Computer Simulation of Hydrogen Bonding in Mixed Layers of PE and PC Lipids
Abstract
Modeling cell membranes is one way we can come to a better
understanding of how they work, and their unique phase behavior
makes them an interesting system to model. Membranes are
primarily composed of a phospholipid bilayer, with a few proteins
and carbohydrates included. A typical animal cell membrane
contains several different types of phospholipids.' Before we attempt
to produce a coherent model of an entire membrane, it is useful to
develop simpler models of membranes composed of only one species
of phospholipid without proteins or carbohydrates. Models of such
pure lipid bilayers have been developed and are quite successful.
Until recently however, there has not been a model which takes into
account inter-molecular hydrogen bonding. Zhang et al. have
developed a way of incorporating hydrogen bonding into the models
of phospholipids. My research has been on a model for hydrogen
bonding in membranes composed of more than one kind of lipid.