Abstract
Proton spin-lattice relaxation rates (1/T 1) and linewidths have been measured for the methylene protons of 4 saturated lecithins in small bilayer vesicles. A systematic increase in the proton 1/T 1 was observed as the fatty acid residue was varied from lauroyl through to stearoyl. In contrast, no such variation was noted for the values of 1/T 1 of the choline methyl protons or the methylene linewidths at temperatures above the thermal phase transition temperature of the lipids. These data are interpreted in terms of two types of motions for the hydrocarbon chains: the rapid diffusion of kinks along the chain and slower fluctuations of the chain about the bilayer normal. The present observations are consistent with the hypothesis that the rapid kink diffusion motions control the methylene spin-lattice relaxation rates whereas the slower chain fluctuations determine the methylene linewidths.
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