A computational model of membrane lipid electronic properties in relation to neural signaling

We present a computational model of a transiently-organized neural membrane molecular system with possible information-processing capacity. The model examines field-induced dipole and quadrupole moments and polarizability in monomeric, dimeric. and trimeric ethenes. Polarization of the ethenes is st rongly indicated. This result is interpreted as a significant electronic fe ature of a molecular computing system based on organization of membrane lip ids into a transient (similar to 10(-4) s) crystalline state due to lipid-p rotein hydrophobic mismatch at the membrane-ion-channel interface. Predicti ve implications of the model's electronic features are briefly discussed. ( C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights: reserved.