FIGURE 1.

A schematic drawing of the simulation model. A 20-segment long chain of spherical segments, each carrying a single point charge in its center, interacts with a mixed membrane composed of neutral, singly charged and tetravalent anionic lipids, which occupy the sites of a two-dimensional hexagonal lattice. Lipid charges are concentrated in the centers of the corresponding discs. The lipids can diffuse (exchange positions) within the membrane plane. The polymer chain is flexible, but subjected to electrostatic and short-range spatial repulsion between its constituent segments. The diameters, d, of polymer segments and lipid disks are equal.