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Solvent relaxation of fluorescent labels as a new tool for the detection of polarity and rigidity changes in membranes

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Czechoslovak Journal of Physics Aims and scope

Abstract

Since solvent relaxation (SR) exclusively depends on the physical properties of the dye environment, SR spectroscopy of defined located labels in amphiphilic assemblies accomplishes the characterisation of specific domains. The most accurate way to characterise SR is the determination of the time-dependent Stokes shift. The time course of the Stokes shift, expressed as a solvent relaxation time, gives information about both the rigidity and polarity of the dye environment. The absolute value of the Stokes shift following the excitation is correlated with the polarity of the probed region. The validity of this approach for the investigation of phospholipid bilayers is illustrated by listing the parameters influencing the SR kinetics of appropriate membrane labels: membrane curvature, percentage of phosphatidylserine (PS) in small unilamell vesicles (SUV), addition of Ca2+ ions, binding of vitamin-K dependent proteins, percentage of diether-lipids in phosphatidylcholine (PC)-vesicles, and temperature.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry, Acad. Sci. CR, Dolejškova 3, CZ-18223, Praha 8, Czech Republic

    Martin Hof

  2. Institute of Molecular Genetics, Acad. Sci. CR, Dolejškova 3, CZ-18223, Praha 8, Czech Republic

    Martin Hof

  3. Institute for Physical Chemistry, University Würzburg, Am Hubland, D-97074, Würzburg, Germany

    Martin Hof & Rudi Hutterer

Authors
  1. Martin Hof
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  2. Rudi Hutterer
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Correspondence to Martin Hof.

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Hof, M., Hutterer, R. Solvent relaxation of fluorescent labels as a new tool for the detection of polarity and rigidity changes in membranes. Czech J Phys 48, 435–441 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021241808793

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021241808793

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