Stacked Bilayer Helices: A New Structural Organization of Amphiphilic Molecules

The spontaneous self-organization of amphiphilic molecules into complex aggregates was undoubtedly an important factor in the emergence of life on earth. We study the parameters governing the self-organization of a simple amphiphilic model system using electron cryomicroscopy of ice-embedded specimens in combination with extensive data analysis. Different stable helices can be generated reproducibly by changing the parameters controlling the molecular aggregation process. The repeating units of the helical aggregates in the micrographs can be found by multivariate statistical image analysis techniques, and these two-dimensional projection images suffice for calculating the three-dimensional density distribution of the fibers. We present a typical structure consisting of a narrow stack of compartmented bilayers twisted into a left-handed helix. Our new techniques directly elucidate the three-dimensional structure of helical assemblies, and can complement or replace diffraction-based approaches.