Issue 10, 2024

The intricate link between membrane lipid structure and composition and membrane structural properties in bacterial membranes

Abstract

It is now evident that the cell manipulates lipid composition to regulate different processes such as membrane protein insertion, assembly and function. Moreover, changes in membrane structure and properties, lipid homeostasis during growth and differentiation with associated changes in cell size and shape, and responses to external stress have been related to drug resistance across mammalian species and a range of microorganisms. While it is well known that the biomembrane is a fluid self-assembled nanostructure, the link between the lipid components and the structural properties of the lipid bilayer are not well understood. This perspective aims to address this topic with a view to a more detailed understanding of the factors that regulate bilayer structure and flexibility. We describe a selection of recent studies that address the dynamic nature of bacterial lipid diversity and membrane properties in response to stress conditions. This emerging area has important implications for a broad range of cellular processes and may open new avenues of drug design for selective cell targeting.

Graphical abstract: The intricate link between membrane lipid structure and composition and membrane structural properties in bacterial membranes

Article information

Article type
Perspective
Submitted
27 aug 2023
Accepted
26 jan 2024
First published
31 jan 2024
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2024,15, 3408-3427

The intricate link between membrane lipid structure and composition and membrane structural properties in bacterial membranes

T. Lee, P. Charchar, F. Separovic, G. E. Reid, I. Yarovsky and M. Aguilar, Chem. Sci., 2024, 15, 3408 DOI: 10.1039/D3SC04523D

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