Statistical Theory of Lipid Membrane Conductivity and Stability Regulated by Membrane-Deforming Inclusions and External Fields

Abstract The formation of pores in bilayer lipid membranes is a key process in many biomedical and biotechnological applications. Pores are usually formed as a result of external influences, such as an electric field, lateral tension, or amphipathic peptides. The average characteristics of the pore formation process are determined by the pore energy. The pore energy depends on the presence and surface concentration of membrane-deforming inclusions. Here, we used the Mayer cluster expansion to construct the partition function of the system, accounting for the lateral interactions between pores and membrane inclusions. We quantitatively determined the dependence of membrane conductance and average lifetime on the concentration of membrane inclusions (e.g., amphipathic peptides). Furthermore, we considered the influence of transmembrane voltage, lateral tension, and membrane inclusions from a unified perspective within a single model. The model provided quantitative predictions that can be verified experimentally.