Fluorescence studies of chlorophyll a incorporated into lipid mixtures, and the interpretation of "phase" diagrams.

The fluorescence of chlorophyll a incorporated into liposomes of mixtures of phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines is reported. Plots of fluorescence intensities against temperature show breaks at characteristic temperatures which can be attributed to the onset and completion of solid phase lipid formation. These temperatures can be plotted to give diagrams analogous to the phase diagrams obtained for macroscopic systems. Complications due to "small-system effects" are discussed, and the experimental diagrams are compared with theoretical phase diagrams calculated for ideal mixing. Introduction of cholesterol leads to a reduction in fluorescence intensity, most readily explained by a 1:1 lipid:cholesterol interaction with exclusion of monomeric, fluorescent, chlorophyll a. Interaction of divalent ions with mixtures of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine and dipalmitoyl phosphatidylserine leads to exclusion of chlorophyll a from the phosphatidylserine.