Biological membranes consist of lipids having a large fraction of hydrocarbon chains with at least one unsaturation, which can have cis- and/or trans-isomers in their hydrocarbon chain. Lipids containing trans double bonds closely mimic the properties of saturated fatty acids. Trans lipids have been shown to appear increasingly in the body with diet. Increased concentrations of trans lipids in the biological membrane have shown to contribute to abnormal physiological developments including coronary artery disease and arteriosclerosis. The double bond arrangement, either cis or trans, in the hydrocarbon chain of the lipid can have profound effects on the membrane properties. In this study, we report our systematic study on the effect of acyl chain double bonds between cis and trans-forms on the energetics of water permeability. We studied unsaturated monoacylglycerols and phospholipid membranes with a hydrocarbon chain consisting of 16 and 18 carbon atoms. Our findings will add to the current understanding of the difference in conformational disorder between cis and trans forms of unsaturated hydrocarbon chain of lipid.

Effects of structural isomerization on lipid membrane properties

254th National Meeting (2017)

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