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Sanders G, Borbat PP, Georgieva ER. Conformations of influenza A M2 protein in DOPC/DOPS and E. coli native lipids and proteins. Biophys J 2024:S0006-3495(24)00432-6. [PMID: 38932458 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
We compared the conformations of the transmembrane domain (TMD) of influenza A M2 (IM2) protein reconstituted in 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine/1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-L-serine (DOPC/DOPS) bilayers to those in isolated Escherichia coli (E. coli) membranes, having preserved its native proteins and lipids. IM2 is a single-pass transmembrane protein known to assemble into a homo-tetrameric proton channel. To represent this channel, we made a construct containing the IM2's TMD region flanked by the juxtamembrane residues. The single cysteine substitution, L43C, of leucine located in the bilayer polar region was paramagnetically tagged with a methanethiosulfonate nitroxide label for the electron spin resonance (ESR) study. For this particular residue, we probed the conformations of the spin-labeled IM2 reconstituted in DOPC/DOPS and isolated E. coli membranes using continuous-wave ESR and double electron-electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy. The total protein-to-lipid molar ratio spanned the range from 1:230 to 1:10,400. The continuous-wave ESR spectra corresponded to very slow spin-label motion in both environments. In all cases, the DEER data were reconstructed into distance distributions with well-resolved peaks at 1.68 and 2.37 nm in distance and amplitude ratios of 1.41 ± 0.2 and 2:1, respectively. This suggests four nitroxide spin labels located at the corners of a square, indicative of an axially symmetric tetramer. The distance modeling of DEER data with molecular modeling software applied to the NMR molecular structures (PDB: 2L0J) confirmed the symmetry and closed state of the C-terminal exit pore of the IM2 TMD tetramer in agreement with the model. Thus, we can conclude that, under conditions of pH 7.4 used in this study, IM2 TMD has similar conformations in model lipid bilayers and membranes made of native E. coli lipids and proteins of comparable thickness and fluidity, notwithstanding the complexity of the E. coli membranes caused by their lipid diversity and the abundance of integral and peripheral membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Griffin Sanders
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
| | - Peter P Borbat
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, ACERT, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Elka R Georgieva
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas.
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2
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Thakur GCN, Uday A, Cebecauer M, Roos WH, Cwiklik L, Hof M, Jurkiewicz P, Melcrová A. Charge of a transmembrane peptide alters its interaction with lipid membranes. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2024; 235:113765. [PMID: 38309153 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2024.113765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Transmembrane (TM) proteins interact closely with the surrounding membrane lipids. Lipids in the vicinity of TM proteins were reported to have hindered mobility, which has been associated with lipids being caught up in the rough surface of the TM domains. These reports, however, neglect one important factor that largely influences the membrane behavior - electrostatics of the TM peptides that are usually positively charged at their cytosolic end. Here, we study on the example of a neutral and a positively charged WALP peptide, how the charge of a TM peptide influences the membrane. We investigate both its dynamics and mechanics by: (i) time dependent fluorescent shift in combination with classical and FRET generalized polarization to evaluate the mobility of lipids at short and long-range distance from the peptide, (ii) atomic force microscopy to observe the mechanical stability of the peptide-containing membranes, and (iii) molecular dynamics simulations to analyze the peptide-lipid interactions. We show that both TM peptides lower lipid mobility in their closest surroundings. The peptides cause lateral heterogeneity in lipid mobility, which in turn prevents free lipid rearrangement and lowers the membrane ability to seal ruptures after mechanical indentations. Introduction of a positive charge to the peptide largely enhances these effects, affecting the whole membrane. We thus highlight that unspecific peptide-lipid interactions, especially the electrostatics, should not be overlooked as they have a great impact on the mechanics and dynamics of the whole membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garima C N Thakur
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 182 23 Prague 8, Czech Republic; University of Chemical and Technology, Technická 5, Dejvice, 160 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Arunima Uday
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 182 23 Prague 8, Czech Republic; University of Chemical and Technology, Technická 5, Dejvice, 160 00 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Cebecauer
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 182 23 Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Wouter H Roos
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Lukasz Cwiklik
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 182 23 Prague 8, Czech Republic; Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Hof
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 182 23 Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Piotr Jurkiewicz
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 182 23 Prague 8, Czech Republic.
| | - Adéla Melcrová
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 182 23 Prague 8, Czech Republic; Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands.
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3
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Ashrafuzzaman M, Koeppe RE, Andersen OS. Intrinsic Lipid Curvature and Bilayer Elasticity as Regulators of Channel Function: A Comparative Single-Molecule Study. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2758. [PMID: 38474005 PMCID: PMC10931550 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Perturbations in bilayer material properties (thickness, lipid intrinsic curvature and elastic moduli) modulate the free energy difference between different membrane protein conformations, thereby leading to changes in the conformational preferences of bilayer-spanning proteins. To further explore the relative importance of curvature and elasticity in determining the changes in bilayer properties that underlie the modulation of channel function, we investigated how the micelle-forming amphiphiles Triton X-100, reduced Triton X-100 and the HII lipid phase promoter capsaicin modulate the function of alamethicin and gramicidin channels. Whether the amphiphile-induced changes in intrinsic curvature were negative or positive, amphiphile addition increased gramicidin channel appearance rates and lifetimes and stabilized the higher conductance states in alamethicin channels. When the intrinsic curvature was modulated by altering phospholipid head group interactions, however, maneuvers that promote a negative-going curvature stabilized the higher conductance states in alamethicin channels but destabilized gramicidin channels. Using gramicidin channels of different lengths to probe for changes in bilayer elasticity, we found that amphiphile adsorption increases bilayer elasticity, whereas altering head group interactions does not. We draw the following conclusions: first, confirming previous studies, both alamethicin and gramicidin channels are modulated by changes in lipid bilayer material properties, the changes occurring in parallel yet differing dependent on the property that is being changed; second, isolated, negative-going changes in curvature stabilize the higher current levels in alamethicin channels and destabilize gramicidin channels; third, increases in bilayer elasticity stabilize the higher current levels in alamethicin channels and stabilize gramicidin channels; and fourth, the energetic consequences of changes in elasticity tend to dominate over changes in curvature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA;
| | - Roger E. Koeppe
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA;
| | - Olaf S. Andersen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA;
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4
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Rostovtseva TK, Weinrich M, Jacobs D, Rosencrans WM, Bezrukov SM. Dimeric Tubulin Modifies Mechanical Properties of Lipid Bilayer, as Probed Using Gramicidin A Channel. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2204. [PMID: 38396879 PMCID: PMC10889239 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Using the gramicidin A channel as a molecular probe, we show that tubulin binding to planar lipid membranes changes the channel kinetics-seen as an increase in the lifetime of the channel dimer-and thus points towards modification of the membrane's mechanical properties. The effect is more pronounced in the presence of non-lamellar lipids in the lipid mixture used for membrane formation. To interpret these findings, we propose that tubulin binding redistributes the lateral pressure of lipid packing along the membrane depth, making it closer to the profile expected for lamellar lipids. This redistribution happens because tubulin perturbs the lipid headgroup spacing to reach the membrane's hydrophobic core via its amphiphilic α-helical domain. Specifically, it increases the forces of repulsion between the lipid headgroups and reduces such forces in the hydrophobic region. We suggest that the effect is reciprocal, meaning that alterations in lipid bilayer mechanics caused by membrane remodeling during cell proliferation in disease and development may also modulate tubulin membrane binding, thus exerting regulatory functions. One of those functions includes the regulation of protein-protein interactions at the membrane surface, as exemplified by VDAC complexation with tubulin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana K. Rostovtseva
- Program in Physical Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA (S.M.B.)
| | - Michael Weinrich
- Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899, USA
| | - Daniel Jacobs
- Program in Physical Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA (S.M.B.)
| | - William M. Rosencrans
- Program in Physical Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA (S.M.B.)
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA
| | - Sergey M. Bezrukov
- Program in Physical Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA (S.M.B.)
