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Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Crystallizing Membrane Proteins for Structure Determination using Lipidic Mesophases
Published on: November 21, 2010
Structural basis of the lipid transfer mechanism of phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP)
Meng Zhang1, Xiaobo Zhai1, Jinping Li2
1The Molecular Foundry, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, United States.
Abstract:
Human phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) mediates the transfer of phospholipids among atheroprotective high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and atherogenic low-density lipoproteins (LDL) by an unknown mechanism. Delineating this mechanism would represent the first step towards understanding PLTP-mediated lipid transfers, which may be important for treating lipoprotein abnormalities and cardiovascular disease. Here, using various electron microscopy techniques, PLTP is revealed to have a banana-shaped structure similar to cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP). We provide evidence that PLTP penetrates into the HDL and LDL surfaces, respectively, and then forms a ternary complex with HDL and LDL. Insights into the interaction of PLTP with lipoproteins at the molecular level provide a basis to understand the PLTP-dependent lipid transfer mechanisms for dyslipidemia treatment.
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