The interfacial calcium ion concentration as modulator of the latency phase in the hydrolysis of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes by phospholipase A2

Analysis of the time course of hydrolysis of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes catalyzed by porcine pancreatic phospholipase A2 at 18 °C shows that, in the presence of 10 mM NaCl, the length of the latency period in the presteady-state phase increases from 3 to 10.5 min when the CaCl2 concentration is reduced from 15 to 1 mM. This inverse dependence of the lag period on calcium ion concentration is seen more readily at 1 M NaCl, where the induction time changes from 13.5 to 42 min by decreasing the concentration of CaCl2 from 15 to 1 mM. To interpret these results, we took into account the small amount of fatty acid that is produced during the latency phases. The fatty acid generates a negative surface electrostatic potential and makes the interfacial concentration of calcium ions different from the concentration in the bulk solvent. Variations in the analytical concentrations of NaCl and CaCl2 affect both the interfacial calcium ion concentration and electrostatic potential, as estimated theoretically from Grahame and Boltzmann equations. According to these estimates, the length of the latency period diminishes with the increase of the interfacial calcium concentration, but does not show any logical dependence on the change in surface electrostatic potential.Key words: phospholipase A2, latency phase, interfacial calcium ion concentration, liposomes.