Lipids and Biomembranes

ID #2116

In a phospholipid the third hydroxyl group is linked to a phosphate group instead of a fatty acid. Is this link an ester bond?

No, by definition an ester linkage is between an organic acid's carboxyl group and an alcohol. Although the -OH on the backbone does represent an alcohol group, a phosphate has no carbons, and therefore can't have a carboxyl group.

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