scholarly journals Switchable positioning of plate-like inclusions in lipid membranes: Elastically mediated interactions of planar colloids in 2D fluids

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (14) ◽  
pp. eabf1943
Author(s):  
Weiyue Xin ◽  
Hao Wu ◽  
Gregory M. Grason ◽  
Maria M. Santore

We demonstrate how manipulating curvature in an elastic fluid lamella enables the reversible relative positioning of flat, rigid, plate-like micrometer-scale inclusions, with spacings from about a micrometer to tens of micrometers. In an experimental model comprising giant unilamellar vesicles containing solid domain pairs coexisting in a fluid membrane, we adjusted vesicle inflation to manipulate membrane curvature and mapped the interdomain separation. A two-dimensional model of the pair potential predicts the salient experimental observations and reveals both attractions and repulsions, producing a potential minimum entirely a result of the solid domain rigidity and bending energy in the fluid membrane. The impact of vesicle inflation on domain separation in vesicles containing two solid domains was qualitatively consistent with observations in vesicles containing many domains. The behavior differs qualitatively from the pure repulsions between fluid membrane domains or interactions between nanoscopic inclusions whose repulsive or attractive character is not switchable.

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (15) ◽  
pp. 8350
Author(s):  
Naďa Labajová ◽  
Natalia Baranova ◽  
Miroslav Jurásek ◽  
Robert Vácha ◽  
Martin Loose ◽  
...  

DivIVA is a protein initially identified as a spatial regulator of cell division in the model organism Bacillus subtilis, but its homologues are present in many other Gram-positive bacteria, including Clostridia species. Besides its role as topological regulator of the Min system during bacterial cell division, DivIVA is involved in chromosome segregation during sporulation, genetic competence, and cell wall synthesis. DivIVA localizes to regions of high membrane curvature, such as the cell poles and cell division site, where it recruits distinct binding partners. Previously, it was suggested that negative curvature sensing is the main mechanism by which DivIVA binds to these specific regions. Here, we show that Clostridioides difficile DivIVA binds preferably to membranes containing negatively charged phospholipids, especially cardiolipin. Strikingly, we observed that upon binding, DivIVA modifies the lipid distribution and induces changes to lipid bilayers containing cardiolipin. Our observations indicate that DivIVA might play a more complex and so far unknown active role during the formation of the cell division septal membrane.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5598
Author(s):  
Stasys Mizaras ◽  
Diana Lukmine

Effective formation and implementation of forest policy can only be achieved with orientation to the most important goal—increasing society’s welfare. The global problem is, at present, that the impact of forests on society welfare indexes have not been identified. The aim of the study is to design an assessment model and assess the impact of Lithuanian forests on the society welfare index. The impact of forests was determined by multiplying the country’s welfare of society index by the forest contribution coefficient. In this study, to assess the index of the welfare of Lithuanian society, a five-dimensional model with 16 indicators was applied. The study is based on the Eurostat database and on Lithuanian forestry statistics. The Lithuanian welfare of society index calculated according to the model was 51.4% and the contribution of forests in this index was 3.9%. It represented 7.6% of the index of the welfare of society. Forests have the greatest impact in the environmental dimension, according to the assessment results.


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 389-395
Author(s):  
Anton Tkachenko ◽  
Anatolii Onishchenko ◽  
Vladimir Klochkov ◽  
Nataliya Kavok ◽  
Oksana Nakonechna ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectivesTo assess the state of phospholipid bilayer of red blood cells (RBCs) in rats orally exposed to gadolinium orthovanadate GdVO4:Eu3+ nanoparticles (VNPs) during two weeks using fluorescent probes − ortho-hydroxy derivatives of 2,5-diaryl-1,3-oxazole.MethodsSteady-state fluorescence spectroscopy: a study by the environment-sensitive fluorescent probes − 2-(2′-OH-phenyl)-5-phenyl-1,3-oxazole (probe O1O) and 2-(2′-OH-phenyl)-phenanthro[9,10]-1,3-oxazole (probe PH7).ResultsNo significant changes are detected in the spectra of the fluorescent probes bound to the RBCs from the rats orally exposed to nanoparticles in comparison with the corresponding spectra of the probes bound to the cells from the control group of animals. This indicates that, in case of the rats orally exposed to nanoparticles, no noticeable changes in physico-chemical properties (i.e., in the polarity and the proton-donor ability) are observed in the lipid membranes of RBCs in the region, where the probes locate.ConclusionsNo changes in the physical and chemical properties of the erythrocyte membranes are detected in the region from glycerol backbones of phospholipids to the center of the phospholipid bilayer in the rats orally exposed to VNPs during 2 weeks.


