1
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Su R, Wang S, McDargh Z, O'Shaughnessy B. Three membrane fusion pore families determine the pathway to pore dilation. Biophys J 2023; 122:3986-3998. [PMID: 37644721 PMCID: PMC10560699 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.08.021] [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: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
During exocytosis secretory vesicles fuse with a target membrane and release neurotransmitters, hormones, or other bioactive molecules through a membrane fusion pore. The initially small pore may subsequently dilate for full contents release, as commonly observed in amperometric traces. The size, shape, and evolution of the pore is critical to the course of contents release, but exact fusion pore solutions accounting for membrane tension and bending energy constraints have not been available. Here, we obtained exact solutions for fusion pores between two membranes. We find three families: a narrow pore, a wide pore, and an intermediate tether-like pore. For high tensions these are close to the catenoidal and tether solutions recently reported for freely hinged membrane boundaries. We suggest membrane fusion initially generates a stable narrow pore, and the dilation pathway is a transition to the stable wide pore family. The unstable intermediate pore is the transition state that sets the energy barrier for this dilation pathway. Pore dilation is mechanosensitive, as the energy barrier is lowered by increased membrane tension. Finally, we study fusion pores in nanodiscs, powerful systems for the study of individual pores. We show that nanodiscs stabilize fusion pores by locking them into the narrow pore family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Su
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York City, New York
| | - Shuyuan Wang
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York City, New York; Department of Physics, Columbia University, New York City, New York
| | - Zachary McDargh
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York City, New York
| | - Ben O'Shaughnessy
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York City, New York.
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2
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Beaven AH, Sapp K, Sodt AJ. Simulated dynamic cholesterol redistribution favors membrane fusion pore constriction. Biophys J 2023; 122:2162-2175. [PMID: 36588341 PMCID: PMC10257089 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.12.024] [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: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Endo- and exocytosis proceed through a highly strained membrane fusion pore topology regardless of the aiding protein machinery. The membrane's lipid components bias fusion pores toward expansion or closure, modifying the necessary work done by proteins. Cholesterol, a key component of plasma membranes, promotes both inverted lipid phases with concave leaflets (i.e., negative total curvature, which thins the leaflet) and flat bilayer phases with thick, ordered hydrophobic interiors. We demonstrate by theory and simulation that both leaflets of nascent catenoidal fusion pores have negative total curvature. Furthermore, the hydrophobic core of bilayers with strong negative Gaussian curvature is thinned. Therefore, it is an open question whether cholesterol will be enriched in these regions because of the negative total curvature or depleted because of the membrane thinning. Here, we compare all-atom molecular dynamics simulations (built using a procedure to create specific fusion pore geometries) and theory to understand the underlying reasons for lipid redistribution on fusion pores. Our all-atom molecular dynamics simulations resolve this question by showing that cholesterol is strongly excluded from the thinned neck of fusion and fission pores, revealing that thickness (and/or lipid order) influences cholesterol distributions more than curvature. The results imply that cholesterol exclusion can drive fusion pore closure by creating a small, cholesterol-depleted zone in the neck. This model agrees with literature evidence that membrane reshaping is connected to cholesterol-dependent lateral phase separation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew H Beaven
- Unit on Membrane Chemical Physics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Postdoctoral Research Associate Program, National Institute of General Medical Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Kayla Sapp
- Unit on Membrane Chemical Physics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Alexander J Sodt
- Unit on Membrane Chemical Physics, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
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3
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Di Bartolo AL, Tomes CN, Mayorga LS, Masone D. Enhanced Expansion and Reduced Kiss-and-Run Events in Fusion Pores Steered by Synaptotagmin-1 C2B Domains. J Chem Theory Comput 2022; 18:4544-4554. [PMID: 35759758 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c00424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The fusion pore controls the release of exocytotic vesicle contents through a precise orchestration of lipids from the fusing membranes and proteins. There is a major lipid reorganization during the different stages in life of the fusion pore (membrane fusion, nucleation, and expansion) that can be scrutinized thermodynamically. In this work, using umbrella sampling simulations we describe the expansion of the fusion pore. We have calculated free energy profiles to drive a nascent, just nucleated, fusion pore to its expanded configuration. We have quantified the effects on the free energy of one and two Synaptotagmin-1 C2B domains in the cytosolic space. We show that C2B domains cumulatively reduce the cost for expansion, favoring the system to evolve toward full fusion. Finally, by conducting thousands of unbiased molecular dynamics simulations, we show that C2B domains significantly decrease the probability of kiss-and-run events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ary Lautaro Di Bartolo
- Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza (IHEM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (UNCuyo), 5500 Mendoza, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (UNCuyo), 5500 Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Claudia N Tomes
- Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza (IHEM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (UNCuyo), 5500 Mendoza, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (UNCuyo), 5500 Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Luis S Mayorga
- Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza (IHEM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (UNCuyo), 5500 Mendoza, Argentina.,Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (UNCuyo), 5500 Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Diego Masone
- Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza (IHEM), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (UNCuyo), 5500 Mendoza, Argentina.,Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (UNCuyo), 5500 Mendoza, Argentina
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4
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Xie Y, Qu X, Li J, Li D, Wei W, Hui D, Zhang Q, Meng F, Yin H, Xu X, Wang Y, Wang L, Zhou Z. Ultrafast physical bacterial inactivation and photocatalytic self-cleaning of ZnO nanoarrays for rapid and sustainable bactericidal applications. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 738:139714. [PMID: 32531587 PMCID: PMC7266591 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Various nanostructured surfaces have been developed recently to physically inactivate bacteria, for reducing the rapidly spreading threat of pathogenic bacteria. However, it generally takes several hours for these surfaces to inactivate most of the bacteria, which greatly limits their application in the fields favoring rapid bactericidal performance. Besides, the accumulated bacteria debris left on these surfaces is rarely discussed in the previous reports. Herein we report the nanotip-engineered ZnO nanoarrays (NAs) with ultrafast physical bactericidal rate and the ability to photocatalytically remove the bacteria debris. Neither chemical (Zn2+ or reactive oxygen species) nor photocatalytic effect leads to the ultrafast bactericidal rate, where 97.5% of E. coli and 94.9% of S. aureus are inactivated within only 1 min. The simulation analysis further supported our proposed mechanism attributing the ultrafast bactericidal activity to the great stress enabled by the uneven topography. Moreover, the re-exposure of the ZnO NAs nanotips can be achieved in only 10 min under a mild UV light source. This study not only presents an ultrafast physical bactericidal activity, but also demonstrates the potential of the recyclable and photocatalytic self-cleaning functions of theses surfaces for applications that desire rapid and sustainable bactericidal performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Xie
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
| | - Xi Qu
- Beijing Space Technology Research and Test Center, China Academy of Space Technology, Beijing 100094, China
| | - Jinyang Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China.
| | - Da Li
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
| | - Wei Wei
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
| | - David Hui
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148, USA
| | - Qiao Zhang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
| | - Fanbin Meng
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
| | - Hong Yin
- Shenzhou Space Biology Science and Technology (Group) Co., Ltd., Beijing 100190, China
| | - Xiaoling Xu
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
| | - Yong Wang
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
| | - Li Wang
- Qian Xuesen Laboratory of Space Technology, Beijing 100094, China.
| | - Zuowan Zhou
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies of Materials (Ministry of Education), Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China.
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5
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Jackson MB, Hsiao YT, Chang CW. Fusion Pore Expansion and Contraction during Catecholamine Release from Endocrine Cells. Biophys J 2020; 119:219-231. [PMID: 32562620 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2020.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 04/26/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Amperometry recording reveals the exocytosis of catecholamine from individual vesicles as a sequential process, typically beginning slowly with a prespike foot, accelerating sharply to initiate a spike, reaching a peak, and then decaying. This complex sequence reflects the interplay between diffusion, flux through a fusion pore, and possibly dissociation from a vesicle's dense core. In an effort to evaluate the impacts of these factors, a model was developed that combines diffusion with flux through a static pore. This model accurately recapitulated the rapid phase of a spike but generated relations between spike shape parameters that differed from the relations observed experimentally. To explore the possible role of fusion pore dynamics, a transformation of amperometry current was introduced that yields fusion pore permeability divided by vesicle volume (g/V). Applying this transform to individual fusion events yielded a highly characteristic time course. g/V initially tracks the current, increasing ∼15-fold from the prespike foot to the spike peak. After the peak, g/V unexpectedly declines and settles into a plateau that indicates the presence of a stable postspike pore. g/V of the postspike pore varies greatly between events and has an average that is ∼3.5-fold below the peak value and ∼4.5-fold above the prespike value. The postspike pore persists and is stable for tens of milliseconds, as long as catecholamine flux can be detected. Applying the g/V transform to rare events with two peaks revealed a stepwise increase in g/V during the second peak. The g/V transform offers an interpretation of amperometric current in terms of fusion pore dynamics and provides a, to our knowledge, new frameworkfor analyzing the actions of proteins that alter spike shape. The stable postspike pore follows from predictions of lipid bilayer elasticity and offers an explanation for previous reports of prolonged hormone retention within fusing vesicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meyer B Jackson
- University of Wisconsin Medical School, Department of Neuroscience, Madison, Wisconsin.
