Polyunsaturated phospholipids are known to be important with regard to the biological functions of essential fatty acids, for example, involving neural tissues such as the brain and retina. Here we have employed two complementary structural methods for the study of polyunsaturated bilayer lipids, viz. deuterium ((2)H) NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) computer simulations. Our research constitutes one of the first applications of all-atom MD simulations to polyunsaturated lipids containing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6 cis-Delta(4,7,10,13,16,19)). Structural features of the highly unsaturated, mixed-chain phospholipid, 1-palmitoyl-2-docosahexaenoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (PDPC), have been studied in the liquid-crystalline (L(alpha)) state and compared to the less unsaturated homolog, 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC). The (2)H NMR spectra of polyunsaturated bilayers are dramatically different from those of less unsaturated phospholipid bilayers. We show how use of MD simulations can aid in interpreting the complex (2)H NMR spectra of polyunsaturated bilayers, in conjunction with electron density profiles determined from small-angle X-ray diffraction studies. This work clearly demonstrates preferred helical and angle-iron conformations of the polyunsaturated chains in liquid-crystalline bilayers, which favor chain extension while maintaining bilayer flexibility. The presence of relatively long, extended fatty acyl chains may be important for solvating the hydrophobic surfaces of integral membrane proteins, such as rhodopsin. In addition, the polyallylic DHA chains have a tendency to adopt back-bended (hairpin-like) structures, which increase the interfacial area per lipid. Finally, the material properties have been analyzed in terms of the response of the bilayer to mechanical stress. Simulated bilayers of phospholipids containing docosahexaenoic acid were less sensitive to the applied surface tension than were saturated phospholipids, possibly implying a decrease in membrane elasticity (area elastic modulus, bending rigidity). The above features distinguish DHA-containing lipids from saturated or monounsaturated lipids and may be important for their biological modes of action.

We used solid-state NMR techniques to probe the interactions of cholesterol (Chol) with bovine brain sphingomyelin (SM) and for comparison of the interactions of Chol with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), which has a similar gel-to-liquid crystalline transition temperature. (1)H-, (31)P-, and (13)C-MASNMR yielded high-resolution spectra from multilamellar dispersions of unlabeled brain SM and Chol for analysis of chemical shifts and linewidths. In addition, (2)H-NMR spectra of oriented lipid membranes with specific deuterium labels gave information about membrane ordering and mobility. Chol disrupted the gel-phase of pure SM and increased acyl chain ordering in the liquid crystalline phase. As inferred from (13)C chemical shifts, the boundaries between the ordered and disordered liquid crystalline phases (L and L) were similar for SM and DPPC. The solubility limit of Chol in SM was ~50 mol %, the same value as previously reported for DPPC membranes. We found no evidence for specific H-bonding between Chol and the amide group of SM. The order parameters of a probe molecule, d31-sn1-DPPC, in SM were slightly higher than in DPPC for all carbons except the terminal groups at 30 mol % but were not significantly different at 5 and 60 mol % Chol. These studies show a general similarity with some subtle differences in the way Chol interacts with DPPC and SM. In the environment of a typical biomembrane, the higher proportion of saturated fatty acyl chains in SM compared to other phospholipids may be the most significant factor influencing interactions with Chol.

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The polar interface of membranes containing phosphatidylglycerol or cholesterol was studied by (2)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) as a function of membrane hydration. The membranes were macroscopically aligned and hydrated with deuterium oxide. Water uptake and membrane annealing was achieved under NMR control, using a novel hydration technique. Well-resolved (2)H quadrupolar doublets were obtained from individual hydroxyl residues and from the interlamellar water. The response of the phosphatidylglycerol headgroup and of the cholesterol molecule to the spontaneous evaporation of interlamellar water could be thus monitored continuously. It is shown that the phosphatidylglycerol headgroup undergoes changes of conformation and average orientation with respect to the membrane surface and that the off-axis motion of the cholesterol molecule decreases. The deuteron exchange between hydroxyl residues and surface-associated D(2)O was determined by an inversion transfer technique. The exchange rates of the hydroxyl residues in the phosphatidylglycerol headgroup were different and depended strongly on the total hydration of the membrane. Significantly lower and almost hydration-independent rates were obtained for cholesterol. These results will be discussed with reference to earlier reports on the headgroup dynamics of phosphatidylglycerol and on the interaction of cholesterol with the membrane-water interface.

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