ABC lipid transporters: extruders, flippases, or flopless activators?

Two stages of substrate discrimination dictate selectivity in the E. coli MetNI-Q ABC transporter system

The Escherichia coli MetNI-Q importer, an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter, mediates the uptake of both L- and D- enantiomers of methionine. Original in vivo uptake studies show a strong preference for L-Met over D-Met, but the molecular basis of this selectivity is unclear. In this work, we systematically examine substrate discrimination by the MetNI transporter and MetQ substrate binding protein using an array of biophysical and biochemical techniques. Based on the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of individual intermediates in the transport cycle, we uncover multiple steps in the transport cycle that confer substrate specificity. As in many other ABC importer systems, selectivity is applied at the level of binding to the substrate binding protein: MetQ dictates a 1,000-fold preference for L-Met over D-Met. However, beyond this initial level of selectivity, MetQ displays distinct binding preferences for the MetNI transporter depending on the substrate. We propose that the differences in binding affinities reflect the more favored release of L-Met into the permeation pathway when compared to D-Met. In support of this model, under saturating conditions, MetNI transports L-Met across the lipid bilayer at a faster rate than D-Met. Interestingly, the ATPase activity of the MetNI-Q complex is not modulated by the presence of substrate. Our studies reveal that the MetNI-Q system incorporates two separate steps in tuning methionine uptake to substrate chirality and availability. This method of discrimination ensures the import of the most biologically preferred substrate while also allowing for adaptability to more limiting nutrient conditions.

An in-depth examination of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) effects on transporters, with emphasis on the ABC superfamily: A critical review

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) substances are a type of chemical compound unique for their multiple carbon-fluorine bonds, imbuing them with strength and environmental permanence. While legacy substances have been phased out due to human health risks, short-chain and alternative PFAS remain omnipresent. However, a detailed explanation for the pathways through which PFAS interact on a cellular and molecular level is still largely unknown, and the human health effects remain mechanistically unexplained. Of particular interest when focusing on this topic are the interactions between these exogenous chemicals and plasma and membrane proteins. Such proteins include serum albumin which can transport PFAS throughout the body, solute carrier proteins (SLC) and ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters which are able to move PFAS into and out of cells, and proteins and nuclear receptors which interact with PFAS intracellularly. ABC transporters as a family have little available human data despite being responsible for the export of endogenous substances and drugs throughout the body. The multifactorial regulation of these crucial transporters is affected directly and indirectly by PFAS. Changes, which can include alterations to membrane transport activity and differences in protein expression, vary greatly depending on the specific PFAS and protein of interest. Together, the myriad of changes caused by understudied PFAS exposure to a class of understudied proteins crucial to cellular function and drug treatments has not been fully explored regarding human health and presents room for further exploration. This critical work aims to provide a novel framework of existing human data on PFAS and ABC transporters, allowing for future advancement and investigation into human transporter activity, mechanisms of regulation, and interactions with emerging contaminants.

Extracellular vesicles in malaria: Pathogenesis, diagnosis and therapy

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites from the genus Plasmodium. Five species can cause malaria in humans, with Plasmodium vivax being the most common in many countries and Plasmodium falciparum having the highest lethality, which can lead to cerebral malaria. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are in focus in malaria research to better understand pathogenesis, diagnosis, therapy, and prognosis. Malaria-causing parasites use EVs to transfer their molecules to host cells, a mechanism that significantly contributes to parasite survival and successful infection. EVs have thus emerged as an essential component of the immunopathological cascade of malaria, playing a pivotal role in disease progression and severity. This chapter discusses the epidemiology and pathogenesis of malaria and the role of EVs as new diagnostic and therapeutic tools, emphasizing their potential clinical significance.

Cadmium transport by mammalian ATP-binding cassette transporters

Cellular responses to toxic metals depend on metal accessibility to intracellular targets, reaching interaction sites, and the intracellular metal concentration, which is mainly determined by uptake pathways, binding/sequestration and efflux pathways. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are ubiquitous in the human body-usually in epithelia-and are responsible for the transfer of indispensable physiological substrates (e.g. lipids and heme), protection against potentially toxic substances, maintenance of fluid composition, and excretion of metabolic waste products. Derailed regulation and gene variants of ABC transporters culminate in a wide array of pathophysiological disease states, such as oncogenic multidrug resistance or cystic fibrosis. Cadmium (Cd) has no known physiological role in mammalians and poses a health risk due to its release into the environment as a result of industrial activities, and eventually passes into the food chain. Epithelial cells, especially within the liver, lungs, gastrointestinal tract and kidneys, are particularly susceptible to the multifaceted effects of Cd because of the plethora of uptake pathways available. Pertinent to their broad substrate spectra, ABC transporters represent a major cellular efflux pathway for Cd and Cd complexes. In this review, we summarize current knowledge concerning transport of Cd and its complexes (mainly Cd bound to glutathione) by the ABC transporters ABCB1 (P-glycoprotein, MDR1), ABCB6, ABCC1 (multidrug resistance related protein 1, MRP1), ABCC7 (cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator, CFTR), and ABCG2 (breast cancer related protein, BCRP). Potential detoxification strategies underlying ABC transporter-mediated efflux of Cd and Cd complexes are discussed.

