Direct evidence for the importance of hydrophobic mismatch for cell membrane recognition

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(99)00006-4

In this Letter, we describe the synthesis of amphiphilic oligo(p- phenylene)s from 31 to 44 A length and delineate the interaction of these rigid-rod molecules with lipid bilayers using fluorescence quenching methods. The results demonstrate high importance of hydrophobic mismatch for selective cell membrane recognition by rigid-rod molecules.