Fig. 2: Apolar isoprenoid molecules as structural membrane components placed in the midplane bilayer. | Communications Biology

Fig. 2: Apolar isoprenoid molecules as structural membrane components placed in the midplane bilayer.

From: Characterisation of a synthetic Archeal membrane reveals a possible new adaptation route to extreme conditions

Fig. 2

a Skeletal formula of the lipids used: 1,2-di-O-phytanyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DoPhPC), 1,2-di-O-phytanyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DoPhPE), and 2,6,10,15,19,23-hexamethyltetracosane (squalane), hydrogenated, and deuterated. b Sketch of a top view of the interaction of the apolar lipid squalane (methyl groups represented as black spheres) in the midplane of the reconstructed archaeal-like lipid bilayer membrane (lipid isoprenoid chain extremities are represented in red). c Neutron scattering length density (NSLD) of DoPhPC:DoPhPE (9:1) + 1 mol% hydrogenated squalane (black) and deuterated squalane (red) measured on D166 (ILL, Grenoble, France). d Structural parameters: lamellar repeat spacing (D), bilayer thickness (DB), hydrocarbon region thickness (2DC), and water layer thickness (Dw) for bilayers of DoPhPC:DoPhPE (9:1) in the absence and presence of 1 mol% squalane.

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