How does Asymmetry Affect Membrane Phase Behaviour?

A biological cell membrane is a selective barrier based on a lipid bilayer containing functional proteins. The properties of the membrane depend on the interactions between the constituent molecules and our research aims to understand these relationships and how best to exploit them for studying membrane processes and new therapies. Natural cell membranes are asymmetric in their composition and experience strong electric fields, for example from ion gradients. The aim of this experiment is to understand how asymmetry in a bilayer affects membrane structure and behaviour under applied electric fields mimicking those found in nature. Starting with a simple binary system, we will ascertain whether the field affects the distribution of lipid components, which will be important in the design of future model membrane systems. We will also determine how the structure is controlled by the strength and direction of the field and the extent to which each component interacts with the electrolyte present as the field strength is varied.