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Shuto Y, Walinda E, Morimoto D, Sugase K. Conformational Fluctuations and Induced Orientation of a Protein, Its Solvation Shell, and Bulk Water in Weak Non-Unfolding External Electric Fields. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:7417-7430. [PMID: 37587419 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c01683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Extreme external electric fields have been reported to disrupt the tertiary structure of stably folded proteins; however, the effects of weaker electric fields on many biomolecules, especially net-uncharged proteins, and on the surrounding aqueous environment have been rarely discussed. To explore these effects at the atomic level, here, we have used molecular dynamics simulations to estimate rotational motion and induced structural fluctuations in the model protein ubiquitin and its hydration layer due to applied non-unfolding electrostatic fields. When exposed to weak electric fields of up to 0.2 V nm-1, ubiquitin displayed competition between internal structure-maintaining molecular interactions and the external orienting force, which disrupted the local structure in certain regions of the protein. Moreover, relative to hydration water, bulk water showed a greater tendency to align with the electric field, indicating that the presence of protein caused hydration water to acquire rotational mobility different from that in a pure-water system. The differential influence of the applied electric field on the hydration and bulk water surrounding ubiquitin will be common to almost all (nonmembrane) biomacromolecules. Our findings highlight the importance of local dipoles and their electric polarizability even in net-uncharged biomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Shuto
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, N346 Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Erik Walinda
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Yoshida Konoe-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Daichi Morimoto
- Department of Molecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto-Daigaku Katsura, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan
| | - Kenji Sugase
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, N346 Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
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Nikolaev DM, Mironov VN, Shtyrov AA, Kvashnin ID, Mereshchenko AS, Vasin AV, Panov MS, Ryazantsev MN. Fluorescence Imaging of Cell Membrane Potential: From Relative Changes to Absolute Values. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032435. [PMID: 36768759 PMCID: PMC9916766 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane potential is a fundamental property of biological cells. Changes in membrane potential characterize a vast number of vital biological processes, such as the activity of neurons and cardiomyocytes, tumorogenesis, cell-cycle progression, etc. A common strategy to record membrane potential changes that occur in the process of interest is to utilize organic dyes or genetically-encoded voltage indicators with voltage-dependent fluorescence. Sensors are introduced into target cells, and alterations of fluorescence intensity are recorded with optical methods. Techniques that allow recording relative changes of membrane potential and do not take into account fluorescence alterations due to factors other than membrane voltage are already widely used in modern biological and biomedical studies. Such techniques have been reviewed previously in many works. However, in order to investigate a number of processes, especially long-term processes, the measured signal must be corrected to exclude the contribution from voltage-independent factors or even absolute values of cell membrane potential have to be evaluated. Techniques that enable such measurements are the subject of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitrii M. Nikolaev
- Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnologies, Peter the Great Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University, 29 Polytechnicheskaya str., 195251 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Nanotechnology Research and Education Centre RAS, Saint Petersburg Academic University, 8/3 Khlopina str., 194021 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Vladimir N. Mironov
- Nanotechnology Research and Education Centre RAS, Saint Petersburg Academic University, 8/3 Khlopina str., 194021 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Andrey A. Shtyrov
- Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnologies, Peter the Great Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University, 29 Polytechnicheskaya str., 195251 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Nanotechnology Research and Education Centre RAS, Saint Petersburg Academic University, 8/3 Khlopina str., 194021 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Iaroslav D. Kvashnin
- Nanotechnology Research and Education Centre RAS, Saint Petersburg Academic University, 8/3 Khlopina str., 194021 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Andrey S. Mereshchenko
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint Petersburg State University, 26 Universitetskii pr, 198504 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Andrey V. Vasin
- Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnologies, Peter the Great Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University, 29 Polytechnicheskaya str., 195251 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Maxim S. Panov
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint Petersburg State University, 26 Universitetskii pr, 198504 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Center for Biophysical Studies, Saint Petersburg State Chemical Pharmaceutical University, 14 Professor Popov str., lit. A, 197022 Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Mikhail N. Ryazantsev
- Nanotechnology Research and Education Centre RAS, Saint Petersburg Academic University, 8/3 Khlopina str., 194021 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint Petersburg State University, 26 Universitetskii pr, 198504 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Correspondence:
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