air-water interface have been studied using interfacial rheology and fluorescence microscopy techniques. Fluorescence microscopy of alamethicin monolayers revealed a coexistence of liquid expanded (LE) and solid phases at the surface concentrations studied. Interfacial oscillatory shear measurements on alamethicin monolayers indicate that its viscoelastic properties are determined by the area fraction of the solid domains. The role of zwitterionic phospholipids dioleoylphosphatidyl choline (DOPC) and dioleoylphosphatidyl ethanolamine (DOPE) on the peptide aggregation behavior was also investigated. Fluorescence microscopy of alamethicin/phospholipid monolayers revealed an intermediate phase (I) in addition to the solid and LE phase. In mixed monolayers of phospholipid (L)/alamethicin (P), with increase in L/P, the monolayer transforms from a viscoelastic to a viscous fluid with the increase in area fraction of the intermediate phase. Further, a homogeneous mixing of alamethicin/lipid molecules is observed at L/P > 4. Our studies also confirm that the viscoelasticity of alamethicin/phospholipid monolayers is closely related to the alamethicin/phospholipid interactions at the air-water interface.     

Adsorption at liquid interfaces: The generalized Frumkin isotherm and interfacial structure

The thermodynamics of adsorption of amphiphilic surface-active compounds at the interface between two immiscible liquids is considered. At the interface, these molecules are supposed to replace a few of the adsorbed molecules of both solvents. Classical isotherms of adsorption (Frumkin, Frumkin-Damaskin, Langmuir, Henry) were based on the model of non-penetrable interface, where an adsorbate can substitute only molecules of one solvent. At the interface between two immiscible electrolytes, nonpolar oil/water interfaces, and liquid membranes amphiphilic molecules can substitute molecules of both solvent and classic isotherms cannot be used. The generalization of Frumkin isotherm for permeable and non-permeable interfaces, known as the Markin-Volkov isotherm, gives the possibility to analyze adsorption in a general case. The adsorption isotherms of pentafluorobenzoic acid at the octane/water interface at different pHs were measured by the drop-weight method. The thermodynamic parameters of pentafluorobenzoic acid (PFBA) adsorption at octane/water interface were determined. From the measurements of PFBA adsorption, the structure of the octane/water interface was determined. Substitution of one adsorbed octane molecule requires approximately three adsorbed PFBA molecules. This result shows that the orientation of solvent molecules at the interface is different from the bulk. Adsorbed octane molecules have a lateral orientation with respect to the interface. Gibbs free energy of adsorption equilibrium and thermodynamic parameters of PFBA adsorption show that the adsorption of PFBA at the octane/water interface is accompanied by a reduction in the attraction between adsorbed PFBA molecules as the pH decreases to the acidic region. Published in Russian in Elektrokhimiya, 2006, Vol. 42, No. 10, pp. 1194–1200. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

Simulation studies of pore and domain formation in a phospholipid monolayer

Despite extensive study the phase behavior of phospholipid monolayers at an air-water interface is still not fully understood. In particular recent vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG) spectra of DPPC monolayers as a function of area density show a sharp transition in the order of the lipid chains at 1.10 nm2/molecule. This is in a region where the lateral pressure as a function of area is effectively constant. We have investigated the nature of this transition by studying the phase behavior of DPPC monolayers as a function of area density using molecular-dynamics simulations. The changes in order within the monolayer as a function of area density correlate well with the experimental signal. At 0.58 nm2/molecule we observe the onset of lateral separation of highly ordered and disordered lipids, indicating the coexistence of a gel-like liquid condensed and a fluidlike liquid expanded phase. At 0.97 nm2/molecule the monolayer ruptures, marking the onset of the liquid-gas (G) coexistence region. This is much earlier than suggested by fluorescence microscopy results and implies that at the point of rupture, the initial pores have an equilibrium size smaller than approximately 500 nm in diameter. The rupture of the monolayer leads to a sharp increase in the overall lipid order that explains the sharp transition observed in the VSFG measurements. VSFG measurements thus may represent a sensitive means to determine the onset of the liquid-gas (G) coexistence region for such systems.     

Attachment of 80S ribosome to lipid monolayers at air/water interface: An electron microscopy study

The adsorption of 80S ribosome from rat liver to the surface of lipid monolayers at the air/water interface was examined by electron microscopy (EM) using a negative staining method. The results showed that, a large number of 80S ribosomes can be adsorbed to the lipid monolayers containing positively charged octadecylamine (SA), whereas the adsorption of ribosomes to the surface of neutral or negatively charged lipid monolayers was negligible. There existed a proper ratio of SA to complemented neutral lipids which facilitated the maximum binding of ribosomes. Increasing the subphase pH value will enhance the adsorption of ribosome, but when raising the subphase concentrations of K⁺, Mg²⁺ and glycerol, the adsorption of ribosomes can be weakened, suggesting that the driving forces of the adsorption mainly come from the electrostatic interactions between the ribosome and the lipids. The important characteristics of such interactions between the 80S rat liver ribosomes and the lipid membranes, as revealed by this new technology, which may help in the further understanding of the protein biosynthesis is discussed.     

Adsorption of amyloid beta (1-40) peptide to phosphatidylethanolamine monolayers.