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Parra LG, Erjavec LC, Casali CI, Zerpa Velazquez A, Weber K, Setton-Avruj CP, Fernández Tome MDC. Cytosolic phospholipase A 2 regulates lipid homeostasis under osmotic stress through PPARγ. FEBS J 2024; 291:722-743. [PMID: 37947039 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
Physiologically, renal medullary cells are surrounded by a hyperosmolar interstitium. However, different pathological situations can induce abrupt changes in environmental osmolality, causing cell stress. Therefore, renal cells must adapt to survive in this new condition. We previously demonstrated that, among the mechanisms involved in osmoprotection, renal cells upregulate triglyceride biosynthesis (which helps preserve glycerophospholipid synthesis and membrane homeostasis) and cyclooxygenase-2 (which generates prostaglandins from arachidonic acid) to maintain lipid metabolism in renal tissue. Herein, we evaluated whether hyperosmolality modulates phospholipase A2 (PLA2 ) activity, leading to arachidonic acid release from membrane glycerophospholipid, and investigated its possible role in hyperosmolality-induced triglyceride synthesis and accumulation. We found that hyperosmolality induced PLA2 expression and activity in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Cytosolic PLA2 (cPLA2) inhibition, but not secreted or calcium-independent PLA2 (sPLA2 or iPLA2 , respectively), prevented triglyceride synthesis and reduced cell survival. Inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis with indomethacin not only failed to prevent hyperosmolality-induced triglyceride synthesis but also exacerbated it. Similar results were observed with the peroxisomal proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonist rosiglitazone. Furthermore, hyperosmolality increased free intracellular arachidonic acid levels, which were even higher when prostaglandin synthesis was inhibited by indomethacin. Blocking PPARγ with GW-9662 prevented the effects of both indomethacin and rosiglitazone on triglyceride synthesis and even reduced hyperosmolality-induced triglyceride synthesis, suggesting that arachidonic acid may stimulate triglyceride synthesis through PPARγ activation. These results highlight the role of cPLA2 in osmoprotection, since it is essential to provide arachidonic acid, which is involved in PPARγ-regulated triglyceride synthesis, thus guaranteeing cell survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Gastón Parra
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas Prof. Dr. Alejandro C. Paladini (IQUIFIB)-Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luciana Cecilia Erjavec
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas Prof. Dr. Alejandro C. Paladini (IQUIFIB)-Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Cecilia Irene Casali
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas Prof. Dr. Alejandro C. Paladini (IQUIFIB)-Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrea Zerpa Velazquez
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Karen Weber
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Clara Patricia Setton-Avruj
- Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas Prof. Dr. Alejandro C. Paladini (IQUIFIB)-Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departaemento de Química Biológica, Cátedra de Química Biológica Patológica, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Del Carmen Fernández Tome
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Cátedra de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Química y Fisicoquímica Biológicas Prof. Dr. Alejandro C. Paladini (IQUIFIB)-Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Sanders G, Borbat PP, Georgieva ER. A comparative study of influenza A M2 protein conformations in DOPC/DOPS liposomes and in native E. coli membranes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.08.574681. [PMID: 38260371 PMCID: PMC10802500 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.08.574681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
We compared the conformations of the transmembrane domain (TMD) of influenza A M2 (IAM2) protein reconstituted at pH 7.4 in DOPC/DOPS bilayers to those in isolated E. coli membranes, having preserved its native proteins and lipids. IAM2 is a single-pass transmembrane protein known to assemble into homo-tetrameric proton channel. To represent this channel, we made a construct containing the IAM2's TMD region flanked by the juxtamembrane residues. The single cysteine substitute, L43C, of leucine located in the bilayer polar region was paramagnetically tagged with a methanethiosulfonate nitroxide label for the ESR (electron spin resonance) study. We compared the conformations of the spin-labeled IAM2 residing in DOPC/DOPS and native E. coli membranes using continuous-wave (CW) ESR and double electron-electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy. The total protein-to-lipid molar ratio spanned the range from 1:230 to 1:10,400⩦ The CW ESR spectra corresponded to a nearly rigid limit spin label dynamics in both environments. In all cases, the DEER data were reconstructed into the distance distributions showing well-resolved peaks at 1.68 nm and 2.37 nm. The peak distance ratio was 1.41±0.2 and the amplitude ratio was 2:1. This is what one expects from four nitroxide spin-labels located at the corners of a square, indicative of an axially symmetric tetramer. Distance modeling of DEER data with molecular modeling software applied to the NMR molecular structures (PDB: 2L0J) confirmed the symmetry and closed state of the C-terminal exit pore of the IAM2 tetramer in agreement with the NMR model. Thus, we can conclude that IAM2 TMD has similar conformations in model and native E. coli membranes of comparable thickness and fluidity, notwithstanding the complexity of the E. coli membranes caused by their lipid diversity and the abundance of integral and peripheral membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Griffin Sanders
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409
| | - Peter P. Borbat
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and ACERT, Cornell University, Ithaca NY 14853
| | - Elka R. Georgieva
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409
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Saija MC, Melcrová A, Pajerski W, Schachter I, Javanainen M, Cebecauer M, Cwiklik L. Palmitoylation modifies transmembrane adaptor protein PAG for ordered lipid environment: A molecular dynamics simulation study. Biophys Chem 2024; 304:107124. [PMID: 37951018 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2023.107124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/13/2023]
Abstract
We employed all-atom MD simulations to investigate the impact of palmitoylation on the PAG transmembrane peptide within various lipid environments, including the less explored boundary region separating lipid-ordered (Lo) and lipid-disordered (Ld) membrane phases. We found that palmitoylation of the peptide reduces its impact on membrane thickness, particularly within the Lo and boundary environments. Despite their hydrophobic nature, the palmitoyl chains on the peptide did not significantly affect the hydration of the surrounding membrane. Interestingly, the boundary membrane environment was found to be especially compatible with the palmitoylated peptide, suggesting its potential for accumulation in phase boundaries. Our findings highlight the importance of understanding how palmitoylation-modified peptides behave within membranes, with crucial implications for cell signaling and membrane organization. This knowledge may also inform the optimization of lipid membrane-based drug delivery systems, by improving our understanding of how drugs and excipients can be most effectively arranged within these carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Chiara Saija
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 182 23 Prague 8, Czech Republic; Department of Physical and Macromolecular Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Hlavova 8, 12800 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Adéla Melcrová
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 182 23 Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Wojciech Pajerski
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 182 23 Prague 8, Czech Republic
| | - Itay Schachter
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic; Institute of Chemistry, The Fritz Haber Research Center, and the Harvey M. Kruger Center for Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Matti Javanainen
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Cebecauer
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 182 23 Prague 8, Czech Republic.
| | - Lukasz Cwiklik
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 182 23 Prague 8, Czech Republic; Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic.
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8
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Blazhynska M, Gumbart JC, Chen H, Tajkhorshid E, Roux B, Chipot C. A Rigorous Framework for Calculating Protein-Protein Binding Affinities in Membranes. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:9077-9092. [PMID: 38091976 PMCID: PMC11145395 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Calculating the binding free energy of integral transmembrane (TM) proteins is crucial for understanding the mechanisms by which they recognize one another and reversibly associate. The glycophorin A (GpA) homodimer, composed of two α-helical segments, has long served as a model system for studying TM protein reversible association. The present work establishes a methodological framework for calculating the binding affinity of the GpA homodimer in the heterogeneous environment of a membrane. Our investigation carefully considered a variety of protocols, including the appropriate choice of the force field, rigorous standardization reflecting the experimental conditions, sampling algorithm, anisotropic environment, and collective variables, to accurately describe GpA dimerization via molecular dynamics-based approaches. Specifically, two strategies were explored: (i) an unrestrained potential mean force (PMF) calculation, which merely enhances sampling along the separation of the two binding partners without any restraint, and (ii) a so-called "geometrical route", whereby the α-helices are progressively separated with imposed restraints on their orientational, positional, and conformational degrees of freedom to accelerate convergence. Our simulations reveal that the simplified, unrestrained PMF approach is inadequate for the description of GpA dimerization. Instead, the geometrical route, tailored specifically to GpA in a membrane environment, yields excellent agreement with experimental data within a reasonable computational time. A dimerization free energy of -10.7 kcal/mol is obtained, in fairly good agreement with available experimental data. The geometrical route further helps elucidate how environmental forces drive association before helical interactions stabilize it. Our simulations also brought to light a distinct, long-lived spatial arrangement that potentially serves as an intermediate state during dimer formation. The methodological advances in the generalized geometrical route provide a powerful tool for accurate and efficient binding-affinity calculations of intricate TM protein complexes in inhomogeneous environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marharyta Blazhynska
- Laboratoire International Associé Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Unité Mixte de Recherche n°7019, Université de Lorraine, B.P. 70239, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy cedex 54506, France
| | - James C Gumbart
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, 837 State Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Haochuan Chen
- Laboratoire International Associé Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Unité Mixte de Recherche n°7019, Université de Lorraine, B.P. 70239, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy cedex 54506, France
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Visualization, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Benoît Roux
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, 929 E. 57th Street W225, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, 5735 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Christophe Chipot
- Laboratoire International Associé Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Unité Mixte de Recherche n°7019, Université de Lorraine, B.P. 70239, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy cedex 54506, France
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Visualization, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, 929 E. 57th Street W225, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hawai'i at Ma̅noa, 2545 McCarthy Mall, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States
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9
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Thakur GCN, Uday A, Jurkiewicz P. FRET-GP - A Local Measure of the Impact of Transmembrane Peptide on Lipids. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2023; 39:18390-18402. [PMID: 38048524 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c02505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/06/2023]
Abstract
Reconstitution of a transmembrane protein in model lipid systems allows studying its structure and dynamics in isolation from the complexity of the natural environment. This approach also provides a well-defined environment for studying the interactions of proteins with lipids. In this work, we describe the FRET-GP method, which utilizes Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to specifically probe the nanoenvironment of a transmembrane domain. The tryptophan residues flanking this domain act as efficient FRET donors, while Laurdan acts as acceptor. The fluorescence of this solvatochromic probe is quantified using generalized polarization (GP) to report on lipid mobility in the vicinity of the transmembrane domain. We applied FRET-GP to study the transmembrane peptide WALP incorporated in liposomes. We found that the direct excitation of Laurdan to its second singlet state strongly contributes to GP values measured in FRET conditions. Removal of this parasitic contribution was essential for proper determination of GPFRET - the local analogue of classical GP parameter. The presence of WALP significantly increased both parameters but the local effects were considerably stronger (GPFRET ≫ GP). We conclude that WALP restricts lipid movement in its vicinity, inducing lateral inhomogeneity in membrane fluidity. WALP was also found to influence lipid phase transition. Our findings demonstrated that FRET-GP simultaneously provides local and global results, thereby enhancing the depth of information obtained from the measurement. We highlight the simplicity and sensitivity of the method, but also discuss its potential and limitations in studying protein-lipid interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garima C N Thakur
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Prague 182 00, Czech Republic
| | - Arunima Uday
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Prague 182 00, Czech Republic
| | - Piotr Jurkiewicz
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Prague 182 00, Czech Republic
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10
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Stankunas E, Köhler A. The interplay of nuclear pores and lipids. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2023; 85:102251. [PMID: 37804774 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2023.102251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/09/2023]
Abstract
Nuclear pore complexes (NPCs) mediate the bidirectional transport of cargo across the nuclear envelope (NE). NPCs are also membrane remodeling machines with a capacity to curve and fuse the membranes of the NE. However, little is known about the interplay of NPCs and lipids at a mechanistic level. A full understanding of NPC structure and function needs to encompass how the NPC shapes membranes and is itself shaped by lipids. Here we attempt to connect recent findings in NPC research with the broader field of membrane biochemistry to illustrate how an interplay between NPCs and lipids may facilitate the conformational plasticity of NPCs and the generation of a unique pore membrane topology. We highlight the need to better understand the NPC's lipid environment and outline experimental avenues towards that goal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edvinas Stankunas
- Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9/3, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, A-1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alwin Köhler
- Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9/3, 1030 Vienna, Austria.
