Low-temperature sup 2 H NMR spectroscopy of phospholipid bilayers containing docosahexaenoyl (22:6. omega. 3) chains

Journal Article · Tue Aug 27 00:00:00 EDT 1991 · Biochemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/bi00098a016· OSTI ID:5821806

Barry, J A; Trouard, T P; Salmon, A; Brown, M F ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Arizona, Tucson (United States)

Polyunsaturated fatty acids are widely distributed components of biological membranes and are believed to be involved in many biological functions. However, the mechanisms by which they act on a molecular level are not understood. To further investigate the unique properties of {omega}3 polyunsaturated phospholipid bilayers, deuterium nuclear ming tic resonance ({sup 2}H NMR) studies have been made of the liquid-crystalline (L{sub {alpha}}) and gel phases of a homologous series of mixed-chain phosphatidylcholines containing docosahexaenoic acid: (per-{sup 2}H-n:0) (22:6) PC, where n = 12, 14, 16, and 18. The moments of the {sup 2}H NMR lineshapes have been evaluated, and form these the warming and cooling main phase transition temperatures were determined. The transition temperatures of the mixed-chain series were found to be significantly lower ing those of the corresponding lipids in the disaturated series, di(per-{sup 2}H-n:0)PC, with hystereses ranging form 2 to 14 C. Distinct effects of the docosahexaenoyl chain on bilayer order were found, though these effects varied across the mixed-chain series. In evaluating the moment data, an empirical method for normalizing the moments with respect to differences in temperature was applied, in addition to using the reduced temperature method. For the systems studied here, the method of normalization haing significant effect on the interpretation of the moment data.

• OSTI ID: 5821806
• Journal Information: Biochemistry; (United States), Vol. 30:34; ISSN 0006-2960
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CELL MEMBRANES
PHASE STUDIES
PHOSPHOLIPIDS
NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
DEUTERIUM COMPOUNDS
TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
ESTERS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
LIPIDS
MAGNETIC RESONANCE
MEMBRANES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
RESONANCE
550201* - Biochemistry- Tracer Techniques