Abstract
We present a statistical mechanical model of fluctuating domain interfaces in a phase-separated lipid bilayer where the two leaflets are coupled. The model is solvable by means of its exact correspondence with a one-dimensional quantum mechanics problem. We exploit this correspondence to derive an expression for the characteristic separation between the interfaces in the two leaflets. For any reasonable value of the interleaflet coupling, the model predicts a characteristic separation below optical resolution, thus explaining the absence of visible fluctuations out of interleaflet registry of domains in phase-separated model membranes.In addition we have calculated the interleaflet coupling in liquid-liquid phase-separated lipid bilayers using a molecular mean field model. We obtain composition-dependent values of order 0.01 kT per square nanometer, an order of magnitude smaller than previous estimates.
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