Calculation of line tension in various models of lipid bilayer pore edge

The line tension of the edge of the lipid bilayer pore is calculated on the basis of the elastic theory of continuous liquid-crystal medium. Three types of deformations of the membrane were taken into account: bending, lateral stretching/compression, and tilt of the lipidic tails. Various models of structure of the pore edge are considered: models of the cylindrical shape with given radius and optimum radius, "extrapolational" model, "two-coordinate" model, and model with a hydrophobic cavity ("void"). Models can be conventionally divided into two classes. The first class includes models in which membrane monolayers are in contact with each other everywhere. Models of the second class admit appearance of a hydrophobic cavity between monolayers. Models of the first class yield value of the line tension γ, strongly differing from that known from the literature (∼10 pN). For example, the value of the line tension γ obtained in the cylindrical model equals to 21 pN; in the two-coordinate model, 19 pN, and in the extrapolational model, 62 pN. At the same time, the model with cavity gives the value of γ eqal ∼10 pN, provided that surface tension at the boundary of the lipid tails is close to zero. This value is in a good agreement with the literature data. © Pleiades Publishing, Ltd. 2009.