Structural changes in oxidized lipid bilayers

The oxidation of the lipids and proteins in biological membranes is implicated in a wide range of biological processes linked to adverse health effects. Oxidation of unsaturated lipids can lead to the formation of lipids with prematurely terminated, and polar, tail groups. Molecular dynamic simulations of lipid bilayers and monolayers have suggested that these oxidized tail groups may undergo major structural changes however experimental evidence for this in lipid bilayers containing oxidized material is still lacking. We have preliminary reflectivity data for bilayers of POnPC:POPC for which we can see the presence of the oxidized chain clearly disrupting the lipid tails and head regions. We would now like to see how the POnPC behaves in bilayers with saturated lipids, and thus propose to study bilayers of DMPC with small levels of POnPC present.