Membrane Elastic Deformations Modulate Gramicidin A Transbilayer Dimerization And Lateral Clustering

Gramicidin A (gA) is a short β-helical peptide known to form conducting channels in lipid membranes due to transbilayer dimerization. The gA conducting dimer, being shorter than lipid bilayer thickness, deforms the membrane in its vicinity, and the bilayer elastic energy contributes to the gA dimer formation energy. Likewise, membrane incorporation of a gA monomer, which is shorter than the lipid monolayer thickness, creates a void, thereby forcing surrounding lipid molecules to tilt in order to fill it.

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