Phosphorus-containing lipid molecule self-assembles into a cuboid structure
Monday, June 5, 2017 - 08:02
in Biology & Nature
For the first time, scientists have observed a phosphorus-containing lipid molecule that assembles by itself to form cubes. Research carried out at facilities including DESY has shown that the unusual shape is due to special bonds in the synthetic molecule, a particular phospholipid. Phospholipids play an important role in living organisms, forming membranes, among other things. The new findings enhance the understanding of the forces acting within biological membranes and could open up new pathways in medicine. The researchers headed by Andreas Zumbühl from the University of Fribourg in Switzerland present their results in the journal Angewandte Chemie.