--- trunk/mdRipple/mdripple.tex 2007/06/25 21:16:17 3147 +++ trunk/mdRipple/mdripple.tex 2007/08/01 16:07:12 3202 @@ -1,176 +1,723 @@ %\documentclass[aps,pre,twocolumn,amssymb,showpacs,floatfix]{revtex4} -\documentclass[aps,pre,preprint,amssymb,showpacs]{revtex4} +%\documentclass[aps,pre,preprint,amssymb]{revtex4} +\documentclass[12pt]{article} +\usepackage{times} +\usepackage{mathptm} +\usepackage{tabularx} +\usepackage{setspace} +\usepackage{amsmath} +\usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{graphicx} +\usepackage[ref]{overcite} +\pagestyle{plain} +\pagenumbering{arabic} +\oddsidemargin 0.0cm \evensidemargin 0.0cm +\topmargin -21pt \headsep 10pt +\textheight 9.0in \textwidth 6.5in +\brokenpenalty=10000 +\renewcommand{\baselinestretch}{1.2} +\renewcommand\citemid{\ } % no comma in optional reference note \begin{document} -\renewcommand{\thefootnote}{\fnsymbol{footnote}} -\renewcommand{\theequation}{\arabic{section}.\arabic{equation}} +%\renewcommand{\thefootnote}{\fnsymbol{footnote}} +%\renewcommand{\theequation}{\arabic{section}.\arabic{equation}} -%\bibliographystyle{aps} +\bibliographystyle{achemso} -\title{} -\author{Xiuquan Sun and J. Daniel Gezelter} -\email[E-mail:]{gezelter@nd.edu} -\affiliation{Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,\\ -University of Notre Dame, \\ +\title{Dipolar Ordering in Molecular-scale Models of the Ripple Phase +in Lipid Membranes} +\author{Xiuquan Sun and J. Daniel Gezelter \\ +Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry,\\ +University of Notre Dame, \\ Notre Dame, Indiana 46556} +%\email[E-mail:]{gezelter@nd.edu} + \date{\today} -\begin{abstract} +\maketitle +\begin{abstract} +The ripple phase in phosphatidylcholine (PC) bilayers has never been +completely explained. \end{abstract} -\pacs{} -\maketitle +%\maketitle -Our idea for developing a simple and reasonable lipid model to study -the ripple pahse of lipid bilayers is based on two facts: one is that -the most essential feature of lipid molecules is their amphiphilic -structure with polar head groups and non-polar tails. Another fact is -that dominant numbers of lipid molecules are very rigid in ripple -phase which allows the details of the lipid molecules neglectable. In -our model, lipid molecules are represented by rigid bodies made of one -head sphere with a point dipole sitting on it and one ellipsoid tail, -the direction of the dipole is fixed to be perpendicular to the -tail. The breadth and length of tail are $\sigma_0$, $3\sigma_0$. The -diameter of heads varies from $1.20\sigma_0$ to $1.41\sigma_0$. The -model of the solvent in our simulations is inspired by the idea of -``DPD'' water. Every four water molecules are reprsented by one -sphere. +\section{Introduction} +\label{sec:Int} +Fully hydrated lipids will aggregate spontaneously to form bilayers +which exhibit a variety of phases depending on their temperatures and +compositions. Among these phases, a periodic rippled phase +($P_{\beta'}$) appears as an intermediate phase between the gel +($L_\beta$) and fluid ($L_{\alpha}$) phases for relatively pure +phosphatidylcholine (PC) bilayers. The ripple phase has attracted +substantial experimental interest over the past 30 years. Most +structural information of the ripple phase has been obtained by the +X-ray diffraction~\cite{Sun96,Katsaras00} and freeze-fracture electron +microscopy (FFEM).~\cite{Copeland80,Meyer96} Recently, Kaasgaard {\it +et al.} used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to observe ripple phase +morphology in bilayers supported on mica.~\cite{Kaasgaard03} The +experimental results provide strong support for a 2-dimensional +hexagonal packing lattice of the lipid molecules within the ripple +phase. This is a notable change from the observed lipid packing +within the gel phase.~\cite{Cevc87} +A number of theoretical models have been presented to explain the +formation of the ripple phase. Marder {\it et al.} used a +curvature-dependent Landau-de Gennes free-energy functional to predict +a rippled phase.~\cite{Marder84} This model and other related continuum +models predict higher fluidity in convex regions and that concave +portions of the membrane correspond to more solid-like regions. +Carlson and Sethna used a packing-competition model (in which head +groups and chains have competing packing energetics) to predict the +formation of a ripple-like phase. Their model predicted that the +high-curvature portions have lower-chain packing and correspond to +more fluid-like regions. Goldstein and Leibler used a mean-field +approach with a planar model for {\em inter-lamellar} interactions to +predict rippling in multilamellar phases.~\cite{Goldstein88} McCullough +and Scott proposed that the {\em anisotropy of the nearest-neighbor +interactions} coupled to hydrophobic constraining forces which +restrict height differences between nearest neighbors is the origin of +the ripple phase.~\cite{McCullough90} Lubensky and MacKintosh +introduced a Landau theory for tilt order and curvature of a single +membrane and concluded that {\em coupling of molecular tilt to membrane +curvature} is responsible for the production of +ripples.~\cite{Lubensky93} Misbah, Duplat and Houchmandzadeh proposed +that {\em inter-layer dipolar interactions} can lead to ripple +instabilities.~\cite{Misbah98} Heimburg presented a {\em coexistence +model} for ripple formation in which he postulates that fluid-phase +line defects cause sharp curvature between relatively flat gel-phase +regions.~\cite{Heimburg00} Kubica has suggested that a lattice model of +polar head groups could be valuable in trying to understand bilayer +phase formation.~\cite{Kubica02} Bannerjee used Monte Carlo simulations +of lamellar stacks of hexagonal lattices to show that large headgroups +and molecular tilt with respect to the membrane normal vector can +cause bulk rippling.