Biological Membranes in Extreme Conditions: Anionic Tetraether Lipid Membranes and Their Interactions with Sodium and Potassium.

Archaea such as Sulfolobus acidocaldarius tolerate extreme temperatures and high acidity and can grow in the presence of toxic metals and low concentrations of Na+ or K+. It is believed that their unique tetraether membranes protect them from harsh environments and allow their survival under such conditions. We used molecular dynamics simulations to study membranes comprising glycerol dialkylnonitol tetraether lipids, which are the main component of S. acidocaldarius membranes, in solutions containing different concentrations of NaCl and KCl or with Na+ or K+ counterions (trace cations, 0 M). Anionic binding sites on the membranes were almost 50% occupied in the presence of counterions. The free energy of cation-phosphate complexation and the residence times of ions near the membranes were found to be both ion- and concentration-dependent. Sodium ions had more favorable interactions with the membranes and a longer residence time, whereas higher cation concentrations led to shorter ion residence times. When only counterions were present in the solutions, large residence times suggested that the membrane may function as a cation-attracting reservoir. The results suggested that the ions can be easily transferred to the cytoplasm as needed, explaining the growth curves of S. acidocaldarius under different salinities and pH.