Figure 2

Evolution of the TMV and membrane thickness. A POPE/POPG (3:1) double bilayer was subject to an ion imbalance of +20, achieving an initial TMV of -2.65 V. Within 5 ns, the TMV lowers to -2.35 V as the bilayers expand laterally and experience a thickness reduction due to electrostriction. At 15 ns, a transient water pore formed through electroporation, allowing ions to travel through the pore in opposite directions. This resulted in a rapid loss of the initial ion imbalance which incurs a sharp drop in TMV. By 17 ns, the TMV is insufficient to maintain electrostriction, allowing the bilayer thickness to increase.