Unique lipid‐protein interactions observered in molecular dynamics simulations of rhodopsin in a polyunsaturated membrane

The structure and dynamics of polyunsaturated lipids, specifically those containing docosahexaenoic and docosapentanoic acid, will be described and compared with saturated and mono‐unsaturated lipids as well as with experimental measurements utilizing NMR and x‐ray diffraction. Both simulation and experiment suggest the polyunsaturated fatty acid chains possess an extreme flexibility. The role of the torsional energy profile for rotation about single bonds between vinyl groups will be emphasized as the key factor in these observations. A mechanism by which this flexibility allows unique interactions with integral membrane proteins will be demonstrated.