Nanomechanics of Lipid Bilayers: Heads or Tails?

摘要: Understanding the effect of mechanical stress on membranes is primary importance in biophysics. Here we use force spectroscopy AFM to quantitatively characterize nanomechanical stability supported lipid bilayers as a function their chemical composition. The onset plastic deformation reveals itself repetitive jump approaching curve, which represents molecular fingerprint for bilayer stability. By systematically probing set chemically distinct (SLBs), first show that both headgroup and tail have decisive properties. While probed SLBs linearly increases by 3.3 nN upon introduction each additional −CH2− chain, it exhibits significant dependence phospholipid headgroup, ranging from 3 DPPA 66 DPPG. Furthermore, also quantify reduction membrane number unsaturations and...