| | - Yu-Tien Hsiao
- University of Wisconsin Medical School, Department of Neuroscience, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Che-Wei Chang
- University of Wisconsin Medical School, Department of Neuroscience, Madison, Wisconsin; Gladstone Research Institute, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
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6
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Abstract
Biological transmission of vesicular content occurs by opening of a fusion pore. Recent experimental observations have illustrated that fusion pores between vesicles that are docked by an extended flat contact zone are located at the edge (vertex) of this zone. We modeled this experimentally observed scenario by coarse-grained molecular simulations and elastic theory. This revealed that fusion pores experience a direct attraction toward the vertex. The size adopted by the resulting vertex pore strongly depends on the apparent contact angle between the adhered vesicles even in the absence of membrane surface tension. Larger contact angles substantially increase the equilibrium size of the vertex pore. Because the cellular membrane fusion machinery actively docks membranes, it facilitates a collective expansion of the contact zone and increases the contact angle. In this way, the fusion machinery can drive expansion of the fusion pore by free energy equivalents of multiple tens of kBT from a distance and not only through the fusion proteins that reside within the fusion pore.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgar M Blokhuis
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC) , Leiden University , 2333 CD Leiden , The Netherlands
| | - Massimo D'Agostino
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology , University of Naples Federico II , 80138 Naples , Italy
| | - Andreas Mayer
- Département de Biochimie , Université de Lausanne , CH-1015 Epalinges , Switzerland
| | - H Jelger Risselada
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry (LIC) , Leiden University , 2333 CD Leiden , The Netherlands
- Department of Theoretical Physics , Georg-August University of Goettingen , 37077 Goettingen , Germany
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7
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Marrink SJ, Corradi V, Souza PC, Ingólfsson HI, Tieleman DP, Sansom MS. Computational Modeling of Realistic Cell Membranes. Chem Rev 2019; 119:6184-6226. [PMID: 30623647 PMCID: PMC6509646 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 422] [Impact Index Per Article: 84.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cell membranes contain a large variety of lipid types and are crowded with proteins, endowing them with the plasticity needed to fulfill their key roles in cell functioning. The compositional complexity of cellular membranes gives rise to a heterogeneous lateral organization, which is still poorly understood. Computational models, in particular molecular dynamics simulations and related techniques, have provided important insight into the organizational principles of cell membranes over the past decades. Now, we are witnessing a transition from simulations of simpler membrane models to multicomponent systems, culminating in realistic models of an increasing variety of cell types and organelles. Here, we review the state of the art in the field of realistic membrane simulations and discuss the current limitations and challenges ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siewert J. Marrink
- Groningen
Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute & Zernike Institute
for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Valentina Corradi
- Centre
for Molecular Simulation and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Paulo C.T. Souza
- Groningen
Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute & Zernike Institute
for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Helgi I. Ingólfsson
- Biosciences
and Biotechnology Division, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, California 94550, United States
| | - D. Peter Tieleman
- Centre
for Molecular Simulation and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Mark S.P. Sansom
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QU, U.K.
