BIOL 1201 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Unsaturated Hydrocarbon, Membrane Fluidity, Semipermeable Membrane

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28 Nov 2016
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Membranes and membrane function (chapter 7 of the textbook) The most abundant lipids in most membranes are phospholipids. Such a double layer of molecules could exist as a stable boundary between two aqueous compartments because the molecular arrangement shelters the hydrophobic tails of the phospholipids from water while exposing the hydrophilic heads to water. Phospholipids have a hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tail. The membrane is a fluid structure with a mosaic of various proteins embedded in or attached to a double layer (bilayer) of phospholipids. Mosaic of proteins drifting laterally in fluid bilayer of phospholipids. Fish that live in extreme cold have membranes with a high proportion of unsaturated hydrocarbon tails, enabling their membranes to remain fluid. Some bacteria and archaea thrive at high temperatures where their membranes include unusual lipids that may prevent excessive fluidity at such high temps. Unsaturated hydrocarbon tails (kinked) prevent packing, enhancing membrane fluidity. Saturated hydrocarbon tails are packed together, increasing membrane viscosity.

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