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Related Concept Videos

Phosphoinositides and PIPs01:42

Phosphoinositides and PIPs

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Phosphoinositides are a group of phospholipids containing a glycerol backbone with two fatty acid chains and a phosphate attached to a myoinositol sugar ring. The inositol head group extends into the cytoplasm, where it is modified by adding phosphate groups to form phosphatidylinositol phosphates or PIPs.
Different phosphoinositides are synthesized and recruited on the cytosolic face of the plasma membrane. The localization of specific phosphoinositides concentrated in separate membrane...
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Lipids as Anchors01:32

Lipids as Anchors

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In the plasma membrane, the lipids forming the bilayer can also act as an anchor to tether proteins to the membrane. The three main types of lipid anchors found in eukaryotes are – prenyl groups, fatty acyl groups, and glycosylphosphatidylinositol or GPI groups. Prenyl and fatty acyl groups act as anchors on the cytosolic surface of the membrane, whereas GPI anchors proteins on the extracellular side.
The carboxy-terminal of most of the prenylated proteins, such as Ras proteins, contains...
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Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation00:59

Mechanisms of Membrane Domain Formation

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Different physical properties of lipids and proteins allow them to localize and form distinct islands or domains in the membrane. Some membrane domains are formed due to protein-protein interactions, whereas others are formed due to the presence of specific lipids such as sphingolipids and sterols—for example, large proteins, such as bacteriorhodopsin, aggregate and create distinct domains.
Another mechanism for membrane domain formation involves membrane proteins interacting with...
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Membrane Fluidity01:23

Membrane Fluidity

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Cell membranes are composed of phospholipids, proteins, and carbohydrates loosely attached to one another through chemical interactions. Molecules are generally able to move about in the plane of the membrane, giving the membrane its flexible nature called fluidity. Two other features of the membrane contribute to membrane fluidity: the chemical structure of the phospholipids and the presence of cholesterol in the membrane.
179.3K
Membrane Fluidity01:26

Membrane Fluidity

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Membrane fluidity is explained by the fluid mosaic model of the cell membrane, which describes the plasma membrane structure as a mosaic of components—including phospholipids, cholesterol, proteins, and carbohydrates—that gives the membrane a fluid character.
Mosaic nature of the membrane
The mosaic characteristic of the membrane helps the plasma membrane remain fluid. The integral proteins and lipids exist as separate but loosely-attached molecules in the membrane. The membrane is...
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Membrane Domains01:18

Membrane Domains

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The membrane domains concentrate specific lipids and proteins at one place within the membrane, which helps in cell signaling, adhesion, and other critical cellular processes. These domains can differ in size, composition, function, and lifespan.
Protein Domains
The membrane comprises a group of distinct proteins responsible for carrying out a cell's specific function. For example, the plasma membrane of the human sperm, or a single germ cell, contains a unique set of proteins in the...
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Updated: Mar 30, 2026

PIP-on-a-chip: A Label-free Study of Protein-phosphoinositide Interactions
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Specific Ion Binding at Phospholipid Membrane Surfaces.

Jing Yang1, Carles Calero2, Massimiliano Bonomi3

  • 1Department of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, Technical University of Catalonia-Barcelona Tech , B4-B5 Northern Campus, Jordi Girona 1-3, 08034 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.

Journal of Chemical Theory and Computation
|November 18, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Metal cations like sodium (Na+) and potassium (K+) interact with cell membranes, while calcium (Ca2+) binds strongly. Magnesium (Mg2+) remains hydrated, showing cation-specific membrane interactions.

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Area of Science:

  • Biophysical Chemistry
  • Computational Biology
  • Membrane Biophysics

Background:

  • Metal cations are crucial for biological functions, influencing cellular processes and membrane properties.
  • Understanding ion-membrane interactions is key to comprehending cellular behavior and disease.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the binding free energies of key metal cations (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+) to phospholipid membranes using simulations.
  • To elucidate the specific binding mechanisms and preferences of these cations at membrane interfaces.

Main Methods:

  • Metadynamics simulations were employed to calculate free energy landscapes.
  • Systematic analysis of cation interactions with phospholipid membrane surfaces was performed.

Main Results:

  • Na+ and K+ exhibit weaker binding to membranes, preferring aqueous solution with low energy barriers for lipid interaction.
  • Ca2+ shows strong binding to membrane lipid oxygens, being more stable than in aqueous solution.
  • Mg2+ remains tightly hydrated, with minimal direct binding to the membrane surface.
  • Cation binding specificity correlates with hydration free energy and hydration shell size, indicating competition between water and lipid binding.

Conclusions:

  • Metal cation binding to phospholipid membranes is cation-specific and influenced by hydration properties.
  • These findings provide fundamental insights into ion-membrane interactions critical for cellular function.