Intrinsic curvature hypothesis for biomembrane lipid composition: a role for nonbilayer lipids
Journal Article
·
· Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States)
A rationale is presented for the mix of bilayer and nonbilayer lipids, which occurs in biomembranes. A theory for the L/sub /-H/sub II/ phase transition and experimental tests of the theory are reviewed. It is suggested that the phase behavior is largely the result of a competition between the tendency for certain lipid monolayers to curl and the hydrocarbon packing strains that result. The tendency to curl is quantitatively given by the intrinsic radius curvature, R/sub o/, which minimizes the bending energy of a lipid monolayer. When bilayer (large R/sub o/) and nonbilayer (small R/sub o/) lipids are properly mixed, the resulting layer has a value of R/sub o/ that is at the critical edge of bilayer stability. In this case, bilayers may be destabilized by the protein-mediated introduction of hydrophobic molecules, such as dolichol. An x-ray diffraction investigation of the effect of dolichol on such a lipid mixture is described. This leads to the hypothesis that biomembranes homeostatically adjust their intrinsic curvatures to fall into an optimum range. Experimental strategies for testing the hypothesis are outlined.
- Research Organization:
- Princeton Univ., NJ
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-76EV03120
- OSTI ID:
- 6333688
- Journal Information:
- Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States), Journal Name: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States) Vol. 82:11; ISSN PNASA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
550300 -- Cytology
550602* -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Diagnostics-- (1980-)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
BIOPHYSICS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CELL MEMBRANES
COHERENT SCATTERING
CONFORMATIONAL CHANGES
DIFFRACTION
LIPIDS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEMBRANES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SCATTERING
X-RAY DIFFRACTION
550602* -- Medicine-- External Radiation in Diagnostics-- (1980-)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
BIOPHYSICS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CELL MEMBRANES
COHERENT SCATTERING
CONFORMATIONAL CHANGES
DIFFRACTION
LIPIDS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MEMBRANES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
SCATTERING
X-RAY DIFFRACTION