Nanopore formation and phosphatidylserine externalization in a phospholipid bilayer at high transmembrane potential.
Atomic-resolution molecular dynamics simulations of lipid bilayers containing 7% phosphatidylserine (PS) on one leaflet are consistent with experimental observations of membrane poration and PS externalization in living cells exposed to nanosecond, megavolt-per-meter electric pulses. Nanometer-diameter aqueous pores develop within nanoseconds after application of an electric field of 450 mV/nm, and electrophoretic transport of the anionic PS headgroup along the newly constructed hydrophilic pore surface commences even while pore formation is still in progress.
Vernier
P Thomas
PT
MOSIS, Information Sciences Institute, Viterbi School of Engineering, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, California 90292, USA. vernier@mosis.org
Ziegler
Matthew J
MJ
Sun
Yinghua
Y
Chang
Wenji V
WV
Gundersen
Martin A
MA
Tieleman
D Peter
DP