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Chng CP, Dowd A, Mechler A, Hsia KJ. Molecular dynamics simulations reliably identify vibrational modes in far-IR spectra of phospholipids. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:18715-18726. [PMID: 38932689 DOI: 10.1039/d4cp00521j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The properties of self-assembled phospholipid membranes are of essential importance in biochemistry and physical chemistry, providing a platform for many cellular life functions. Far-infrared (far-IR) vibrational spectroscopy, on the other hand, is a highly information-rich method to characterize intermolecular interactions and collective behaviour of lipids that can help explain, e.g., chain packing, thermodynamic phase behaviour, and sequestration. However, reliable interpretation of the far-IR spectra is still lacking. Here we present a molecular dynamics (MD) based approach to simulate vibrational modes of individual lipids and in an ensemble. The results are a good match to synchrotron far-IR measurements and enable identification of the molecular motions corresponding to each vibrational mode, thus allowing the correct interpretation of membrane spectra with high accuracy and resolving the longstanding ambiguities in the literature in this regard. Our results demonstrate the feasibility of using MD simulations for interpreting far-IR spectra broadly, opening new avenues for practical use of this powerful method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Choon-Peng Chng
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Republic of Singapore.
| | - Annette Dowd
- School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia
| | - Adam Mechler
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia.
| | - K Jimmy Hsia
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Republic of Singapore.
- School of Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Republic of Singapore
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2
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Singh PK, Sarchet P, Hord C, Casadei L, Pollock R, Prakash S. Mechanical property estimation of sarcoma-relevant extracellular vesicles using transmission electron microscopy. JOURNAL OF EXTRACELLULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 3:e158. [PMID: 38966868 PMCID: PMC11222873 DOI: 10.1002/jex2.158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Analysis of single extracellular vesicles (EVs) has the potential to yield valuable label-free information on their morphological structure, biomarkers and therapeutic targets, though such analysis is hindered by the lack of reliable and quantitative measurements of the mechanical properties of these compliant nanoscale particles. The technical challenge in mechanical property measurements arises from the existing tools and methods that offer limited throughput, and the reported elastic moduli range over several orders of magnitude. Here, we report on a flow-based method complemented by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) imaging to provide a high throughput, whole EV deformation analysis for estimating the mechanical properties of liposarcoma-derived EVs as a function of their size. Our study includes extracting morphological data of EVs from a large dataset of 432 TEM images, with images containing single to multiple EVs, and implementing the thin-shell deformation theory. We estimated the elastic modulus, E = 0.16 ± 0.02 MPa (mean±SE) for small EVs (sEVs; 30-150 nm) and E = 0.17 ± 0.03 MPa (mean±SE) for large EVs (lEVs; >150 nm). To our knowledge, this is the first report on the mechanical property estimation of LPS-derived EVs and has the potential to establish a relationship between EV size and EV mechanical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Premanshu Kumar Singh
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace EngineeringThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
| | - Patricia Sarchet
- Comprehensive Cancer CenterThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
| | - Catherine Hord
- Center for Life Sciences EducationThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
| | - Lucia Casadei
- Comprehensive Cancer CenterThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
| | - Raphael Pollock
- Comprehensive Cancer CenterThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
| | - Shaurya Prakash
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace EngineeringThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
- Comprehensive Cancer CenterThe Ohio State UniversityColumbusOhioUSA
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3
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Moon S, Sut TN, Yoon BK, Jackman JA. Unraveling How Antimicrobial Lipid Mixtures Disrupt Virus-Mimicking Lipid Vesicles: A QCM-D Study. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:67. [PMID: 38392113 PMCID: PMC10887234 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9020067] [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: 11/26/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Single-chain lipid amphiphiles such as fatty acids and monoglycerides are promising antimicrobial alternatives to replace industrial surfactants for membrane-enveloped pathogen inhibition. Biomimetic lipid membrane platforms in combination with label-free biosensing techniques offer a promising route to compare the membrane-disruptive properties of different fatty acids and monoglycerides individually and within mixtures. Until recently, most related studies have utilized planar model membrane platforms, and there is an outstanding need to investigate how antimicrobial lipid mixtures disrupt curved model membrane platforms such as intact vesicle adlayers that are within the size range of membrane-enveloped virus particles. This need is especially evident because certain surfactants that completely disrupt planar/low-curvature membranes are appreciably less active against high-curvature membranes. Herein, we conducted quartz crystal microbalance-dissipation (QCM-D) measurements to investigate the membrane-disruptive properties of glycerol monolaurate (GML) monoglyceride and lauric acid (LA) fatty acid mixtures to rupture high-curvature, ~75 nm diameter lipid vesicle adlayers. We identified that the vesicle rupture activity of GML/LA mixtures mainly occurred above the respective critical micelle concentration (CMC) of each mixture, and that 25/75 mol% GML/LA micelles exhibited the greatest degree of vesicle rupture activity with ~100% efficiency that exceeded the rupture activity of other tested mixtures, individual compounds, and past reported values with industrial surfactants. Importantly, 25/75 GML/LA micelles outperformed 50/50 GML/LA micelles, which were previously reported to have the greatest membrane-disruptive activity towards planar model membranes. We discuss the mechanistic principles behind how antimicrobial lipid engineering can influence membrane-disruptive activity in terms of optimizing the balance between competitive membrane remodeling processes and inducing anisotropic vs. isotropic spontaneous curvature in lipid membrane systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suji Moon
- School of Chemical Engineering and Translational Nanobioscience Research Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Tun Naw Sut
- School of Chemical Engineering and Translational Nanobioscience Research Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo Kyeong Yoon
- School of Healthcare and Biomedical Engineering, Chonnam National University, Yeosu 59626, Republic of Korea
| | - Joshua A Jackman
- School of Chemical Engineering and Translational Nanobioscience Research Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
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4
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Xu J, Karra V, Large DE, Auguste DT, Hung FR. Understanding the Mechanical Properties of Ultradeformable Liposomes Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:9496-9512. [PMID: 37879075 PMCID: PMC10641833 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c04386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Improving drug delivery efficiency to solid tumor sites is a central challenge in anticancer therapeutic research. Our previous experimental study (Guo et al., Nat. Commun. 2018, 9, 130) showed that soft, elastic liposomes had increased uptake and accumulation in cancer cells and tumors in vitro and in vivo respectively, relative to rigid particles. As a first step toward understanding how liposomes' molecular structure and composition modulates their elasticity, we performed all-atom and coarse-grained classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of lipid bilayers formed by mixing a long-tailed unsaturated phospholipid with a short-tailed saturated lipid with the same headgroup. The former types of phospholipids considered were 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) and 1,2-dipalmitoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (termed here DPMPC). The shorter saturated lipids examined were 1,2-diheptanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DHPC), 1,2-didecanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DDPC), 1,2-dilauroyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DLPC), and 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC). Several lipid concentrations and surface tensions were considered. Our results show that DOPC or DPMPC systems having 25-35 mol % of the shortest lipids DHPC or DDPC are the least rigid, having area compressibility moduli KA that are ∼10% smaller than the values observed in pure DOPC or DPMPC bilayers. These results agree with experimental measurements of the stretching modulus and lysis tension in liposomes with the same compositions. These mixed systems also have lower areas per lipid and form more uneven x-y interfaces with water, the tails of both primary and secondary lipids are more disordered, and the terminal methyl groups in the tails of the long lipid DOPC or DPMPC wriggle more in the vertical direction, compared to pure DOPC or DPMPC bilayers or their mixtures with the longer saturated lipid DLPC or DMPC. These observations confirm our hypothesis that adding increasing concentrations of the short unsaturated lipid DHPC or DDPC to DOPC or DPMPC bilayers alters lipid packing and thus makes the resulting liposomes more elastic and less rigid. No formation of lipid nanodomains was noted in our simulations, and no clear trends were observed in the lateral diffusivities of the lipids as the concentration, type of secondary lipid, and surface tension were varied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaming Xu
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Vyshnavi Karra
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Danielle E. Large
- Department
of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Debra T. Auguste
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Department
of Bioengineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Francisco R. Hung
