Electrostriction of lipid bilayers on a solid support and peculiarity of membranes from Archaeal lipids

Using the electrostriction method we studied the elasticity modulus perpendicular to the membrane plane, E(perpendicular to), electrical capacitance, C, breakdown voltage, U-b and membrane potential, U-m, of conventional BLM and bilayer lipid membranes formed on the freshly cut tip of teflon-coated stainless steel wire (s-BLM) from Archaeal lipids and/or from egg phosphatidylcholine (egg PC) as a function of d.c. voltage applied to the membrane. The values of E(perpendicular to) for BLM and s-BLM of Archaeal lipids were approx. 1.4 times higher in comparison with bilayers from egg PC. The values of U-b of BLM from Archaeal lipids were 2.3 times higher than for egg PC membranes and reached approximate to 290 mV. S-BLM from both lipid composition were considerably more stable than BLM and their breakdown voltage surpassed 1 V. The values of E(perpendicular to) and U-m of s-BLM changed nonmonotonously with increasing d.c. voltage.