Plasma lipidomic analysis to investigate putative biomarkers of P-glycoprotein activity in healthy volunteers

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is an efflux transporter involved in the bioavailability of many drugs currently on the market. P-gp is responsible for several drug-drug interactions encountered in clinical practice leading to iatrogenic hospital admissions, especially in polypharmacy situations. ABCB1 genotyping only reflects an indirect estimate of P-gp activity. Therefore, it would be useful to identify endogenous biomarkers to determine the P-gp phenotype to predict in vivo activity prior to the initiation of treatment and to assess the effects of drugs on P-gp activity. The objective of this study was to assess changes in plasma lipidome composition among healthy volunteers selected on the basis of their ABCB1 genotype and who received clarithromycin, a known inhibitor of P-gp. Untargeted lipidomic analysis based on liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was performed before and after clarithromycin administration. Our results revealed changes in plasma levels of some ceramides (Cers) {Cer(d18:1/22:0), Cer(d18:1/22:1), and Cer(d18:1/20:0) by ~38% (p < 0.0001), 13% (p < 0.0001), and 13% (p < 0.0001), respectively} and phosphatidylcholines (PCs) {PC(17:0/14:1), PC(16:0/18:3), and PC(14:0/18:3) by ~24% (p < 0.001), 10% (p < 0.001), and 23.6% (p < 0.001)} associated with both ABCB1 genotype and clarithromycin intake. Through the examination of plasma lipids, our results highlight the relevance of untargeted lipidomics for studying in vivo P-gp activity and, more generally, to safely phenotyping transporters.

The lysosomal transporter TAPL has a dual role as peptide translocator and phosphatidylserine floppase

TAPL is a lysosomal ATP-binding cassette transporter that translocates a broad spectrum of polypeptides from the cytoplasm into the lysosomal lumen. Here we report that, in addition to its well-known role as a peptide translocator, TAPL exhibits an ATP-dependent phosphatidylserine floppase activity that is the possible cause of its high basal ATPase activity and of the lack of coupling between ATP hydrolysis and peptide efflux. We also present the cryo-EM structures of mouse TAPL complexed with (i) phospholipid, (ii) cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CHS) and 9-mer peptide, and (iii) ADP·BeF₃. The inward-facing structure reveals that F449 protrudes into the cylindrical transport pathway and divides it into a large hydrophilic central cavity and a sizable hydrophobic upper cavity. In the structure, the peptide binds to TAPL in horizontally-stretched fashion within the central cavity, while lipid molecules plug vertically into the upper cavity. Together, our results suggest that TAPL uses different mechanisms to function as a peptide translocase and a phosphatidylserine floppase.

Pathways and Mechanisms of Cellular Cholesterol Efflux-Insight From Imaging

Cholesterol is an essential molecule in cellular membranes, but too much cholesterol can be toxic. Therefore, mammalian cells have developed complex mechanisms to remove excess cholesterol. In this review article, we discuss what is known about such efflux pathways including a discussion of reverse cholesterol transport and formation of high-density lipoprotein, the function of ABC transporters and other sterol efflux proteins, and we highlight their role in human diseases. Attention is paid to the biophysical principles governing efflux of sterols from cells. We also discuss recent evidence for cholesterol efflux by the release of exosomes, microvesicles, and migrasomes. The role of the endo-lysosomal network, lipophagy, and selected lysosomal transporters, such as Niemann Pick type C proteins in cholesterol export from cells is elucidated. Since oxysterols are important regulators of cellular cholesterol efflux, their formation, trafficking, and secretion are described briefly. In addition to discussing results obtained with traditional biochemical methods, focus is on studies that use established and novel bioimaging approaches to obtain insight into cholesterol efflux pathways, including fluorescence and electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray tomography as well as mass spectrometry imaging.

The ABCs of Sterol Transport

Cholesterol homeostasis and trafficking are critical to the maintenance of the asymmetric plasma membrane of eukaryotic cells. Disruption or dysfunction of cholesterol trafficking leads to numerous human diseases. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters play several critical roles in this process, and mutations in these sterol transporters lead to disorders such as Tangier disease and sitosterolemia. Biochemical and structural information on ABC sterol transporters is beginning to emerge, with published structures of ABCA1 and ABCG5/G8; these two proteins function in the reverse cholesterol transport pathway and mediate the efflux of cholesterol and xenosterols to high-density lipoprotein and bile salt micelles, respectively. Although both of these transporters belong to the ABC family and mediate the efflux of a sterol substrate, they have many distinct differences. Here, we summarize the current understanding of sterol transport driven by ABC transporters, with an emphasis on these two extensively characterized transporters.

An ABCG Transporter Functions in Rab Localization and Lysosome-Related Organelle Biogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans

ABC transporters couple ATP hydrolysis to the transport of substrates across cellular membranes. This protein superfamily has diverse activities resulting from differences in their cargo and subcellular localization. Our work investigates the role of the ABCG family member WHT-2 in the biogenesis of gut granules, a Caenorhabditis elegans lysosome-related organelle. In addition to being required for the accumulation of birefringent material within gut granules, WHT-2 is necessary for the localization of gut granule proteins when trafficking pathways to this organelle are partially disrupted. The role of WHT-2 in gut granule protein targeting is likely linked to its function in Rab GTPase localization. We show that WHT-2 promotes the gut granule association of the Rab32 family member GLO-1 and the endolysosomal RAB-7, identifying a novel function for an ABC transporter. WHT-2 localizes to gut granules where it could play a direct role in controlling Rab localization. Loss of CCZ-1 and GLO-3, which likely function as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for GLO-1, lead to similar disruption of GLO-1 localization. We show that CCZ-1, like GLO-3, is localized to gut granules. WHT-2 does not direct the gut granule association of the GLO-1 GEF and our results point to WHT-2 functioning differently than GLO-3 and CCZ-1 Point mutations in WHT-2 that inhibit its transport activity, but not its subcellular localization, lead to the loss of GLO-1 from gut granules, while other WHT-2 activities are not completely disrupted, suggesting that WHT-2 functions in organelle biogenesis through transport-dependent and transport-independent activities.

