RELINI , Annalisa

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Atomic force microscopy was used to study the structures obtained by evaporating a drop of stearic acid dissolved in an organic solvent on a glass substrate. Bulk aggregates composed of molecular layers and flat dendritic shapes were found. According to the solvent used, two different crystalline lattices were observed and lattice symmetries...

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The canal method has been employed to measure the in-plane steady shear viscosity of monolayers of bolaform lipids extracted from the membrane of the thermophilic microorganism Sulfolobus solfataricus. Monolayers were formed with the polar lipid extract (PLE), which is a mixture of several bolaform lipids, each one endowed with two...

Many degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's involve proteins that have a tendency to misfold and aggregate eventually forming amyloid fibers. This review describes the use of monolayers, bilayers, supported membranes, and vesicles as model systems that have helped elucidate the mechanisms and consequences of the interactions...

Self-assembled multilayers of stearic acid were obtained by evaporating a drop of stearic acid dissolved in organic solvent onto a cleaned glass slide. X-ray diffraction and scanning force microscopy (SFM) were used to determine the bulk structure and to study the surface at molecular level. In samples prepared from decane solution, at least...

This review is a general survey of the properties of membranes formed by tetraether lipids extracted from microorganisms living in extreme conditions, named Archaea. After describing the unusual structure and physico-chemical properties of the membrane-spanning lipids, which allow Archaea to maintain membrane integrity in harsh environments, we...

In this work a new technique is presented for the formation of black lipid membranes from a single monolayer of bipolar lipids at the air/water interface. The lipid, extracted from the thermophilic archaeobacterium Sulfolobus solfataricus, is characterized by two different polar heads. The membrane is formed with a technique similar to that...

The flow of a Langmuir monolayer driven through a floating channel by a surface pressure gradient is measured as a function of the channel width at different surface pressures. The comparison of the experimental data with the mathematical models shows that at low surface pressure the now is governed by the subphase viscosity, while at higher...

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Investigating the pathways leading to the formation of amyloid protein aggregates and the mechanism of their cytotoxicity is fundamental for a deeper understanding of a broad range of human diseases. Increasing evidence indicates that early aggregates are responsible for the cytotoxic effects. This paper addresses the catalytic role of lipid...

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We have synthesized a highly regioregular poly(3-alkylthiophene) containing an oxygen atom in the side chain, poly(3-pentylmethoxythiophene) (P5OMe). We have studied the formation of Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) multilayer structures prepared by mixing P5OMe with highly isotactic polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and we have characterized the structure...

We present results of electrical measurements performed both on symmetric and asymmetric membranes in current-clamp conditions. The current-voltage characteristic curve of the membranes shows a reversible conductance transition to a higher level above a critical potential V(c). The experimental results are interpreted in the light of the...

In this paper we report the results of surface pressure-area measurements and fluorescence microscopy of Langmuir monolayers of bipolar lipids extracted from the thermophilic archaeobacterium Sulfolobus solfataricus. We have analysed the two-dimensional phase behaviour of the polar lipid extract, some of its subfractions and the hydrolytic...

When the thickness of monolayer membranes formed by bolaform archaeal lipids is reduced to the approximate length of two valinomycin molecules, the zero-current conductance does not show any more a linear dependence on valinomycin concentration; instead, a quadratic behaviour is observed. This suggests that a dimer permeation pore is formed and...

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The atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to measure the surface free energy of streptavidin crystals. To this purpose, AFM force-distance curves were acquired employing a streptavidin-functionalized tip. The jump-off-contact minimum in the force-distance curves yielded an adhesion force of 240 pN between the tip and the protein crystal. The...

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