Helical Configuration of Lutein Aggregate Dispersed in Liposomes of Phosphatidyl Choline and Digalactocyldiglyceride

Abstract

An electron microscopic study was done on lutein aggregates dispersed in liposomes of egg yolk PC and DGDG of spinach leaves. A left handed helical structure of the lutein aggregate, which was expected from the CD pattern of negative exciton chirality, was observed in PC liposomes of high pH in the presence of Ca²⁺. The lutein aggregate in the PC liposome gave fine long images which were 20 to 40nm wide and more than 2000 nm long. The aggregates became longer with an increase of the PC concentration. Similar helical structures of lutein aggregates were observed in the DGDG liposomes.