The structure and dynamics of cell membranes have long been of interest. However, the insolubility of lipids in water has precluded biologically relevant studies of bilayers using liquid-state NMR and crystallographic techniques. Solid state deuterium NMR is sensitive to motions on the order of 101 - 1010 sec-1 and thus is ideal for studying molecular dynamics. In this study we have observed sidechain-deuterated N-Palmitoylgalactosylsphingo-sine (NPGS) bilayers using standard quadrupole echo and inversion recovery experiments. From these spectra detailed motional mechanisms and rates can be extracted through the use of computer simulations. In particular, rates of long axis diffusion and trans-gauche isomerization can be measured in the La phase1; determining rates at several temperatures will allow the measurement of activation energies for these motions.
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