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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5
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Chng CP, Hsia KJ, Huang C. Modulation of lipid vesicle-membrane interactions by cholesterol. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:7752-7761. [PMID: 36093613 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00693f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Nanoscale lipid vesicles are attractive vehicles for drug delivery. Although often considered as soft nanoparticles in terms of mechanical deformability, the fluidic nature of the lipid membrane makes their interactions with another lipid membrane much more complex. Cholesterol is a key molecule that not only effectively stiffens lipid bilayer membranes but also induces membrane fusion. As such, how cholesterol modulates lipid vesicle-membrane interactions during endocytosis remains elusive. Through systematic molecular dynamics simulations, we find that membrane stiffening upon incorporating cholesterol reduces vesicle wrapping by a planar membrane, hindering endocytosis. Membrane fusion is also accelerated when either the vesicle or the planar membrane is cholesterol-rich, but fusion becomes minimal when both the vesicle and planar membrane are cholesterol-rich. This study provides insights into vesicle-membrane interactions in the presence of cholesterol and enlightens how cholesterol may be used to direct the cellular uptake pathways of nanoliposomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Choon-Peng Chng
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Republic of Singapore.
| | - K Jimmy Hsia
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Republic of Singapore.
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Republic of Singapore
| | - Changjin Huang
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Republic of Singapore.
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6
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Larsen AH. Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Curved Lipid Membranes. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:8098. [PMID: 35897670 PMCID: PMC9331392 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells contain membranes with various curvatures, from the near-plane plasma membrane to the highly curved membranes of organelles, vesicles, and membrane protrusions. These curvatures are generated and sustained by curvature-inducing proteins, peptides, and lipids, and describing these mechanisms is an important scientific challenge. In addition to that, some molecules can sense membrane curvature and thereby be trafficked to specific locations. The description of curvature sensing is another fundamental challenge. Curved lipid membranes and their interplay with membrane-associated proteins can be investigated with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Various methods for simulating curved membranes with MD are discussed here, including tools for setting up simulation of vesicles and methods for sustaining membrane curvature. The latter are divided into methods that exploit scaffolding virtual beads, methods that use curvature-inducing molecules, and methods applying virtual forces. The variety of simulation tools allow researcher to closely match the conditions of experimental studies of membrane curvatures.
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7
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Chen L, Zhao H, Xue S, Chen K, Zhang Y. Effection of Lactic Acid Dissociation on Swelling-Based Short-Chain Fatty Acid Vesicles Nano-Delivery. Foods 2022; 11:foods11111630. [PMID: 35681380 PMCID: PMC9180077 DOI: 10.3390/foods11111630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Functionalized small-molecule assemblies can exhibit nano-delivery properties that significantly improve the bioavailability of bioactive molecules. This study explored the self-assembly of short-chain fatty acids (FA, Cn < 8) to form novel biomimetic nanovesicles as delivery systems. Lactic acid is involved in the regulation of multiple signaling pathways in cancer metabolism, and the dissociation of lactic acid (LA) is used to regulate the delivery effect of short-chain fatty acid vesicles. The study showed that the dissociation of lactic acid caused pH changes in the solution environment inducing hydrogen ion permeability leading to rapid osmotic expansion and shape transformation of FA vesicles. The intrinsic features of FA vesicle formation in the LA environment accompanied by hydrogen ion fluctuations, and the appearance of nearly spherical vesicles were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). Compared with the vesicle membrane built by surfactants, the FA/LA composite system showed higher permeability and led to better membrane stability and rigidity. Finally, membrane potential studies with the IEC cell model demonstrate that lactate dissociation capacity can effectively increase the cellular adsorption of FA vesicles. Altogether, these results prove that FA vesicles can function as a stand-alone delivery system and also serve as potential development strategies for applications in a lactate environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lichun Chen
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-137-7757-7107; Fax: +86-571-2800-8902
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8
