Fig 4. The influence of inward and outward local bending on the pressure profile of POPC di-24:1 bilayer and the MscL pore shape (negative hydrophobic mismatch). MscL is equilibrated due to the intrinsic pressure profile of the lipid bilayer.

(A) Lipid bilayer deformation due to intrinsic pressure profile of lipid bilayer (top panel), inward bending (middle panel) outward bending (bottom panel). (B) The peak stress in the pressure profile is smaller in the thicker bilayers. Similar to the previous cases, inward local bending causes an asymmetry in the pressure profile such that the total tension in the inner monolayer is higher than in the outer monolayer. In contrast, outward local bending causes more tension in the outer monolayer. (C) Based on the channel pore in the equilibrium state, inward bending results in expansion of the narrowest part of the channel (shaded area), whereas the outward bending narrows the channel in this area.