Recent Advances in the Critical Role of the Sterol Efflux Transporters ABCG5/G8 in Health and Disease

Cardiovascular disease is characterized by lipid accumulation, inflammatory response, cell death, and fibrosis in the arterial wall and is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Cholesterol gallstone disease is caused by complex genetic and environmental factors and is one of the most prevalent and costly digestive diseases in the USA and Europe. Although sitosterolemia is a rare inherited lipid storage disease, its genetic studies led to identification of the sterol efflux transporters ABCG5/G8 that are located on chromosome 2p21 in humans and chromosome 17 in mice. Human and animal studies have clearly demonstrated that ABCG5/G8 play a critical role in regulating hepatic secretion and intestinal absorption of cholesterol and plant sterols. Sitosterolemia is caused by a mutation in either the ABCG5 or the ABCG8 gene alone, but not in both simultaneously. Polymorphisms in the ABCG5/G8 genes are associated with abnormal plasma cholesterol metabolism and may play a key role in the genetic determination of plasma cholesterol concentrations. Moreover, ABCG5/G8 is a new gallstone gene, LITH9. Gallstone-associated variants in ABCG5/G8 are involved in the pathogenesis of cholesterol gallstones in European, Asian, and South American populations. In this chapter, we summarize the latest advances in the critical role of the sterol efflux transporters ABCG5/G8 in regulating hepatic secretion of biliary cholesterol, intestinal absorption of cholesterol and plant sterols, the classical reverse cholesterol transport, and the newly established transintestinal cholesterol excretion, as well as in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of ABCG5/G8-related metabolic diseases such as sitosterolemia, cardiovascular disease, and cholesterol gallstone disease.

Mapping Alterations Induced by Long-Term Axenic Cultivation of Leishmania amazonensis Promastigotes With a Multiplatform Metabolomic Fingerprint Approach

Leishmaniases are widespread neglected diseases with an incidence of 1.6 million new cases and 40 thousand deaths per year. Leishmania parasites may show distinct, species-specific patterns of virulence that lead to different clinical manifestations. It is well known that successive in vitro passages (SIVP) lead to the attenuation of virulence, but neither the metabolism nor the pathways involved in these processes are well understood. Herein, promastigotes of a virulent L. amazonensis strain recently isolated from mice was compared to SIVP derived and attenuated promastigotes, submitted to 10, 40, and 60 axenic passages and named R10, R40, and R60, respectively. In vitro assays and in vivo tests were performed to characterize and confirmed the attenuation profiles. A metabolomic fingerprint comparison of R0, R10, and R60 was performed by means of capillary electrophoresis, liquid and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. To validate the metabolomic data, qPCR for selected loci, flow cytometry to measure aPS exposure, sensitivity to antimony tartrate and ROS production assays were conducted. The 65 identified metabolites were clustered in biochemical categories and mapped in eight metabolic pathways: ABC transporters; fatty acid biosynthesis; glycine, serine and threonine metabolism; β-alanine metabolism; glutathione metabolism; oxidative phosphorylation; glycerophospholipid metabolism and lysine degradation. The obtained metabolomic data correlated with previous proteomic findings of the SVIP parasites and the gene expression of 13 selected targets. Late SIVP cultures were more sensitive to Sb^III produced more ROS and exposed less phosphatidylserine in their surface. The correspondent pathways were connected to build a biochemical map of the most significant alterations involved with the process of attenuation of L. amazonensis. Overall, the reported data pointed out to a very dynamic and continuous metabolic reprogramming process, accompanied by changes in energetic, lipid and redox metabolisms, membrane remodeling and reshaping of parasite-host cells interactions, causing impacts in chemotaxis, host inflammatory responses and infectivity at the early stages of infection.

Sphingolipid-Transporting Proteins as Cancer Therapeutic Targets

The understanding of the role of sphingolipid metabolism in cancer has tremendously increased in the past ten years. Many tumors are characterized by imbalances in sphingolipid metabolism. In many cases, disorders of sphingolipid metabolism are also likely to cause or at least promote cancer. In this review, sphingolipid transport proteins and the processes catalyzed by them are regarded as essential components of sphingolipid metabolism. There is much to suggest that these processes are often rate-limiting steps for metabolism of individual sphingolipid species and thus represent potential target structures for pharmaceutical anticancer research. Here, we summarize empirical and biochemical data on different proteins with key roles in sphingolipid transport and their potential role in cancer.

The Acinetobacter baumannii Mla system and glycerophospholipid transport to the outer membrane

The outer membrane (OM) of Gram-negative bacteria serves as a selective permeability barrier that allows entry of essential nutrients while excluding toxic compounds, including antibiotics. The OM is asymmetric and contains an outer leaflet of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) or lipooligosaccharides (LOS) and an inner leaflet of glycerophospholipids (GPL). We screened Acinetobacter baumannii transposon mutants and identified a number of mutants with OM defects, including an ABC transporter system homologous to the Mla system in E. coli. We further show that this opportunistic, antibiotic-resistant pathogen uses this multicomponent protein complex and ATP hydrolysis at the inner membrane to promote GPL export to the OM. The broad conservation of the Mla system in Gram-negative bacteria suggests the system may play a conserved role in OM biogenesis. The importance of the Mla system to Acinetobacter baumannii OM integrity and antibiotic sensitivity suggests that its components may serve as new antimicrobial therapeutic targets.

Sphingolipids in adipose tissue: What's tipping the scale?

