The effect of amine structure on complexation with lasalocid in model membrane systems. I. Identification of charged complexes in lipid bilayer membranes.

The electrical properties of X-537A (lasalocid) doped lipid bilayer membranes were studied in the presence of a series of nine biogenic amines which contain beta-phenylethylamine as the basic structural unit. The ionophore antibiotic was found to form charged complexes within the membrane during the transport of some of the amines. The dependence of membrane conductance on the concentration of ionophore and amine was studied. The amines are divided into three classes according to the nature of the complexes formed: (1) charged complex involving two ionophores (phenylephrine, metanephrine, and amphetamine); (2) charged complex containing three ionophores (dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine); and (3) no charged species formed (p- and m-tyramine and beta-phenylethylamine).