SOLUBILIZATION OF PHOSPHOLIPID-BILAYERS BY SURFACTANTS BELONGING TO THE TRITON-X SERIES - EFFECT OF POLAR GROUP-SIZE

Various effects of Triton X-ll tl Triton X-100, Triton X-102. Triton X -165, and Triton X-305 (written in increasing order of cmc, hydrophile /lipophile balance, and number of ethylene oxide units, i.e., polar gr oup size) have been tested on large unilamellar vesicles made of egg p hosphatidylcholine. For both lytic and sublytic effects, Triton X-102 appears to be the most efficient member of the series, Leakage and sol ubilization parameters confirm the precious suggestion that these are two independent surfactant-induced processes. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.