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11
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Zhang G, Odenkirk MT, Janczak CM, Lee R, Richardson K, Wang Z, Aspinwall CA, Marty MT. Identifying Membrane Protein-Lipid Interactions with Lipidomic Lipid Exchange-Mass Spectrometry. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:20859-20867. [PMID: 37700579 PMCID: PMC10540470 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c05883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Lipids can play important roles in modulating membrane protein structure and function. However, it is challenging to identify natural lipids bound to membrane proteins in complex bilayers. Here, we developed lipidomic lipid exchange-mass spectrometry (LX-MS) to study the lipid affinity for membrane proteins on a lipidomic scale. We first mix membrane protein nanodiscs with empty nanodiscs that have no embedded membrane proteins. After allowing lipids to passively exchange between the two populations, we separate the two types of nanodiscs and perform lipidomic analysis on each with liquid chromatography and MS. Enrichment of lipids in the membrane protein nanodiscs reveals the affinity of individual lipids for binding the target membrane protein. We apply this approach to study three membrane proteins. With the Escherichia coli ammonium transporter AmtB and aquaporin AqpZ in nanodiscs with E. coli polar lipid extracts, we detected binding of cardiolipin and phosphatidyl-glycerol lipids to the proteins. With the acetylcholine receptor in nanodiscs with brain polar lipid extracts, we discovered a complex set of lipid interactions that depended on the head group and tail composition. Overall, lipidomic LX-MS provides a detailed understanding of the lipid-binding affinity and thermodynamics for membrane proteins in complex bilayers and provides a unique perspective on the chemical environment surrounding membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guozhi Zhang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Melanie T. Odenkirk
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
- Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | | | - Ray Lee
- Scintillation Nanotechnologies, Inc., Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | | | - Zhihan Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Craig A. Aspinwall
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
- Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Michael T. Marty
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
- Bio5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
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12
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Nakao H, Nagao M, Yamada T, Imamura K, Nozaki K, Ikeda K, Nakano M. Impact of transmembrane peptides on individual lipid motions and collective dynamics of lipid bilayers. Colloids Surf B Biointerfaces 2023; 228:113396. [PMID: 37311269 DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2023.113396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The fluid nature of lipid bilayers is indispensable for the dynamic regulation of protein function and membrane morphology in biological membranes. Membrane-spanning domains of proteins interact with surrounding lipids and alter the physical properties of lipid bilayers. However, there is no comprehensive view of the effects of transmembrane proteins on the membrane's physical properties. Here, we investigated the effects of transmembrane peptides with different flip-flop-promoting abilities on the dynamics of a lipid bilayer employing complemental fluorescence and neutron scattering techniques. The quasi-elastic neutron scattering and fluorescence experiments revealed that lateral diffusion of the lipid molecules and the acyl chain motions were inhibited by the inclusion of transmembrane peptides. The neutron spin-echo spectroscopy measurements indicated that the lipid bilayer became more rigid but more compressible and the membrane viscosity increased when the transmembrane peptides were incorporated into the membrane. These results suggest that the inclusion of rigid transmembrane structures hinders individual and collective lipid motions by slowing down lipid diffusion and increasing interleaflet coupling. The present study provides a clue for understanding how the local interactions between lipids and proteins change the collective dynamics of the lipid bilayers, and therefore, the function of biological membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Nakao
- Department of Biointerface Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Michihiro Nagao
- National Institute of Standards and Technology Center for Neutron Research, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-6102, USA; Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742-2115, USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19716, USA
| | - Takeshi Yamada
- Neutron Science and Technology Center, Comprehensive Research Organization for Science and Society (CROSS), 162-1 Shirakata, Tokai, Naka, Ibaraki 319-1106, Japan
| | - Koki Imamura
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama 930-8555, Japan
| | - Koichi Nozaki
- Graduate School of Science and Engineering, University of Toyama, 3190 Gofuku, Toyama 930-8555, Japan
| | - Keisuke Ikeda
- Department of Biointerface Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
| | - Minoru Nakano
- Department of Biointerface Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Toyama, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan.
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13
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Renart ML, Giudici AM, Coll-Díez C, González-Ros JM, Poveda JA. Anionic Phospholipids Shift the Conformational Equilibrium of the Selectivity Filter in the KcsA Channel to the Conductive Conformation: Predicted Consequences on Inactivation. Biomedicines 2023; 11:biomedicines11051376. [PMID: 37239046 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11051376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we report an allosteric effect of an anionic phospholipid on a model K+ channel, KcsA. The anionic lipid in mixed detergent-lipid micelles specifically induces a change in the conformational equilibrium of the channel selectivity filter (SF) only when the channel inner gate is in the open state. Such change consists of increasing the affinity of the channel for K+, stabilizing a conductive-like form by maintaining a high ion occupancy in the SF. The process is highly specific in several aspects: First, lipid modifies the binding of K+, but not that of Na+, which remains unperturbed, ruling out a merely electrostatic phenomenon of cation attraction. Second, no lipid effects are observed when a zwitterionic lipid, instead of an anionic one, is present in the micelles. Lastly, the effects of the anionic lipid are only observed at pH 4.0, when the inner gate of KcsA is open. Moreover, the effect of the anionic lipid on K+ binding to the open channel closely emulates the K+ binding behaviour of the non-inactivating E71A and R64A mutant proteins. This suggests that the observed increase in K+ affinity caused by the bound anionic lipid should result in protecting the channel against inactivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Lourdes Renart
- IDiBE-Instituto de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación en Biotecnología Sanitaria de Elche, Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - Ana Marcela Giudici
- IDiBE-Instituto de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación en Biotecnología Sanitaria de Elche, Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - Carlos Coll-Díez
- IDiBE-Instituto de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación en Biotecnología Sanitaria de Elche, Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - José M González-Ros
- IDiBE-Instituto de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación en Biotecnología Sanitaria de Elche, Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche, Spain
| | - José A Poveda
- IDiBE-Instituto de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación en Biotecnología Sanitaria de Elche, Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche, Spain
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14
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Morales C, Fernandez M, Ferrer R, Raimunda D, Carrer DC, Bollo M. Ursodeoxycholic Acid Binds PERK and Ameliorates Neurite Atrophy in a Cellular Model of GM2 Gangliosidosis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:7209. [PMID: 37108372 PMCID: PMC10138647 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The Unfolded protein response (UPR), triggered by stress in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), is a key driver of neurodegenerative diseases. GM2 gangliosidosis, which includes Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff disease, is caused by an accumulation of GM2, mainly in the brain, that leads to progressive neurodegeneration. Previously, we demonstrated in a cellular model of GM2 gangliosidosis that PERK, a UPR sensor, contributes to neuronal death. There is currently no approved treatment for these disorders. Chemical chaperones, such as ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), have been found to alleviate ER stress in cell and animal models. UDCA's ability to move across the blood-brain barrier makes it interesting as a therapeutic tool. Here, we found that UDCA significantly diminished the neurite atrophy induced by GM2 accumulation in primary neuron cultures. It also decreased the up-regulation of pro-apoptotic CHOP, a downstream PERK-signaling component. To explore its potential mechanisms of action, in vitro kinase assays and crosslinking experiments were performed with different variants of recombinant protein PERK, either in solution or in reconstituted liposomes. The results suggest a direct interaction between UDCA and the cytosolic domain of PERK, which promotes kinase phosphorylation and dimerization.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Mariana Bollo
- Instituto de Investigación Médica M y M Ferreyra, INIMEC-CONICET, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba 5016, Argentina
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15
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Regulation of membrane protein structure and function by their lipid nano-environment. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2023; 24:107-122. [PMID: 36056103 PMCID: PMC9892264 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-022-00524-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 121.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Transmembrane proteins comprise ~30% of the mammalian proteome, mediating metabolism, signalling, transport and many other functions required for cellular life. The microenvironment of integral membrane proteins (IMPs) is intrinsically different from that of cytoplasmic proteins, with IMPs solvated by a compositionally and biophysically complex lipid matrix. These solvating lipids affect protein structure and function in a variety of ways, from stereospecific, high-affinity protein-lipid interactions to modulation by bulk membrane properties. Specific examples of functional modulation of IMPs by their solvating membranes have been reported for various transporters, channels and signal receptors; however, generalizable mechanistic principles governing IMP regulation by lipid environments are neither widely appreciated nor completely understood. Here, we review recent insights into the inter-relationships between complex lipidomes of mammalian membranes, the membrane physicochemical properties resulting from such lipid collectives, and the regulation of IMPs by either or both. The recent proliferation of high-resolution methods to study such lipid-protein interactions has led to generalizable insights, which we synthesize into a general framework termed the 'functional paralipidome' to understand the mutual regulation between membrane proteins and their surrounding lipid microenvironments.
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16
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Díaz Vázquez G, Cui Q, Senes A. Thermodynamic analysis of the GAS right transmembrane motif supports energetic model of dimerization. Biophys J 2023; 122:143-155. [PMID: 36371634 PMCID: PMC9822795 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.11.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The GASright motif, best known as the fold of the glycophorin A transmembrane dimer, is one of the most common dimerization motifs in membrane proteins, characterized by its hallmark GxxxG-like sequence motifs (GxxxG, AxxxG, GxxxS, and similar). Structurally, GASright displays a right-handed crossing angle and short interhelical distance. Contact between the helical backbones favors the formation of networks of weak hydrogen bonds between Cα-H carbon donors and carbonyl acceptors on opposing helices (Cα-H···O=C). To understand the factors that modulate the stability of GASright, we previously presented a computational and experimental structure-based analysis of 26 predicted dimers. We found that the contributions of van der Waals packing and Cα-H hydrogen bonding to stability, as inferred from the structural models, correlated well with relative dimerization propensities estimated experimentally with the in vivo assay TOXCAT. Here we test this model with a quantitative thermodynamic analysis. We used Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) to determine the free energy of dimerization of a representative subset of seven of the 26 original TOXCAT dimers using FRET. To overcome the technical issue arising from limited sampling of the dimerization isotherm, we introduced a globally fitting strategy across a set of constructs comprising a wide range of stabilities. This strategy yielded precise thermodynamic data that show strikingly good agreement between the original propensities and ΔG° of association in detergent, suggesting that TOXCAT is a thermodynamically driven process. From the correlation between TOXCAT and thermodynamic stability, the predicted free energy for all the 26 GASright dimers was calculated. These energies correlate with the in silico ΔE scores of dimerization that were computed on the basis of their predicted structure. These findings corroborate our original model with quantitative thermodynamic evidence, strengthening the hypothesis that van der Waals and Cα-H hydrogen bond interactions are the key modulators of GASright stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gladys Díaz Vázquez
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin; Biophysics Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Qiang Cui
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Alessandro Senes
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.
