- Letter
- Published:
- 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
Medical Foundation of Buffalo and Electron Optics Laboratory, Biophysics Department, Roswell Park Memorial Institute, Buffalo, New York, 14263
Robert H. Pearson
Department of Structural Chemistry, Göteborg University, POB, S40033, Göteborg, Sweden
Irmin Pascher
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Cite this article
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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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/281499a0
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