SOLUBILIZATION OF LARGE UNILAMELLAR LIPOSOMES BY ALKYL GLYCOSIDES

The study of biological membranes involves the dissociation, character ization and re-assembly of membrane components. The most important asp ect of this approach is the use of an appropriate surfactant as solubi lizing agent. In this work the solubilization of large unilamellar lip osomes by alkyl glycosides has been studied. Solubilization of phospho lipid bilayer is produced by the formation of surfactant-phospholipid mixed micelles. Some pure alkyl glycosides as well as two commercial a lkyl polyglucosides have been tested. This has permitted the study of the solubilizing capacity of the phospholipidic bilayer of different a lkyl glycosides as a function of their structure. Among the alkyl glyc osides tested, dodecyl maltoside has shown the lowest critical micelle concentration as well as the highest solubilizing capacity, i.e., the minimal surfactant/phospholipid molar ratio in the mixed micelles. (C ) 1997 Academic Press.