Biomedical subjects

D L Dorset

Publications and source records attributed to D L Dorset.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Binary phase behavior of angiotoxic oxidized cholesterols with cholesterol.

Binary phase diagrams of oxidized cholesterols with cholesterol were constructed in order to find a possible physical mechanism for these cytotoxic sterols as disruptors of cell membranes. Two compounds, 25-hydroxycholesterol and 7-ketocholesterol, behave similarly in solids with cholesterol, i.e., continuous solubility can be demonstrated over all concentrations with some tendency for individual molecular species to cluster in the liquid state. However, the two compounds have greatly different solubilities in phospholipid bilayers. The interaction of cholesterol with cholestane 3 beta, 5 alpha,6 beta-triol differs from that of the other two binaries since these molecules form a eutectic. This compound has been found to be soluble in phospholipid bilayers. Hence, from available evidence, the three oxidized cholesterols must employ different mechanisms for disruption of cell membranes, depending on which membrane component can most easily solubilize each.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗

PubMed1992

Dynamical scattering and electron crystallography--Ab initio structure analysis of copper perbromophthalocyanine.

Electron diffraction intensity data were collected at 1200 kV from thin epitaxially oriented crystals of copper perbromophthalocyanine (C32Br16CuN8) in a projection down molecular columns. Measured cell constants for the projection with cmm symmetry are d100 = 17.88 (9), b = 26.46 (15) A. The structure was determined by Fourier refinement after three heavy-atom positions were identified in an initial potential map. In addition to the copper and halogens, all light-atom positions were found. Although the final R value for all data is 0.41, n-beam dynamical calculations for crystal thicknesses corresponding to the estimated sample dimension account for the observed amplitudes that deviate most from their kinematical values.

Crystallography↗

PubMed1992

Molecular interactions in binary solids: crystal structure of a cholesteryl ester solid solution.

The x-ray crystal structure analysis of a cholesteryl ester solid solution, cholesteryl undecanoate/cholesteryl laurate in a molar ratio 0.52/0.48, is described. The unit cell is monoclinic with a = 13.005(2) A, b = 9.005(1) A, c = 31.421(3) A, and beta = 90.82(1) degrees and the space group P2(1) with Z = 4 (two molecules per asymmetric unit). Thus, the d001 spacing is almost the value predicted by Vegard's law from the values for the pure compounds. The room-temperature crystal structure is very much like that of cholesteryl laurate monolayer I packing, in the form where the esterified fatty acid chains are fully extended, with no salient sign of conformational disorder seen in this binary solid. The final R factor for 6571 observed reflections is 0.097.

Cholesterol Esters↗

PubMed1991

Electron crystallography at atomic resolution: the structure of the odd-chain paraffin n-tritriacontane.

The crystal structure of the odd-chain paraffin, n-tritriacontane, nC33H68, is determined directly by using low-dose electron microscope images and electron diffraction intensity data from epitaxially grown microcrystals. Phases of the most intense "polyethylene" reflections are determined from triplet structure-invariant relationships often used in X-ray crystallography. Low-dose electron microscopic images provide phases of the low-angle "lamellar" reflections and these can be used with one-dimensional structure-invariant relationships to determine other phases on the 00l reciprocal row. The phase set is sufficient to calculate an electrostatic potential map which is directly interpretable as a structure image at atomic resolution.

Crystallography↗

PubMed1991

Electron crystallography at atomic resolution: ab initio structure analysis of copper perchlorophthalocyanine.

High-voltage (1200 kV) electron diffraction intensities from approximately 100 A thick crystals of copper perchlorophthalocyanine are used to determine the molecular packing at atomic resolution, thus greatly exceeding the structure detail observed by electron microscopy. Initial crystallographic phases were determined by direct methods often used in X-ray crystallography, i.e., locating the positions of heavy (Cl and Cu) atoms in the structure. All other atom positions were found in subsequent Fourier refinement (final R = 0.28). Calculated bond distances and angles are similar to those found in the earlier X-ray crystal structure of the unchlorinated parent compound.

Copper↗

PubMed1991

Direct determination of crystallographic phases for diffraction data from lipid bilayers. I. Reliability and phase refinement.

