Berlin 2008 – scientific programme

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BP: Fachverband Biologische Physik

BP 7: Posters I

BP 7.48: Poster

Monday, February 25, 2008, 17:00–19:30, Poster A

Specular and Off-Specular Neutron Scattering from Solid-Supported Multilayers of Cell-Surface Model Membranes under Bulk Buffers — •Emanuel Schneck¹, Bruno Demé², Christian Gege³, Richard Schmidt³, and Motomu Tanaka¹ — ¹Physikalisch-Chemisches Institut, Universität Heidelberg, INF 253, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany — ²Institut Laue-Langevin, B.P. 156, F-38042 Grenoble Cedex 9, France — ³Fachbereich Chemie, Universität Konstanz, Fach M 725, D-78457 Konstanz, Germany

Oriented, solid-supported phospholipid membrane multilayers, containing synthetic glycolipids (membrane-anchored Lewis-X oligosaccharides) at various well defined concentrations were studied by specular and off-specular neutron scattering. The samples act as model systems for the study of saccharide mediated inter-membrane interactions, which play key roles in the mechanism of cellular adhesion, a process of outstanding biological importance. Recent in-vitro experiments suggest that membrane-anchored Lewis-X, a basic component of blood group antigens, induces cellular adhesion in the presence of calcium ions. Furthermore, several 2D-NMR studies evidenced that Lewis-X forms homophilic dimers in the presence of calcium ions. A new self-developed liquid cell is used for measurements with bulk buffers at various ion concentrations. The planar sample geometry allows for the identification of out-of-plane and in-plane scattering vector components and offers the possibility to study quantitatively the influence of ions on oligosaccharide-mediated inter-membrane interactions and on membrane bending rigidities.