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 Experiment Videos

Alamethicin-induced changes in lipid bilayer morphology

T J McIntosh, H P Ting-Beall, G Zampighi

    Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta
    |February 8, 1982
    PubMed
    Summary

    Alamethicin alters lipid bilayers by increasing space between them and disrupting hydrocarbon regions. This peptide affects both hydrophilic and hydrophobic lipid properties, even without an electric field.

    Related Concept Videos

    You might also read

    Related Articles

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

    Sort by
    Same author

    The molecular organization of nerve membranes : VI. The separation of axolemma from schwann cell membranes of giant and retinal squid axons by density gradient centrifugation.

    The Journal of membrane biology·2013
    Same author

    X-Ray Diffraction Studies of the Cholera Toxin receptor, G(M1).

    Biophysical journal·2009
    Same author

    Elasticity, strength, and water permeability of bilayers that contain raft microdomain-forming lipids.

    Biophysical journal·2008
    Same author

    Dynamics of neutrophil membrane compliance and microstructure probed with a micropipet-based piconewton force transducer.

    Annals of biomedical engineering·2007
    Same author

    Phospholipid-protein adducts of lipid peroxidation: synthesis and study of new biotinylated phosphatidylcholines.

    Chemical research in toxicology·2007
    Same author

    Structure, composition, and peptide binding properties of detergent soluble bilayers and detergent resistant rafts.

    Biophysical journal·2002

    Area of Science:

    • Biophysics
    • Membrane Biology
    • Structural Biology

    Background:

    • Lipid bilayers form the fundamental structure of cell membranes.
    • Alamethicin is a peptide known to interact with lipid bilayers.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the structural modifications of lipid bilayers induced by alamethicin in the absence of an electric field.
    • To elucidate the effects of alamethicin on both the hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions of lipid bilayers.

    Main Methods:

    • Freeze-fracture electron microscopy to visualize bilayer surfaces.
    • X-ray diffraction to analyze bilayer spacing and structure.
    • Experiments conducted on multiwalled vesicles and gel-state lipid suspensions.

    Main Results:

    • Alamethicin increased the inter-bilayer spacing by up to 50 nm.
    • Perturbation of the hydrophobic core and hydrophilic surfaces of lipid bilayers was observed.
    • In gel-state lipids, alamethicin induced particle rows on fracture faces and depressions on hydrophilic surfaces.
    • In liquid-crystalline state lipids, alamethicin created an irregular granular texture on fracture faces.

    Conclusions:

    • Alamethicin significantly modifies lipid bilayer structure, affecting both surface and core properties.
    • The observed structural changes are independent of electric fields.
    • Alamethicin's interaction with lipid bilayers is dependent on the lipid phase (gel vs. liquid-crystalline).

    Related Experiment Videos