Glyco- and Phospholipids of Biomembranes in Higher Plants

Abstract

Lipids are important constituents of all biological membranes and play a central role in the molecular organization of these membranes. Structural lipids in plant biomembranes are essentially phospholipids, galactolipids, and sterols. In this chapter we shall first review the lipid composition of plant biomembranes; then we shall examine where these lipids come from in plant cells, how they are built, and how they integrate the various biomembranes or cell organelles. However, membrane lipids have not only a structural role. The activities of many membrane-bound enzymes are controlled by the extent and the quality of the lipid environment within the membranes. The last part of this chapter will deal with the results of some recent studies concerning the effect of lipids upon the activities of some membrane-bound enzymes.