~\cite{Bannerjee02} -Spheres interact each other with Lennard-Jones potential, ellipsoids -interact each other with Gay-Berne potential, dipoles interact each -other with typical dipole potential, spheres interact ellipsoids with -LJ-GB potential. All potentials are truncated at $25$ \AA and shifted -at $22$ \AA. +In contrast, few large-scale molecular modelling studies have been +done due to the large size of the resulting structures and the time +required for the phases of interest to develop. With all-atom (and +even unified-atom) simulations, only one period of the ripple can be +observed and only for timescales in the range of 10-100 ns. One of +the most interesting molecular simulations was carried out by De Vries +{\it et al.}~\cite{deVries05}. According to their simulation results, +the ripple consists of two domains, one resembling the gel bilayer, +while in the other, the two leaves of the bilayer are fully +interdigitated. The mechanism for the formation of the ripple phase +suggested by their work is a packing competition between the head +groups and the tails of the lipid molecules.\cite{Carlson87} Recently, +the ripple phase has also been studied by Lenz and Schmid using Monte +Carlo simulations.\cite{Lenz07} Their structures are similar to the De +Vries {\it et al.} structures except that the connection between the +two leaves of the bilayer is a narrow interdigitated line instead of +the fully interdigitated domain. The symmetric ripple phase was also +observed by Lenz {\it et al.}, and their work supports other claims +that the mismatch between the size of the head group and tail of the +lipid molecules is the driving force for the formation of the ripple +phase. Ayton and Voth have found significant undulations in +zero-surface-tension states of membranes simulated via dissipative +particle dynamics, but their results are consistent with purely +thermal undulations.~\cite{Ayton02} +Although the organization of the tails of lipid molecules are +addressed by these molecular simulations and the packing competition +between headgroups and tails is strongly implicated as the primary +driving force for ripple formation, questions about the ordering of +the head groups in ripple phase has not been settled. -To make the simulations less expensive and to observe long-time range -behavior of the lipid membranes, all simulaitons were started from two -sepetated monolayers in the vaccum with $x-y$ anisotropic pressure -coupling, length of $z$ axis of the simulations was fixed to prevent -the shrinkage of the simulation boxes due to the free volume outside -of the bilayer, and a constant surface tension was applied to enable -the fluctuation of the surface. Periodic boundaries were used. There -were $480-720$ lipid molecules in simulations according to different -size of the heads. All the simulations were stablized for $100$ ns at -$300$ K. The resulted structures were solvated in the water (about -$6$ DPD water/lipid molecule) as the initial configurations for another -$30$ ns relaxation. All simulations with water were carried out at -constant pressure ($P=1$bar) by $3$D anisotropic coupling, and -constant surface tension ($\gamma=0.015$). Time step was -$50$ fs. Simulations were performed by using OOPSE package. +In a recent paper, we presented a simple ``web of dipoles'' spin +lattice model which provides some physical insight into relationship +between dipolar ordering and membrane buckling.\cite{Sun2007} We found +that dipolar elastic membranes can spontaneously buckle, forming +ripple-like topologies. The driving force for the buckling in dipolar +elastic membranes the antiferroelectric ordering of the dipoles, and +this was evident in the ordering of the dipole director axis +perpendicular to the wave vector of the surface ripples. A similiar +phenomenon has also been observed by Tsonchev {\it et al.} in their +work on the spontaneous formation of dipolar peptide chains into +curved nano-structures.\cite{Tsonchev04,Tsonchev04II} +In this paper, we construct a somewhat more realistic molecular-scale +lipid model than our previous ``web of dipoles'' and use molecular +dynamics simulations to elucidate the role of the head group dipoles +in the formation and morphology of the ripple phase. We describe our +model and computational methodology in section \ref{sec:method}. +Details on the simulations are presented in section +\ref{sec:experiment}, with results following in section +\ref{sec:results}. A final discussion of the role of dipolar heads in +the ripple formation can be found in section +\ref{sec:discussion}. -Snap shots show that the membrane is more corrugated with increasing -the size of the head groups. The surface is nearly perfect flat when -$\sigma_h$ is $1.20\sigma_0$. At $1.28\sigma_0$, although the surface -is still flat, the bilayer starts to splay inward, the upper leaf of -the bilayer is connected to the lower leaf with a interdigitated line -defect. Two periodicities with $100$\AA width were observed in the -simulation. This structure is very similiar to OTHER PAPER. The same -structure was also observed when $\sigma_h=1.41\sigma_0$. However, the -surface of the membrane is corrugated, and the periodicity of the -connection between upper and lower leaf membrane is shorter. From the -undulation spectrum of the surface (the exact form is in OUR PREVIOUS -PAPER), the corrugation is non-thermal fluctuation, and we are -confident to identify it as the ripple phase. The width of one ripple -is about $71$ \AA, and amplitude is about $7$ \AA. When -$\sigma_h=1.35\sigma_0$, we observed another corrugated surface with -$79$ \AA width and $10$ \AA amplitude. This structure is different to -the previous rippled surface, there is no connection between upper and -lower leaf of the bilayer. Each leaf of the bilayer is broken to -several curved pieces, the broken position is mounted into the center -of opposite piece in another leaf. Unlike another corrugated surface -in which the upper leaf of the surface is always connected to the -lower leaf from one direction, this ripple of this surface is -isotropic. Therefore, we claim this is a symmetric ripple phase. +\section{Computational Model} +\label{sec:method} +\begin{figure}[htb] +\centering +\includegraphics[width=4in]{lipidModels} +\caption{Three different representations of DPPC lipid molecules, +including the chemical structure, an atomistic model, and the +head-body ellipsoidal coarse-grained model used in this +work.