Acyl chains phospholipid anchoring

FIGURE 3.25 The lipid whisker model. The oxidation of the polyunsaturated acyl chain phospholipids increases its polarity so that it can be excluded from the apolar phase of the mem rane. e chain, which is saturated, maintains the glycerophospholipid anchored in the membrane. 

As lipophilic anchors, we chose modifications with long acyl and alkyl chains, preferably of similar chain lengths as the phospholipids to allow optimal alignment with the phospholipids molecules of the liposome bilayers. 

A FIGURE 18-4 Phospholipid synthesis. Because phospholipids are amphipathic molecules, the last stages of their multistep synthesis take place at the interface between a membrane and the cytosol and are catalyzed by membrane-associated enzymes. Step D Fatty acids from fatty acyl CoA are esterified to the phosphorylated glycerol backbone, forming phosphatidic acid, whose two long hydrocarbon chains anchor... 

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