Dynamics of a lipid bilayer induced by electric fields

Abstract

The dynamics of a lipid bilayer of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycero-3-phospho-ethanolamine, POPE, is investigated under the effect of two electric field intensities. The box of 720 lipids and 13 458 water molecules—plus boundary conditions—undergoes similar re-organizational dynamics in the presence of fields of 0.35 V nm⁻¹ and 0.5 V nm⁻¹. Water fingers form followed by some lipid translocation from one layer to the other. The re-organization kinetics is of the second order and is roughly 5 times faster at the higher field. The translocations may occur also upon field switch off, provided that their duration was sufficiently long. Driving few lipid translocations by a macroscopic tool, such as the electric field, appears possible.