Volume 1. Structure and Dynamics of Membranes

Chapter 2. The evolution of membranes

M. Bloom
Canadian Institute for Advanced Research & Department of Physics, University of British Columbia,
6224 Agricultural Road, Vancouver, B.C., Canada V6T 1Z1

O.G. Mouritsen
Canadian Institute for Advanced Research & Department of Physical Chemistry,
The Technical University of Denmark, DK-2800, Lyngby, Denmark

1. Introduction: optimization of physical properties via evolutionary processes

2. Magnetic crystals in magnetotactic bacteria: an example of optimization

3. Pre-biotic membranes: did they exist?

4. Molecular biology, geology and the classification of cells

4.1. Phylogenetic tree of procaryotes (eubacteria and archaebacteria) and eucaryotes from ribosomal RNA polynucleotide sequencing ('molecular phylogeny')
4.2. Geological information on cellular evolution
5. Archaebacterial membranes

6. Proteins in membranes

6.1. Integralmembraneproteins
6.2. Laboratory experiments on model systems: an illustrative example
7. The biosynthetic pathway for sterols and the plasma membranes of eucaryotic cells
7.1. The insights of Konrad Bloch
7.2. Influence of sterols on the physical properties of membranes
8. Lipid diversity and the physical properties of membranes
8.1. Lipidpolymorphism
8.2. Skin lipids ­ modification of lipids in situ to provide a water-resistant surface
8.3. Essentialfattyacidsandbrainlipids
Acknowledgements

References