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8
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Enkavi G, Javanainen M, Kulig W, Róg T, Vattulainen I. Multiscale Simulations of Biological Membranes: The Challenge To Understand Biological Phenomena in a Living Substance. Chem Rev 2019; 119:5607-5774. [PMID: 30859819 PMCID: PMC6727218 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Biological membranes are tricky to investigate. They are complex in terms of molecular composition and structure, functional over a wide range of time scales, and characterized by nonequilibrium conditions. Because of all of these features, simulations are a great technique to study biomembrane behavior. A significant part of the functional processes in biological membranes takes place at the molecular level; thus computer simulations are the method of choice to explore how their properties emerge from specific molecular features and how the interplay among the numerous molecules gives rise to function over spatial and time scales larger than the molecular ones. In this review, we focus on this broad theme. We discuss the current state-of-the-art of biomembrane simulations that, until now, have largely focused on a rather narrow picture of the complexity of the membranes. Given this, we also discuss the challenges that we should unravel in the foreseeable future. Numerous features such as the actin-cytoskeleton network, the glycocalyx network, and nonequilibrium transport under ATP-driven conditions have so far received very little attention; however, the potential of simulations to solve them would be exceptionally high. A major milestone for this research would be that one day we could say that computer simulations genuinely research biological membranes, not just lipid bilayers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giray Enkavi
- Department
of Physics, University of
Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Matti Javanainen
- Department
of Physics, University of
Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy
of Sciences, Flemingovo naḿesti 542/2, 16610 Prague, Czech Republic
- Computational
Physics Laboratory, Tampere University, P.O. Box 692, FI-33014 Tampere, Finland
| | - Waldemar Kulig
- Department
of Physics, University of
Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tomasz Róg
- Department
of Physics, University of
Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Computational
Physics Laboratory, Tampere University, P.O. Box 692, FI-33014 Tampere, Finland
| | - Ilpo Vattulainen
- Department
of Physics, University of
Helsinki, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
- Computational
Physics Laboratory, Tampere University, P.O. Box 692, FI-33014 Tampere, Finland
- MEMPHYS-Center
for Biomembrane Physics
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9
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Muller MP, Jiang T, Sun C, Lihan M, Pant S, Mahinthichaichan P, Trifan A, Tajkhorshid E. Characterization of Lipid-Protein Interactions and Lipid-Mediated Modulation of Membrane Protein Function through Molecular Simulation. Chem Rev 2019; 119:6086-6161. [PMID: 30978005 PMCID: PMC6506392 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.8b00608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
The cellular membrane constitutes one of the most fundamental compartments of a living cell, where key processes such as selective transport of material and exchange of information between the cell and its environment are mediated by proteins that are closely associated with the membrane. The heterogeneity of lipid composition of biological membranes and the effect of lipid molecules on the structure, dynamics, and function of membrane proteins are now widely recognized. Characterization of these functionally important lipid-protein interactions with experimental techniques is however still prohibitively challenging. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations offer a powerful complementary approach with sufficient temporal and spatial resolutions to gain atomic-level structural information and energetics on lipid-protein interactions. In this review, we aim to provide a broad survey of MD simulations focusing on exploring lipid-protein interactions and characterizing lipid-modulated protein structure and dynamics that have been successful in providing novel insight into the mechanism of membrane protein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie P. Muller
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- College of Medicine
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Tao Jiang
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Chang Sun
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Muyun Lihan
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Shashank Pant
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Paween Mahinthichaichan
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Anda Trifan
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Bioinformatics, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
- Department of Biochemistry
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology
- College of Medicine
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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10
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Molecular mechanism of fusion pore formation driven by the neuronal SNARE complex. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:12751-12756. [PMID: 30482862 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1816495115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Release of neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles begins with a narrow fusion pore, the structure of which remains unresolved. To obtain a structural model of the fusion pore, we performed coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of fusion between a nanodisc and a planar bilayer bridged by four partially unzipped SNARE complexes. The simulations revealed that zipping of SNARE complexes pulls the polar C-terminal residues of the synaptobrevin 2 and syntaxin 1A transmembrane domains to form a hydrophilic core between the two distal leaflets, inducing fusion pore formation. The estimated conductances of these fusion pores are in good agreement with experimental values. Two SNARE protein mutants inhibiting fusion experimentally produced no fusion pore formation. In simulations in which the nanodisc was replaced by a 40-nm vesicle, an extended hemifusion diaphragm formed but a fusion pore did not, indicating that restricted SNARE mobility is required for rapid fusion pore formation. Accordingly, rapid fusion pore formation also occurred in the 40-nm vesicle system when SNARE mobility was restricted by external forces. Removal of the restriction is required for fusion pore expansion.
