BIO 325 - Molecular Biology of the Cell: Membrane Structure

A set of flashcards designed to help students understand key concepts related to membrane structure in Molecular Biology.

What is the fluid-mosaic model of cellular membranes?

It describes the structure of cell membranes as a mosaic of various proteins embedded in a fluid lipid bilayer.

What do amphipathic lipids do?

Amphipathic lipids aggregate due to their hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails, forming the basic structure of membranes.

What influences membrane fluidity?

Membrane fluidity is influenced by fatty acid length and the saturation level of the fatty acids.

How does cholesterol affect membrane fluidity?

Cholesterol decreases fluidity at moderate to high temperatures but hinders solidification at lower temperatures, acting as a fluidity buffer.

What are integral membrane proteins?

Integral membrane proteins are those that span the lipid bilayer and are involved in a variety of functions, including transport.

What are peripheral membrane proteins?

Peripheral membrane proteins are loosely associated with the membrane and do not span through it.

What role do detergents play in membrane studies?

Detergents solubilize lipids and are necessary for purifying integral proteins for structural analysis.

What is the significance of hydropathy plots?

Hydropathy plots identify transmembrane proteins by displaying the distribution of hydrophobic and hydrophilic residues along a protein sequence.

What is an example of a structure formed by porin proteins?

Porin proteins form water-filled channels through a transmembrane β sheet barrel.

What are the functions of oligosaccharides on eukaryotic membranes?

Oligosaccharides on eukaryotic membranes protect, lubricate, and facilitate cell-cell recognition and adhesion.