Orientation of α-helical peptides in a lipid bilayer

Abstract

Samples of pure lipid (dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine) and lipid containing short α-helical peptides were oriented and examined by X-ray diffraction, together with unoriented samples of pure peptide. X-ray reflections from the bilayer and the α-helices showed that the peptides had oriented in the bilayer with their helical axes perpendicular to the surface.