Problem 26
Certain fish living in desert streams alter their membrane-lipid composition in the transition from the heat of the day to the cool of the night. Predict the nature of the changes.
Problem 28
Phospholipids form lipid bilayers in water. What structure might form if phospholipids were placed in an organic solvent?
Problem 32
Cone snails are carnivores that inject a powerful set of toxins into their prey, leading to rapid paralysis. Many of these toxins are found to bind to specific ion-channel proteins. Why are such molecules so toxic? How might such toxins be useful for biochemical studies?
Problem 33
Provide an energetic explanation for how the potassium channel allows passage of the potassium ion but not the smaller sodium ion.
