Diacylglycerol causes major structural transitions in phospholipid bilayer membranes
Das, S.; Rand, R.P.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 124(2): 491-496
1984
ISSN/ISBN: 0006-291X PMID: 6541910 Document Number: 227812
Major structural changes are imposed on various phospholipid bilayers by diacylglycerol, a product of phosphatidylinositol metabolism. By 5 mol % in phosphatidylethanolamine a lamellar to hexagonal transition starts that is complete at 10 mol %. At 30 mol % it causes the same transition in phosphatidylcholine and forms a cubic phase at 80 mol %. Diacylglycerol disorders the phosphatidylserine lamellar phase. The formation of the non-lamellar phases is indicative of the destabilizations that diacylglycerol can cause in membranes. DAG may act both in its specific activation of membrane enzymes and in inducing membrane fusion.