\label{fig:lipidModels}} +\end{figure} -The $P_2$ order paramter is calculated to understand the phase -behavior quantatively. $P_2=1$ means a perfect ordered structure, and -$P_2=0$ means a random structure. The method can be found in OUR -PAPER. Fig. shows $P_2$ order paramter of the dipoles on head group -raises with increasing the size of the head group. When head of lipid -molecule is small, the membrane is flat and shows strong two -dimensional characters, dipoles are frustrated on orientational -ordering in this circumstance. Another reason is that the lipids can -move independently in each monolayer, it is not nessasory for the -direction of dipoles on one leaf is consistant to another layer, which -makes total order parameter is relatively low. With increasing the -size of head group, the surface is being more corrugated, dipoles are -not allowed to move freely on the surface, they are -localized. Therefore, the translational freedom of lipids in one layer -is dependent upon the position of lipids in another layer, as a -result, the symmetry of the dipoles on head group in one layer is -consistant to the symmetry in another layer. Furthermore, the membrane -tranlates from a two dimensional system to a three dimensional system -by the corrugation, the symmetry of the ordering for the two -dimensional dipoles on the head group of lipid molecules is broken, on -a distorted lattice, dipoles are ordered on a head to tail energy -state, the order parameter is increased dramaticly. However, the total -polarization of the system is close to zero, which is a strong -evidence it is a antiferroelectric state. The orientation of the -dipole ordering is alway perpendicular to the ripple vector. These -results are consistant to our previous study on similar system. The -ordering of the tails are opposite to the ordering of the dipoles on -head group, the $P_2$ order parameter decreases with increasing the -size of head. This indicates the surface is more curved with larger -head. When surface is flat, all tails are pointing to the same -direction, in this case, all tails are parallal to the normal of the -surface, which shares the same structure with $L_{\beta}$ phase. For the -size of head being $1.28\sigma_0$, the surface starts to splay inward, -however, the surface is still flat, therefore, although the order -parameter is lower, it still indicates a very flat surface. Further -increasing the size of the head, the order parameter drops dramaticly, -the surface is rippled. +Our simple molecular-scale lipid model for studying the ripple phase +is based on two facts: one is that the most essential feature of lipid +molecules is their amphiphilic structure with polar head groups and +non-polar tails. Another fact is that the majority of lipid molecules +in the ripple phase are relatively rigid (i.e. gel-like) which makes +some fraction of the details of the chain dynamics negligible. Figure +\ref{fig:lipidModels} shows the molecular strucure of a DPPC +molecule, as well as atomistic and molecular-scale representations of +a DPPC molecule. The hydrophilic character of the head group is +largely due to the separation of charge between the nitrogen and +phosphate groups. The zwitterionic nature of the PC headgroups leads +to abnormally large dipole moments (as high as 20.6 D), and this +strongly polar head group interacts strongly with the solvating water +layers immediately surrounding the membrane. The hydrophobic tail +consists of fatty acid chains. In our molecular scale model, lipid +molecules have been reduced to these essential features; the fatty +acid chains are represented by an ellipsoid with a dipolar ball +perched on one end to represent the effects of the charge-separated +head group. In real PC lipids, the direction of the dipole is +nearly perpendicular to the tail, so we have fixed the direction of +the point dipole rigidly in this orientation. +The ellipsoidal portions of the model interact via the Gay-Berne +potential which has seen widespread use in the liquid crystal +community. Ayton and Voth have also used Gay-Berne ellipsoids for +modelling large length-scale properties of lipid +bilayers.\cite{Ayton01} In its original form, the Gay-Berne potential +was a single site model for the interactions of rigid ellipsoidal +molecules.\cite{Gay81} It can be thought of as a modification of the +Gaussian overlap model originally described by Berne and +Pechukas.