Adipose tissue lies at the heart of obesity, mediating its many effects upon the rest of the body, with its unique capacity to expand and regenerate, throughout the lifespan of the organism. Adipose is appreciated as an endocrine organ, with its myriad adipokines that elicit both physiological and pathological outcomes. Sphingolipids, bioactive signaling molecules, affect many aspects of obesity and the metabolic syndrome. While sphingolipids are appreciated in the context of these diseases in other tissues, there are many discoveries yet to be uncovered in the adipose tissue. This review focuses on the effects of sphingolipids on various aspects of adipose function and dysfunction. The processes of adipogenesis, metabolism and thermogenesis, in addition to inflammation and insulin resistance are intimately linked to sphingolipids as discussed below.

Linearmycins Activate a Two-Component Signaling System Involved in Bacterial Competition and Biofilm Morphology

Bacteria use two-component signaling systems to adapt and respond to their competitors and changing environments. For instance, competitor bacteria may produce antibiotics and other bioactive metabolites and sequester nutrients. To survive, some species of bacteria escape competition through antibiotic production, biofilm formation, or motility. Specialized metabolite production and biofilm formation are relatively well understood for bacterial species in isolation. How bacteria control these functions when competitors are present is not well studied. To address fundamental questions relating to the competitive mechanisms of different species, we have developed a model system using two species of soil bacteria, Bacillus subtilis and Streptomyces sp. strain Mg1. Using this model, we previously found that linearmycins produced by Streptomyces sp. strain Mg1 cause lysis of B. subtilis cells and degradation of colony matrix. We identified strains of B. subtilis with mutations in the two-component signaling system yfiJK operon that confer dual phenotypes of specific linearmycin resistance and biofilm morphology. We determined that expression of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter yfiLMN operon, particularly yfiM and yfiN, is necessary for biofilm morphology. Using transposon mutagenesis, we identified genes that are required for YfiLMN-mediated biofilm morphology, including several chaperones. Using transcriptional fusions, we found that YfiJ signaling is activated by linearmycins and other polyene metabolites. Finally, using a truncated YfiJ, we show that YfiJ requires its transmembrane domain to activate downstream signaling. Taken together, these results suggest coordinated dual antibiotic resistance and biofilm morphology by a single multifunctional ABC transporter promotes competitive fitness of B. subtilisIMPORTANCE DNA sequencing approaches have revealed hitherto unexplored diversity of bacterial species in a wide variety of environments that includes the gastrointestinal tract of animals and the rhizosphere of plants. Interactions between different species in bacterial communities have impacts on our health and industry. However, many approaches currently used to study whole bacterial communities do not resolve mechanistic details of interspecies interactions, including how bacteria sense and respond to their competitors. Using a competition model, we have uncovered dual functions for a previously uncharacterized two-component signaling system involved in specific antibiotic resistance and biofilm morphology. Insights gleaned from signaling within interspecies interaction models build a more complete understanding of gene functions important for bacterial communities and will enhance community-level analytical approaches.

Functionalized lipids and surfactants for specific applications

Synthetic lipids and surfactants that do not exist in biological systems have been used for the last few decades in both basic and applied science. The most notable applications for synthetic lipids and surfactants are drug delivery, gene transfection, as reporting molecules, and as support for structural lipid biology. In this review, we describe the potential of the synergistic combination of computational and experimental methodologies to study the behavior of synthetic lipids and surfactants embedded in lipid membranes and liposomes. We focused on select cases in which molecular dynamics simulations were used to complement experimental studies aiming to understand the structure and properties of new compounds at the atomistic level. We also describe cases in which molecular dynamics simulations were used to design new synthetic lipids and surfactants, as well as emerging fields for the application of these compounds. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Biosimulations edited by Ilpo Vattulainen and Tomasz Róg.

Membrane Contact Sites: Complex Zones for Membrane Association and Lipid Exchange

Lipid transport between membranes within cells involves vesicle and protein carriers, but as agents of nonvesicular lipid transfer, the role of membrane contact sites has received increasing attention. As zones for lipid metabolism and exchange, various membrane contact sites mediate direct associations between different organelles. In particular, membrane contact sites linking the plasma membrane (PM) and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) represent important regulators of lipid and ion transfer. In yeast, cortical ER is stapled to the PM through membrane-tethering proteins, which establish a direct connection between the membranes. In this review, we consider passive and facilitated models for lipid transfer at PM–ER contact sites. Besides the tethering proteins, we examine the roles of an additional repertoire of lipid and protein regulators that prime and propagate PM–ER membrane association. We conclude that instead of being simple mediators of membrane association, regulatory components of membrane contact sites have complex and multilayered functions.

Substrate Selectivity of Lysophospholipid Transporter LplT Involved in Membrane Phospholipid Remodeling in Escherichia coli

Lysophospholipid transporter (LplT) was previously found to be primarily involved in 2-acyl lysophosphatidylethanolamine (lyso-PE) recycling in Gram-negative bacteria. This work identifies the potent role of LplT in maintaining membrane stability and integrity in the Escherichia coli envelope. Here we demonstrate the involvement of LplT in the recycling of three major bacterial phospholipids using a combination of an in vitro lysophospholipid binding assay using purified protein and transport assays with E. coli spheroplasts. Our results show that lyso-PE and lysophosphatidylglycerol, but not lysophosphatidylcholine, are taken up by LplT for reacylation by acyltransferase/acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase on the inner leaflet of the membrane. We also found a novel cardiolipin hydrolysis reaction by phospholipase A2 to form diacylated cardiolipin progressing to the completely deacylated headgroup. These two distinct cardiolipin derivatives were both translocated with comparable efficiency to generate triacylated cardiolipin by acyltransferase/acyl-acyl carrier protein synthetase, demonstrating the first evidence of cardiolipin remodeling in bacteria. These findings support that a fatty acid chain is not required for LplT transport. We found that LplT cannot transport lysophosphatidic acid, and its substrate binding was not inhibited by either orthophosphate or glycerol 3-phosphate, indicating that either a glycerol or ethanolamine headgroup is the chemical determinant for substrate recognition. Diacyl forms of PE, phosphatidylglycerol, or the tetra-acylated form of cardiolipin could not serve as a competitive inhibitor in vitro. Based on an evolutionary structural model, we propose a "sideways sliding" mechanism to explain how a conserved membrane-embedded α-helical interface excludes diacylphospholipids from the LplT binding site to facilitate efficient flipping of lysophospholipid across the cell membrane.

