Biomaterial Database

The effect of undecaprenol on bilayer lipid membranes. 1994

T Janas, and T Chojnacki, and E Swiezewska, and T Janas

Biophysics Laboratory, Higher College of Engineering, Zielona Góra, Poland.

The influence of undecaprenol on phosphatidylcholine macrovesicular bilayer lipid membranes has been studied by electrophysiological techniques. The current-voltage characteristics, ionic transference numbers, the membrane conductance-temperature relationships and the membrane breakdown voltage were measured. The permeability coefficients for Na+ and Cl- ions, the activation energy of ion migration across the membrane, the membrane hydrophobic thickness and the membrane Young's modulus were determined. Undecaprenol increases membrane conductance, membrane capacitance, membrane ionic permeability and membrane elastic deformability, decreases the activation energy, membrane hydrophobic thickness and membrane electromechanical stability, and does not change membrane selectivity. The formation by undecaprenyl molecules of fluid microdomains modulating membrane hydrophobic thickness is postulated. The data suggest that the behaviour of undecaprenol in membranes is regulated by transmembrane electrical potential.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008051	Lipid Bilayers	Layers of lipid molecules which are two molecules thick. Bilayer systems are frequently studied as models of biological membranes.	Bilayers, Lipid,Bilayer, Lipid,Lipid Bilayer
D008564	Membrane Potentials	The voltage differences across a membrane. For cellular membranes they are computed by subtracting the voltage measured outside the membrane from the voltage measured inside the membrane. They result from differences of inside versus outside concentration of potassium, sodium, chloride, and other ions across cells' or ORGANELLES membranes. For excitable cells, the resting membrane potentials range between -30 and -100 millivolts. Physical, chemical, or electrical stimuli can make a membrane potential more negative (hyperpolarization), or less negative (depolarization).	Resting Potentials,Transmembrane Potentials,Delta Psi,Resting Membrane Potential,Transmembrane Electrical Potential Difference,Transmembrane Potential Difference,Difference, Transmembrane Potential,Differences, Transmembrane Potential,Membrane Potential,Membrane Potential, Resting,Membrane Potentials, Resting,Potential Difference, Transmembrane,Potential Differences, Transmembrane,Potential, Membrane,Potential, Resting,Potential, Transmembrane,Potentials, Membrane,Potentials, Resting,Potentials, Transmembrane,Resting Membrane Potentials,Resting Potential,Transmembrane Potential,Transmembrane Potential Differences
D010713	Phosphatidylcholines	Derivatives of PHOSPHATIDIC ACIDS in which the phosphoric acid is bound in ester linkage to a CHOLINE moiety.	Choline Phosphoglycerides,Choline Glycerophospholipids,Phosphatidyl Choline,Phosphatidyl Cholines,Phosphatidylcholine,Choline, Phosphatidyl,Cholines, Phosphatidyl,Glycerophospholipids, Choline,Phosphoglycerides, Choline
D004553	Electric Conductivity	The ability of a substrate to allow the passage of ELECTRONS.	Electrical Conductivity,Conductivity, Electric,Conductivity, Electrical
D013729	Terpenes	A class of compounds composed of repeating 5-carbon units of HEMITERPENES.	Isoprenoid,Terpene,Terpenoid,Isoprenoids,Terpenoids
D013816	Thermodynamics	A rigorously mathematical analysis of energy relationships (heat, work, temperature, and equilibrium). It describes systems whose states are determined by thermal parameters, such as temperature, in addition to mechanical and electromagnetic parameters. (From Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, 12th ed)	Thermodynamic