\cite{Berne72} The potential is constructed in the familiar +form of the Lennard-Jones function using orientation-dependent +$\sigma$ and $\epsilon$ parameters, +\begin{equation*} +V_{ij}({\mathbf{\hat u}_i}, {\mathbf{\hat u}_j}, {\mathbf{\hat +r}_{ij}}) = 4\epsilon ({\mathbf{\hat u}_i}, {\mathbf{\hat u}_j}, +{\mathbf{\hat r}_{ij}})\left[\left(\frac{\sigma_0}{r_{ij}-\sigma({\mathbf{\hat u}_i}, +{\mathbf{\hat u}_j}, {\mathbf{\hat r}_{ij}})+\sigma_0}\right)^{12} +-\left(\frac{\sigma_0}{r_{ij}-\sigma({\mathbf{\hat u}_i}, {\mathbf{\hat u}_j}, +{\mathbf{\hat r}_{ij}})+\sigma_0}\right)^6\right] +\label{eq:gb} +\end{equation*} -We studied the effects of interaction between head groups on the -structure of lipid bilayer by changing the strength of the dipole. The -fig. shows the $P_2$ order parameter changing with strength of the -dipole. Generally the dipoles on the head group are more ordered with -increasing the interaction between heads and more disordered with -decreasing the interaction between heads. When the interaction between -heads is weak enough, the bilayer structure is not persisted any more, -all lipid molecules are melted in the water. The critial value of the -strength of the dipole is various for different system. The perfect -flat surface melts at $5$ debye, the asymmetric rippled surfaces melt -at $8$ debye, the symmetric rippled surfaces melt at $10$ debye. This -indicates that the flat phase is the most stable state, the asymmetric -ripple phase is second stalbe state, and the symmetric ripple phase is -the most unstable state. The ordering of the tails is the same as the -ordering of the dipoles except for the flat phase. Since the surface -is already perfect flat, the order parameter does not change much -until the strength of the dipole is $15$ debye. However, the order -parameter decreases quickly when the strength of the dipole is further -increased. The head group of the lipid molecules are brought closer by -strenger interaction between them. For a flat surface, a mount of free -volume between head groups is available, when the head groups are -brought closer, the surface will splay outward to be a inverse -micelle. For rippled surfaces, there is few free volume available on -between the head groups, they can be closer, therefore there are -little effect on the structure of the membrane. Another interesting -fact, unlike other systems melting directly when the interaction is -weak enough, for $\sigma_h$ is $1.41\sigma_0$, part of the membrane -melts into itself first, the upper leaf of the bilayer is totally -interdigitated with the lower leaf, this is different with the -interdigitated lines in rippled phase where only one interdigitated -line connects the two leaves of bilayer. +The range $(\sigma({\bf \hat{u}}_{i},{\bf \hat{u}}_{j},{\bf +\hat{r}}_{ij}))$, and strength $(\epsilon({\bf \hat{u}}_{i},{\bf +\hat{u}}_{j},{\bf \hat{r}}_{ij}))$ parameters +are dependent on the relative orientations of the two molecules (${\bf +\hat{u}}_{i},{\bf \hat{u}}_{j}$) as well as the direction of the +intermolecular separation (${\bf \hat{r}}_{ij}$). $\sigma$ and +$\sigma_0$ are also governed by shape mixing and anisotropy variables, +\begin {eqnarray*} +\sigma_0 & = & \sqrt{d_i^2 + d_j^2} \\ \\ +\chi & = & \left[ \frac{\left( l_i^2 - d_i^2 \right) \left(l_j^2 - +d_j^2 \right)}{\left( l_j^2 + d_i^2 \right) \left(l_i^2 + +d_j^2 \right)}\right]^{1/2} \\ \\ +\alpha^2 & = & \left[ \frac{\left( l_i^2 - d_i^2 \right) \left(l_j^2 + +d_i^2 \right)}{\left( l_j^2 - d_j^2 \right) \left(l_i^2 + +d_j^2 \right)}\right]^{1/2}, +\end{eqnarray*} +where $l$ and $d$ describe the length and width of each uniaxial +ellipsoid. These shape anisotropy parameters can then be used to +calculate the range function, +\begin{equation*} +\sigma({\bf \hat{u}}_{i},{\bf \hat{u}}_{j},{\bf \hat{r}}_{ij}) = \sigma_{0} + \left[ 1- \left\{ \frac{ \chi \alpha^2 ({\bf \hat{u}}_i \cdot {\bf +\hat{r}}_{ij} ) + \chi \alpha^{-2} ({\bf \hat{u}}_j \cdot {\bf +\hat{r}}_{ij} ) - 2 \chi^2 ({\bf \hat{u}}_i \cdot {\bf +\hat{r}}_{ij} )({\bf \hat{u}}_j \cdot {\bf +\hat{r}}_{ij} ) ({\bf \hat{u}}_i \cdot {\bf \hat{u}}_j)}{1 - \chi^2 +\left({\bf \hat{u}}_i \cdot {\bf \hat{u}}_j\right)^2} \right\} +\right]^{-1/2} +\end{equation*} +Gay-Berne ellipsoids also have an energy scaling parameter, +$\epsilon^s$, which describes the well depth for two identical +ellipsoids in a {\it side-by-side} configuration. Additionaly, a well +depth aspect ratio, $\epsilon^r = \epsilon^e / \epsilon^s$, describes +the ratio between the well depths in the {\it end-to-end} and +side-by-side configurations. As in the range parameter, a set of +mixing and anisotropy variables can be used to describe the well +depths for dissimilar particles, +\begin {eqnarray*} +\epsilon_0 & = & \sqrt{\epsilon^s_i * \epsilon^s_j} \\ \\ +\epsilon^r & = & \sqrt{\epsilon^r_i * \epsilon^r_j} \\ \\ +\chi' & = & \frac{1 - (\epsilon^r)^{1/\mu}}{1 + (\epsilon^r)^{1/\mu}} +\\ \\ +\alpha'^2 & = & \left[1 + (\epsilon^r)^{1/\mu}\right]^{-1} +\end{eqnarray*} +The form of the strength function is somewhat complicated, +\begin {eqnarray*} +\epsilon({\bf \hat{u}}_{i}, {\bf \hat{u}}_{j},{\bf \hat{r}}_{ij}) & = & +\epsilon_{0} \epsilon_{1}^{\nu}({\bf \hat{u}}_{i}.{\bf \hat{u}}_{j}) + \epsilon_{2}^{\mu}({\bf \hat{u}}_{i},{\bf \hat{u}}_{j},{\bf +\hat{r}}_{ij}) \\ \\ +\epsilon_{1}({\bf \hat{u}}_{i},{\bf \hat{u}}_{j}) & = & +\left[1-\chi^{2}({\bf \hat{u}}_{i}.{\bf +\hat{u}}_{j})^{2}\right]^{-1/2} \\ \\ +\epsilon_{2}({\bf \hat{u}}_{i},{\bf \hat{u}}_{j},{\bf \hat{r}}_{ij}) & += & + 1 - \left\{ \frac{ \chi' \alpha'^2 ({\bf \hat{u}}_i \cdot {\bf +\hat{r}}_{ij} ) + \chi' \alpha'^{-2} ({\bf \hat{u}}_j \cdot {\bf +\hat{r}}_{ij} ) - 2 \chi'^2 ({\bf \hat{u}}_i \cdot {\bf +\hat{r}}_{ij} )({\bf \hat{u}}_j \cdot {\bf +\hat{r}}_{ij} ) ({\bf \hat{u}}_i \cdot {\bf \hat{u}}_j)}{1 - \chi'^2 +\left({\bf \hat{u}}_i \cdot {\bf \hat{u}}_j\right)^2} \right\}, +\end {eqnarray*} +although many of the quantities and derivatives are identical with +those obtained for the range parameter. Ref. \citen{Luckhurst90} +has a particularly good explanation of the choice of the Gay-Berne +parameters $\mu$ and $\nu$ for modeling liquid crystal molecules. An +excellent overview of the computational methods that can be used to +efficiently compute forces and torques for this potential can be found +in Ref. \citen{Golubkov06} -Fig. shows the changing of the order parameter with temperature. The -behavior of the $P_2$ orderparamter is straightforword. Systems are -more ordered at low temperature, and more disordered at high -temperature. When the temperature is high enough, the membranes are -discontinuted. The structures are stable during the changing of the -temperature. Since our model lacks the