This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Brockman, H. L. Articles by Glomset, J. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Brockman, H. L. Articles by Glomset, J. A.

Packing and Electrostatic Behavior of sn-2-Docosahexaenoyl and -Arachidonoyl Phosphoglycerides

Howard L. Brockman ^*, Kenneth R. Applegate, Maureen M. Momsen ^*, Weiling C. King  and John A. Glomset 

^* The Hormel Institute, University of Minnesota, Austin, Minnesota 55912; and Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Departments of Medicine and Biochemistry, and Regional Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195

Correspondence: Address reprint requests to Dr. John A. Glomset, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Box 35730, Seattle, WA 98195-7370.

Mammalian synaptic membranes appear to contain high proportions of specific, sn-1-stearoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl- and sn-1-stearoyl-2-arachidonoyl phosphoglycerides, but the structural significance of this is unclear. Here we used a standardized approach to compare the properties of homogeneous monolayers of the corresponding phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines, phosphatidylserines, and phosphatidic acids with those of control monolayers of sn-1-stearoyl-2-oleoyl- and sn-1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl phosphoglycerides. Major findings were: 1), that the presence of an sn-2-docosahexaenoyl group or an sn-2-arachidonoyl group increases the molecular areas of phosphoglycerides by 3.8 Ų (7%) relative to the presence of an sn-2-oleoyl group; 2), that the phosphorylcholine headgroup independently increases molecular areas by a larger amount, 7.1 Ų (13%); and 3), that the dipole moments of species having an arachidonoyl moiety or an oleoyl moiety are 83 mD (19%) higher than those of comparable docosahexaenoic acid-containing phosphoglycerides. These and other results provide new information about the molecular packing properties of polyenoic phosphoglycerides and raise important questions about the role of these phosphoglycerides in synapses.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				I. Levental, P. A. Janmey, and A. Cebers Electrostatic Contribution to the Surface Pressure of Charged Monolayers Containing Polyphosphoinositides Biophys. J., August 1, 2008; 95(3): 1199 - 1205. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				H. L. Brockman, M. M. Momsen, W. C. King, and J. A. Glomset Structural Determinants of the Packing and Electrostatic Behavior of Unsaturated Phosphoglycerides Biophys. J., November 15, 2007; 93(10): 3491 - 3503. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Glomset Role of Docosahexaenoic Acid in Neuronal Plasma Membranes Sci. Signal., February 7, 2006; 2006(321): pe6 - pe6. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				I. P. Sugar, N. K. Mizuno, and H. L. Brockman Peripheral Protein Adsorption to Lipid-Water Interfaces: The Free Area Theory Biophys. J., December 1, 2005; 89(6): 3997 - 4005. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]