[The effect of phospholipid metabolites on the structure of model membranes]

The influence of 1,2-diacylglycerols on the structure of model membranes made of phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylcholine-phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine-phosphatidylinositol mixtures was studied by 31P NMR and freeze-fracture technique. It was shown that 1,2-diacylglycerols (1,2-dipalmitoyl-rac-glycerol, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-rac-glycerol, 1,2-dioleoyl-rac-glycerol and also naturally occurring 1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerols) induced in the lipid bilayer markedly curved regions with concomitant formation of the folds and intramembrane particles. This process is accompanied by the appearance of isotropic signals in the 31P NMR spectra.