detail information for tails of -lipid molecules, we did not simulate the fluid phase with a melted -fatty chains. Moreover, the formation of the tilted $L_{\beta'}$ phase -also depends on the organization of fatty groups on tails, we did not -observe it either. +The choices of parameters we have used in this study correspond to a +shape anisotropy of 3 for the chain portion of the molecule. In +principle, this could be varied to allow for modeling of longer or +shorter chain lipid molecules. For these prolate ellipsoids, we have: +\begin{equation} +\begin{array}{rcl} +d & < & l \\ +\epsilon^{r} & < & 1 +\end{array} +\end{equation} +A sketch of the various structural elements of our molecular-scale +lipid / solvent model is shown in figure \ref{fig:lipidModel}. The +actual parameters used in our simulations are given in table +\ref{tab:parameters}. +\begin{figure}[htb] +\centering +\includegraphics[width=4in]{2lipidModel} +\caption{The parameters defining the behavior of the lipid +models. $l / d$ is the ratio of the head group to body diameter. +Molecular bodies had a fixed aspect ratio of 3.0. The solvent model +was a simplified 4-water bead ($\sigma_w \approx d$) that has been +used in other coarse-grained (DPD) simulations. The dipolar strength +(and the temperature and pressure) were the only other parameters that +were varied systematically.\label{fig:lipidModel}} +\end{figure} + +To take into account the permanent dipolar interactions of the +zwitterionic head groups, we place fixed dipole moments $\mu_{i}$ at +one end of the Gay-Berne particles. The dipoles are oriented at an +angle $\theta = \pi / 2$ relative to the major axis. These dipoles +are protected by a head ``bead'' with a range parameter which we have +varied between $1.20 d$ and $1.41 d$. The head groups interact with +each other using a combination of Lennard-Jones, +\begin{equation} +V_{ij}(r_{ij}) = 4\epsilon_h \left[\left(\frac{\sigma_h}{r_{ij}}\right)^{12} - +\left(\frac{\sigma_h}{r_{ij}}\right)^6\right], +\end{equation} +and dipole-dipole, +\begin{equation} +V_{ij}({\bf \hat{u}}_{i},{\bf \hat{u}}_{j},{\bf +\hat{r}}_{ij})) = \frac{|\mu|^2}{4 \pi \epsilon_0 r_{ij}^3} +\left[ \hat{\bf u}_i \cdot \hat{\bf u}_j - 3 (\hat{\bf u}_i \cdot +\hat{\bf r}_{ij})(\hat{\bf u}_j \cdot \hat{\bf r}_{ij}) \right] +\end{equation} +potentials. +In these potentials, $\mathbf{\hat u}_i$ is the unit vector pointing +along dipole $i$ and $\mathbf{\hat r}_{ij}$ is the unit vector +pointing along the inter-dipole vector $\mathbf{r}_{ij}$. + +For the interaction between nonequivalent uniaxial ellipsoids (in this +case, between spheres and ellipsoids), the spheres are treated as +ellipsoids with an aspect ratio of 1 ($d = l$) and with an well depth +ratio ($\epsilon^r$) of 1 ($\epsilon^e = \epsilon^s$). The form of +the Gay-Berne potential we are using was generalized by Cleaver {\it +et al.} and is appropriate for dissimilar uniaxial +ellipsoids.\cite{Cleaver96} + +The solvent model in our simulations is identical to one used by +Marrink {\it et al.} in their dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) +simulation of lipid bilayers.\cite{Marrink04} This solvent bead is a single +site that represents four water molecules (m = 72 amu) and has +comparable density and diffusive behavior to liquid water. However, +since there are no electrostatic sites on these beads, this solvent +model cannot replicate the dielectric properties of water. +\begin{table*} +\begin{minipage}{\linewidth} +\begin{center} +\caption{Potential parameters used for molecular-scale coarse-grained +lipid simulations} +\begin{tabular}{llccc} +\hline + & & Head & Chain & Solvent \\ +\hline +$d$ (\AA) & & varied & 4.6 & 4.7 \\ +$l$ (\AA) & & $= d$ & 13.8 & 4.7 \\ +$\epsilon^s$ (kcal/mol) & & 0.185 & 1.0 & 0.8 \\ +$\epsilon_r$ (well-depth aspect ratio)& & 1 & 0.2 & 1 \\ +$m$ (amu) & & 196 & 760 & 72.06 \\ +$\overleftrightarrow{\mathsf I}$ (amu \AA$^2$) & & & & \\ +\multicolumn{2}c{$I_{xx}$} & 1125 & 45000 & N/A \\ +\multicolumn{2}c{$I_{yy}$} & 1125 & 45000 & N/A \\ +\multicolumn{2}c{$I_{zz}$} & 0 & 9000 & N/A \\ +$\mu$ (Debye) & & varied & 0 & 0 \\ +\end{tabular} +\label{tab:parameters} +\end{center} +\end{minipage} +\end{table*} + +A switching function has been applied to all potentials to smoothly +turn off the interactions between a range of $22$ and $25$ \AA. + +The parameters that were systematically varied in this study were the +size of the head group ($\sigma_h$), the strength of the dipole moment +($\mu$), and the temperature of the system. Values for $\sigma_h$ +ranged from 5.5 \AA\ to 6.5 \AA\ . If the width of the tails is +taken to be the unit of length, these head groups correspond to a +range from $1.2 d$ to $1.41 d$. Since the solvent beads are nearly +identical in diameter to the tail ellipsoids, all distances that +follow will be measured relative to this unit of distance. + +\section{Experimental Methodology} +\label{sec:experiment} + +To create unbiased bilayers, all simulations were started from two +perfectly flat monolayers separated by a 26 \AA\ gap between the +molecular bodies of the upper and lower leaves. The separated +monolayers were evolved in a vaccum with $x-y$ anisotropic pressure +coupling. The length of $z$ axis of the simulations was fixed and a +constant surface tension was applied to enable real fluctuations of +the bilayer. Periodic boundary conditions were used, and $480-720$ +lipid molecules were present in the simulations, depending on the size +of the head beads. In all cases, the two monolayers spontaneously +collapsed into bilayer structures within 100 ps. Following this +collapse, all systems were equlibrated for $100$ ns at $300$ K. + +The resulting bilayer structures were then solvated at a ratio of $6$ +solvent beads (24 water molecules) per lipid. These configurations +were then equilibrated for another $30$ ns. All simulations utilizing +the solvent were carried out at constant pressure ($P=1$ atm) with +$3$D anisotropic coupling, and constant surface tension +($\gamma=0.015$ UNIT). Given the absence of fast degrees of freedom in +this model, a timestep of $50$ fs was utilized with excellent energy +conservation. Data collection for structural properties of the +bilayers was carried out during a final 5 ns run following the solvent +equilibration. All simulations were performed using the OOPSE +molecular modeling program.