Figure 1.

Membrane protein embedded in lipid bilayer. (a) Cylindrical membrane protein in lipid bilayer when the height of the hydrophobic surface (grey) matches the thickness of hydrophobic core of the lipid bilayer (left). In a thinner bilayer, the hydrophobic mismatch is avoided either by rearrangement of the lipid molecules (middle) or by thinning of the protein (right). (b) The lateral pressure acting on the surface of the membrane protein (left). When the membrane protein is solubilized with detergent, the loss of the lateral pressure is likely to deform the transmembrane segment of the membrane protein (right).