Lipidic particles.

A new type of lipid organization is observed in mixtures of phosphatidylcholine with cardiolipin in the presence of Ca++, monoglucosyldiglyceride and phosphatidylethanolamine (in the presence of cholesterol). This phase is characterized by an isotropic 31P NMR signal and is visualized by freeze fracturing as particles and pits on the fracture faces of the lipid bilayer. As the most favourable model for this phase we propose the inverted micelle sandwiched in between the two monolayers of the lipid bilayer.

Spectrin-phospholipid interaction. A monolayer study.

(1) The interaction of synthetic and natural phospholipids with spectrin, purified from human erythrocyte membranes, was studied using the monolayer technique at constant surface pressure. Spectrin penetration into the lipid monolayer was recorded as the rate of surface area increase on a two-compartment trough. (2) High spectrin penetration rates were observed with negatively charged phospholipids while zwitterionic or neutral lipids showed only poor spectrin affinity.

Fusion of phospholipid vesicles in association with the appearance of lipidic particles as visualized by freeze fracturing.

The addition of Ca2+ to small unilamellar vesicles of an equimolar mixture of egg phosphatidylcholine and cardiolipin induces fusion of these vesicles in association with the appearance of lipidic particles on the fusion sites.