Biphasic nature of lipid bilayers assembled on silica nanoparticles and evidence for an interdigitated phase. Issue 10 (17th February 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Stengel, Dillan; Thai, Rich; Li, Yuan; Peters, Nikki M.; Holland, Gregory P.
• Is Part Of: Soft matter. Volume 19:Issue 10(2023)
• Page Start: 1882
• Page End: 1889
• Publication Date: 2023-02-17
• Subjects: Soft condensed matter -- Periodicals; 530.413
• DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01517j
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1744-683X

Abstract

Abstract : Lipid bilayers on mesoscale silica nanoparticles are biphasic with evidence for an interdigitated phase on the smallest support (4 nm). Abstract : Functionalizing silica nanoparticles with a lipid bilayer shell is a common first step in fabricating drug delivery and biosensing devices that are further decorated with other biomolecules for a range of nanoscience applications and therapeutics. Although the molecular structure and dynamics of lipid bilayers have been thoroughly investigated on larger 100 nm–1 μm silica spheres where the lipid bilayer exhibits the typical L α bilayer phase, the molecular organization of lipids assembled on mesoscale (4–100 nm diameter) nanoparticles is scarce. Here, DSC, TEM and 2 H and 31 P solid-state NMR are implemented to probe the organization of 1, 2-dipalmitoyl-d54 - glycero -3-phosphocholine (DMPC-d54 ) assembled on mesoscale silica nanoparticles illustrating a significant deviation from L α bilayer structure due to the increasing curvature of mesoscale supports. A biphasic system is observed that exhibits a combination of high-curvature, non-lamellar and lamellar phases for mesoscale (<100 nm) supports with evidence of an interdigitated phase on the smallest diameter support (4 nm).