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Moon S, Yoon BK, Jackman JA. Effect of Membrane Curvature Nanoarchitectonics on Membrane-Disruptive Interactions of Antimicrobial Lipids and Surfactants. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2022; 38:4606-4616. [PMID: 35389653 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c03384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Single-chain lipid amphiphiles such as fatty acids and monoglycerides along with structurally related surfactants have received significant attention as membrane-disrupting antimicrobials to inhibit bacteria and viruses. Such promise has motivated deeper exploration of how these compounds disrupt phospholipid membranes, and the membrane-mimicking, supported lipid bilayer (SLB) platform has provided a useful model system to evaluate corresponding mechanisms of action and potency levels. Even so, it remains largely unknown how biologically relevant membrane properties, such as sub-100 nm membrane curvature, might affect these membrane-disruptive interactions, especially from a nanoarchitectonics perspective. Herein, using the quartz crystal microbalance-dissipation (QCM-D) technique, we fabricated intact vesicle adlayers composed of different-size vesicles (70 or 120 nm diameter) with varying degrees of membrane curvature on a titanium oxide surface and tracked changes in vesicle adlayer properties upon adding lauric acid (LA), glycerol monolaurate (GML), or sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Above their critical micelle concentration (CMC) values, LA and GML caused QCM-D measurement shifts associated with tubule- and bud-like formation, respectively, and both compounds interacted similarly with small (high curvature) and large (low curvature) vesicles. In marked contrast, SDS exhibited distinct interactions with small and large vesicles. For large vesicles, SDS caused nearly complete membrane solubilization in a CMC-independent manner, whereas SDS was largely ineffective at solubilizing small vesicles at all tested concentrations. We rationalize these experimental observations by taking into account the interplay of the headgroup properties of LA, GML, and SDS and curvature-induced membrane geometry, and our findings demonstrate that membrane curvature nanoarchitectonics can strongly influence the membrane interaction profiles of antimicrobial lipids and surfactants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suji Moon
- School of Chemical Engineering and Translational Nanobioscience Research Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
| | - Bo Kyeong Yoon
- School of Healthcare and Biomedical Engineering, Chonnam National University, Yeosu 59626, Republic of Korea
| | - Joshua A Jackman
- School of Chemical Engineering and Translational Nanobioscience Research Center, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
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9
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Tran TM, Chng CP, Pu X, Ma Z, Han X, Liu X, Yang L, Huang C, Miao Y. Potentiation of plant defense by bacterial outer membrane vesicles is mediated by membrane nanodomains. THE PLANT CELL 2022; 34:395-417. [PMID: 34791473 PMCID: PMC8846181 DOI: 10.1093/plcell/koab276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are released from the outer membranes of Gram-negative bacteria during infection and modulate host immunity during host-pathogen interactions. The mechanisms by which OMVs are perceived by plants and affect host immunity are unclear. Here, we used the pathogen Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris to demonstrate that OMV-plant interactions at the Arabidopsis thaliana plasma membrane (PM) modulate various host processes, including endocytosis, innate immune responses, and suppression of pathogenesis by phytobacteria. The lipid phase of OMVs is highly ordered and OMVs directly insert into the Arabidopsis PM, thereby enhancing the plant PM's lipid order; this also resulted in strengthened plant defenses. Strikingly, the integration of OMVs into the plant PM is host nanodomain- and remorin-dependent. Using coarse-grained simulations of molecular dynamics, we demonstrated that OMV integration into the plant PM depends on the membrane lipid order. Our computational simulations further showed that the saturation level of the OMV lipids could fine-tune the enhancement of host lipid order. Our work unraveled the mechanisms underlying the ability of OMVs produced by a plant pathogen to insert into the host PM, alter host membrane properties, and modulate plant immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuan Minh Tran
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551
| | - Choon-Peng Chng
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798
| | - Xiaoming Pu
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551
| | - Zhiming Ma
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551
| | - Xiao Han
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551
| | - Xiaolin Liu
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551
| | - Liang Yang
- Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Sciences Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, China
| | - Changjin Huang
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459
| | - Yansong Miao
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637551
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10
