Effect of structure of polar head of phospholipids on their fragmentation during γ-irradiation of model membranes

The ability of phospholipids with different structures of the polar head (phosphatidylpropandiol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, and cardiolipin) to sustain radiation-induced fragmentation was studied. It was shown by thin-layer chromatography and MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy that all test lipids entering the composition of model membranes subjected to γ-irradiation suffered fragmentation yielding phosphatidic acid. The radiation-chemical yield of phosphatidic acid increased in this phospholipid series on passing from phosphatidylpropanediol to cardiolipin.