Lipid composition and some aspects of aminophospholipid organization in erythrocyte membrane of the marine bivalve mollusc Scapharca broughtoni (Schrenck)

Abstract

1. 1. Lipid composition of plasma membranes isolated from erythrocytes of the marine bivalve mollusc Scapharca broughtoni (Schrenck) was studied. 2. 2. The main components of lipid fraction of the mollusc membrane were phospholipids and cholesterol. The major part of phospholipids consisted of aminophospholipids: phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine (PS), ceramide aminoethylphosphonate (CAEP). Nearly 50% of the total phospholipids were presented as plasmalogenes. Phospholipids contained a large amount of unsaturated (80%) fatty acids, mainly polyene acids of the ω3 family. 3. 3. Aminophospholipids are asymmetrically distributed betwee the two surfaces of lipid bilayer of the erythrocyte membrane. PE and PS are localized primarily on the inner surface of the membrane. 4. 4. The results obtained were compared with recent data on the mammalian erythrocytes. Molluscs erythrocytes are proposed as a new model in membrane biology.