Direct analysis of lipid lamellar packing based on the probabilistic estimate of sigma 1- and sigma 2-triplet phase invariants is evaluated here for a large variety of bilayer structures than examined in an original study of this problem (Dorset, D.L., 1990. Biophys. J. 58:1077-1087). Using x-ray crystal structures of five phospholipids, three glycerides and two cerebrosides, lamellar diffraction data were generated at the approximately 3 A resolution often found experimentally from oriented multilayers. For structures where no significant density occurs at the unit cell origin, the ab initio phase determination is successful for six of the ten structures. A seventh structure can be solved if a limited set of sigma 2-triples are used to determine the initial phase set based on the hierarchy of the A2 values. Bilayers, e.g., with solvent at the origin, can be analyzed if a modified criterion for accepting phase estimates for sigma 1-triples is used, as suggested by the distribution of normalized structure factors and the number of probable single-valued phase domains. In all cases, partial phase determinations can be refined effectively by density modification ("flattening") of the hydrocarbon region in real space. A figure of merit suggested by Luzzati et al. (Luzzati, V., A. Tardieu, and D. Taupin. 1972. J. Mol. Biol. 64:269-286) used to evaluate the success of such refinement can be supplemented by an evaluation of density smoothness, which can also detect the presence of near structure homomorphs not identified by the former test for density flatness.

Lipid Bilayers↗

PubMed1991

Direct determination of crystallographic phases for diffraction data from lipid bilayers. II. Refinement of phospholipid structures.

Using a systematic approach for the acceptance of crystallographic phase assignment, based on the evaluation of triplet structure invariants, electron and x-ray diffraction data from phospholipid multilamellar arrays are analyzed by direct methods. After calculation of Fourier maps with a partial set of phased structure factor magnitudes, the structure is refined in real space by flattening of the hydrocarbon region of the bilayer and an optimal solution is sought either by the calculation of [delta rho 4] suggested by Luzzati, where rho is the structure density or by a test of density smoothness [magnitude of delta rho/ delta r magnitude of], where r positions are located along the normal to the lamellar surface. Reanalyses of previously determined structures sometimes lead to new conclusions (e.g., a possible similarity of the electron density profile for DL-DMPE and L-DMPE, and a clear indication of the fatty acid adduct in the mixed L-DPPC/palmitic acid bilayer). Because of presumed secondary scattering perturbations (primarily to the least intense reflections), the refinements of the electron diffraction intensities are less easily evaluated than those carried out with x-ray diffraction data.

1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine↗

PubMed1990

Eutectic interactions in binary systems containing cholesterol, cholesteryl esters and triacylglycerols.

Binary phase behavior of saturated cholesterol esters with trilaurin or cholesterol, and cholesterol with trilaurin, is studied. The existence of specific molecular interactions is detected by comparing the liquidus curve of the eutectic with ideal theory of freezing point depression and correcting the theoretical curve with the Bragg-Williams model when necessary. X-ray data indicate that all eutectic solids are nearly totally fractionated. The phase diagrams are sometimes well-explained by ideal solution theory indicating that polar interactions (e.g., the hydrogen bonding of cholesterol) are much less important than van der Waals interactions between neighboring molecules. However, the hydrogen bonding networks of cholesterol can lead to nonideal solution behavior with other lipids, a phenomenon consistent with previous observations on simpler molecular binaries. An observed nonideal solution behavior of triacylglycerol with cholesterol esters, on the other hand, is unexpected since significant polar interactions are expected to be 'buried' in the predominant nonpolar volume of the molecules involved.

Chemical Phenomena↗

PubMed1990

Lamellar packing of a chiral N,N-dimethylphosphatidylethanolamine: electron diffraction. Evidence for a lecithin-type headgroup conformation.

Lamellar electron diffraction intensity data from epitaxially crystallized 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerophospho-N,N-dimethylethanolamine were used to determine the layer packing in order to compare the chiral structure to the crystal structure of a racemic homologue. After finding the chain orientation, the structure was determined by interpretation of the Patterson function, followed by independent crystallographic phase assignments with conventional direct methods (use of three phase structure invariants). The phase determination was verified by a translational search with a molecular model based on a similar lecithin structure. The final R-value is 0.29, and this is lowered to 0.18 after a correction is made for incoherent multiple electron scattering. The layer packing is found to be very much like that of a diacyl phosphatidylcholine with the N,N-dimethylethanolamine moiety parallel to the bilayer surface rather than the perpendicular arrangement of headgroups involved in an interdigitated layer, as seen for racemic homolog.