High ABCG4 Expression Is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated with Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are associated with poor response to chemotherapy, and confer a poor prognosis in various malignancies. However, the association between the expression of the ABC sub-family G member 4 (ABCG4) and prognosis in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. NSCLC tissue samples (n = 140) and normal lung tissue samples (n = 90) were resected from patients with stage II to IV NSCLC between May 2004 and May 2009. ABCG4 mRNA and protein expressions were detected by RT-PCR, western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Patients received four cycles of cisplatin-based post-surgery chemotherapy and were followed up until May 31st, 2014. ABCG4 positivity rate was higher in NSCLC than in normal lung tissues (48.6% vs. 0%, P<0.001) and ABCG4 expression was significantly associated with poor differentiation, higher tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage, and adenocarcinoma histological type (all P<0.001). Univariate (HR = 2.284, 95%CI: 1.570-3.324, P<0.001) and multivariate (HR = 2.236, 95%CI: 1.505-3.321, P<0.001) analyses showed that ABCG4 expression was an independent factor associated with a poor prognosis in NSCLC. Patients with ABCG4-positive NSCLC had shorter median survival than ABCG4-negative NSCLC (20.1 vs. 43.2 months, P<0.001). The prognostic significance of ABCG4 expression was apparent in stages III and IV NSCLC. In conclusion, high ABCG4 expression was associated with a poor prognosis in patients with NSCLC treated with cisplatin-based chemotherapy.

MemProtMD: Automated Insertion of Membrane Protein Structures into Explicit Lipid Membranes

There has been exponential growth in the number of membrane protein structures determined. Nevertheless, these structures are usually resolved in the absence of their lipid environment. Coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CGMD) simulations enable insertion of membrane proteins into explicit models of lipid bilayers. We have automated the CGMD methodology, enabling membrane protein structures to be identified upon their release into the PDB and embedded into a membrane. The simulations are analyzed for protein-lipid interactions, identifying lipid binding sites, and revealing local bilayer deformations plus molecular access pathways within the membrane. The coarse-grained models of membrane protein/bilayer complexes are transformed to atomistic resolution for further analysis and simulation. Using this automated simulation pipeline, we have analyzed a number of recently determined membrane protein structures to predict their locations within a membrane, their lipid/protein interactions, and the functional implications of an enhanced understanding of the local membrane environment of each protein.

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A simulation pipeline for predicting the location of a membrane protein in a bilayer

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A protocol for identifying novel membrane protein structures in the PDB

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Analysis of lipid binding sites and local bilayer deformation by membrane proteins

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Functional implications from enhanced understanding of local membrane environments

Disorders of cholesterol metabolism and their unanticipated convergent mechanisms of disease

Cholesterol plays a key role in many cellular processes, and is generated by cells through de novo biosynthesis or acquired from exogenous sources through the uptake of low-density lipoproteins. Cholesterol biosynthesis is a complex, multienzyme-catalyzed pathway involving a series of sequentially acting enzymes. Inherited defects in genes encoding cholesterol biosynthetic enzymes or other regulators of cholesterol homeostasis result in severe metabolic diseases, many of which are rare in the general population and currently without effective therapy. Historically, these diseases have been viewed as discrete disorders, each with its own genetic cause and distinct pathogenic cascades that lead to its specific clinical features. However, studies have recently shown that three of these diseases have an unanticipated mechanistic convergence. This surprising finding is not only shedding light on details of cellular cholesterol homeostasis but also suggesting novel approaches to therapy.

Schistosome ABC multidrug transporters: From pharmacology to physiology

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The genuine and hypothesized roles of schistosome ABC transporters are reviewed.

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Evidence suggesting a role for transporters in schistosome drug susceptibility is discussed.

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Potential roles of ABC transporters in normal schistosome biology are outlined.

Praziquantel (PZQ) is essentially the only drug currently available for treatment and control of schistosomiasis, a disease affecting hundreds of millions worldwide. Though highly effective overall, PZQ has limitations, most notably its significant lack of activity against immature schistosomes. Furthermore, the availability of only a single drug for a disease of this magnitude makes reports of PZQ-resistant isolates particularly troubling. ATP-binding cassette (ABC) multidrug transporters such as P-glycoprotein (Pgp; ABCB1) are efflux transporters that underlie multidrug resistance (MDR); changes in their expression or structure are also associated with drug resistance in parasites, including helminths. This review will discuss the role these transporters might play in modulating schistosome susceptibility to PZQ, and the implications for developing new or repurposed treatments that enhance the efficacy of PZQ. However, in addition to influencing drug susceptibility, ABC transporters play important roles in several critical physiological functions such as excretion and maintenance of permeability barriers. They also transport signaling molecules with high affinity, and several lines of evidence implicate mammalian transporters in a diverse array of physiological functions, including regulation of immune responses. Like their mammalian counterparts, schistosome ABC transporters appear to be involved in functions critical to the parasite, including excretory activity and reproduction, and we hypothesize that they underlie at least some aspects of parasite–host interactions. Thus, in addition to their potential as targets for enhancers of PZQ susceptibility, these transporters might also serve as candidate targets for agents that disrupt the parasite life cycle and act as antischistosomals on their own.

