³¹P-NMR Studies on Phospholipid Bilayers.
Mariko Okamoto   
Faculty Advisor: P. K. Dea

     The phase transition behavior of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and dierucoylphosphatidylcholine (DErPC) bilayers were studied using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The phase transitions were monitored by measuring the chemical shift anisotropy of the ³¹P nuclei in a high magnetic field. The resulting NMR spectra allowed for the characterization of the gel and liquid crystalline phases for both lipids. The multilamellar structure of DPPC was also studied in the presence of chlorpromazine hydrochloride (CPZHCl) which is a tranquilizer. The presence of CPZHCl was found to cause the multilamellar structure to break down beginning at 15 mol% and to cause a complete breakup of the multilamellar phase by 75 mol%. Supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute.