Structural insight into self assembly of sophorolipids: a molecular dynamics simulation study

Abstract

Sophorolipids contain hydrophilic head groups at the ends of a long hydrophobic tail. As a result, sophorolipids can self assemble into variety of structures in water. Atomistic self assembly simulations of sophorolipids are performed in water. Two sophorolipids, oleic acid sophorolipid and linolenic acid sophorolipid, differing in number of double bonds in the hydrophobic tail are considered for this study. Long time self assembly simulations are performed considering 1:3 lipid to water ratio by weight for both oleic and linolenic acid sophorolipids. In addition to 1:3 ratio, long time self assembly simulations are also performed with 1:1 and 1:2 ratios for linolenic acid sophorolipids. Distinctions in structural arrangements of sophorolipid molecules in the self assembled configuration for all the systems are investigated. The present study aims to provide structural insight into the different self assembled configurations of sophorolipids in water.