Self-assembly and phase transition properties of pure archaeal tetraether lipids

Abstract

Lipid membrane compartments are universal features of life, but different organisms evolved diverse lipids to meet specific physiological and ecological requirements. Glycerol dibiphytanyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGT) are some of the most unusual membrane lipids identified in nature. GDGT lipids are characterized by multiple branching, ether linkages, cycloalkane rings, and often span the entire length of the membranes. These lipids are the primary constituents of the cell membranes of many Archaea, some of which are extremophilic organisms.