# Functional consequences of plasmalogens - Membrane curvature and lipid miscibility

> **NIH NIH F32** · UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE · 2021 · $2,500

## Abstract

Abstract.
Functional consequences of plasmalogens—Membrane curvature and lipid
miscibility
Phosphatidylethanolamine plasmalogen (PEp) is prevalent in mammalian membranes,
comprising 20 mol% of phospholipids in the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane (PM)
according to recent lipidomics. Despite its prevalence, surprisingly little is known about
its biophysical effects on biological membranes. The chemically unique vinyl ether
linkage between the glycerol backbone and sn-1 fatty acyl chain is known to increase
membrane fluidity and curvature; yet, PEp partitions into more structured cholesterol
rich regions of the plasma membrane. Its unique curvature properties and roles in
endocytic pathways and cellular signaling suggest it disrupts membrane integrity to
promote fusion and fission. The proposed research combines all-atom molecular
dynamics (MD) with FRET imaging and membrane fusion assays to quantify the
curvature properties of pure PEp and characterize biologically relevant PEp mixtures.
The proposal is for an F32 individual training fellowship. As a graduate student, trainee
Dr. Alison Leonard (AL) developed an all-atom force field for PEp which she will use in
the MD simulations. Whereas AL's graduate research focused on the development of
lipid force field parameters and modeling of single-component membranes, the central
hypothesis of this proposal addresses a topic with direct application to human health,
the mechanisms of lipid homeostasis. AL will expand her knowledge of cell biology and
theoretical modeling of biologically relevant lipid mixtures.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10452272
- **Project number:** 3F32GM139319-01S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE
- **Principal Investigator:** Alison Leonard
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $2,500
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-09-30 → 2021-08-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10452272

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10452272, Functional consequences of plasmalogens - Membrane curvature and lipid miscibility (3F32GM139319-01S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10452272. Licensed CC0.

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