SMALL-ANGLE X-RAY AND NEUTRON-SCATTERING FROM GANGLIOSIDE MICELLAR SOLUTIONS

The ganglioside GM1 is a biological amphiphile with a double tail hydrophobic part and an oligosaccharide chain headgroup. In solution it forms micelles which interact by electrostatic repulsion. The micellar parameters obtained at low concentration by light and neutron scattering are used to interpret the small angle X-ray experiments performed at high concentration. The combination of the contrast inhomogeneity inside the micelle with the sharp structure-factor peaks, due to the strong electrostatic interaction, makes X-ray scattering spectra very sensitive to small changes in the micellar parameters.