\cite{Meineke05} + +\section{Results} +\label{sec:results} + +Snapshots in Figure \ref{fig:phaseCartoon} show that the membrane is +more corrugated with increasing size of the head groups. The surface +is nearly flat when $\sigma_h=1.20 d$. With $\sigma_h=1.28 d$, +although the surface is still flat, the bilayer starts to splay +inward; the upper leaf of the bilayer is connected to the lower leaf +with an interdigitated line defect. Two periodicities with $100$ \AA\ +wavelengths were observed in the simulation. This structure is very +similiar to the structure observed by de Vries and Lenz {\it et +al.}. The same basic structure is also observed when $\sigma_h=1.41 +d$, but the wavelength of the surface corrugations depends sensitively +on the size of the ``head'' beads. From the undulation spectrum, the +corrugation is clearly non-thermal. +\begin{figure}[htb] +\centering +\includegraphics[width=4in]{phaseCartoon} +\caption{A sketch to discribe the structure of the phases observed in +our simulations.\label{fig:phaseCartoon}} +\end{figure} + +When $\sigma_h=1.35 d$, we observed another corrugated surface +morphology. This structure is different from the asymmetric rippled +surface; there is no interdigitation between the upper and lower +leaves of the bilayer. Each leaf of the bilayer is broken into several +hemicylinderical sections, and opposite leaves are fitted together +much like roof tiles. Unlike the surface in which the upper +hemicylinder is always interdigitated on the leading or trailing edge +of lower hemicylinder, this ``symmetric'' ripple has no prefered +direction. The corresponding structures are shown in Figure +\ref{fig:phaseCartoon} for elucidation of the detailed structures of +different phases. The top panel in figure \ref{fig:phaseCartoon} is +the flat phase, the middle panel shows the asymmetric ripple phase +corresponding to $\sigma_h = 1.41 d$ and the lower panel shows the +symmetric ripple phase observed when $\sigma_h=1.35 d$. In the +symmetric ripple, the bilayer is continuous over the whole membrane, +however, in asymmetric ripple phase, the bilayer domains are connected +by thin interdigitated monolayers that share molecules between the +upper and lower leaves. +\begin{table*} +\begin{minipage}{\linewidth} +\begin{center} +\caption{Phases, ripple wavelengths and amplitudes observed as a +function of the ratio between the head beads and the diameters of the +tails. All lengths are normalized to the diameter of the tail +ellipsoids.} +\begin{tabular}{lccc} +\hline +$\sigma_h / d$ & type of phase & $\lambda / d$ & $A / d$\\ +\hline +1.20 & flat & N/A & N/A \\ +1.28 & asymmetric ripple or flat & 21.7 & N/A \\ +1.35 & symmetric ripple & 17.2 & 2.2 \\ +1.41 & asymmetric ripple & 15.4 & 1.5 \\ +\end{tabular} +\label{tab:property} +\end{center} +\end{minipage} +\end{table*} + +The membrane structures and the reduced wavelength $\lambda / d$, +reduced amplitude $A / d$ of the ripples are summarized in Table +\ref{tab:property}. The wavelength range is $15~21$ molecular bodies +and the amplitude is $1.5$ molecular bodies for asymmetric ripple and +$2.2$ for symmetric ripple. These values are consistent to the +experimental results. Note, that given the lack of structural freedom +in the tails of our model lipids, the amplitudes observed from these +simulations are likely to underestimate of the true amplitudes. + +\begin{figure}[htb] +\centering +\includegraphics[width=4in]{topDown} +\caption{Top views of the flat (upper), asymmetric ripple (middle), +and symmetric ripple (lower) phases. Note that the head-group dipoles +have formed head-to-tail chains in all three of these phases, but in +the two rippled phases, the dipolar chains are all aligned +{\it perpendicular} to the direction of the ripple. The flat membrane +has multiple point defects in the dipolar orientational ordering, and +the dipolar ordering on the lower leaf of the bilayer can be in a +different direction from the upper leaf.\label{fig:topView}} +\end{figure} + +The principal method for observing orientational ordering in dipolar +or liquid crystalline systems is the $P_2$ order parameter (defined +as $1.5 \times \lambda_{max}$, where $\lambda_{max}$ is the largest +eigenvalue of the matrix, +\begin{equation} +{\mathsf{S}} = \frac{1}{N} \sum_i \left( +\begin{array}{ccc} + u^{x}_i u^{x}_i-\frac{1}{3} & u^{x}_i u^{y}_i & u^{x}_i u^{z}_i \\ + u^{y}_i u^{x}_i & u^{y}_i u^{y}_i -\frac{1}{3} & u^{y}_i u^{z}_i \\ + u^{z}_i u^{x}_i & u^{z}_i u^{y}_i & u^{z}_i u^{z}_i -\frac{1}{3} +\end{array} \right). +\label{eq:opmatrix} +\end{equation} +Here $u^{\alpha}_i$ is the $\alpha=x,y,z$ component of the unit vector +for molecule $i$. (Here, $\hat{\bf u}_i$ can refer either to the +principal axis of the molecular body or to the dipole on the head +group of the molecule.) $P_2$ will be $1.0$ for a perfectly-ordered +system and near $0$ for a randomized system. Note that this order +parameter is {\em not} equal to the polarization of the system. For +example, the polarization of a perfect anti-ferroelectric arrangement +of point dipoles is $0$, but $P_2$ for the same system is $1$. The +eigenvector of $\mathsf{S}$ corresponding to the largest eigenvalue is +familiar as the director axis, which can be used to determine a +privileged axis for an orientationally-ordered system. Since the +molecular bodies are perpendicular to the