Effects of rhodomyrtone-lipid interaction on the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane (blue) and membrane proteins.

(A) Rhodomyrtone (light green) causes tighter head group packing in the outer membrane leaflet leading to positive membrane curvature. (B) Flexible lipids (red) are attracted to the sites of positive curvature generating highly fluid lipid domains. (C) Attraction of flexible lipids to the sites of membrane invaginations leads to rigidification of the rest of the membrane and detachment of peripheral membrane proteins. (D) Phase boundary defects between curved fluid membrane domains and the rigidified rest of the membrane increase passive permeability for potassium ions. (E) Both peripheral (dark green) and integral (yellow) membrane proteins are attracted to membrane invaginations due to higher local fluidity leading to protein aggregates in the membrane. (F) Increased curvature culminates in membrane invaginations, thereby trapping both flexible lipids species and membrane proteins in vesicles.