Lipid flip-flop driven mechanical and morphological changes in model membranes

Sanoop Ramachandran; P B Sunil Kumar; Mohamed Laradji

doi:10.1063/1.2981564

Lipid flip-flop driven mechanical and morphological changes in model membranes

J Chem Phys. 2008 Sep 28;129(12):125104. doi: 10.1063/1.2981564.

Authors

Sanoop Ramachandran¹, P B Sunil Kumar, Mohamed Laradji

Affiliation

¹ Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600 036, India. sanoop@physics.iitm.ac.in

PMID: 19045065
DOI: 10.1063/1.2981564

Abstract

We study, using dissipative particle dynamics simulations, the effect of active lipid flip-flop on model fluid bilayer membranes. We consider both cases of symmetric as well as asymmetric flip-flops. Symmetric flip-flop leads to a steady state of the membrane with an effective temperature higher than that of the equilibrium membrane and an effective surface tension lower than that of the equilibrium membrane. Asymmetric flip-flop leads to transient conformational changes in the membrane in the form of bud or blister formation, depending on the flip rate.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Biomechanical Phenomena
Cell Membrane / chemistry*
Cell Membrane / metabolism*
Lipid Metabolism*
Lipids / chemistry*
Models, Molecular
Molecular Conformation

Substances

Lipids