To Close or to Collapse: The Role of Charges on Membrane Stability upon Pore Formation.

ABSTRACT: Resealing of membrane pores is crucial for cell survival. Membrane surface charge and medium composition are studied as defining regulators of membrane stability. Pores are generated by electric field or detergents. Giant vesicles composed of zwitterionic and negatively charged lipids mixed at varying ratios are subjected to a strong electric pulse. Interestingly, charged vesicles appear prone to catastrophic collapse transforming them into tubular structures. The spectrum of destabilization responses includes the generation of long-living submicroscopic pores and partial vesicle bursting. The origin of these phenomena is related to the membrane edge tension, which governs pore closure. This edge tension significantly decreases as a function of the fraction of charged lipids. Destabilizati

SUBMITTER: Lira RB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8188222 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature