Abstract
The conformations of liquid n-alkanes have been studied using neutron scattering techniques to better understand the conformational forces present in membrane lipid interiors. We have studied hydrocarbon chains having lengths comparable to those found for esterified membrane lipid fatty acids, and find that the steric constraints of packing in the liquid state do not change the conformational distributions of hydrocarbon chains from those imposed by the intrachain forces present in the gas phase. It follows that the central region of membranes containing lipids in the disordered state should contain hydrocarbon chain conformations determined primarily by intrachain forces.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Engelman D. M. Lipid bilayer structure in the membrane of Mycoplasma laidlawii. J Mol Biol. 1971 May 28;58(1):153–165. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(71)90238-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- McElhaney R. N. The effect of alterations in the physical state of the membrane lipids on the ability of Acholeplasma laidlawii B to grow at various temperatures. J Mol Biol. 1974 Mar 25;84(1):145–157. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(74)90218-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Moore P. B., Engelman D. M., Schoenborn B. P. A neutron scattering study of the distribution of protein and RNA in the 30 S ribosomal subunit of Escherichia coli. J Mol Biol. 1975 Jan 5;91(1):101–120. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(75)90374-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Tardieu A., Luzzati V., Reman F. C. Structure and polymorphism of the hydrocarbon chains of lipids: a study of lecithin-water phases. J Mol Biol. 1973 Apr 25;75(4):711–733. doi: 10.1016/0022-2836(73)90303-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]