Is the lipid bilayer flexible?
Is the lipid bilayer flexible? Each lipid is represented by a flexible chain of beads in implicit solvent. Lipids self-assemble into bilayer structures that display fluidity and elastic properties consistent with experimental model membrane systems. Which lipid gives their flexibility? The two fatty acid chains of a phospholipid molecule (the hydrocarbon chain region) yield a roughly cylindrical shape. The hydrocarbon chain region is characterized by an area (A), that is the surface of the cross-section of the cylindrical part. What makes the lipid bilayer less flexible? By decreasing the mobility of the first few CH2 groups of the hydrocarbon chains...