head group dipoles, it is +possible for the director axes for the molecular bodies and the head +groups to be completely decoupled from each other. + +Figure \ref{fig:topView} shows snapshots of bird's-eye views of the +flat ($\sigma_h = 1.20 d$) and rippled ($\sigma_h = 1.41, 1.35 d$) +bilayers. The directions of the dipoles on the head groups are +represented with two colored half spheres: blue (phosphate) and yellow +(amino). For flat bilayers, the system exhibits signs of +orientational frustration; some disorder in the dipolar head-to-tail +chains is evident with kinks visible at the edges between differently +ordered domains. The lipids can also move independently of lipids in +the opposing leaf, so the ordering of the dipoles on one leaf is not +necessarily consistent with the ordering on the other. These two +factors keep the total dipolar order parameter relatively low for the +flat phases. + +With increasing head group size, the surface becomes corrugated, and +the dipoles cannot move as freely on the surface. Therefore, the +translational freedom of lipids in one layer is dependent upon the +position of the lipids in the other layer. As a result, the ordering of +the dipoles on head groups in one leaf is correlated with the ordering +in the other leaf. Furthermore, as the membrane deforms due to the +corrugation, the symmetry of the allowed dipolar ordering on each leaf +is broken. The dipoles then self-assemble in a head-to-tail +configuration, and the dipolar order parameter increases dramatically. +However, the total polarization of the system is still close to zero. +This is strong evidence that the corrugated structure is an +antiferroelectric state. It is also notable that the head-to-tail +arrangement of the dipoles is always observed in a direction +perpendicular to the wave vector for the surface corrugation. This is +a similar finding to what we observed in our earlier work on the +elastic dipolar membranes.\cite{Sun2007} + +The $P_2$ order parameters (for both the molecular bodies and the head +group dipoles) have been calculated to quantify the ordering in these +phases. Figure \ref{fig:rP2} shows that the $P_2$ order parameter for +the head-group dipoles increases with increasing head group size. When +the heads of the lipid molecules are small, the membrane is nearly +flat. Since the in-plane packing is essentially a close packing of the +head groups, the head dipoles exhibit frustration in their +orientational ordering. + +The ordering trends for the tails are essentially opposite to the +ordering of the head group dipoles. The tail $P_2$ order parameter +{\it decreases} with increasing head size. This indicates that the +surface is more curved with larger head / tail size ratios. When the +surface is flat, all tails are pointing in the same direction (normal +to the bilayer surface). This simplified model appears to be +exhibiting a smectic A fluid phase, similar to the real $L_{\beta}$ +phase. We have not observed a smectic C gel phase ($L_{\beta'}$) for +this model system. Increasing the size of the heads results in +rapidly decreasing $P_2$ ordering for the molecular bodies. + +\begin{figure}[htb] +\centering +\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{rP2} +\caption{The $P_2$ order parameters for head groups (circles) and +molecular bodies (squares) as a function of the ratio of head group +size ($\sigma_h$) to the width of the molecular bodies ($d$). \label{fig:rP2}} +\end{figure} + +In addition to varying the size of the head groups, we studied the +effects of the interactions between head groups on the structure of +lipid bilayer by changing the strength of the dipoles. Figure +\ref{fig:sP2} shows how the $P_2$ order parameter changes with +increasing strength of the dipole. Generally, the dipoles on the head +groups become more ordered as the strength of the interaction between +heads is increased and become more disordered by decreasing the +interaction stength. When the interaction between the heads becomes +too weak, the bilayer structure does not persist; all lipid molecules +become dispersed in the solvent (which is non-polar in this +molecular-scale model). The critial value of the strength of the +dipole depends on the size of the head groups. The perfectly flat +surface becomes unstable below $5$ Debye, while the rippled +surfaces melt at $8$ Debye (asymmetric) or $10$ Debye (symmetric). + +The ordering of the tails mirrors the ordering of the dipoles {\it +except for the flat phase}. Since the surface is nearly flat in this +phase, the order parameters are only weakly dependent on dipolar +strength until it reaches $15$ Debye. Once it reaches this value, the +head group interactions are strong enough to pull the head groups +close to each other and distort the bilayer structure. For a flat +surface, a substantial amount of free volume between the head groups +is normally available. When the head groups are brought closer by +dipolar interactions, the tails are forced to splay outward, forming +first curved bilayers, and then inverted micelles. + +When $\sigma_h=1.28 d$, the $P_2$ order parameter decreases slightly +when the strength of the dipole is increased above $16$ debye. For +rippled bilayers, there is less free volume available between the head +groups. Therefore increasing dipolar strength weakly influences the +structure of the membrane. However, the increase in the body $P_2$ +order parameters implies that the membranes are being slightly +flattened due to the effects of increasing head-group attraction. + +A very interesting behavior takes place when the head groups are very +large relative to the molecular bodies ($\sigma_h = 1.41 d$) and the +dipolar strength is relatively weak ($\mu < 9$ Debye). In this case, +the two leaves of the bilayer become totally interdigitated with each +other in large patches of the membrane. With higher