Nano Letters ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 5719-5725 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed R. Tabaei ◽  
Michael Rabe ◽  
Vladimir P. Zhdanov ◽  
Nam-Joon Cho ◽  
Fredrik Höök

2008 ◽  
Vol 1778 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 1528-1536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Himanshu Khandelia ◽  
John H. Ipsen ◽  
Ole G. Mouritsen
Keyword(s):  

2001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randall S. Gemmen

Abstract The effect of inverter ripple current on fuel cell stack performance and stack lifetime remains uncertain. This paper provides a first attempt to examine the impact of inverter load dynamics on the fuel cell. Since reactant utilization is known to impact the mechanical state of a fuel cell, it is suggested that the varying reactant conditions surrounding the cell govern, at least in part, the lifetime of the cells. This paper investigates these conditions through the use of a dynamic model for the bulk conditions within the stack, as well as a one-dimensional model for the detailed mass transport occurring within the electrode of a cell. These two independent modeling approaches help to verify their respective numerical procedures. In this work, the inverter load is imposed as a boundary condition to the models. Results show the transient behavior of the reactant concentrations within the stack, and of the mass diffusion within the electrode under inverter loads with frequencies between 30 Hz and 1250 Hz.


2005 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 619-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Antonny ◽  
J. Bigay ◽  
J.-F. Casella ◽  
G. Drin ◽  
B. Mesmin ◽  
...  

The GTP switch of the small G-protein Arf1 (ADP-ribosylation factor 1) on lipid membranes promotes the polymerization of the COPI (coat protein complex I) coat, which acts as a membrane deforming shell to form transport vesicles. Real-time measurements for coat assembly on liposomes gives insights into how the GTPase cycle of Arf1 is coupled in time with the polymerization of the COPI coat and the resulting membrane deformation. One key parameter seems to be the membrane curvature. Arf-GAP1 (where GAP stands for GTPase-activating protein), which promotes GTP hydrolysis in the Arf1–COPI complex is highly sensitive to lipid packing. Its activity on Arf1-GTP increases by two orders of magnitude as the diameter of the liposomes approaches that of authentic transport vesicles (60 nm). This suggests that during membrane budding, Arf1-GTP molecules are progressively eliminated from the coated area where the membrane curvature is positive, but are protected from Arf-GAP1 at the bud neck due to the negative curvature of this region. As a result, the coat should be stable as long as the bud remains attached and should disassemble as soon as membrane fission occurs.


2013 ◽  
Vol 727 ◽  
pp. 236-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Vigolo ◽  
I. M. Griffiths ◽  
S. Radl ◽  
H. A. Stone

AbstractUnderstanding the behaviour of particles entrained in a fluid flow upon changes in flow direction is crucial in problems where particle inertia is important, such as the erosion process in pipe bends. We present results on the impact of particles in a T-shaped channel in the laminar–turbulent transitional regime. The impacting event for a given system is described in terms of the Reynolds number and the particle Stokes number. Experimental results for the impact are compared with the trajectories predicted by theoretical particle-tracing models for a range of configurations to determine the role of the viscous boundary layer in retarding the particles and reducing the rate of collision with the substrate. In particular, a two-dimensional model based on a stagnation-point flow is used together with three-dimensional numerical simulations. We show how the simple two-dimensional model provides a tractable way of understanding the general collision behaviour, while more advanced three-dimensional simulations can be helpful in understanding the details of the flow.


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