Identification of a novel ATP-binding cassette transporter involved in long-chain fatty acid import and its role in triacylglycerol accumulation in Rhodococcus jostii RHA1

Members of the genus Rhodococcus are specialists in the biosynthesis and accumulation of triacylglycerols (TAGs). As no transport protein related to TAG metabolism has yet been characterized in these bacteria, we used the available genomic information of Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 to perform a broad survey of genes coding for putative lipid transporter proteins in this oleaginous micro-organism. Among the seven genes encoding putative lipid transporters, ro05645 (now called ltp1: lipid transporter protein) coding for an ATP-binding cassette protein was found clustered with others genes encoding enzymes catalysing the three putative acylation reactions of the Kennedy pathway for TAG synthesis. Overexpression of ltp1 in the RHA1 strain led to an increase of approximately sixfold and threefold in biomass and TAG production, respectively, when cells were cultivated on palmitic acid and oleic acid. Moreover, overexpression of ltp1 also promoted a significant increase in the uptake of a fluorescently labelled long-chain fatty acid (LCFA), as compared with the WT strain RHA1, and its further incorporation into the TAG fraction. Gluconate-grown cells showed increasing amounts of intracellular free fatty acids, but not of TAG, after overexpressing ltp1. Thus, for the first time to our knowledge, a transporter functionally related to TAG metabolism was identified in oleaginous rhodococci. Our results suggested that Ltp1 is an importer of LCFAs that plays a functional role in lipid homeostasis of R. jostii RHA1.

Defined lipid analogues induce transient channels to facilitate drug-membrane traversal and circumvent cancer therapy resistance

Design and efficacy of bioactive drugs is restricted by their (in)ability to traverse cellular membranes. Therapy resistance, a major cause of ineffective cancer treatment, is frequently due to suboptimal intracellular accumulation of the drug. We report a molecular mechanism that promotes trans-membrane movement of a stereotypical, widely used anti-cancer agent to counteract resistance. Well-defined lipid analogues adapt to the amphiphilic drug doxorubicin, when co-inserted into the cell membrane, and assemble a transient channel that rapidly facilitates the translocation of the drug onto the intracellular membrane leaflet. Molecular dynamic simulations unveiled the structure and dynamics of membrane channel assembly. We demonstrate that this principle successfully addresses multi-drug resistance of genetically engineered mouse breast cancer models. Our results illuminate the role of the plasma membrane in restricting the efficacy of established therapies and drug resistance - and provide a mechanism to overcome ineffectiveness of existing and candidate drugs.

Structure and mechanism of ATP-dependent phospholipid transporters

BACKGROUND

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and P4-ATPases are two large and seemingly unrelated families of primary active pumps involved in moving phospholipids from one leaflet of a biological membrane to the other.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

This review aims to identify common mechanistic features in the way phospholipid flipping is carried out by two evolutionarily unrelated families of transporters.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

Both protein families hydrolyze ATP, although they employ different mechanisms to use it, and have a comparable size with twelve transmembrane segments in the functional unit. Further, despite differences in overall architecture, both appear to operate by an alternating access mechanism and during transport they might allow access of phospholipids to the internal part of the transmembrane domain. The latter feature is obvious for ABC transporters, but phospholipids and other hydrophobic molecules have also been found embedded in P-type ATPase crystal structures. Taken together, in two diverse groups of pumps, nature appears to have evolved quite similar ways of flipping phospholipids.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

Our understanding of the structural basis for phospholipid flipping is still limited but it seems plausible that a general mechanism for phospholipid flipping exists in nature. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Structural biochemistry and biophysics of membrane proteins.

Complex Interplay between the P-Glycoprotein Multidrug Efflux Pump and the Membrane: Its Role in Modulating Protein Function

Multidrug resistance in cancer is linked to expression of the P-glycoprotein multidrug transporter (Pgp, ABCB1), which exports many structurally diverse compounds from cells. Substrates first partition into the bilayer and then interact with a large flexible binding pocket within the transporter's transmembrane regions. Pgp has been described as a hydrophobic vacuum cleaner or an outwardly directed drug/lipid flippase. Recent X-ray crystal structures have shed some light on the nature of the drug-binding pocket and suggested routes by which substrates can enter it from the membrane. Detergents have profound effects on Pgp function, and several appear to be substrates. Biochemical and biophysical studies in vitro, some using purified reconstituted protein, have explored the effects of the membrane environment. They have demonstrated that Pgp is involved in a complex relationship with its lipid environment, which modulates the behavior of its substrates, as well as various functions of the protein, including ATP hydrolysis, drug binding, and drug transport. Membrane lipid composition and fluidity, phospholipid headgroup and acyl chain length all influence Pgp function. Recent studies focusing on thermodynamics and kinetics have revealed some important principles governing Pgp-lipid and substrate-lipid interactions, and how these affect drug-binding and transport. In some cells, Pgp is associated with cholesterol-rich microdomains, which may modulate its functions. The relationship between Pgp and cholesterol remains an open question; however, it clearly affects several aspects of its function in addition to substrate-membrane partitioning. The action of Pgp modulators appears to depend on their membrane permeability, and membrane fluidizers and surfactants reverse drug resistance, likely via an indirect mechanism. A detailed understanding of how the membrane affects Pgp substrates and Pgp's catalytic cycle may lead to new strategies to combat clinical drug resistance.

