Griffin, R. G.Powers, L.Pershan, Peter2013-03-041978Griffin, R. G., L. Powers, and Peter S. Pershan. 1978. Head-group conformation in phospholipids: A phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance study of oriented monodomain dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine bilayers. Biochemistry 17(14): 2718-2722.0006-2960http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:10361972Angular-dependent \(^{31}P\) NMR spectra of oriented biaxial monodomain DPPG \(H_20\) multilayers are employed to study head-group conformation in this phospholipid. The results indicate that the 0-P-0 plane of the phosphate, where the 0’s are the nonesterified oxygens of the phosphodiester, is tilted at \(47 \pm 5^{\circ}\) with respect to the bilayer normal. This \(PO_4\) orientation could result in the choline moiety being extended parallel to the bilayer plane, and it will explain the breadth of the axially symmetric \(^{31}P\) powder spectrum observed for DPPC in excess water. This work is the first direct observation of this conformation for lecithins and it illustrates the utility of high-resolution solid-state NMR in structural studies of disordered systems.en-USJournal Article2013-03-0410.1021/bi00607a004