The molecular structure of lecithin dihydrate (2024)

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  • Robert H. Pearson1 &
  • Irmin Pascher2

Nature volume281,pages 499–501 (1979)Cite this article

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Abstract

Lecithin is a major structural component of biological membranes1,2. Because of their amphipathic nature, lecithin and related phospholipids tend to aggregate as bilayer structures in which the hydrophilic head groups are orientated towards the surface and the hydrophobic hydrocarbon chains towards the interior. A detailed knowledge of the three-dimensional structure of lecithins will aid in the understanding of their role in membrane structure and function, but is still lacking. To this end we have now crystallised and solved the molecular structure of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (DMPC), a lecithin species in the naturally occurring configuration. This compound crystallises from a water-containing solution, with two water molecules (5% w/w) of hydration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Foundation of Buffalo and Electron Optics Laboratory, Biophysics Department, Roswell Park Memorial Institute, Buffalo, New York, 14263

    Robert H. Pearson

  2. Department of Structural Chemistry, Göteborg University, POB, S40033, Göteborg, Sweden

    Irmin Pascher

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  1. Robert H. Pearson

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  2. Irmin Pascher

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Pearson, R., Pascher, I. The molecular structure of lecithin dihydrate. Nature 281, 499–501 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1038/281499a0

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