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Related Concept Videos

Membrane Fluidity01:26

Membrane Fluidity

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 a relatively...
Membrane Fluidity01:23

Membrane Fluidity

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.Fatty acids tails of phospholipids can be either saturated or...
Membrane Asymmetry Regulating Transporters01:19

Membrane Asymmetry Regulating Transporters

Enzymes like flippase, floppase, and scramblase transfer phospholipids from one layer to another in the membrane, thereby affecting membrane asymmetry.
Flippase
Eukaryotic flippases are type-IV P-type ATPases or P4-ATPases belonging to P-type ATPase family proteins that are membrane-bound pumps involved in the ATP-mediated transport of ions and molecules across the membrane. Flippases flip specific phospholipids from the outer to the inner leaflet of a membrane. All P4-ATPases have one...
Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer01:35

Asymmetric Lipid Bilayer

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%...
Phosphoinositides and PIPs01:42

Phosphoinositides and PIPs

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...
What are Lipids?01:38

What are Lipids?

Overview

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 3, 2026

A Fluorescence-based Assay of Phospholipid Scramblase Activity
09:52

A Fluorescence-based Assay of Phospholipid Scramblase Activity

Published on: September 20, 2016

Heat-triggered phospholipid flipping stabilizes plasma membrane fluidity.

Shijun Fan1,2, Peng Gao1, Kailai Huang1

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Crop Gene Exploration and Utilization in Southwest China, Rice Research Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China.

Nature
|July 1, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Rice cells use OsALA5 to flip lipids, stabilizing membranes against heat stress. This discovery aids in breeding heat-tolerant crops by understanding early cellular heat protection mechanisms.

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Lipid Exchange Assay in Living Cells
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Lipid Exchange Assay in Living Cells

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Single-molecule Super-resolution Imaging of Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in the Plasma Membrane with Novel Fluorescent Probes
07:26

Single-molecule Super-resolution Imaging of Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in the Plasma Membrane with Novel Fluorescent Probes

Published on: October 15, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 3, 2026

A Fluorescence-based Assay of Phospholipid Scramblase Activity
09:52

A Fluorescence-based Assay of Phospholipid Scramblase Activity

Published on: September 20, 2016

Lipid Exchange Assay in Living Cells
08:59

Lipid Exchange Assay in Living Cells

Published on: March 21, 2025

Single-molecule Super-resolution Imaging of Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in the Plasma Membrane with Novel Fluorescent Probes
07:26

Single-molecule Super-resolution Imaging of Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in the Plasma Membrane with Novel Fluorescent Probes

Published on: October 15, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Plant Biology
  • Cell Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Cells require rapid mechanisms to counteract heat stress-induced plasma membrane hyperfluidization.
  • The early cellular responses preventing heat-induced membrane damage are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying rapid cellular protection against heat stress in rice.
  • To identify key proteins involved in maintaining plasma membrane stability under heat stress.

Main Methods:

  • Leaflet-resolved lipidomics to analyze plasma membrane lipid composition.
  • Transport assays to determine the activity of P4-ATPase OsALA5.
  • Analysis of OsALA5 orthologues in Arabidopsis thaliana and yeast.
  • Field trials to assess the performance of a heat-tolerant OsALA5 haplotype.

Main Results:

  • OsALA5, a P4-ATPase, along with OsALIS2, mediates heat-responsive flipping of saturated phosphatidylcholines.
  • Heat exposure causes a rapid, minute-timescale shift in OsALA5 activity, enriching saturated phosphatidylcholines in the cytoplasmic leaflet.
  • This OsALA5-mediated lipid flipping stabilizes plasma membrane fluidity, preventing ion leakage and cell death.
  • Functional conservation of this rapid heat response was observed in P4-ATPases of Arabidopsis and yeast.
  • A specific OsALA5 haplotype demonstrated significant heat tolerance and yield stability in field trials.

Conclusions:

  • OsALA5 plays a crucial role in the early cellular defense against heat stress by stabilizing plasma membrane fluidity.
  • The study reveals a novel, rapid lipid-flipping mechanism that precedes slower, transcription-dependent responses.
  • Findings provide a basis for breeding more heat-tolerant crops through genetic selection of OsALA5 haplotypes.