Abstract
Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is a relatively rapid, straightforward, and nonperturbing technique for studying the thermotropic phase behavior of hydrated lipid dispersions and of reconstituted lipid model or biological membranes. However, because of the diversity of lipid thermotropic phase behavior, data-acquisition and data-analysis protocols must be modified according to the nature of the phase transition under investigation. In this chapter, the theoretical basis of the DSC experiment is examined and, with the aid of specific examples, also how the information content of DSC thermograms is affected by the nature of the lipid phase transition examined. The overall goal is to provide practical guidelines for the development of data-acquisition and data-analysis protocols, which are compatible with the instrumentation available and the nature of the lipid phase transition under investigation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Borchardt, H. J. and Daniels, F. (1957) The application of differential thermal analysis to the study of reaction kinetics. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 79, 41–46.
Hinz, H.-J. and Schwarz, F. W. (2001) Measurement and analysis of results obtained on biological substances with differential scanning calorimetry. Pure Appl. Chem. 73, 745–759.
Lewis, R. N. A. H., Mak, N., and McElhaney, R. N. (1987) A differential scanning calorimetric study of the thermotropic phase behavior of model membranes composed of phosphatidylcholines containing linear saturated fatty acyl chains. Biochemistry 26, 6118–6126.
Mannock, D. A., Lewis, R. N. A. H., Sen, A., and McElhaney, R. N. (1988) The physical properties of glycosyl diacylglycerols. Calorimetric studies of a homologous series of 1,2-di-O-acyl-3-O-(β-D-Glucopyranosy)-sn-glycerols. Biochemistry 27, 6852–6859.
Lewis, R. N. A. H. and McElhaney, R. N. (1993) Calorimetric and spectroscopic studies of the polymorphic phase behavior of the homologous series of N-saturated 1,2-diacyl phosphatidylethanolamines. Biophys. J. 64, 1081–1096.
Zhang, Y.-P., Lewis, R. N. A. H., and McElhaney, R. N. (1997) Calorimetric and spectroscopic studies of the thermotropic phase behavior of the n-saturated 1,2-diacylphosphatidylglycerols. Biophys. J. 72, 779–793.
Luzzati, V., Delacroix, H., Gulik, A., Gulik-Krzywixki, T., Mariani, P., and Vargas, R. (1997) The cubic phases of lipid, in Lipid Polymorphism and Membrane Properties, (Epand, R. M., ed.), Academic Press, New York, pp. 3–24.
Shyamsunder, E., Gruner, S. M., Tate, M. W., Turner, D. C., So, P. T. C., and Tilcock, C. P. S. (1988) Observation of inverted cubic phase in hydrated dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine membranes. Biochemistry 27, 2332–2336.
Veiro, J. A., Khalifah, R. G., and Rowe, E. S. (1990) P-31 Nuclear magnetic resonance studies of the appearance of an isotropic component in dioleoylphosphatidyletanoamine. Biophys. J. 57, 637–641.
Lewis, R. N. A. H., McElhaney, R. N., Harper, P. E., Turner, D. C., and Gruner, S. M. (1994) Studies of the thermotropic phase behavior of phosphatidylcholines containing 2-alkyl substituted fatty acyl chains. a new class of phosphatidylcholines forming inverted nonlamellar phases. Biophys. J. 66, 1088–1103.
Kodama, M., Kuwabara, M., and Seki, S. (1982) Successive phase-transition phenomena and phase diagram of the phoshatidylcholine-water system as revealed by differential scanning calorimetry. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 689, 567–570.
Lewis, R. N. A. H., Sykes, B. D., and McElhaney, R. N. (1987) Thermotropic phase behavior of model membranes composed of phosphatidylcholines containing dl-methyl anteisobranched fatty acids. 1. Differential scanning calorimetric and 31P-NMR spectroscopic studies. Biochemistry 26, 4036–4044.
Lewis, R. N. A. H., Sykes, B. D., and McElhaney, R. N. (1988) Thermotropic phase behavior of model membranes composed of phosphatidylcholines containing cis-monounsaturated acyl chain homologues of oleic acid. Differential scanning calorimetric and 31P-NMR spectroscopic studies. Biochemistry 27, 880–887.
Ladbury, J. E. and Chowdhry, B. Z. (1998) Biocalorimetry. Applications of calorimetry in the biological sciences. Wiley & sons, New York.
Lewis, R. N. A. H., Mannock, D. A., McElhaney, R. N., Mantsch, H. H., and Wong, P. T. T. (1990) The physical properties of glycosyl diacylglycerols. An infrared spectroscopic study of the gel phase polymorphism of the 1,2-di-O-acyl-3-O-(β-D-Glucopyranosy)-sn-glycerols. Biochemistry 29, 8933–8943.
McElhaney, R. N. (1982) The use of differential scanning calorimetry and differential thermal analysis in studies of model and biological membranes. Chem. Phys. Lipids 30, 229–259.
McElhaney, R. N. (1986) Differential scanning calorimetric studies of lipid-protein interactions in model membrane systems. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 864, 361–421.
Lewis, R. N. A. H. and McElhaney, R. N. (2004) The mesophilic phase behavior of lipid bilayers, in The Structure of Biological Membranes, 2nd ed., (Yeagle, P. L., ed.), CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 53–120.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2007 Humana Press Inc.
About this protocol
Cite this protocol
Lewis, R.N.A.H., Mannock, D.A., McElhaney, R.N. (2007). Differential Scanning Calorimetry in the Study of Lipid Phase Transitions in Model and Biological Membranes. In: Dopico, A.M. (eds) Methods in Membrane Lipids. Methods in Molecular Biology™, vol 400. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-519-0_12
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-519-0_12
Publisher Name: Humana Press
Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-662-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-59745-519-0
eBook Packages: Springer Protocols