Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Aquaporins01:25

Aquaporins

4.9K
Aquaporins or AQPs are a family of integral membrane proteins whose primary function is to transport water, while some called aquaglyceroporins also transport glycerol. In addition, aquaporins have also been suspected to be involved in transporting volatile substances, such as carbon dioxide and ammonia, across membranes. Such AQPs that act as gas channels are often highly expressed in cells involved in the gaseous exchange, such as red blood cells, epithelial cells, and pulmonary capillaries.
4.9K
Fluid Mosaic Model01:19

Fluid Mosaic Model

12.0K
Scientists identified the plasma membrane in the 1890s and its principal chemical components (lipids and proteins) by 1915. The model for plasma membrane structure, proposed in 1935 by Hugh Davson and James Danielli, was the first model to be widely accepted in the scientific community. The model was based on the plasma membrane's "railroad track" appearance in early electron micrographs. Davson and Danielli theorized that the plasma membrane's structure resembled a sandwich...
12.0K
Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer01:35

Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer

7.3K
Biological membranes show uneven distribution of different types of lipids in the inner and outer layers, resulting in transverse asymmetric membranes. The treatment of the erythrocyte membrane with the enzyme phospholipase confirmed the asymmetric nature of the lipid bilayer. The enzyme hydrolyzes lipids into fatty acids and hydrophilic groups. The phospholipase acts only on the outer layer of the membrane, while the inner layer remains intact. The phospholipase treatment resulted in 80%...
7.3K
Multi-pass Transmembrane Proteins and β-barrels01:09

Multi-pass Transmembrane Proteins and β-barrels

5.3K
In multi-pass transmembrane proteins, the polypeptide chain crosses the membrane more than once. The transmembrane polypeptide chain either forms an α-helix or β-strand structure. α-Helix containing multi-pass transmembrane proteins are ubiquitous, whereas β-strand containing ones are mainly found in gram-negative bacteria, mitochondria, and chloroplasts.
α-Helix containing multi-pass transmembrane proteins
Multi-pass transmembrane proteins such as...
5.3K
Single-pass Transmembrane Proteins01:25

Single-pass Transmembrane Proteins

5.0K
Integral membrane proteins are tightly associated with the cell membrane and play a crucial role in cell communication, signaling, adhesion, and transport of the molecules. Some integral membrane proteins are present only in the membrane monolayer. For example, the enzyme fatty acid amide hydrolase is present in the cytoplasmic side of the membrane monolayer. In contrast, another type of integral membrane protein, also known as a transmembrane protein, spans across the membrane. Transmembrane...
5.0K
Membrane Fluidity01:26

Membrane Fluidity

11.3K
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...
11.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Description of <i>Candidatus Dedyshia acidiphila</i> gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from Kogelberg Nature Reserve in South Africa.

International journal of systematic and evolutionary microbiology·2026
Same author

Self-assembled biomimetic microenvironments with sulfated levan promote kidney epithelial cell growth and reduce inflammatory cytokine release.

Biomaterials science·2026
Same author

Gut microorganisms turn low-protein diet into fat browning.

Nature biomedical engineering·2026
Same author

An overview of DNA barcoding of biodiversity in South Africa.

PloS one·2026
Same author

The prevalence and distribution of <i>Acidobacteriota</i> in the Nama Karoo of South Africa.

Frontiers in microbiomes·2026
Same author

Integrated structural dynamics uncover a new B<sub>12</sub> photoreceptor activation mode.

Nature·2026
Same journal

Controlled Secondary Growth of CAU-1-NH<sub>2</sub> Membranes with Improved CO<sub>2</sub> Separation Performance.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2026
Same journal

Facile Fabrication and Stable Mechanism of a Microscale Heavy Calcium Carbonate Suspension.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2026
Same journal

Polycationic Biocidal Coatings: The Mechanism of Their Interaction with Cells.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2026
Same journal

Atomic-Scale Displacement in Ordered SmMnO<sub>3</sub> Nanoislands.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2026
Same journal

Vacancy Defect Modulated Interfacial Thermal Transport and Phonon Localization in AlGaN/GaN Heterojunctions.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2026
Same journal

Immobilization of Ytterbium via Polyphenol Chemistry on Implant Materials for Enhanced Cytocompatibility and Antibacterial Properties.

Langmuir : the ACS journal of surfaces and colloids·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 16, 2025

Automated Lipid Bilayer Membrane Formation Using a Polydimethylsiloxane Thin Film
08:23

Automated Lipid Bilayer Membrane Formation Using a Polydimethylsiloxane Thin Film

Published on: July 10, 2016

18.4K

Hydrophobin Bilayer as Water Impermeable Protein Membrane.

Friederike Nolle1, Leonhard J Starke2, Alessandra Griffo1,3,4

  • 1Department of Experimental Physics, Saarland University, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany.

Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|September 19, 2023
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Pure protein membranes made of hydrophobin HFBI exhibit extremely low water permeability, surpassing lipid membranes in stability and osmotic pressure resistance. This suggests novel applications for protein-based barriers in areas like desalination.

More Related Videos

Synthesis of Hydrogels with Antifouling Properties As Membranes for Water Purification
07:32

Synthesis of Hydrogels with Antifouling Properties As Membranes for Water Purification

Published on: April 7, 2017

9.5K
Lipid Bilayer Experiments with Contact Bubble Bilayers for Patch-Clampers
07:18

Lipid Bilayer Experiments with Contact Bubble Bilayers for Patch-Clampers

Published on: January 16, 2019

9.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 16, 2025

Automated Lipid Bilayer Membrane Formation Using a Polydimethylsiloxane Thin Film
08:23

Automated Lipid Bilayer Membrane Formation Using a Polydimethylsiloxane Thin Film

Published on: July 10, 2016

18.4K
Synthesis of Hydrogels with Antifouling Properties As Membranes for Water Purification
07:32

Synthesis of Hydrogels with Antifouling Properties As Membranes for Water Purification

Published on: April 7, 2017

9.5K
Lipid Bilayer Experiments with Contact Bubble Bilayers for Patch-Clampers
07:18

Lipid Bilayer Experiments with Contact Bubble Bilayers for Patch-Clampers

Published on: January 16, 2019

9.7K

Area of Science:

  • Biophysics
  • Materials Science
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Membrane permeability is crucial for controlling molecular transport.
  • Low water permeability is desirable for stable drug delivery vesicles.
  • Hydrophobins are amphiphilic proteins with potential membrane-forming capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the water permeability of pure protein membranes formed by hydrophobin HFBI.
  • To compare the stability and osmotic pressure resistance of HFBI membranes with lipid membranes.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the near-zero water permeability of HFBI bilayers.

Main Methods:

  • Droplet interface bilayer (DIB) technique to form HFBI bilayers.
  • Osmotic pressure experiments to assess membrane stability.
  • All-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to model HFBI bilayer structures and permeability.

Main Results:

  • HFBI bilayers demonstrated exceptionally low water permeability, essentially impermeable to water.
  • HFBI bilayers withstood significantly higher osmotic pressures compared to conventional lipid membranes.
  • MD simulations ruled out honeycomb, oil layer, or lipid-like disordered packing as explanations for the low permeability.

Conclusions:

  • HFBI protein membranes offer a highly stable, low-permeability barrier distinct from lipid membranes.
  • The unique structure and packing of HFBI proteins are responsible for their near-zero water permeability.
  • HFBI membranes show promise for applications requiring osmotic pressure insensitivity, such as advanced desalination technologies.