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Related Concept Videos

Membrane Domains01:18

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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.
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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.
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An applied magnetic field causes the electrons present in the molecule to circulate, setting up a local diamagnetic current within the molecule. The local diamagnetic current arising from circulating sigma-bonding electrons induces a magnetic field, Blocal that opposes the applied magnetic field, B0. The effective magnetic field experienced by these nuclei is given by the difference between the applied and local magnetic fields in a phenomenon called local diamagnetic shielding. Essentially,...
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Protein domains are small structurally independent units that are part of a single amino acid chain.  Although these domains are often structurally independent, they may rely on synergistic effects to perform their functions as part of a larger protein. Protein domains may be conserved within the same organism, as well as across different organisms.
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A Theoretical Basis for Nanodomains.

D W Allender1,2, M Schick3

  • 1Department of Physics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.

The Journal of Membrane Biology
|January 27, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Current theories on lipid raft formation face challenges. An alternative model proposes a two-dimensional microemulsion, explaining raft structure and composition in cell membranes.

Keywords:
MicroemulsionNanodomainsRafts

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Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Cell Biology
  • Membrane Biophysics

Background:

  • Cell membranes contain specialized nanodomains, or lipid rafts, implicated in various cellular processes.
  • Existing theories for lipid raft formation, such as coexistence of liquid-ordered (Lo) and liquid-disordered (Ld) phases or critical fluctuations, present significant theoretical difficulties.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically evaluate prevailing theories of lipid raft formation.
  • To present and elaborate on an alternative theoretical framework for understanding nanodomain organization in plasma membranes.

Main Methods:

  • Review and theoretical analysis of existing models for lipid raft formation.
  • Development of a microemulsion model for the plasma membrane, incorporating coupled height and composition fluctuations.

Main Results:

  • The coexistence of Lo and Ld phases and critical fluctuation theories are shown to be problematic for explaining nanodomain formation.
  • A two-dimensional microemulsion model successfully predicts the composition of lipid rafts and the surrounding 'sea' in both leaflets of the plasma membrane.
  • Specific lipid compositions for rafts (sphingomyelin and cholesterol in the outer leaflet; phosphati dylserine and phosphatidylcholine in the inner leaflet) and the inter-raft regions (phosphatidylcholine in the outer leaflet; phosphatidylethanolamine and cholesterol in the inner leaflet) are proposed.
  • The characteristic size of these predicted domain structures is on the order of tens of nanometers.

Conclusions:

  • The microemulsion model provides a more robust explanation for lipid raft formation than previous theories.
  • Coupling of height and composition fluctuations is identified as the key mechanism driving the formation of distinct nanodomains.
  • The model accurately predicts the specific lipid and cholesterol organization within and between membrane rafts.