On Physical Properties of Tetraether Lipid Membranes: Effects of Cyclopentane Rings

Abstract

This paper reviews the recent findings related to the physical properties of tetraether lipid membranes, with special attention to the effects of the number, position, and configuration of cyclopentane rings on membrane properties. We discuss the findings obtained from liposomes and monolayers, composed of naturally occurring archaeal tetraether lipids and synthetic tetraethers as well as the results from computer simulations. It appears that the number, position, and stereochemistry of cyclopentane rings in the dibiphytanyl chains of tetraether lipids have significant influence on packing tightness, lipid conformation, membrane thickness and organization, and headgroup hydration/orientation.

Microbial diversity and adaptation to high hydrostatic pressure in deep-sea hydrothermal vents prokaryotes

“…There exist several different routes, as follows. (1) The incorporation of cyclopentane rings along the isoprenoid chain as a function of fluctuating temperature (De Rosa et al 1980a, b;Ernst et al 1998;Uda et al 2001Uda et al , 2004 or pH (Shimada et al 2008) increases the packing efficiency of the membrane lipids (Gliozzi et al 1983), which increases membrane stability as a function of increasing temperature or salinity and decreasing pressure or pH, and consequently lowers the permeability (Chong et al 2012). …”

Bipolar tetraether lipids derived from thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus acidocaldarius for membrane stabilization of chlorin e6 based liposomes for photodynamic therapy

“…The plasma membrane of thermoacidophilic archaebacterium Sulfolobus acidocaldarius is dominated by bipolar tetraethers (TELs) [12] that are distinctly different from that of eukaryotes and bacteria. The drastic conditions such as high temperature, range from 50°C to 100°C and the highly acidic media are a prerequisite for producing the cell membrane, which is stable under these conditions [12][13][14].…”

“…The drastic conditions such as high temperature, range from 50°C to 100°C and the highly acidic media are a prerequisite for producing the cell membrane, which is stable under these conditions [12][13][14]. TELs constitute the major polar lipid fraction E (PLFE) in the cell membrane of S. acidocaldarius.…”

Biomimetic surface modification with bolaamphiphilic archaeal tetraether lipids via liposome spreading

“…The number of cyclopentane rings in the biphytanyl chains was reported to significantly affect the membrane rigidity and stability. 28,29 However, whether the observed differences can be attributed to different amounts the cyclopentane rings in T-MPL and S-MPL remains unclear, since the exact number of cyclopentane rings was not determined and the growth temperature was not accessible.…”