The aggregation of soluble, nontoxic amyloid beta (Abeta) peptide to beta-sheet containing fibrils is assumed to be a major step in the development of Alzheimer's disease. Interactions of Abeta with neuronal membranes could play a key role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Herein, we study the adsorption of synthetic Abeta peptide to DPPE and DMPE monolayers (dipalmitoyl- and dimyristoylphosphatidylethanolamine). Both lipids exhibit a condensed monolayer state at 20 degrees C and form a similar lattice. However, at low packing densities (at large area per molecule), the length of the acyl chains determines the phase behavior, therefore DPPE is fully condensed whereas DMPE exhibits a liquid-expanded state with a phase transition at approximately 5-6 mNm(-1). Adsorption of Abeta to DPPE and DMPE monolayers at low surface pressure leads to an increase of the surface pressure to approximately 17 mNm(-1). The same was observed during adsorption of the peptide to a pure air-water interface. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXD) experiments show no influence of Abeta on the lipid structure. The adsorption kinetics of Abeta to a DMPE monolayer followed by IRRAS (infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy) reveals the phase transition of DMPE molecules from liquid-expanded to condensed states at the same surface pressure as for DMPE on pure water. These facts indicate no specific interactions of the peptide with either lipid. In addition, no adsorption or penetration of the peptide into the lipid monolayers was observed at surface pressures above 30 mNm(-1). IRRAS allows the measurement of the conformation and orientation of the peptide adsorbed to the air-water interface and to a lipid monolayer. In both cases, with lipids at surface pressures below 20 mNm(-1) and at the air-water interface, adsorbed Abeta has a beta-sheet conformation and these beta-sheets are oriented parallel to the interface.     

Interaction of nitrophenols with lipids at the air/water interface

The uptake of ortho and para nitrophenol to charged and neutral lipid monolayers spread at the air/solution interface was studied by reflection spectroscopy. The adsorption characteristics of the two nitrophenols have been studied by measuring the surface pressure and surface potential as a function of molecular area of the different lipid monolayers in the presence of nitrophenols in the subphase. The results have been interpreted in terms of the electrostatic interaction between the negatively charged dissociated phenolate ions and the positively charged head group of dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide monolayers.     

Adsorption of CETP on monolayers formed from HDL extracted lipids

To obtain information on the interactions between CETP and HDL3 lipoproteins, we have studied (by surface tension measurements) the adsorption of the CETP at the air–water interface and at the interface between the water and monolayers formed by spreading of lipids extracted from HDL3. We have compared the interfacial behavior of CETP and ApoA-1 (the constitutive protein of HDL3); and the influence of monolayers composition and pressure on the kinetics of the CETP adsorption. The results obtained show that CETP was more expanded than the ApoA-1 which adsorbed more strongly at the air–water interface. CETP adsorbs more and quickly at the lipid interface that at the air–interface, specially for 20% fraction of cholesterol in the monolayer. Our results show that the adsorption of the CETP at the HDL3 surface lipids are strongly dependent of the composition of the monolayer and that the exclusion pressure of CETP varied from 31 to 33.7 mN m⁻¹ with the addition of cholesterol. Finally, the kinetics of the adsorption at water–lipid interface exhibited two steps (quick increase followed by slow decrease of the excess surface pressure) which should indicate a penetration into monolayer followed by a partial desorption of phospholipids with or without cholesterol corresponding to a proteolipid association.     

The study of the interaction of a model alpha-helical peptide with lipid bilayers and monolayers

We studied the interaction of the alpha-helical peptide acetyl-Lys(2)-Leu(24)-Lys(2)-amide (L(24)) with tethered bilayer lipid membranes (tBLM) and lipid monolayers formed at an air-water interface. The interaction of L(24) with tBLM resulted in adsorption of the peptide to the surface of the bilayer, characterized by a binding constant K(c)=2.4+/-0.6 microM(-1). The peptide L(24) an induced decrease of the elasticity modulus of the tBLM in a direction perpendicular to the membrane surface, E(radial). The decrease of E(radial) with increasing peptide concentration can be connected with a disordering effect of the peptide to the tBLM structure. The pure peptide formed a stable monolayer at the air/water interface. The pressure-area isotherms were characterized by a transition of the peptide monolayer, which probably corresponds of the partial intercalation of the alpha-helixes at higher surface pressure. Interaction of the peptide molecules with lipid monolayers resulted in an increase of the mean molecular area of phospholipids both in the gel and liquid crystalline states. With increasing peptide concentration, the temperature of the phase transition of the monolayer shifted toward lower temperatures. The analysis showed that the peptide-lipid monolayer is not an ideally miscible system and that the peptide molecules form aggregates in the monolayer.     

Equilibrium and non-equilibrium kinetics of self-assembled surfactant monolayers: a vibrational sum-frequency study of dodecanoate at the fluorite-water interface

The adsorption, desorption, and equilibrium monomer exchange processes of sodium dodecanoate at the fluorite(CaF 2)-water interface have been studied. For the first time, we use in situ vibrational sum-frequency spectroscopy (VSFS) to gain insights into the mechanism and kinetics of monolayer self-assembly at the mineral-water interface. By exploiting the nonlinear optical response of the adsorbate, the temporal correlation of headgroup adsorption and alignment of the surfactant's alkyl chain was monitored. Because of the unique surface-specificity of VSFS, changes in the interfacial water structure were also tracked experimentally. The spectra clearly reveal that the structure of interfacial water molecules is severely disturbed at the start of the adsorption process. With the formation of a well-ordered adsorbate layer, it is partially reestablished; however, the molecular orientation and state of coordination is significantly altered. Even at very low surfactant concentrations, overcharging of the mineral surface (i.e., the adsorption of adsorbates past the point of electrostatic equilibrium) was observed. This points out the importance of effects other than electrostatic interactions and it is proposed that cooperative effects of both water structure and surfactant hemimicelle formation at the interface are key factors. The present study also investigates desorption kinetics of partially and fully established monolayers and a statistical model for data analysis is proposed. Additional experiments were performed in the presence of electrolytes and showed that uni- and divalent anions affect the nonequilibrium kinetics of self-assembled monolayers in strikingly different ways.