Crystallization↗

PubMed1990

Anomeric exchange and the structure of n-alkyl D-glucopyranosides. A study of binary phase behavior.

X-Ray diffraction and calorimetric data from the alpha and beta anomers of n-alkyl D-glucopyranosides are analyzed to describe the molecular packing and co-solubility in the crystalline and liquid-crystalline phases. In the smectogenic chain-length series, the beta-glucosides are co-soluble, with almost ideal mixing in the crystalline and meso-phases for chain-length differences of two carbon atoms. The smectic phases of octyl alpha- and beta-glucosides are also co-soluble and a time sequence of phase diagrams (as well as lamellar X-ray data), as the solid obtained from the cooled melt is equilibrated, indicate that a metastable co-crystalline phase may exist until the respective hydrogen-bonding schemes are established. Lamellar spacings from a homologous series of the beta anomers indicate that both the crystal structure and smectic-layer packings involve bilayer stacking of the molecules, a result that is difficult to reconcile with the respective surface-area requirements of the molecular acyl chain and sugar moieties.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗

PubMed1990

Eutectic interactions between saturated and unsaturated chain cholesteryl esters: comparison of calculated and observed phase diagrams.

Binary phase behavior of saturated chain with unsaturated chain cholesteryl esters is evaluated by analysis of the phase diagrams in terms of ideal solution theory. Cholesteryl palmitate, which crystallizes in the bilayer structure, forms a eutectic with either cholesteryl oleate or cholesteryl linoleate and, as indicated by low angle X-ray data, the components are nearly totally fractionated in the solid state. The fit of the two experimental liquidus curves by a calculation of freezing point depression for an ideal solution indicates that the molecular interactions are nonspecific in the binary liquid state. Cholesteryl caprylate and cholesteryl oleate, both of which crystallize as the monolayer II form, also form a eutectic. X-ray data again indicate nearly total fractionation. The liquidus curve is reasonably well matched by calculation of ideal freezing point depression. However, dissimilar molecular volumes can cause the melt-cholesteric transition line to deviate from an ideal concentration dependence. Possible fractionation mechanisms for cholesteryl esters in arterial lesions are thereby indicated. For example, when the molecules have greatly different volumes, clustering can occur in the liquid crystalline state. Even when the molecular volumes are similar, the saturated component can solidify in regions where it is relatively abundant, because of the incompatibility of two crystal structures with greatly different layer structures.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗

PubMed1990

Binary phase behavior of cholesteryl oleate with cholesteryl linoleate.

Because disagreement about the co-solubility of cholesteryl linoleate and cholesteryl oleate in the solid state is evident in the literature, the phase diagram for binary combinations of these two unsaturated esters is redetermined. X-ray data demonstrate that the two components fractionate and the phase diagram indicates that a peritectic relationship exists between these compounds. As reported previously, the two esters are fully miscible in the two mesophases. Evidence is also seen for metastable intermediate solids but the crystal polymorphism reported earlier for both lipids has not been found. It is also found that oleate-rich binary samples equilibrated at room temperature undergo a phase separation of crystalline cholesteryl oleate which may have some implications for the immobilization of these lipids in fatty lesions.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗

PubMed1990

Direct determination of crystallographic phases for diffraction data from phospholipid multilamellar arrays.

Direct determination of crystallographic phases based on probabilistic of sigma 1 and sigma 2 "triplet" structure invariants has been found to be an effective technique for structure analysis with lamellar x-ray or electron diffraction intensity data from phospholipids. In many cases, nearly all phase values are determined, permitting a structure density (electron density for x-ray diffraction; electrostatic potential for electron diffraction) map to be calculated, which is directly interpretable in terms of known bilayer lipid structure. The major source of error is found to be due to the distortion of observed electron diffraction intensity data by incoherent multiple scattering, which can significantly affect the appearance of the electrostatic potential map, but not the success of the phase determination, as long as the observed Patterson function can be interpreted.

Biophysical Phenomena↗

PubMed1990

Direct determination of phospholipid lamellar structure at 0.34-nm resolution.

