Effects of high pressure on lipids and biomembranes for understanding high-pressure-induced biological phenomena.

This review covers high pressure effects on lipids, lipid bilayers, and biochemical observations recently found in the field of high-pressure bioscience and biotechnology including deep-sea microbiology and food science. To explain these phenomena in a unified model, recent studies of physical and chemical properties of artificial membranes and natural membranes are summarized. On the basis of this newly described knowledge, high pressure effects on biochemical events are considered at the molecular level and concluded that high pressure induces decreases in biomembrane fluidity and phase transitions that result in breakage of the membrane, and finally, leads to the destruction of bilayer membrane accompanied by denaturation of membrane-associated proteins.