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17
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Giri RP, Mukhopadhyay MK. Humidity-Responsive Polymer Cushion-Supported Biomimetic Membrane: A Model System for X-ray Studies. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:15294-15302. [PMID: 36463523 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.2c02533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
An effort aimed at replacing the conventional water column by a relative humidity (RH) environment for structural investigation of a soft polymer cushion-supported model phospholipid membrane has been reported. An RH-responsive well-hydrated polymer cushion layer capable of approximately 2-fold swellability under RH 96% has been employed for phospholipid model membrane fabrication. To validate the proposed method, supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) of phosphocholine and phosphoethanolamine were deposited and structurally characterized at molecular level by the X-ray scattering method. In addition, the molecular interaction of the porphyrin-based hemin molecule, having a drug-like structure, with the supported membrane has been studied for further validation. The swelling behavior of the polymer cushion has been studied at a range of RH values prior to the bilayer deposition. The RH environment, in comparison to the conventional water column, enhanced the dynamic range approximately by 100-fold and the structural resolution by 2-fold. Thus, the bilayer structural features can be assessed without being overwhelmed by the background signals from the traditional water column. This facilitates in extracting reliable layer parameters and exogenous molecule-induced minute changes from the model fit. The proposed method will have far-reaching implications in biosensor engineering, protein-lipid, and drug-lipid interaction studies, X-ray microscopy, imaging, and photon correlation spectroscopy studies from SLBs where acquiring sufficient scattered intensity is still a challenge. This study also predicts that lab-based rotating-anode X-ray instruments can potentially be an alternative to the hard-access synchrotron experiments on biomimetic membranes, keeping the dynamic range and structural resolution uncompromised.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajendra P Giri
- Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, A CI of Homi Bhabha National Institute, Kolkata700064, West Bengal, India
- Institute for Experimental and Applied Physics, Kiel University, 24118Kiel, Germany
| | - Mrinmay K Mukhopadhyay
- Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, A CI of Homi Bhabha National Institute, Kolkata700064, West Bengal, India
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18
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Role of the membrane anchor in the regulation of Lck activity. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102663. [PMID: 36372231 PMCID: PMC9763865 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Theoretical work suggests that collective spatiotemporal behavior of integral membrane proteins should be modulated by boundary lipids sheathing their membrane anchors. Here, we show evidence for this prediction while investigating the mechanism for maintaining a steady amount of the active form of integral membrane protein Lck kinase (LckA) by Lck trans-autophosphorylation regulated by the phosphatase CD45. We used super-resolution microscopy, flow cytometry, and pharmacological and genetic perturbation to gain insight into the spatiotemporal context of this process. We found that LckA is generated exclusively at the plasma membrane, where CD45 maintains it in a ceaseless dynamic equilibrium with its unphosphorylated precursor. Steady LckA shows linear dependence, after an initial threshold, over a considerable range of Lck expression levels. This behavior fits a phenomenological model of trans-autophosphorylation that becomes more efficient with increasing LckA. We then challenged steady LckA formation by genetically swapping the Lck membrane anchor with structurally divergent ones, such as that of Src or the transmembrane domains of LAT, CD4, palmitoylation-defective CD4 and CD45 that were expected to drastically modify Lck boundary lipids. We observed small but significant changes in LckA generation, except for the CD45 transmembrane domain that drastically reduced LckA due to its excessive lateral proximity to CD45. Comprehensively, LckA formation and maintenance can be best explained by lipid bilayer critical density fluctuations rather than liquid-ordered phase-separated nanodomains, as previously thought, with "like/unlike" boundary lipids driving dynamical proximity and remoteness of Lck with itself and with CD45.
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19
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Barrantes FJ. Fluorescence microscopy imaging of a neurotransmitter receptor and its cell membrane lipid milieu. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1014659. [PMID: 36518846 PMCID: PMC9743973 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1014659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Hampered by the diffraction phenomenon, as expressed in 1873 by Abbe, applications of optical microscopy to image biological structures were for a long time limited to resolutions above the ∼200 nm barrier and restricted to the observation of stained specimens. The introduction of fluorescence was a game changer, and since its inception it became the gold standard technique in biological microscopy. The plasma membrane is a tenuous envelope of 4 nm-10 nm in thickness surrounding the cell. Because of its highly versatile spectroscopic properties and availability of suitable instrumentation, fluorescence techniques epitomize the current approach to study this delicate structure and its molecular constituents. The wide spectral range covered by fluorescence, intimately linked to the availability of appropriate intrinsic and extrinsic probes, provides the ability to dissect membrane constituents at the molecular scale in the spatial domain. In addition, the time resolution capabilities of fluorescence methods provide complementary high precision for studying the behavior of membrane molecules in the time domain. This review illustrates the value of various fluorescence techniques to extract information on the topography and motion of plasma membrane receptors. To this end I resort to a paradigmatic membrane-bound neurotransmitter receptor, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). The structural and dynamic picture emerging from studies of this prototypic pentameric ligand-gated ion channel can be extrapolated not only to other members of this superfamily of ion channels but to other membrane-bound proteins. I also briefly discuss the various emerging techniques in the field of biomembrane labeling with new organic chemistry strategies oriented to applications in fluorescence nanoscopy, the form of fluorescence microscopy that is expanding the depth and scope of interrogation of membrane-associated phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J. Barrantes
- Biomedical Research Institute (BIOMED), Catholic University of Argentina (UCA)–National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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20
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Syryamina VN, Afanasyeva EF, Dzuba SA, Formaggio F, De Zotti M. Peptide-membrane binding is not enough to explain bioactivity: A case study. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2022; 1864:183978. [PMID: 35659865 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2022.183978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Membrane-active peptides are a promising class of antimicrobial and anticancer therapeutics. For this reason, their molecular mechanisms of action are currently actively investigated. By exploiting Electron Paramagnetic Resonance, we study the membrane interaction of two spin-labeled analogs of the antimicrobial and cytotoxic peptide trichogin GA IV (Tri), with opposite bioactivity: Tri(Api8), able to selectively kill cancer cells, and Tri(Leu4), which is completely nontoxic. In our attempt to determine the molecular basis of their different biological activity, we investigate peptide impact on the lateral organization of lipid membranes, peptide localization and oligomerization, in the zwitter-ionic 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) model membrane We show that, despite their divergent bioactivity, both peptide analogs (i) are membrane-bound, (ii) display a weak tendency to oligomerization, and (iii) do not induce significant lipid rearrangement. Conversely, literature data show that the parent peptide trichogin, which is cytotoxic without any selectivity, is strongly prone to dimerization and affects the reorganization of POPC membranes. Its dimers are involved in the rotation around the peptide helix, as observed at cryogenic temperatures in the millisecond timescale. Since this latter behavior is not observed for the inactive Tri(Leu4), we propose that for short-length peptides as trichogin oligomerization and molecular motions are crucial for bioactivity, and membrane binding alone is not enough to predict or explain it. We envisage that small changes in the peptide sequence that affect only their ability to oligomerize, or their molecular motions inside the membrane, can tune the peptide activity on membranes of different compositions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria N Syryamina
- Voevodsky Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion, RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russian Federation.
| | - Ekaterina F Afanasyeva
- Voevodsky Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion, RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russian Federation
| | - Sergei A Dzuba
- Voevodsky Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion, RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russian Federation; Department of Physics, Novosibirsk State University,630090 Novosibirsk, Russian Federation
| | - Fernando Formaggio
- ICB-CNR, Padova Unit, Department of Chemistry, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Marta De Zotti
- ICB-CNR, Padova Unit, Department of Chemistry, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy.
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21
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Abstract
SignificanceThe discovery that amphiphilic polymers, similar to phospholipids, can self-assemble to vesicles has inspired numerous applications. For instance, these polymersomes are employed for drug delivery due to their increased chemical and mechanical stability. These polymers can be also mixed with lipids to form the so-called hybrid membranes, which provide further biocompatibility, while new properties emerge. However, the fusion of these hybrids is to date barely explored. Herein, we determined that hybrid vesicles made of poly(dimethylsiloxane)-graft-poly(ethylene oxide) and oppositely charged lipids undergo rapid fusion, surpassing the efficiency in natural membranes. We provide biophysical insights into the mechanism and demonstrate that anionic lipids are not strictly required when the process is employed for the integration of membrane proteins.
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22
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The interaction of steroids with phospholipid bilayers and membranes. Biophys Rev 2021; 14:163-179. [DOI: 10.1007/s12551-021-00918-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
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23
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Mechanisms underlying drug-mediated regulation of membrane protein function. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2113229118. [PMID: 34753824 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2113229118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The hydrophobic coupling between membrane proteins and their host lipid bilayer provides a mechanism by which bilayer-modifying drugs may alter protein function. Drug regulation of membrane protein function thus may be mediated by both direct interactions with the protein and drug-induced alterations of bilayer properties, in which the latter will alter the energetics of protein conformational changes. To tease apart these mechanisms, we examine how the prototypical, proton-gated bacterial potassium channel KcsA is regulated by bilayer-modifying drugs using a fluorescence-based approach to quantify changes in both KcsA function and lipid bilayer properties (using gramicidin channels as probes). All tested drugs inhibited KcsA activity, and the changes in the different gating steps varied with bilayer thickness, suggesting a coupling to the bilayer. Examining the correlations between changes in KcsA gating steps and bilayer properties reveals that drug-induced regulation of membrane protein function indeed involves bilayer-mediated mechanisms. Both direct, either specific or nonspecific, binding and bilayer-mediated mechanisms therefore are likely to be important whenever there is overlap between the concentration ranges at which a drug alters membrane protein function and bilayer properties. Because changes in bilayer properties will impact many diverse membrane proteins, they may cause indiscriminate changes in protein function.
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24
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Kahana A, Maslov S, Lancet D. Dynamic lipid aptamers: non-polymeric chemical path to early life. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 50:11741-11746. [PMID: 34541591 DOI: 10.1039/d1cs00633a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
A widespread dogma asserts that life could not have emerged without biopolymers - RNA and proteins. However, the widely acknowledged implausibility of a spontaneous appearance and proliferation of these complex molecules in primordial messy chemistry casts doubt on this scenario. A proposed alternative is "Lipid-First", based on the evidence that lipid assemblies may spontaneously emerge in heterogeneous environments, and are shown to undergo growth and fission, and to portray autocatalytic self-copying. What seems undecided is whether lipid assemblies have protein-like capacities for stereospecific interactions, a sine qua non of life processes. This Viewpoint aims to alleviate such doubts, pointing to growing experimental evidence that lipid aggregates possess dynamic surface configurations capable of stereospecific molecular recognition. Such findings help support a possible key role of lipids in seeding life's origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Kahana
- Dept. of Molecular Genetics, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
| | - Svetlana Maslov
- Dept. of Molecular Genetics, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
| | - Doron Lancet
- Dept. of Molecular Genetics, the Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel.
