Formation Mechanism and Properties of Polyelectrolyte Multilayer-Supported Lipid Bilayers: A Coarse-Grained Molecular Dynamics Study.

ABSTRACT: Polyelectrolyte multilayer (PEM)-supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) that connect with functional proteins are popular models for cell membranes and are usually obtained via vesicle adsorption and spreading. However, the exact mechanism by which SLBs are formed is not fully understood. In this study, we employ coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the pathways by which vesicles undergo spreading upon the deposition on PEM-cushioned substrates. The substrates consist of positive chitosan (CHI)/negative alginate (ALG) multilayers. We find that an isolated vesicle tends to completely disintegrate upon deposition, forming a well-ordered lipid bilayer at appropriate polymer ionic strengths by a mechanism described as "parachute" model. Lipids from the vesicle's outer leaflet

SUBMITTER: Wen C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6641172 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature