Influence of adhesion-promoting glycolipids on the structure and stability of solid-supported lipid double-bilayers

Glycolipids have a considerable influence on the interaction between adjacent biomembranes and can promote membrane adhesion trough favorable sugar-sugar "bonds" even at low glycolipid fractions. Here, in order to obtain structural insights into this phenomenon, we utilize neutron reflectometry in combination with a floating lipid bilayer architecture that brings two glycolipid-loaded lipid bilayers to close proximity. We find that selected glycolipids with di-, or oligosaccharide headgroups affect the inter-bilayer water layer thickness and appear to contribute to the stability of the double-bilayer architecture by promoting adhesion of adjacent bilayers even against induced electrostatic repulsion. However, we do not observe any redistribution of glycolipids that would maximize the density of sugar-sugar contacts. Our results point towards possible strategies for the investigation of interactions between cell surfaces involving specific protein-protein, lipid-lipid, or protein-lipid binding. Glycolipids affect the inter-bilayer water layer thickness and contribute to the stability of the double bilayer architecture through the formation of "sugar bonds".