Calmodulin interaction with mesocaine-modified lipid bilayer.

Calmodulin (CaM) interactions with bilayer lipid membranes (BLM) were studied by measuring modulus of elasticity in direction perpendicular to the membrane plane (E perpendicular) and intramembrane potential delta psi. Upon interaction of CaM with egg phosphatidylcholine and asolectin BLM the parameter E perpendicular grew slightly (not more than by 10% as compared to the respective vale for nonmodified BLM), suggesting a weak effect on the ordering of the hydrophobic moiety of the lipid bilayer. In the presence of mesocaine (Mes), a calmodulin inhibitor, CaM affected the incorporation of Mes into the membrane. It can be concluded that CaM affects the ordering of the polar (superficial) membrane region.