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11
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Abstract
Cui reflects on new coarse-grained simulations demonstrating that mitochondrial ATP synthase dimers spontaneously self-associate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Cui
- Departments of Chemistry, Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA
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12
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Membrane proteins structures: A review on computational modeling tools. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2017; 1859:2021-2039. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2017.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Revised: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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13
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Abstract
Exocytosis is an important cellular process controlled by metabolic signaling. It involves vesicle fusion to the plasma membrane, followed by the opening of a fusion pore, and the subsequent release of the vesicular lumen content into the extracellular space. While most modeling efforts focus on the events leading to membrane fusion, how the vesicular membrane remodels after fusing to plasma membrane remains unclear. This latter event dictates the nature and the efficiency of exocytotic vesicular secretions, and is thus critical for exocytotic function. We provide a generic membrane mechanical model to systematically study the fate of post-fusion vesicles. We show that while membrane stiffness favors full-collapse vesicle fusion into the plasma membrane, the intravesicular pressure swells the vesicle and causes the fusion pore to shrink. Dimensions of the vesicle and its associated fusion pore further modulate this mechanical antagonism. We systematically define the mechanical conditions that account for the full spectrum of the observed vesicular secretion modes. Our model therefore can serve as a unified theoretical framework that sheds light on the elaborate control mechanism of exocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Stephens
- Biochemistry and Biophysics Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, United States of America. Equal contribution
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14
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Chang CW, Chiang CW, Jackson MB. Fusion pores and their control of neurotransmitter and hormone release. J Gen Physiol 2017; 149:301-322. [PMID: 28167663 PMCID: PMC5339513 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201611724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2016] [Revised: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chang et al. review fusion pore structure and dynamics and discuss the implications for hormone and neurotransmitter release Ca2+-triggered exocytosis functions broadly in the secretion of chemical signals, enabling neurons to release neurotransmitters and endocrine cells to release hormones. The biological demands on this process can vary enormously. Although synapses often release neurotransmitter in a small fraction of a millisecond, hormone release can be orders of magnitude slower. Vesicles usually contain multiple signaling molecules that can be released selectively and conditionally. Cells are able to control the speed, concentration profile, and content selectivity of release by tuning and tailoring exocytosis to meet different biological demands. Much of this regulation depends on the fusion pore—the aqueous pathway by which molecules leave a vesicle and move out into the surrounding extracellular space. Studies of fusion pores have illuminated how cells regulate secretion. Furthermore, the formation and growth of fusion pores serve as a readout for the progress of exocytosis, thus revealing key kinetic stages that provide clues about the underlying mechanisms. Herein, we review the structure, composition, and dynamics of fusion pores and discuss the implications for molecular mechanisms as well as for the cellular regulation of neurotransmitter and hormone release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Che-Wei Chang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705
| | - Chung-Wei Chiang
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705
| | - Meyer B Jackson
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705
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15
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Göpfrich K, Li CY, Ricci M, Bhamidimarri S, Yoo J, Gyenes B, Ohmann A, Winterhalter M, Aksimentiev A, Keyser UF. Large-Conductance Transmembrane Porin Made from DNA Origami. ACS NANO 2016; 10:8207-14. [PMID: 27504755 PMCID: PMC5043419 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.6b03759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/09/2016] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
DNA nanotechnology allows for the creation of three-dimensional structures at nanometer scale. Here, we use DNA to build the largest synthetic pore in a lipid membrane to date, approaching the dimensions of the nuclear pore complex and increasing the pore-area and the conductance 10-fold compared to previous man-made channels. In our design, 19 cholesterol tags anchor a megadalton funnel-shaped DNA origami porin in a lipid bilayer membrane. Confocal imaging and ionic current recordings reveal spontaneous insertion of the DNA porin into the lipid membrane, creating a transmembrane pore of tens of nanosiemens conductance. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations characterize the conductance mechanism at the atomic level and independently confirm the DNA porins' large ionic conductance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Göpfrich
