Fatty acid composition and the hydrophilic properties of phospholipids in seedlings of spring and winter wheat growing at 20°C and 2°C

The work of adhesion between water and a heptane solution of phospholipids extracted from spring (cv. Jara) and winter (cv. Grana) wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) grown at 2°C and 20°C was measured in order to determine the effect of changes in the composition of fatty acids on the hydrophilic properties of the lipid bilayer of membranes. The work of adhesion water/phospholipids was positively correlated with the contents of the oleic and linoleic acids (18:1 and 18:2, respectively) and negatively correlated with the content of linolenic acid (18:3) in the phospholipids. The sensitivity of the work of adhesion to changes in the particular fatty acids decreased with increasing number of double bonds. In addition, it depended on the genotype and on the temperature of growth of the seedlings.