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25
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Liu CH, Huang SJ, Yu TY. Cholesterol Modulates the Interaction between HIV-1 Viral Protein R and Membrane. MEMBRANES 2021; 11:784. [PMID: 34677550 PMCID: PMC8539443 DOI: 10.3390/membranes11100784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Being a major metabolite for maintaining cellular homeostasis, as well as an important structural component in lipid membrane, cholesterol also plays critical roles in the life cycles of some viruses, including human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1). The involvement of cholesterol in HIV-1 infectivity, assembly and budding has made it an important research target. Viral protein R (Vpr) is an accessory protein of HIV-1, which is involved in many major events in the life cycle of HIV-1. In addition to its multi-functional roles in the HIV-1 life cycle, it is shown to interact with lipid membrane and form a cation-selective channel. In this work, we examined the effect of cholesterol on the interaction of Vpr and lipid membrane. Using calcein release assay, we found that the membrane permeability induced by the membrane binding of Vpr was significantly reduced in the presence of cholesterol in membrane. In addition, using solid-state NMR (ssNMR) spectroscopy, Vpr was shown to experience multiple chemical environments in lipid membrane, as indicated by the broad line shape of carbonyl 13C resonance of Cys-76 residue ranging from 165-178 ppm, which can be attributed to the existence of complex Vpr-membrane environments. We further showed that the presence of cholesterol in membrane will alter the distribution of Vpr in the complex membrane environments, which may explain the change of the Vpr induced membrane permeability in the presence of cholesterol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Hao Liu
- Chemical Biology and Molecular Biophysics, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan;
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Structural Biology, National Tsing Hua University, Hsin Chu 300044, Taiwan
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Shing-Jong Huang
- Instrumentation Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Tsyr-Yan Yu
- Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
- International Graduate Program of Molecular Science and Technology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
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26
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Ernst M, Robertson JL. The Role of the Membrane in Transporter Folding and Activity. J Mol Biol 2021; 433:167103. [PMID: 34139219 PMCID: PMC8756397 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The synthesis, folding, and function of membrane transport proteins are critical factors for defining cellular physiology. Since the stability of these proteins evolved amidst the lipid bilayer, it is no surprise that we are finding that many of these membrane proteins demonstrate coupling of their structure or activity in some way to the membrane. More and more transporter structures are being determined with some information about the surrounding membrane, and computational modeling is providing further molecular details about these solvation structures. Thus, the field is moving towards identifying which molecular mechanisms - lipid interactions, membrane perturbations, differential solvation, and bulk membrane effects - are involved in linking membrane energetics to transporter stability and function. In this review, we present an overview of these mechanisms and the growing evidence that the lipid bilayer is a major determinant of the fold, form, and function of membrane transport proteins in membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Ernst
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Janice L Robertson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, 660 South Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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27
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Das S, Meinel MK, Wu Z, Müller-Plathe F. The role of the envelope protein in the stability of a coronavirus model membrane against an ethanolic disinfectant. J Chem Phys 2021; 154:245101. [PMID: 34241335 DOI: 10.1063/5.0055331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ethanol is highly effective against various enveloped viruses and can disable the virus by disintegrating the protective envelope surrounding it. The interactions between the coronavirus envelope (E) protein and its membrane environment play key roles in the stability and function of the viral envelope. By using molecular dynamics simulation, we explore the underlying mechanism of ethanol-induced disruption of a model coronavirus membrane and, in detail, interactions of the E-protein and lipids. We model the membrane bilayer as N-palmitoyl-sphingomyelin and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine lipids and the coronavirus E-protein. The study reveals that ethanol causes an increase in the lateral area of the bilayer along with thinning of the bilayer membrane and orientational disordering of lipid tails. Ethanol resides at the head-tail region of the membrane and enhances bilayer permeability. We found an envelope-protein-mediated increase in the ordering of lipid tails. Our simulations also provide important insights into the orientation of the envelope protein in a model membrane environment. At ∼25 mol. % of ethanol in the surrounding ethanol-water phase, we observe disintegration of the lipid bilayer and dislocation of the E-protein from the membrane environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubhadip Das
- Technische Universität Darmstadt, Eduard-Zintl-Institute für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 8, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Melissa K Meinel
- Technische Universität Darmstadt, Eduard-Zintl-Institute für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 8, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Zhenghao Wu
- Technische Universität Darmstadt, Eduard-Zintl-Institute für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 8, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Florian Müller-Plathe
- Technische Universität Darmstadt, Eduard-Zintl-Institute für Anorganische und Physikalische Chemie, Alarich-Weiss-Strasse 8, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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28
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Jodaitis L, van Oene T, Martens C. Assessing the Role of Lipids in the Molecular Mechanism of Membrane Proteins. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7267. [PMID: 34298884 PMCID: PMC8306737 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane proteins have evolved to work optimally within the complex environment of the biological membrane. Consequently, interactions with surrounding lipids are part of their molecular mechanism. Yet, the identification of lipid-protein interactions and the assessment of their molecular role is an experimental challenge. Recently, biophysical approaches have emerged that are compatible with the study of membrane proteins in an environment closer to the biological membrane. These novel approaches revealed specific mechanisms of regulation of membrane protein function. Lipids have been shown to play a role in oligomerization, conformational transitions or allosteric coupling. In this review, we summarize the recent biophysical approaches, or combination thereof, that allow to decipher the role of lipid-protein interactions in the mechanism of membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chloé Martens
- Center for Structural Biology and Bioinformatics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Brussels, Belgium; (L.J.); (T.v.O.)
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29
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Itaya H, Kasahara K, Xie Q, Yano Y, Matsuzaki K, Takahashi T. All-Atom Molecular Dynamics Elucidating Molecular Mechanisms of Single-Transmembrane Model Peptide Dimerization in a Lipid Bilayer. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:11458-11465. [PMID: 34056301 PMCID: PMC8153988 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c00482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions between transmembrane helices are essential elements for membrane protein structures and functions. To understand the effects of peptide sequences and lipid compositions on these interactions, single-molecule experiments using model systems comprising artificial peptides and membranes have been extensively performed. However, their dynamic behavior at the atomic level remains largely unclear. In this study, we applied the all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) method to simulate the interactions of single-transmembrane helical peptide dimers in membrane environments, which has previously been analyzed by single-molecule experiments. The simulations were performed with two peptides (Ala- and Leu-based artificially designed peptides, termed "host peptide", and the host peptide added with the GXXXG motif, termed "GXXXG peptide"), two membranes (pure-POPC and POPC mixed with 30% cholesterols), and two dimer directions (parallel and antiparallel), consistent with those in the previous experiment. As a result, the MD simulations with parallel dimers reproduced the experimentally observed tendency that introducing cholesterols weakened the interactions in the GXXXG dimer and facilitated those in the host dimer. Our simulation suggested that the host dimer formed hydrogen bonds but the GXXXG dimer did not. However, some discrepancies were also observed between the experiments and simulations. Limitations in the space and time scales of simulations restrict the large-scale undulation and peristaltic motions of the membranes, resulting in differences in lateral pressure profiles. This effect could cause a discrepancy in the rotation angles of helices against the membrane normal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayato Itaya
- Graduate
School of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Noji-Higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577, Japan
| | - Kota Kasahara
- College
of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Noji-Higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577, Japan
| | - Qilin Xie
- College
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ritsumeikan
University, 1-1-1 Noji-Higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Yano
- Graduate
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto
University, 46-29 Yoshida-Shimo-Adachi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Katsumi Matsuzaki
- Graduate
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyoto
University, 46-29 Yoshida-Shimo-Adachi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Takuya Takahashi
- College
of Life Sciences, Ritsumeikan University, 1-1-1 Noji-Higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577, Japan
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30
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Chadda R, Bernhardt N, Kelley EG, Teixeira SC, Griffith K, Gil-Ley A, Öztürk TN, Hughes LE, Forsythe A, Krishnamani V, Faraldo-Gómez JD, Robertson JL. Membrane transporter dimerization driven by differential lipid solvation energetics of dissociated and associated states. eLife 2021; 10:63288. [PMID: 33825681 PMCID: PMC8116059 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Over two-thirds of integral membrane proteins of known structure assemble into oligomers. Yet, the forces that drive the association of these proteins remain to be delineated, as the lipid bilayer is a solvent environment that is both structurally and chemically complex. In this study, we reveal how the lipid solvent defines the dimerization equilibrium of the CLC-ec1 Cl-/H+ antiporter. Integrating experimental and computational approaches, we show that monomers associate to avoid a thinned-membrane defect formed by hydrophobic mismatch at their exposed dimerization interfaces. In this defect, lipids are strongly tilted and less densely packed than in the bulk, with a larger degree of entanglement between opposing leaflets and greater water penetration into the bilayer interior. Dimerization restores the membrane to a near-native state and therefore, appears to be driven by the larger free-energy cost of lipid solvation of the dissociated protomers. Supporting this theory, we demonstrate that addition of short-chain lipids strongly shifts the dimerization equilibrium toward the monomeric state, and show that the cause of this effect is that these lipids preferentially solvate the defect. Importantly, we show that this shift requires only minimal quantities of short-chain lipids, with no measurable impact on either the macroscopic physical state of the membrane or the protein's biological function. Based on these observations, we posit that free-energy differentials for local lipid solvation define membrane-protein association equilibria. With this, we argue that preferential lipid solvation is a plausible cellular mechanism for lipid regulation of oligomerization processes, as it can occur at low concentrations and does not require global changes in membrane properties. A cell’s outer membrane is made of molecules called lipids, which band together to form a flexible thin film, just two molecules thick. This membrane is dotted with proteins that transport materials in to and out of cells. Most of these membrane