Physical Properties of Biological Membranes and Their Functional Implications

This book was originated from a series of lectures given in a course on the physical properties of biological membranes and their functional implica­ tions. The course was intended to allow students to get acquainted with the physical techniques used to study biological membranes. The experience was valuable and we feel that a detailed description of the procedures used and of various examples of the results obtained allowed many students to become familiar with a theme that is not often part of regular courses on membrane physiology or biophysics. This book is designed as a tutorial guide for graduate students interested in understanding how physical methods can be utilized to study the proper­ ties of biological membranes. It includes first a detailed description of applications of physical techniques-such as X-ray fiber diffraction methods (Chapter 1), 2H and 13C NMR spectroscopy (Chapter 2), and calorimetry (Chapter 3)-in the study of the properties of lipid model membranes. A description of how to measure molecular mobility in membranes (Chapter 4) follows, and the book concludes with three chapters in which biological membranes are the subject of study. Chapter 5 deals with the acetylcholine receptor and its membrane environment; Chapter 6 discusses how fluorescence techniques can be applied in the study of the calcium ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum; and Chapter 7 explains how protein­ lipid interactions modulate the function of the sodium and proton pumps.

1 Structural Studies on Phospholipid Bilayers by X-Ray Fiber Diffraction Methods.- 1. Introduction.- 2. X-Ray Fiber Diagrams.- 3. Specimen Preparation.- 4. Photographic Equipment and Technique.- 5. Geometrical Measurement of the Reflections and Information Provided.- 6. Intensities of the Reflections.- 7. Electron Density.- 8. Experimental Observations.- 9. Conclusions.- References.- 2 2H and 13C NMR Spectroscopy of Lipid Model Membranes Alfred Blume.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Principles and Methods.- 3. Applications of 13C and 2H NMR to Lipid Model Membranes.- 4. Summary.- References.- 3 Applications of Calorimetry to Lipid Model Membranes.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Differential Scanning Calorimetry.- 3. Reaction Calorimety.- 4. Conclusions.- References.- 4 Molecular Mobility in Membranes.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Lateral Diffusion.- 3. Rotational Diffusion.- References.- 5 The Acetylcholine Receptor and its Membrane Environment.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Acetylcholine Receptor Primary Structure, cDNA Recombinant Techniques, and Acetylcholine Receptor Models.- 3. Acetylcholine Receptor-Mediated Channel Gating: A Single Molecule at Work.- 4. The Acetylcholine Receptor in the Lipid Bilayer.- 5. Dynamics of Acetylcholine Receptor and Lipids in the Membrane.- References.- 6 Fluorescence Spectroscopy in the Study of Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium-ATPase.- 1. Introduction.- 2. Structure and Conformation.- 3. Macromolecular Association.- 4. Protein—Protein and Protein—Lipid Interactions.- References.- 7 Lipid—Protein Interactions in the Function of the Na+ and H+ Pumps: Role of Sulfatide.- 1. Introduction.- 2. The Sodium Pump.- 3. Lipid Requirements of the Sodium Pump: Role of Sulfatides.- 4. Role of Sulfatides in the Proton Pump.- 5. Conclusions.- References.