Cholesterol-binding molecules MLN64 and ORP1L mark distinct late endosomes with transporters ABCA3 and NPC1

Cholesterol is an essential lipid in eukaryotic cells and is present in membranes of all intracellular compartments. A major source for cellular cholesterol is internalized lipoprotein particles that are transported toward acidic late endosomes (LE) and lysosomes. Here the lipoprotein particles are hydrolyzed, and free cholesterol is redistributed to other organelles. The LE can contain over half of the cellular cholesterol and, as a major sorting station, can contain many cholesterol-binding proteins from the ABCA, STARD, and ORP families. Here, we show that metastatic lymph node 64 (MLN64, STARD3) and oxysterol-binding protein-related protein 1L (ORP1L) define two subpopulations of LE. MLN64 is present on a LE containing the cholesterol transporter ABCA3, whereas ORP1L localizes to another population of LE containing Niemann Pick type C1 (NPC1), a cholesterol exporter. Endocytosed cargo passes through MLN64/ABCA3-positive compartments before it reaches ORP1L/NPC1-positive LE. The MLN64/ABCA3 compartments cycle between LE and plasma membrane and frequently contact "later" ORP1L/NPC1-containing LE. We propose two stages of cholesterol handling in late endosomal compartments: first, cholesterol enters MLN64/ABCA3-positive compartments from where it can be recycled to the plasma membrane, and later, cholesterol enters ORP1L/NPC1 endosomes that mediate cholesterol export to the endoplasmic reticulum.

Stargardt disease: towards developing a model to predict phenotype

Stargardt disease is an ABCA4-associated retinopathy, which generally follows an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern and is a frequent cause of macular degeneration in childhood. ABCA4 displays significant allelic heterogeneity whereby different mutations can cause retinal diseases with varying severity and age of onset. A genotype-phenotype model has been proposed linking ABCA4 mutations, purported ABCA4 functional protein activity and severity of disease, as measured by degree of visual loss and the age of onset. It has, however, been difficult to verify this model statistically in observational studies, as the number of individuals sharing any particular mutation combination is typically low. Seven founder mutations have been identified in a large number of Caucasian Afrikaner patients in South Africa, making it possible to test the genotype-phenotype model. A generalised linear model was developed to predict and assess the relative pathogenic contribution of the seven mutations to the age of onset of Stargardt disease. It is shown that the pathogenicity of an individual mutation can differ significantly depending on the genetic context in which it occurs. The results reported here may be used to identify suitable candidates for inclusion in clinical trials, as well as guide the genetic counselling of affected individuals and families.

Promoter polymorphisms in the ATP binding cassette transporter gene influence production of cell-derived microparticles and are highly associated with susceptibility to severe malaria in humans

Microparticle (MP) efflux is known to be mediated by the ABCA1 protein, and the plasma level of these cell-derived MPs is elevated considerably during human malarial infection. Therefore, two polymorphisms at positions -477 and -320 in the promoter of the ABCA1 gene were genotyped and tested for association with the plasma MP level in four groups of malaria patients segregated according to the clinical severity, i.e., cerebral malaria (CM), multiorgan dysfunction (MOD), noncerebral severe malaria, and uncomplicated malaria (UM). The TruCount tube-based flow cytometric method was used for the exact quantification of different cell-derived MPs in patients. Polymorphisms in the ABCA1 gene promoter were analyzed by use of the PCR/two-primer-pair method, followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism, in 428 malaria patients. The level of circulating plasma MPs was significantly higher in febrile patients with Plasmodium falciparum infection, especially in CM patients compared to healthy individuals. The homozygous wild-type -477 and -320 genotype was observed to be significantly higher in patients with severe malaria. These patients also showed marked increases in the plasma MP numbers compared to UM patients. We report here for the first time an association of ABCA1 promoter polymorphisms with susceptibility to severe malaria, especially to CM and MOD, indicating the protective effect of the mutant variant of the polymorphism. We hypothesize that the -477T and -320G polymorphisms affect the downregulation of MP efflux and may be a predictor of organ complication during P. falciparum malarial infections.

ABC multidrug transporters in schistosomes and other parasitic flatworms

Schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease affecting hundreds of millions, is caused by parasitic flatworms of the genus Schistosoma. Treatment and control of schistosomiasis relies almost exclusively on a single drug, praziquantel (PZQ), a dangerous situation for a disease of this magnitude. Though PZQ is highly effective overall, it has drawbacks, and reports of worms showing PZQ resistance, either induced in the laboratory or isolated from the field, are disconcerting. Multidrug transporters underlie multidrug resistance (MDR), a phenomenon in which resistance to a single drug is accompanied by unexpected cross-resistance to several structurally unrelated compounds. Some of the best studied multidrug transporters are members of the ancient and very large ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily of efflux transporters. ABC multidrug transporters such as P-glycoprotein (Pgp; ABCB1) are also associated with drug resistance in parasites, including helminths such as schistosomes. In addition to their association with drug resistance, however, ABC transporters also function in a wide variety of physiological processes in metazoans. In this review, we examine recent studies that help define the role of schistosome ABC transporters in regulating drug susceptibility, and in normal schistosome physiology, including reproduction and excretory activity. We postulate that schistosome ABC transporters could be useful targets for compounds that enhance the effectiveness of current therapeutics as well as for agents that act as antischistosomals on their own.

Ganglioside biochemistry

Gangliosides are sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids. They occur especially on the cellular surfaces of neuronal cells, where they form a complex pattern, but are also found in many other cell types. The paper provides a general overview on their structures, occurrence, and metabolism. Key functional, biochemical, and pathobiochemical aspects are summarized.

