title: Dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine: a remarkable exception to α-tocopherol's membrane presence.
abstract: Using data obtained from different physical techniques (i.e., neutron diffraction, NMR and UV spectroscopy), we present evidence which explains some of the conflicting and inexplicable data found in the literature regarding α-tocopherol's (aToc's) behavior in dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (di-14:0PC) bilayers. Without exception, the data point to aToc's active chromanol moiety residing deep in the hydrophobic core of di-14:0PC bilayers, a location that is in stark contrast to aToc's location in other PC bilayers. Our result is a clear example of the importance of lipid species diversity in biological membranes and importantly, it suggests that measurements of aToc's oxidation kinetics, and its associated byproducts observed in di-14:0PC bilayers, should be reexamined, this time taking into account its noncanonical location in this bilayer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Brock University , St. Catharines, Ontario L2S 3A1, Canada.
authors.forename: Drew
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Marquardt
authors.forename: Justin A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Jacob J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kinnun
authors.forename: Norbert
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kučerka
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Atkinson
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Wassall
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Katsaras
authors.forename: Thad A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Harroun
mesh_terms: D004134:Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine / Q000737:chemistry*; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry*; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D033363:Neutron Diffraction; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008081:Liposomes; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol; D004134:Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine