Monte Carlo simulation of protein-induced lipid demixing in a membrane with interactions derived from experiment.

ABSTRACT: Lipid domain formation induced by annexin was investigated in mixtures of phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylserine (PS), and cholesterol (Chol), which were selected to mimic the inner leaflet of a eukaryotic plasma membrane. Annexins are ubiquitous and abundant cytoplasmic, peripheral proteins, which bind to membranes containing PS in the presence of calcium ions (Ca(2+)), but whose function is unknown. Prompted by indications of interplay between the presence of cholesterol in PS/PC mixtures and the binding of annexins, we used Monte Carlo simulations to investigate protein and lipid domain formation in these mixtures. The set of interaction parameters between lipids and proteins was assigned by matching experimental observables to corresponding variables in the calculations. In the c

SUBMITTER: Almeida PF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3192976 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature