Electroporation of polyprenol-phosphatidylcholine bilayer lipid membranes

Abstract

The electrochemical measurements showed that tetracosaprenol (C 120) isolated from leaves of Spermatophyta influenced some properties of phosphatidylcholine macrovesicular bilayer lipid membranes. The current–voltage characteristics, the membrane conductance–temperature relationships and the membrane breakdown voltage have been measured for different mixtures of tetracosaprenol and DOPC. The membrane conductance, the permeability coefficient for Cl − ions and the activation energy of ion migration across the membrane were determined. Tetracosaprenol decreases the membrane breakdown voltage and the activation energy, increases the membrane conductance and the membrane ionic permeability for Cl − ions. These results indicate that long-chain polyprenols modify bilayer lipid membranes by the formation of fluid microdomains and point to the importance of transmembrane electrical potential in the dynamics and aggregation behaviour of polyisoprenols in membranes. The results also indicate that electrical transmembrane potential can accelerate the formation of pores in lecithin–polyprenol bilayers at the microdomains border.