NMR-based molecular ruler for determining the depth of intercalants within the lipid bilayer
作者:Yael Cohen、Efrat Bodner、Michal Richman、Michal Afri、Aryeh A. Frimer
DOI:10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2008.07.004
日期:2008.10
The development of "molecular rulers" would allow one to quantitatively locate intercalants within the liposomal bilayer. To this end, we have attempted to correlate the C-13 NMR chemical shift of a polarizable "reporter" carbon (e.g., carbonyl) of the intercalant-with the E-T(30) polarity it experiences, and with its Angstrom distance from the interface. This requires families of molecules with the same two "reporter carbons" separated by a fixed distance, residing at various depths/polarities within the bilayer. The families studied included 4,4-dialkylcyclohexa-2,5-dienones 1, benzenediacetic esters 15, benzenedipropionic esters 17, 4-alkoxybenzaldehydes 19 and methyl 4-alkoxybenzoates 22. These compounds possessed the following characteristics: (1) a planar backbone; (2) polar/hydrophilic "head" groups: (3) modular hydrophobic tails; (4) large changes in the C-13 NMR chemical shift (Delta delta) of the reporter atoms with sol- vent polarity. These studies revealed a fifth requirement, namely: (5) the reporter carbons must not be strongly conjugated, lest it reflect the charge build-up at another site within the conjugated system. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.