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Chng CP, Cho NJ, Hsia KJ, Huang C. Role of Membrane Stretch in Adsorption of Antiviral Peptides onto Lipid Membranes and Membrane Pore Formation. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2021; 37:13390-13398. [PMID: 34724382 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.1c02067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Many medically important viruses are enveloped viruses, which are surrounded by a structurally conserved, host-derived lipid membrane coating. Agents that target and disrupt this membrane coating could potentially function as broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. The amphipathic α-helical (AH) peptide derived from the N-terminus of the hepatitis C virus NS5A protein is one such candidate and has been demonstrated to be able to selectively rupture lipid vesicles in the size range of viruses (<160 nm diameter). However, the mechanism underlying this membrane curvature selectivity remains elusive. In this study, we have performed molecular dynamics simulations to study the binding of the AH peptide to model membranes that are stretched to resemble the looser lipid headgroup packing present on highly curved outer membranes of nanoscale vesicles. We found that the AH peptide binds more favorably to membranes that are stretched. In addition, a tetrameric placement of peptides across the membrane induced stable pore formation in the stretched membrane. Thus, our results suggest that the AH peptide senses the high curvature of nanoscale vesicles via the enhanced exposure of lipid packing defects induced by membrane area strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Choon-Peng Chng
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Republic of Singapore
| | - Nam-Joon Cho
- School of Materials Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637553, Republic of Singapore
- China-Singapore International Joint Research Institute (CSIJRI), Guangzhou 510000, P. R. China
| | - K Jimmy Hsia
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Republic of Singapore
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Republic of Singapore
| | - Changjin Huang
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Republic of Singapore
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11
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Pezeshkian W, Marrink SJ. Simulating realistic membrane shapes. Curr Opin Cell Biol 2021; 71:103-111. [PMID: 33721706 DOI: 10.1016/j.ceb.2021.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Biological membranes exhibit diversity in their shapes and complexity in chemical compositions that are linked to many cellular functions. These two central features of biomembranes have been the subject of numerous simulation studies, using a diverse range of computational techniques. Currently, the field is able to capture this complexity at increasing levels of realism and connect the microscopic view on protein-lipid interactions to cellular morphologies at the level of entire organelles. Here we highlight recent advances in this topic, identify current bottlenecks, and sketch possible ways ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weria Pezeshkian
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Siewert J Marrink
- Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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12
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Chng CP, Sadovsky Y, Hsia KJ, Huang C. Site-Specific Peroxidation Modulates Lipid Bilayer Mechanics. EXTREME MECHANICS LETTERS 2021; 42:101148. [PMID: 33748376 PMCID: PMC7978408 DOI: 10.1016/j.eml.2020.101148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Peroxidation of plasma membranes, characterized by oxidative attack of lipidic carbon-carbon double-bonds in unsaturated fatty acids, has been identified as an important biochemical event in multiple pathological conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases, atherosclerosis, diabetes, preeclampsia, aging, cancer, etc. Changes to the lipid bilayer structure as a result of lipid peroxidation may lead to lipid membrane malfunction, and consequently initiate further downstream biochemical cascades. However, how lipid peroxidation modulates the mechanical properties of lipid membranes remains largely controversial. In this study, we investigate the peroxidation of lipids with polyunsaturated fatty acid tails using molecular dynamics simulations. By systematically varying the oxidation site, we find that lipid peroxidation alters the biophysical properties of bilayer membrane in a peroxidation site-specific manner. Specifically, our results suggest that peroxidation at sites in the bilayer interior disturbs and softens the membrane, whereas peroxidation at sites near the membrane-water interface results in a more ordered and stiffer membrane. Such a peroxidation site-specific modulation of lipid membrane mechanics provides an explanation for the contradictory results obtained in previous experiments. Our study paves the way for an improved understanding of the initiation of the downstream cellular dysfunction caused by lipid peroxidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Choon-Peng Chng
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Republic of Singapore
| | - Yoel Sadovsky
- Magee-Womens Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - K. Jimmy Hsia
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Republic of Singapore
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Republic of Singapore
- Corresponding authors: and
| | - Changjin Huang
- School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Republic of Singapore
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 637459, Republic of Singapore
- Corresponding authors: and
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