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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Using Scaffold Liposomes to Reconstitute Lipid-proximal Protein-protein Interactions In Vitro
Published on: January 11, 2017
Role of lipid protrusions in the function of interfacial enzymes
Avi Halperin1, Ole G Mouritsen
1UMR 5819, DRFMC/SI3M, CEA-CENG, 17 Rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9, France.
Abstract:
Secretory phospholipase A(2) (sPLA(2)) is a class of interfacially active enzymes that selectively hydrolyze lipid molecules organized at interfaces like membranes. We present a simple theoretical model that relates the sPLA(2) action to the protrusions of the lipid molecules. The model explains (1) the observed enhancement of enzymatic activity by lipids with flexible, neutral, water-soluble polymers linked to their head groups and (2) the lag-burst kinetics of sPLA(2). It yields qualitative predictions of the effect of the initial composition of the membrane, the molecular weight of the polymer, and the composition of the hydrolysis products.
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