dipolar +strength, the interdigitation is limited to single lines that run +through the bilayer in a direction perpendicular to the ripple wave +vector. + +\begin{figure}[htb] +\centering +\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{sP2} +\caption{The $P_2$ order parameters for head group dipoles (a) and +molecular bodies (b) as a function of the strength of the dipoles. +These order parameters are shown for four values of the head group / +molecular width ratio ($\sigma_h / d$). \label{fig:sP2}} +\end{figure} + +Figure \ref{fig:tP2} shows the dependence of the order parameters on +temperature. As expected, systems are more ordered at low +temperatures, and more disordered at high temperatures. All of the +bilayers we studied can become unstable if the temperature becomes +high enough. The only interesting feature of the temperature +dependence is in the flat surfaces ($\sigma_h=1.20 d$ and +$\sigma_h=1.28 d$). Here, when the temperature is increased above +$310$K, there is enough jostling of the head groups to allow the +dipolar frustration to resolve into more ordered states. This results +in a slight increase in the $P_2$ order parameter above this +temperature. + +For the rippled surfaces ($\sigma_h=1.35 d$ and $\sigma_h=1.41 d$), +there is a slightly increased orientational ordering in the molecular +bodies above $290$K. Since our model lacks the detailed information +about the behavior of the lipid tails, this is the closest the model +can come to depicting the ripple ($P_{\beta'}$) to fluid +($L_{\alpha}$) phase transition. What we are observing is a +flattening of the rippled structures made possible by thermal +expansion of the tightly-packed head groups. The lack of detailed +chain configurations also makes it impossible for this model to depict +the ripple to gel ($L_{\beta'}$) phase transition. + +\begin{figure}[htb] +\centering +\includegraphics[width=\linewidth]{tP2} +\caption{The $P_2$ order parameters for head group dipoles (a) and +molecular bodies (b) as a function of temperature. +These order parameters are shown for four values of the head group / +molecular width ratio ($\sigma_h / d$).\label{fig:tP2}} +\end{figure} + +\section{Discussion} +\label{sec:discussion} + +The ripple phases have been observed in our molecular dynamic +simulations using a simple molecular lipid model. The lipid model +consists of an anisotropic interacting dipolar head group and an +ellipsoid shape tail. According to our simulations, the explanation of +the formation for the ripples are originated in the size mismatch +between the head groups and the tails. The ripple phases are only +observed in the studies using larger head group lipid models. However, +there is a mismatch betweent the size of the head groups and the size +of the tails in the simulations of the flat surface. This indicates +the competition between the anisotropic dipolar interaction and the +packing of the tails also plays a major role for formation of the +ripple phase. The larger head groups provide more free volume for the +tails, while these hydrophobic ellipsoids trying to be close to each +other, this gives the origin of the spontanous curvature of the +surface, which is believed as the beginning of the ripple phases. The +lager head groups cause the spontanous curvature inward for both of +leaves of the bilayer. This results in a steric strain when the tails +of two leaves too close to each other. The membrane has to be broken +to release this strain. There are two ways to arrange these broken +curvatures: symmetric and asymmetric ripples. Both of the ripple +phases have been observed in our studies. The difference between these +two ripples is that the bilayer is continuum in the symmetric ripple +phase and is disrupt in the asymmetric ripple phase. + +Dipolar head groups are the key elements for the maintaining of the +bilayer structure. The lipids are solvated in water when lowering the +the strength of the dipole on the head groups. The long range +orientational ordering of the dipoles can be achieved by forming the +ripples, although the dipoles are likely to form head-to-tail +configurations even in flat surface, the frustration prevents the +formation of the long range orientational ordering for dipoles. The +corrugation of the surface breaks the frustration and stablizes the +long range oreintational ordering for the dipoles in the head groups +of the lipid molecules. Many rows of the head-to-tail dipoles are +parallel to each other and adopt the antiferroelectric state as a +whole. This is the first time the organization of the head groups in +ripple phases of the lipid bilayer has been addressed. + +The most important prediction we can make using the results from this +simple model is that if dipolar ordering is driving the surface +corrugation, the wave vectors for the ripples should always found to +be {\it perpendicular} to the dipole director axis. This prediction +should suggest experimental designs which test whether this is really +true in the phosphatidylcholine $P_{\beta'}$ phases. The dipole +director axis should also be easily computable for the all-atom and +coarse-grained simulations that have been published in the literature. + +Although our model is simple, it exhibits some rich and unexpected +behaviors. It would clearly be a closer approximation to the reality +if we allowed greater translational freedom to the dipoles and +replaced the somewhat artificial lattice packing and the harmonic +elastic tension with more realistic molecular modeling potentials. +What we have done is to present a simple model which exhibits bulk +non-thermal corrugation, and our explanation of this rippling +phenomenon will help us design more accurate molecular models for +corrugated membranes and experiments to test whether rippling is +dipole-driven or not. + +\newpage \bibliography{mdripple} \end{document}