Evaluation of hydropathy of amino acids from a comparison of their viscosities inside vesicles and on supported lipid bilayers

The viscosity of amino acids enclosed in giant lipid vesicles (ηout) subjected to a shear flow near a solid surface has been studied using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). This viscosity has been compared with shear viscosity for the different amino acids adsorbed on supported bilayers (SLBs) (ηin) of the lipids on quartz. Using a first approximation of vesicles as model rigid spheres, the measured viscosities and the extent of deformation of vesicles observed using optical microscopy, two non-dimensional parameters: the reduced volume and the ratio of (ηin)/(ηout) have been analyzed as a function of physical parameters: vesicle substrate distance (vesicle vs. supported lipid bilayers), vesicle size and their variation as a function of the viscosity. The kinematics of the vesicles with the amino acids compared with the shear at supported lipid bilayers seems to describe a reasonable hydropathy scale for the amino acids. The results show that there is a direct correlation between the above parameters and the polarity variations in amino acids suggesting that the viscous force may be an important parameter and should be taken into account in studies on membrane proteins interacting with cells and cell adhesion in flow chambers where cell membrane and the adhesive substrate are in relative motion.

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► Viscosity of amino acids in giant vesicles (ηout) and adsorbed on supported lipid bilayers (ηin) measured.
► Correlation of ηin / ηout to deformation of vesicles established.
► Extent of deformation depends on hydropathy of amino acids.
► Hydropathy scale from this study is significant in the adhesion of membrane proteins to cells.