BIOLOGY 2B03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Lipid Bilayer, Prenylation, Protein Dimer
28 Mar 2018
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Document Summary
Biomembrane surfaces: different terms are used to describe the distinct surfaces of biomembranes in the cell. In an aqueous environment, the hydrophobic tails face each other, creating a hydrophobic core: the polar head groups face the aqueous exterior, on both sides of the membrane. Phospholipids are the basic unit of biomembranes: an amphipathic molecule, a term which denotes the fact that has both hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties. Chemical makeup of the phospholipid bilayer: diglycerides contain two fatty acids linked to glycerol, diglycerides contain a phosphate group attached to the third -oh group of glycerol, producing a. Fatty acids are long hydrocarbon chains capped by a carboxyl group phospholipid: phospholipids often contain additional charged groups attached to the phosphate, the phosphate group is hydrophilic (soluble in water) In phospholipids, the two fatty acids are hydrophobic (insoluble in water: when phospholipids are mixed with water, they spontaneously organize into bilayers (lowest free- energy configuration, hydrophobic core and hydrophilic surfaces.