- Cavendish
Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | - Chen-Yu Li
- Center
for the Physics of Living Cells, Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, 1110 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Maria Ricci
- Cavendish
Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | | | - Jejoong Yoo
- Center
for the Physics of Living Cells, Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, 1110 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Bertalan Gyenes
- Cavendish
Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander Ohmann
- Cavendish
Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | | | - Aleksei Aksimentiev
- Center
for the Physics of Living Cells, Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, 1110 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Ulrich F. Keyser
- Cavendish
Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
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Argudo D, Bethel NP, Marcoline FV, Grabe M. Continuum descriptions of membranes and their interaction with proteins: Towards chemically accurate models. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2016; 1858:1619-34. [PMID: 26853937 PMCID: PMC4877259 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2016.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2015] [Revised: 01/30/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Biological membranes deform in response to resident proteins leading to a coupling between membrane shape and protein localization. Additionally, the membrane influences the function of membrane proteins. Here we review contributions to this field from continuum elastic membrane models focusing on the class of models that couple the protein to the membrane. While it has been argued that continuum models cannot reproduce the distortions observed in fully-atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we suggest that this failure can be overcome by using chemically accurate representations of the protein. We outline our recent advances along these lines with our hybrid continuum-atomistic model, and we show the model is in excellent agreement with fully-atomistic simulations of the nhTMEM16 lipid scramblase. We believe that the speed and accuracy of continuum-atomistic methodologies will make it possible to simulate large scale, slow biological processes, such as membrane morphological changes, that are currently beyond the scope of other computational approaches. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Membrane Proteins edited by J.C. Gumbart and Sergei Noskov.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Argudo
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States
| | - Neville P Bethel
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States
| | - Frank V Marcoline
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States
| | - Michael Grabe
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, United States.
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17
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Ryham RJ, Klotz TS, Yao L, Cohen FS. Calculating Transition Energy Barriers and Characterizing Activation States for Steps of Fusion. Biophys J 2016; 110:1110-24. [PMID: 26958888 PMCID: PMC4788739 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Revised: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We use continuum mechanics to calculate an entire least energy pathway of membrane fusion, from stalk formation, to pore creation, and through fusion pore enlargement. The model assumes that each structure in the pathway is axially symmetric. The static continuum stalk structure agrees quantitatively with experimental stalk architecture. Calculations show that in a stalk, the distal monolayer is stretched and the stored stretching energy is significantly less than the tilt energy of an unstretched distal monolayer. The string method is used to determine the energy of the transition barriers that separate intermediate states and the dynamics of two bilayers as they pass through them. Hemifusion requires a small amount of energy independently of lipid composition, while direct transition from a stalk to a fusion pore without a hemifusion intermediate is highly improbable. Hemifusion diaphragm expansion is spontaneous for distal monolayers containing at least two lipid components, given sufficiently negative diaphragm spontaneous curvature. Conversely, diaphragms formed from single-component distal monolayers do not expand without the continual injection of energy. We identify a diaphragm radius, below which central pore expansion is spontaneous. For larger diaphragms, prior studies have shown that pore expansion is not axisymmetric, and here our calculations supply an upper bound for the energy of the barrier against pore formation. The major energy-requiring deformations in the steps of fusion are: widening of a hydrophobic fissure in bilayers for stalk formation, splay within the expanding hemifusion diaphragm, and fissure widening initiating pore formation in a hemifusion diaphragm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rolf J Ryham
- Department of Mathematics, Fordham University, Bronx, New York.