Low-dose, high-resolution electron microscopy combined with conventional direct-phasing methods based on the estimates of triplet-structure invariants are used to determine phase values for all observed electron-diffraction-structure factor magnitudes from epitaxially oriented multilamellar paracrystals of the phosphospholipid 1,2-dihexadecyl-sn-glycerophosphoethanolamine. The reverse Fourier transform of these phase-structure factors is a one-dimensional electrostatic potential map that strongly resembles the electron-density maps calculated from similar x-ray-diffraction data. Determination of the phase values for the electron-diffraction data with structure invariants alone is nearly as successful as the combined use of two separate methods, assigning values to 13 of the 16 reflections--i.e., the electrostatic potential map closely resembles the one calculated with all data.

Crystallization↗

PubMed1989

Densely packed beta-structure at the protein-lipid interface of porin is revealed by high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy.

Porin is an integral membrane protein that forms channels across the outer membrane of Escherichia coli. Electron microscopic studies of negatively stained two-dimensional porin crystals have shown three stain accumulations per porin trimer, revealing the locations of pores spanning the membrane. In this study, reconstituted porin lattices embedded in glucose were investigated using the low-dose technique on a cryo-electron microscope equipped with a helium-cooled superconducting objective lens. The specimen temperature was maintained at 5 K to yield an improved microscopic and specimen stability. Under these conditions, we obtained for the first time electron diffraction patterns from porin lattices to a resolution of 3.2 A and images showing optical diffraction up to a resolution of 4.9 A. Applying correlation averaging techniques to the digitized micrographs, we were able to reconstruct projected images of the porin trimer to a resolution of up to 3.5 A. In the final projection maps, amplitudes from electron diffraction and phases from these images were combined. The predominant feature is a high-density narrow band (about 6 A in thickness) that delineates the outer perimeter of the trimer. Since the molecule consists of almost exclusively beta-sheet structure, as revealed by spectroscopic data, we conclude that this band is a cylindrical beta-pleated sheet crossing the membrane nearly perpendicularly to its plane. Another intriguing finding is a low-density area (about 70 A2) situated in the centre of the trimer.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗

PubMed1989

Packing of linear molecules: an electron microscope study of disorder in mesophases and binary solids.

With the aid of epitaxial orientation techniques originally designed for linear polymer crystallization, it is found that a large assortment of linear chain molecules can be prepared for electron diffraction study in a projection onto the molecular axes. This not only facilitates a study of ordered monodisperse molecular crystal structures but also of the disordered state as well, including thermotropic phase transitions and the structure of binary solids. Representative studies of monodisperse and polydisperse phase behavior based on electron diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry measurements are reviewed for n-paraffins, glycerolipids, and cholesteryl esters. The importance of observing the microcrystalline state is readily apparent from these studies--not only because the symmetry of individual small crystals can be determined, but also because local structural variations not detectable in bulk measurements are readily observed.

Crystallization↗

PubMed1989

Direct observation of molecular images of lanthanide phthalocyanines: III. Structural defects.

The crystal imperfections in thin films of lanthanide phthalocyanines (LnPc2H, Ln = Nd, Tb, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu) grown expitaxially on KCl have been observed by molecular imaging. Grain and twin boundaries, stacking faults, point defects, vacancies, mosaic structures, and sometimes even some amorphous islands exist in the well-crystallized specimens. Combined with the results reported earlier, the packing characteristics of planar LnPc2H molecules can be well understood.

Crystallization↗

PubMed1989

In-plane phase transition of an integral membrane protein: nucleation of the OmpF matrix porin rectangular polymorph.

A hexagonal polymorph (a = 79 A) of OmpF matrix porin from Escherichia coli spontaneously transforms to a rectangular form (a = 79 A, b = 137 A) after several months' storage in the refrigerator. Nucleation of this second polymorph is first disclosed by diffuse streaks in electron diffraction patterns or in computer-generated Fourier transforms of electron microscope images. With time, this streaking is resolved as an apparent superlattice, and eventually domains of orthorhombic polymorph are detected in the parent hexagonal lattice that can be oriented in either of three directions, depending on the polarity of the orthorhombic crystal growth. Models for this phenomenon based on protein trimer rotation successfully explain the progress of the phase transition and, if protein-protein interactions are the most important interactions between adjacent trimers in the lipid matrix, the transition is quite similar to what occurs with molecular crystals.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