Effects of nonionic sugar surfactants on the phase transition of DPPC membranes

The influence of newly synthesized N-alkanoyl-N-methyllactitolamines (decanoyl [C10MELA], lauoroyl [C12MELA] and miristoyl [C14MELA]) on the thermotropic phase transition of phosphatidylcholine bilayer was compared with common sugar-based surfactants N-dodecyl-β-d-glucopyranoside [C12G1] and decanoyl-N-methyl glucamide [MEGA-10]. The results indicate that CnMELA are very active at the membrane surface and disturb the phospholipid bilayer structure less than commercially used MEGA-10 and C12G1.