Title

A computational model of membrane lipid electronic properties in relation to neural signaling

Authors

Authors

H. L. Price;R. Wallace

Abbreviated Journal Title

Biosystems

Keywords

hydrophobic mismatch; neural membrane; lipids; computational modeling; molecular computing; spectroscopy; SENSITIVE ION CHANNELS; HUMAN BRAIN EVOLUTION; PROTEIN INTERACTIONS; HYDROPHOBIC MISMATCH; QUANTUM COMPUTATION; CELL-MEMBRANES; PHOSPHOLIPIDS; ORGANIZATION; CHOLESTEROL; CONDUCTION; Biology; Mathematical & Computational Biology

Abstract

We present a computational model of a transiently-organized neural membrane molecular system with possible information-processing capacity. The model examines field-induced dipole and quadrupole moments and polarizability in monomeric, dimeric. and trimeric ethenes. Polarization of the ethenes is strongly indicated. This result is interpreted as a significant electronic feature of a molecular computing system based on organization of membrane lipids into a transient (similar to 10(-4) s) crystalline state due to lipid-protein hydrophobic mismatch at the membrane-ion-channel interface. Predictive implications of the model's electronic features are briefly discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights: reserved.

Journal Title

Biosystems

Volume

59

Issue/Number

1

Publication Date

1-1-2001

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

27

Last Page

34

WOS Identifier

WOS:000167483500004

ISSN

0303-2647

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