Lipids diffusion mechanism of stress relaxation in a bilayer fluid membrane under pressure

Abstract

A theory of a lateral stress relaxation in a fluid bilayer membrane under a step-like pressure pulse is proposed. It is shown theoretically that transfer of lipid molecules into a strained region may lead to a substantial decrease of the membrane's free energy due to local relaxation of the stress. Simultaneously, this same effect also causes appearance of the spontaneous curvature of the membrane. Proposed stress relaxation mechanism may explain recent experimental observations of a collapse of the ionic conductance through the protein mechanosensitive channels piercing the E-coli's membrane. The conductance decreases within seconds after opening of the channels by applied external pressure. Theoretical estimates of the phospholipids diffusion time inside the strained area is favorably comparable with the experimental data. Our theory also predicts an increase of the membrane's curvature simultaneous with the stress relaxation caused by the lipids diffusion. This effect is proposed for experimental check up of the theoretical predictions.