If phospholipid-like molecules in an alien species had charged tails and uncharged heads, how would these molecules be arranged in alien cell membranes, assuming that the cells and their surroundings are aqueous in the aliens?

Question

Biology

Frank

2 March, 20:22

If phospholipid-like molecules in an alien species had charged tails and uncharged heads, how would these molecules be arranged in alien cell membranes, assuming that the cells and their surroundings are aqueous in the aliens?

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Answers (1)

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Zion Bell · Answer 1

The arrangement of those molecules would be contrary of the living earth cells membranes, heads on the inside and tails on the outside.

Explanation:

The alien version of phospholipid molecules would favor the membranes to be arranged in a way that the head of the molecules would be faced each other, and the tail of the molecules would be faced to the aqueous surroundings. This is explained by the fact that phospholid molecules have a hydrophilic content that present charged groups or uncharged polar groups that can form either favorable electrostatic interactions or hydrogen bonds with water molecules. And in the case of the alien phospholipid is the tail that will be the hydrophilic content, instead of the ''earth phospholid''.