proteins join with other proteins to form structures known as oligomers. Except, how membrane-bound proteins assemble into oligomers – the physical forces driving these molecules to take shape – remains unclear. This is partly because the structural, physical and chemical properties of fat-like lipid membranes are radically different to the cell’s watery interior. Consequently, the conditions under which membrane oligomers form are distinct from those surrounding proteins inside cells. Membrane proteins are also more difficult to study and characterize than water-soluble proteins inside the cell, and yet many therapeutic drugs such as antibiotics specifically target membrane proteins. Overall, our understanding of how the unique properties of lipid membranes affect the formation of protein structures embedded within, is lacking and warrants further investigation. Now, Chadda, Bernhardt et al. focused on one membrane protein, known as CLC, which tends to exist in pairs – or dimers. To understand why these proteins form dimers (a process called dimerization) Chadda, Bernhardt et al. first used computer simulations, and then validated the findings in experimental tests. These complementary approaches demonstrated that the main reason CLC proteins ‘dimerize’ lies in their interaction with the lipid membrane, and not the attraction of one protein to its partner. When CLC proteins are on their own, they deform the surrounding membrane and create structural defects that put the membrane under strain. But when two CLC proteins join as a dimer, this membrane strain disappears – making dimerization the more stable and energetically favorable option. Chadda, Bernhardt et al. also showed that with the addition of a few certain lipids, specifically smaller lipids, cell membranes become more tolerant of protein-induced structural changes. This might explain how cells could use various lipids to fine-tune the activity of membrane proteins by controlling how oligomers form. However, the theory needs to be examined further. Altogether, this work has provided fundamental insights into the physical forces shaping membrane-bound proteins, relevant to researchers studying cell biology and pharmacology alike.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Chadda
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - Nathan Bernhardt
- Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Elizabeth G Kelley
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute for Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, United States
| | - Susana Cm Teixeira
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute for Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, United States.,Center for Neutron Science, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, United States
| | - Kacie Griffith
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
| | - Alejandro Gil-Ley
- Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States.,Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
| | - Tuğba N Öztürk
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - Lauren E Hughes
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
| | - Ana Forsythe
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
| | - Venkatramanan Krishnamani
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Carver College of Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
| | - José D Faraldo-Gómez
- Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Janice L Robertson
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
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31
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Sandor A, Fricker MD, Kriechbaumer V, Sweetlove LJ. IntEResting structures: formation and applications of organized smooth endoplasmic reticulum in plant cells. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 185:550-561. [PMID: 33822222 PMCID: PMC8892044 DOI: 10.1104/pp.20.00719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is an organelle with remarkable plasticity, capable of rapidly changing its structure to accommodate different functions based on intra- and extracellular cues. One of the ER structures observed in plants is known as "organized smooth endoplasmic reticulum" (OSER), consisting of symmetrically stacked ER membrane arrays. In plants, these structures were first described in certain specialized tissues, e.g. the sieve elements of the phloem, and more recently in transgenic plants overexpressing ER membrane resident proteins. To date, much of the investigation of OSER focused on yeast and animal cells but research into plant OSER has started to grow. In this update, we give a succinct overview of research into the OSER phenomenon in plant cells with case studies highlighting both native and synthetic occurrences of OSER. We also assess the primary driving forces that trigger the formation of OSER, collating evidence from the literature to compare two competing theories for the origin of OSER: that OSER formation is initiated by oligomerizing protein accumulation in the ER membrane or that OSER is the result of ER membrane proliferation. This has long been a source of controversy in the field and here we suggest a way to integrate arguments from both sides into a single unifying theory. Finally, we discuss the potential biotechnological uses of OSER as a tool for the nascent plant synthetic biology field with possible applications as a synthetic microdomain for metabolic engineering and as an extensive membrane surface for synthetic chemistry or protein accumulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andras Sandor
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Mark D Fricker
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Verena Kriechbaumer
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Lee J Sweetlove
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RB, UK
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32
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Bozelli JC, Aulakh SS, Epand RM. Membrane shape as determinant of protein properties. Biophys Chem 2021; 273:106587. [PMID: 33865153 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2021.106587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Membrane lipids play a role in the modulation of a variety of biological processes. This is often achieved through fine-tuned changes in membrane physical and chemical properties. While some membrane physical properties (e.g., curvature, lipid domains, fluidity) have received increased scientific attention over the years, only recently has membrane shape emerged as an active modulator of protein properties. Biological membranes are mostly found organized into a lipid bilayer arrangement, in which the spontaneous shape is an intrinsically flat, planar morphology (in relation to the size of proteins). However, it is known that many cells and organelles have non-planar morphologies. In addition, perturbations in membrane morphology occur in a variety of biological processes. Recent studies have shown that membrane shape can modulate a variety of biological processes by determining protein properties. While membrane shape generation modulates proteins via changes in membrane mechanical properties, membrane shape recognition regulates proteins by providing the optimal surface for interaction. Hence, membranes have evolved an elegant mechanism to couple mesoscopic perturbations to molecular properties and vice-versa. In this review, the regulation of the enzymatic properties of two isoforms of mammalian diacylglycerol kinase, which play important roles in cellular signal transductions, will be used to exemplify the recent advancements in the field of membrane shape recognition, as well as future challenges and perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Carlos Bozelli
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Health Sciences Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
| | - Sukhvershjit S Aulakh
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Health Sciences Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Richard M Epand
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Health Sciences Centre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
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33
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Syryamina VN, Sannikova NE, De Zotti M, Gobbo M, Formaggio F, Dzuba SA. Tylopeptin B peptide antibiotic in lipid membranes at low concentrations: Self-assembling, mutual repulsion and localization. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2021; 1863:183585. [PMID: 33640429 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2021.183585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The medium-length peptide Tylopeptin B possesses activity against Gram-positive bacteria. It binds to bacterial membranes altering their mechanical properties and increasing their permeability. This action is commonly related with peptide self-assembling, resulting in the formation of membrane channels. Here, pulsed double electron-electron resonance (DEER) data for spin-labeled Tylopeptin B in palmitoyl-oleoyl-glycero-phosphocholine (POPC) model membrane reveal that peptide self-assembling starts at concentration as low as 0.1 mol%; above 0.2 mol% it attains a saturation-like dependence with a mean number of peptides in the cluster <n> = 3.3. Using the electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) technique, Tylopeptin B molecules are found to possess a planar orientation in the membrane. In the peptide concentration range between 0.1 and 0.2 mol%, DEER data show that the peptide clusters have tendency of mutual repulsion, with a circle of inaccessibility of radius around 20 nm. It may be proposed that within this radius the peptides destabilize the membrane, providing so the peptide antimicrobial activity. Exploiting spin-labeled stearic acids as a model for free fatty acids (FFA), we found that at concentrations of 0.1-0.2 mol% the peptide promotes formation of lipid-mediated FFA clusters; further increase in peptide concentration results in dissipation of these clusters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria N Syryamina
- Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion, RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russian Federation.
| | | | - Marta De Zotti
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Padova Unit, CNR, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Marina Gobbo
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Padova Unit, CNR, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Fernando Formaggio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy; Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Padova Unit, CNR, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Sergei A Dzuba
- Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion, RAS, Novosibirsk 630090, Russian Federation.
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34
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Eid J, Jraij A, Greige-Gerges H, Monticelli L. Effect of quercetin on lipid membrane rigidity: assessment by atomic force microscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. BBA ADVANCES 2021; 1:100018. [PMID: 37082004 PMCID: PMC10074961 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadva.2021.100018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Quercetin (3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyl-flavone) is a natural flavonoid with many valuable biological effects, but its solubility in water is low, posing major limitations in applications. Quercetin encapsulation in liposomes increases its bioavailability; the drug effect on liposome elastic properties is required for formulation development. Here, we quantify the effect of quercetin molecules on the rigidity of lipoid E80 liposomes using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. AFM images show no effect of quercetin molecules on liposomes morphology and structure. However, AFM force curves suggest that quercetin softens lipid membranes; the Young modulus measured for liposomes encapsulating quercetin is smaller than that determined for blank liposomes. We then used MD simulations to interpret the effect of quercetin on membrane rigidity in terms of molecular interactions. The decrease in membrane rigidity was confirmed by the simulations, which also revealed that quercetin affects structural and dynamic properties: membrane thickness is decreased, acyl chains disorder is increased, and diffusion coefficients of lipid molecules are also increased. Such changes appear to be related to the preferential localization of quercetin within the membrane, near the interface between the hydrophobic core and polar head groups of the lipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jad Eid
- Bioactive Molecules Research Laboratory, Doctoral School of Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Sciences, Lebanese University, Lebanon
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), CNRS & Univ. Claude Bernard Lyon I, UMR 5086, Lyon F-69007, France
| | - Alia Jraij
- Bioactive Molecules Research Laboratory, Doctoral School of Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Sciences, Lebanese University, Lebanon
- Corresponding authors.
| | - Hélène Greige-Gerges
- Bioactive Molecules Research Laboratory, Doctoral School of Sciences and Technologies, Faculty of Sciences, Lebanese University, Lebanon
| | - Luca Monticelli
- Molecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry (MMSB), CNRS & Univ. Claude Bernard Lyon I, UMR 5086, Lyon F-69007, France
- Corresponding authors.
