title: Adsorption of a random copolymer at a lipid bilayer membrane.
abstract: We examine the conformational properties of a random copolymer, containing a disordered hydrophobic/hydrophilic sequence of monomers, in the presence of a hydrophobic potential well. The model can be used to understand the structural properties of the adsorption of a protein molecule at a lipid-bilayer membrane, and the properties of a random copolymer at the surfaces of a microphase-separated layered polymer structure. Using a trial-potential treatment we demonstrate that a mainly hydrophilic chain may localize on the surface of the bilayer and that a mainly hydrophobic chain may have two typical conformations: localization on the surface or complete adsorption inside the two surfaces.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1.
authors.forename: Aleksander V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Ermoshkin
authors.forename: Jeff Z Y
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Pik-Yin
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D055592:Biophysical Phenomena; D001703:Biophysics; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008968:Molecular Conformation; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013816:Thermodynamics
chemical_list: D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D011108:Polymers