Transmembrane
A transmembrane protein is a protein which is associated with the lipid bilayer in the membrane. The protein runs right through the membrane with both cytosolic and extracellular domains. Proteins can have several transmembrane domains if its polypeptide chain repeatedly crosses the lipid bilayer in the membrane[1]. Transmembrane proteins are amphipathic; the hydrophobic regions interact with lipid tails inside the lipid bilayer and the hydrophillic regions are exposed [2].
References
- ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK21570/(accessed 19/10/14)
- ↑ Alberts,B., Johnson,A., Lewis,J., Raff,M., Roberts,K. and Walter,P. (2008) Molecular Biology of the Cell, 5th Edition, 630