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35
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Evans ER, Farnoud AM, O'Brien KM, Crockett EL. Thermal profiles reveal stark contrasts in properties of biological membranes from heart among Antarctic notothenioid fishes which vary in expression of hemoglobin and myoglobin. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2020; 252:110539. [PMID: 33242660 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2020.110539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Antarctic notothenioids are noted for extreme stenothermy, yet underpinnings of their thermal limits are not fully understood. We hypothesized that properties of ventricular membranes could explain previously observed differences among notothenioids in temperature onset of cardiac arrhythmias and persistent asystole. Microsomes were prepared using ventricles from six species of notothenioids, including four species from the hemoglobin-less (Hb-) family Channichthyidae (icefishes), which also differentially express cardiac myoglobin (Mb), and two species from the (Hb+) Nototheniidae. We determined membrane fluidity and structural integrity by quantifying fluorescence depolarization of 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH) and leakage of 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein, respectively, over a temperature range from ambient (0 °C) to 20 °C. Compositions of membrane phospholipids and cholesterol contents were also quantified. Membranes from all four species of icefishes exhibited greater fluidity than membranes from the red-blooded species N. coriiceps. Thermal sensitivity of fluidity did not vary among species. The greatest thermal sensitivity to leakage occurred between 0 and 5 °C for all species, while membranes from the icefish, Chaenocephalus aceratus (Hb-/Mb-) displayed leakage that was nearly 1.5-fold greater than leakage in N. coriiceps (Hb+/Mb+). Contents of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) were approximately 1.5-fold greater in icefishes than in red-blooded fishes, and phospholipids had a higher degree of unsaturation in icefishes than in Hb + notothenioids. Cholesterol contents were lowest in Champsocephalus gunnari (Hb-/Mb-) and highest in the two Hb+/Mb + species, G. gibberifrons and N. coriiceps. Our results reveal marked differences in membrane properties and indicate a breach in membrane fluidity and structural integrity at a lower temperature in icefishes than in red-blooded notothenioids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth R Evans
- Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA
| | - Amir M Farnoud
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA
| | - Kristin M O'Brien
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
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36
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Membrane Curvature Revisited-the Archetype of Rhodopsin Studied by Time-Resolved Electronic Spectroscopy. Biophys J 2020; 120:440-452. [PMID: 33217383 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Revised: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) comprise the largest and most pharmacologically targeted membrane protein family. Here, we used the visual receptor rhodopsin as an archetype for understanding membrane lipid influences on conformational changes involved in GPCR activation. Visual rhodopsin was recombined with lipids varying in their degree of acyl chain unsaturation and polar headgroup size using 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero- and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycerophospholipids with phosphocholine (PC) or phosphoethanolamine (PE) substituents. The receptor activation profile after light excitation was measured using time-resolved ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. We discovered that more saturated POPC lipids back shifted the equilibrium to the inactive state, whereas the small-headgroup, highly unsaturated DOPE lipids favored the active state. Increasing unsaturation and decreasing headgroup size have similar effects that combine to yield control of rhodopsin activation, and necessitate factors beyond proteolipid solvation energy and bilayer surface electrostatics. Hence, we consider a balance of curvature free energy with hydrophobic matching and demonstrate how our data support a flexible surface model (FSM) for the coupling between proteins and lipids. The FSM is based on the Helfrich formulation of membrane bending energy as we previously first applied to lipid-protein interactions. Membrane elasticity and curvature strain are induced by lateral pressure imbalances between the constituent lipids and drive key physiological processes at the membrane level. Spontaneous negative monolayer curvature toward water is mediated by unsaturated, small-headgroup lipids and couples directly to GPCR activation upon light absorption by rhodopsin. For the first time to our knowledge, we demonstrate this modulation in both the equilibrium and pre-equilibrium evolving states using a time-resolved approach.
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de Vlugt JE, Xiao P, Munro R, Charchoglyan A, Brewer D, Al-Abdul-Wahid MS, Brown LS, Ladizhansky V. Identifying lipids tightly bound to an integral membrane protein. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183345. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Revised: 04/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Bozelli JC, Epand RM. Determinants of lipids acyl chain specificity: A tale of two enzymes. Biophys Chem 2020; 265:106431. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2020.106431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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DiPasquale M, Gbadamosi O, Nguyen MHL, Castillo SR, Rickeard BW, Kelley EG, Nagao M, Marquardt D. A Mechanical Mechanism for Vitamin E Acetate in E-cigarette/Vaping-Associated Lung Injury. Chem Res Toxicol 2020; 33:2432-2440. [PMID: 32842741 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.0c00212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The outbreak of electronic-cigarette/vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI) has made thousands ill. This lung injury has been attributed to a physical interaction between toxicants from the vaping solution and the pulmonary surfactant. In particular, studies have implicated vitamin E acetate as a potential instigator of EVALI. Pulmonary surfactant is vital to proper respiration through the mechanical processes of adsorption and interface stability to achieve and maintain low surface tension at the air-liquid interface. Using neutron spin echo spectroscopy, we investigate the impact of vitamin E acetate on the mechanical properties of two lipid-only pulmonary surfactant mimics: pure 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and a more comprehensive lipid mixture. It was found that increasing vitamin E acetate concentration nonlinearly increased membrane fluidity and area compressibility to a plateau. Softer membranes would promote adsorption to the air-liquid interface during inspiration as well as collapse from the interface during expiration. These findings indicate the potential for the failure of the pulmonary surfactant upon expiration, attributed to monolayer collapse. This collapse could contribute to the observed EVALI signs and symptoms, including shortness of breath and pneumonitis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Elizabeth G Kelley
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States
| | - Michihiro Nagao
- NIST Center for Neutron Research, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, United States.,Center for Exploration of Energy and Matter, Department of Physics, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47408, United States.,Department of Physics and AstronomyUniversity of DelawareNewarkDelaware19716United States
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Schachter I, Allolio C, Khelashvili G, Harries D. Confinement in Nanodiscs Anisotropically Modifies Lipid Bilayer Elastic Properties. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:7166-7175. [PMID: 32697588 PMCID: PMC7526989 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c03374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Lipid
nanodiscs are small synthetic lipid bilayer structures that
are stabilized in solution by special circumscribing (or scaffolding)
proteins or polymers. Because they create native-like environments
for transmembrane proteins, lipid nanodiscs have become a powerful
tool for structural determination of this class of systems when combined
with cryo-electron microscopy or nuclear magnetic resonance. The elastic
properties of lipid bilayers determine how the lipid environment responds
to membrane protein perturbations, and how the lipid in turn modifies
the conformational state of the embedded protein. However, despite
the abundant use of nanodiscs in determining membrane protein structure,
the elastic material properties of even pure lipid nanodiscs (i.e.,
without embedded proteins) have not yet been quantitatively investigated.
A major hurdle is due to the inherently nonlocal treatment of the
elastic properties of lipid systems implemented by most existing methods,
both experimental and computational. In addition, these methods are
best suited for very large “infinite” size lipidic assemblies,
or ones that contain periodicity, in the case of simulations. We have
previously described a computational analysis of molecular dynamics
simulations designed to overcome these limitations, so it allows quantification
of the bending rigidity (KC) and tilt
modulus (κt) on a local scale even for finite, nonperiodic
systems, such as lipid nanodiscs. Here we use this computational approach
to extract values of KC and κt for a set of lipid nanodisc systems that vary in size and
lipid composition. We find that the material properties of lipid nanodiscs
are different from those of infinite bilayers of corresponding lipid
composition, highlighting the effect of nanodisc confinement. Nanodiscs
tend to show higher stiffness than their corresponding macroscopic
bilayers, and moreover, their material properties vary spatially within
them. For small-size MSP1 nanodiscs, the stiffness decreases radially,
from a value that is larger in their center than the moduli of the
corresponding bilayers by a factor of ∼2–3. The larger
nanodiscs (MSP1E3D1 and MSP2N2) show milder spatial changes of moduli
that are composition dependent and can be maximal in the center or
at some distance from it. These trends in moduli correlate with spatially
varying structural properties, including the area per lipid and the
nanodisc thickness. Finally, as has previously been reported, nanodiscs
tend to show deformations from perfectly flat circular geometries
to varying degrees, depending on size and lipid composition. The modulations
of lipid elastic properties that we find should be carefully considered
when making structural and functional inferences concerning embedded
proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itay Schachter
- Institute of Chemistry, the Fritz Haber Research Center, and the Harvey M. Kruger center for Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Christoph Allolio
- Institute of Mathematics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University, Prague 18674, Czech Republic
| | - George Khelashvili
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10065, United States.,Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Daniel Harries
- Institute of Chemistry, the Fritz Haber Research Center, and the Harvey M. Kruger center for Nanoscience & Nanotechnology, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
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Radyukhin VA, Baratova LA. Molecular Mechanisms of Raft Organization in Biological Membranes. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s1068162020030164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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Sarmento MJ, Hof M, Šachl R. Interleaflet Coupling of Lipid Nanodomains - Insights From in vitro Systems. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:284. [PMID: 32411705 PMCID: PMC7198703 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The plasma membrane is a complex system, consisting of two layers of lipids and proteins compartmentalized into small structures called nanodomains. Despite the asymmetric composition of both leaflets, coupling between the layers is surprisingly strong. This can be evidenced, for example, by recent experimental studies performed on phospholipid giant unilamellar vesicles showing that nanodomains formed in the outer layer are perfectly registered with those in the inner leaflet. Similarly, microscopic phase separation in one leaflet can induce phase separation in the opposing leaflet that would otherwise be homogeneous. In this review, we summarize the current theoretical and experimental knowledge that led to the current view that domains are – irrespective of their size – commonly registered across the bilayer. Mechanisms inducing registration of nanodomains suggested by theory and calculations are discussed. Furthermore, domain coupling is evidenced by experimental studies based on the sparse number of methods that can resolve registered from independent nanodomains. Finally, implications that those findings using model membrane studies might have for cellular membranes are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria J Sarmento
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova, Prague, Czechia
| | - Martin Hof
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova, Prague, Czechia
| | - Radek Šachl
- J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Dolejškova, Prague, Czechia
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Zhang G, Keener JE, Marty MT. Measuring Remodeling of the Lipid Environment Surrounding Membrane Proteins with Lipid Exchange and Native Mass Spectrometry. Anal Chem 2020; 92:5666-5669. [PMID: 32250609 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c00786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Due to their crucial biochemical roles, membrane proteins are important drug targets. Although it is clear that lipids can influence membrane protein function, the chemistry of lipid binding remains difficult to study because protein-lipid interactions are polydisperse, competitive, and transient. Furthermore, detergents, which are often used to solubilize membrane proteins in micelles, may disrupt lipid interactions that occur in bilayers. Here, we present two new approaches to quantify protein-lipid interactions in bilayers and understand how membrane proteins remodel their surrounding lipid environment. First, we used mass spectrometry (MS) to measure the exchange of lipids between lipoprotein nanodiscs with and without an embedded membrane protein. Shifts in the lipid distribution toward the membrane protein nanodiscs revealed lipid binding, and titrations allowed measurement of the optimal lipid composition for the membrane protein. Second, we used native or nondenaturing MS to ionize membrane protein nanodiscs with heterogeneous lipids. Ejecting the membrane protein complex with bound lipids in the mass spectrometer revealed enrichment of specific lipids around the membrane protein. Both new approaches showed that the E. coli ammonium transporter AmtB prefers phosphatidylglycerol lipids overall but has a minor affinity for phosphatidylcholine lipids.