| | - Thomas S Klotz
- Department of Computational and Applied Mathematics, Rice University, Houston, Texas
| | - Lihan Yao
- Department of Mathematics, Fordham University, Bronx, New York
| | - Fredric S Cohen
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Physiology, Rush University, Chicago, Illinois
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Fuhrmans M, Marelli G, Smirnova YG, Müller M. Mechanics of membrane fusion/pore formation. Chem Phys Lipids 2015; 185:109-28. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2014.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2014] [Revised: 07/07/2014] [Accepted: 07/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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19
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Latorraca NR, Callenberg KM, Boyle JP, Grabe M. Continuum approaches to understanding ion and peptide interactions with the membrane. J Membr Biol 2014; 247:395-408. [PMID: 24652510 PMCID: PMC4096575 DOI: 10.1007/s00232-014-9646-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2013] [Accepted: 02/22/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Experimental and computational studies have shown that cellular membranes deform to stabilize the inclusion of transmembrane (TM) proteins harboring charge. Recent analysis suggests that membrane bending helps to expose charged and polar residues to the aqueous environment and polar head groups. We previously used elasticity theory to identify membrane distortions that minimize the insertion of charged TM peptides into the membrane. Here, we extend our work by showing that it also provides a novel, computationally efficient method for exploring the energetics of ion and small peptide penetration into membranes. First, we show that the continuum method accurately reproduces energy profiles and membrane shapes generated from molecular simulations of bare ion permeation at a fraction of the computational cost. Next, we demonstrate that the dependence of the ion insertion energy on the membrane thickness arises primarily from the elastic properties of the membrane. Moreover, the continuum model readily provides a free energy decomposition into components not easily determined from molecular dynamics. Finally, we show that the energetics of membrane deformation strongly depend on membrane patch size both for ions and peptides. This dependence is particularly strong for peptides based on simulations of a known amphipathic, membrane binding peptide from the human pathogen Toxoplasma gondii. In total, we address shortcomings and advantages that arise from using a variety of computational methods in distinct biological contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naomi R Latorraca
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, 4249 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
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Qi Y, Cheng X, Han W, Jo S, Schulten K, Im W. CHARMM-GUI PACE CG Builder for solution, micelle, and bilayer coarse-grained simulations. J Chem Inf Model 2014; 54:1003-9. [PMID: 24624945 PMCID: PMC3985889 DOI: 10.1021/ci500007n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Coarse-grained
(CG) and multiscale simulations are widely used
to study large biological systems. However, preparing the simulation
system is time-consuming when the system has multiple components,
because each component must be arranged carefully as in protein/micelle
or protein/bilayer systems. We have developed CHARMM-GUI PACE
CG Builder for building solution, micelle, and bilayer systems
using the PACE force field, a united-atom (UA) model for proteins,
and the Martini CG force field for water, ions, and lipids. The robustness
of PACE CG Builder is validated by simulations of various systems
in solution (α3D, fibronectin, and lysozyme), micelles (Pf1,
DAP12-NKG2C, OmpA, and DHPC-only micelle), and bilayers (GpA, OmpA,
VDAC, MscL, OmpF, and lipid-only bilayers for six lipids). The micelle’s
radius of gyration, the bilayer thickness, and the per-lipid area
in bilayers are comparable to the values from previous all-atom and
CG simulations. Most tested proteins have root-mean squared deviations
of less than 3 Å. We expect PACE CG Builder to be a useful tool
for modeling/refining large, complex biological systems at the mixed
UA/CG level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifei Qi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences and Center for Bioinformatics, The University of Kansas , 2030 Becker Drive, Lawrence, Kansas 66047, United States
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21
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Ryham RJ, Ward MA, Cohen FS. Teardrop shapes minimize bending energy of fusion pores connecting planar bilayers. PHYSICAL REVIEW. E, STATISTICAL, NONLINEAR, AND SOFT MATTER PHYSICS 2013; 88:062701. [PMID: 24483480 PMCID: PMC4343043 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.88.062701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2013] [Revised: 09/09/2013] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
A numerical gradient flow procedure was devised to characterize minimal energy shapes of fusion pores connecting two parallel planar bilayer membranes. Pore energy, composed of splay, tilt, and stretching, was obtained by modeling each bilayer as two monolayers and treating each monolayer of a bilayer membrane as a freely deformable surface described with a mean lipid orientation field. Voids between the two monolayers were prevented by a steric penalty formulation. Pore shapes were assumed to possess both axial and reflectional symmetry. For fixed pore radius and bilayer separation, the gradient flow procedure was applied to initially toroidal pore shapes. Using initially elliptical pore shapes yielded the same final shape. The resulting minimal pore shapes and energies were analyzed as a function of pore dimension and lipid composition. Previous studies either assumed or confined pore shapes, thereby tacitly supplying an unspecified amount of energy to maintain shape. The shapes derived in the present study were outputs of calculations and an externally provided energy was not supplied. Our procedure therefore yielded energy minima significantly lower than those reported in prior studies. The membrane of minimal energy pores bowed outward near the pore lumen, yielding a pore length that exceeded the distance between the two fusing membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rolf J Ryham
- Department of Mathematics, Fordham University, 441 E. Fordham Road, Bronx, New York 10458, USA
| | - Mark A Ward
- Department of Mathematics, Fordham University, 441 E. Fordham Road, Bronx, New York 10458, USA
| | - Fredric S Cohen
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Physiology, Rush University Medical Center, 1750 W. Harrison St., Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA
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