Effect of lipid characteristics on the structure of transmembrane proteins

The activity of embedded proteins is known to vary with lipid characteristics. Indeed, it has been shown that some cell-membrane proteins cannot function unless certain non-bilayer-forming lipids (i.e., nonzero spontaneous curvature) are present. In this paper we show that membranes exert a line tension on transmembrane proteins. The line tension, on the order of 1-100 kT/protein, varies with the lipid properties and the protein configuration. Thus, membranes composed of different lipids favor different protein conformations. Model predictions are in excellent agreement with the data of Keller et al, (Biophys. J. 1993, 65:23-27) regarding the conductance of alamethicin channels.