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Modulation of Function, Structure and Clustering of K + Channels by Lipids: Lessons Learnt from KcsA. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21072554. [PMID: 32272616 PMCID: PMC7177331 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21072554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
KcsA, a prokaryote tetrameric potassium channel, was the first ion channel ever to be structurally solved at high resolution. This, along with the ease of its expression and purification, made KcsA an experimental system of choice to study structure–function relationships in ion channels. In fact, much of our current understanding on how the different channel families operate arises from earlier KcsA information. Being an integral membrane protein, KcsA is also an excellent model to study how lipid–protein and protein–protein interactions within membranes, modulate its activity and structure. In regard to the later, a variety of equilibrium and non-equilibrium methods have been used in a truly multidisciplinary effort to study the effects of lipids on the KcsA channel. Remarkably, both experimental and “in silico” data point to the relevance of specific lipid binding to two key arginine residues. These residues are at non-annular lipid binding sites on the protein and act as a common element to trigger many of the lipid effects on this channel. Thus, processes as different as the inactivation of channel currents or the assembly of clusters from individual KcsA channels, depend upon such lipid binding.
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Abstract
The interactions between lipids and proteins are one of the most fundamental processes in living organisms, responsible for critical cellular events ranging from replication, cell division, signaling, and movement. Enabling the central coupling responsible for maintaining the functionality of the breadth of proteins, receptors, and enzymes that find their natural home in biological membranes, the fundamental mechanisms of recognition of protein for lipid, and vice versa, have been a focal point of biochemical and biophysical investigations for many decades. Complexes of lipids and proteins, such as the various lipoprotein factions, play central roles in the trafficking of important proteins, small molecules and metabolites and are often implicated in disease states. Recently an engineered lipoprotein particle, termed the nanodisc, a modified form of the human high density lipoprotein fraction, has served as a membrane mimetic for the investigation of membrane proteins and studies of lipid-protein interactions. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge regarding this self-assembling lipid-protein complex and provide examples for its utility in the investigation of a large number of biological systems.
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46
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Levental KR, Malmberg E, Symons JL, Fan YY, Chapkin RS, Ernst R, Levental I. Lipidomic and biophysical homeostasis of mammalian membranes counteracts dietary lipid perturbations to maintain cellular fitness. Nat Commun 2020; 11:1339. [PMID: 32165635 PMCID: PMC7067841 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15203-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Proper membrane physiology requires maintenance of biophysical properties, which must be buffered from external perturbations. While homeostatic adaptation of membrane fluidity to temperature variation is a ubiquitous feature of ectothermic organisms, such responsive membrane adaptation to external inputs has not been directly observed in mammals. Here, we report that challenging mammalian membranes by dietary lipids leads to robust lipidomic remodeling to preserve membrane physical properties. Specifically, exogenous polyunsaturated fatty acids are rapidly incorporated into membrane lipids, inducing a reduction in membrane packing. These effects are rapidly compensated both in culture and in vivo by lipidome-wide remodeling, most notably upregulation of saturated lipids and cholesterol, resulting in recovery of membrane packing and permeability. Abrogation of this response results in cytotoxicity when membrane homeostasis is challenged by dietary lipids. These results reveal an essential mammalian mechanism for membrane homeostasis wherein lipidome remodeling in response to dietary lipid inputs preserves functional membrane phenotypes. Proper membrane physiology requires maintenance of a narrow range of physicochemical properties, which must be buffered from external perturbations. Here, authors report lipidomic remodeling to preserve membrane physical properties upon exogenous polyunsaturated fatty acids exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kandice R Levental
- Department of Integrative Biology & Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Eric Malmberg
- Department of Integrative Biology & Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jessica L Symons
- Department of Integrative Biology & Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Yang-Yi Fan
- Program in Integrative Nutrition & Complex Diseases and Department of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Robert S Chapkin
- Program in Integrative Nutrition & Complex Diseases and Department of Nutrition, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Robert Ernst
- Department of Medical Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Medical Faculty, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany
| | - Ilya Levental
- Department of Integrative Biology & Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
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47
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Zhou W, Fiorin G, Anselmi C, Karimi-Varzaneh HA, Poblete H, Forrest LR, Faraldo-Gómez JD. Large-scale state-dependent membrane remodeling by a transporter protein. eLife 2019; 8:50576. [PMID: 31855177 PMCID: PMC6957315 DOI: 10.7554/elife.50576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
That channels and transporters can influence the membrane morphology is increasingly recognized. Less appreciated is that the extent and free-energy cost of these deformations likely varies among different functional states of a protein, and thus, that they might contribute significantly to defining its mechanism. We consider the trimeric Na+-aspartate symporter GltPh, a homolog of an important class of neurotransmitter transporters, whose mechanism entails one of the most drastic structural changes known. Molecular simulations indicate that when the protomers become inward-facing, they cause deep, long-ranged, and yet mutually-independent membrane deformations. Using a novel simulation methodology, we estimate that the free-energy cost of this membrane perturbation is in the order of 6–7 kcal/mol per protomer. Compensating free-energy contributions within the protein or its environment must thus stabilize this inward-facing conformation for the transporter to function. We discuss these striking results in the context of existing experimental observations for this and other transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenchang Zhou
- Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Giacomo Fiorin
- Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Claudio Anselmi
- Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Hossein Ali Karimi-Varzaneh
- Computational Structural Biology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Horacio Poblete
- Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States.,Computational Structural Biology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Lucy R Forrest
- Computational Structural Biology Section, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - José D Faraldo-Gómez
- Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
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Raghunath G, Dyer RB. Kinetics of Histidine-Tagged Protein Association to Nickel-Decorated Liposome Surfaces. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2019; 35:12550-12561. [PMID: 31466440 PMCID: PMC6759406 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.9b01700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Nickel-chelating lipids offer a convenient platform for reversible immobilization of histidine-tagged proteins to liposome surfaces. This interaction recently found utility as a model system for studying membrane remodeling triggered by protein crowding. Despite its wide array of utility, the molecular details of transient protein association to the lipid surfaces decorated with such chelator lipids remains poorly understood. In this study, we explore the kinetics of protein-liposome association across a wide concentration range using stopped-flow fluorescence. The fluorescence of histidine-tagged protein containing an intrinsic fluorophore (superfolder green fluorescent protein, SfGFP) was quenched upon binding to Ni-NTA-modified liposomes containing the quencher Dabsyl-PE lipids. Stopped-flow fluorescence reveals a complex, multiexponential binding behavior with a fast (kobs ∼ 10-20 s-1) phase and slower (kobs < 4 s-1) phase. Interestingly, the observed rates for the slower phase increase initially under low concentrations but start decreasing once a critical concentration is reached. Despite differences in the binding time scales, we observe that the trend of decreasing rates is reproducible irrespective of the chelator lipid doping level, protein surface charge, or lipid composition. Consideration of the protein footprint and membrane surface area occupancy leads us to conclude that the multiphasic binding behavior is reflective of protein binding via two distinct binding conformations. We propose that preliminary steps in protein association involve binding of a sterically occlusive side-on conformation followed by reorganization that leads to an end-on conformation with increased packing density. These results are important for the improvement of histidine-tag-based immobilization strategies and offer mechanistic insight into intermediates preceding membrane bending driven by protein crowding.
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Conrard L, Tyteca D. Regulation of Membrane Calcium Transport Proteins by the Surrounding Lipid Environment. Biomolecules 2019; 9:E513. [PMID: 31547139 PMCID: PMC6843150 DOI: 10.3390/biom9100513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 09/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Calcium ions (Ca2+) are major messengers in cell signaling, impacting nearly every aspect of cellular life. Those signals are generated within a wide spatial and temporal range through a large variety of Ca2+ channels, pumps, and exchangers. More and more evidences suggest that Ca2+ exchanges are regulated by their surrounding lipid environment. In this review, we point out the technical challenges that are currently being overcome and those that still need to be defeated to analyze the Ca2+ transport protein-lipid interactions. We then provide evidences for the modulation of Ca2+ transport proteins by lipids, including cholesterol, acidic phospholipids, sphingolipids, and their metabolites. We also integrate documented mechanisms involved in the regulation of Ca2+ transport proteins by the lipid environment. Those include: (i) Direct interaction inside the protein with non-annular lipids; (ii) close interaction with the first shell of annular lipids; (iii) regulation of membrane biophysical properties (e.g., membrane lipid packing, thickness, and curvature) directly around the protein through annular lipids; and (iv) gathering and downstream signaling of several proteins inside lipid domains. We finally discuss recent reports supporting the related alteration of Ca2+ and lipids in different pathophysiological events and the possibility to target lipids in Ca2+-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Conrard
- CELL Unit, de Duve Institute and Université catholique de Louvain, UCL B1.75.05, avenue Hippocrate, 75, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Donatienne Tyteca
- CELL Unit, de Duve Institute and Université catholique de Louvain, UCL B1.75.05, avenue Hippocrate, 75, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium.
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50
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Prislan I, Lokar M, Zirdum M, Valant J, Poklar Ulrih N. Contribution of headgroup and chain length of glycerophospholipids to thermal stability and permeability of liposomes loaded with calcein. Chem Phys Lipids 2019; 225:104807. [PMID: 31390525 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2019.104807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/31/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Biological membranes are complex systems that are composed of lipids, proteins and carbohydrates. They are difficult to study, so it is established practice to use lipid vesicles that consist of closed 'shells' of phospholipid bilayers as model systems to study various functional and structural aspects of lipid organisation. To define the effects of the structural properties of lipid vesicles on their phase behaviour, we investigated their headgroup and chain length, and the chemical bonds by which their acyl chains are attached to the glycerol moiety of glycerophospholipid species, in terms of phase transition temperature, enthalpy change and calcein permeability. We used differential scanning calorimetry to measure the temperature and enthalpy changes of phase transition, and fluorescence to follow calcein release through the bilayer structure. Our data show that longer acyl chains increase the stability of the lipid bilayers, whereas higher salt concentrations decrease the thermal stability and widen the phase transitions of these lipid bilayers. We discuss the possible reasons for the observed phase transition behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iztok Prislan
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Maruša Lokar
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Martina Zirdum
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Janez Valant
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nataša Poklar Ulrih
- Department of Food Science and Technology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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