Mammalian P4-ATPases and ABC transporters and their role in phospholipid transport

Transport of phospholipids across cell membranes plays a key role in a wide variety of biological processes. These include membrane biosynthesis, generation and maintenance of membrane asymmetry, cell and organelle shape determination, phagocytosis, vesicle trafficking, blood coagulation, lipid homeostasis, regulation of membrane protein function, apoptosis, etc. P(4)-ATPases and ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters are the two principal classes of membrane proteins that actively transport phospholipids across cellular membranes. P(4)-ATPases utilize the energy from ATP hydrolysis to flip aminophospholipids from the exocytoplasmic (extracellular/lumen) to the cytoplasmic leaflet of cell membranes generating membrane lipid asymmetry and lipid imbalance which can induce membrane curvature. Many ABC transporters play crucial roles in lipid homeostasis by actively transporting phospholipids from the cytoplasmic to the exocytoplasmic leaflet of cell membranes or exporting phospholipids to protein acceptors or micelles. Recent studies indicate that some ABC proteins can also transport phospholipids in the opposite direction. The importance of P(4)-ATPases and ABC transporters is evident from the findings that mutations in many of these transporters are responsible for severe human genetic diseases linked to defective phospholipid transport. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Phospholipids and Phospholipid Metabolism.

The role of lipids in defining membrane protein interactions: insights from mass spectrometry

Cellular membranes comprise hundreds of lipids in which protein complexes, such as ion channels, receptors, and scaffolding complexes, are embedded. These protein assemblies act as signalling and trafficking platforms for processes fundamental to life. Much effort in recent years has focused on identifying the protein components of these complexes after their extraction from the lipid membrane in detergent micelles. Spectacular advances have been made using X-ray crystallography, providing in some cases detailed information about the mechanism of pumping and channel gating. These structural studies are leading to a growing realisation that, to understand their function, it is not only the structures of the protein components that are important but also knowledge of the protein-lipid interactions. This review highlights recent insights gained from this knowledge, surveys methods being developed for probing these interactions, and focuses specifically on the potential of mass spectrometry in this growing area of research.

StarD7 knockdown modulates ABCG2 expression, cell migration, proliferation, and differentiation of human choriocarcinoma JEG-3 cells

Background

StAR-related lipid transfer domain containing 7 (StarD7) is a member of the START-domain protein family whose function still remains unclear. Our data from an explorative microarray assay performed with mRNAs from StarD7 siRNA-transfected JEG-3 cells indicated that ABCG2 (ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 2) was one of the most abundantly downregulated mRNAs.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Here, we have confirmed that knocking down StarD7 mRNA lead to a decrease in the xenobiotic/lipid transporter ABCG2 at both the mRNA and protein levels (−26.4% and −41%, p<0.05, at 48 h of culture, respectively). Also a concomitant reduction in phospholipid synthesis, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) uptake and ³H-thymidine incorporation was detected. Wound healing and transwell assays revealed that JEG-3 cell migration was significantly diminished (p<0.05). Conversely, biochemical differentiation markers such as human chorionic gonadotrophin β-subunit (βhCG) protein synthesis and secretion as well as βhCG and syncytin-1 mRNAs were increased approximately 2-fold. In addition, desmoplakin immunostaining suggested that there was a reduction of intercellular desmosomes between adjacent JEG-3 cells after knocking down StarD7.

Conclusions/Significance

Altogether these findings provide evidence for a role of StarD7 in cell physiology indicating that StarD7 modulates ABCG2 multidrug transporter level, cell migration, proliferation, and biochemical and morphological differentiation marker expression in a human trophoblast cell model.

CED-1, CED-7, and TTR-52 regulate surface phosphatidylserine expression on apoptotic and phagocytic cells

BACKGROUND

Phosphatidylserine (PS) normally confined to the cytoplasmic leaflet of plasma membrane (PM) is externalized to the exoplasmic leaflet (exPS) during apoptosis, where it serves as an "eat-me" signal to phagocytes. In addition, some living cells such as macrophages also express exPS.

RESULTS

A secreted Annexin V (sAnxV::GFP) PS sensor reveals that exPS appears early on apoptotic cells in C. elegans embryos and decreases in older or unengulfed apoptotic cells. This decrease in exPS expression is blocked by loss of CED-7, an ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter, or TTR-52, a secreted PS binding protein. Phagocytic cells also express exPS, which is dependent on the activity of CED-7, TTR-52, and TTR-52-interacting phagocyte receptor CED-1. Interestingly, a secreted lactadherin PS sensor (sGFP::Lact(C1C2)) labels apoptotic cells but not phagocytes, prevents sAnxV::GFP from labeling phagocytes, and compromises phagocytosis. Immuno-electron micrographs of embryos expressing sAnxV::GFP or sGFP::Lact(C1C2) reveal the presence of extracellular PS-containing vesicles between the apoptotic cell and neighboring cells, which are absent or greatly reduced in the ced-7 and ttr-52 mutants, respectively, indicating that CED-7 and TTR-52 promote the generation of extracellular PS vesicles. Loss of the tat-1 gene, which maintains PS asymmetry in the PM, restores phagocyte exPS expression in ced-1, ced-7, and ttr-52 mutants and partially rescues their engulfment defects.

CONCLUSIONS

CED-7 and TTR-52 may promote the efflux of PS from apoptotic cells through the generation of extracellular PS vesicles, which lead to exPS expression on phagocytes via TTR-52 and CED-1 to facilitate cell corpse clearance.

Proteomic analysis of Rta2p-dependent raft-association of detergent-resistant membranes in Candida albicans

In Candida albicans, lipid rafts (also called detergent-resistant membranes, DRMs) are involved in many cellular processes and contain many important proteins. In our previous study, we demonstrated that Rta2p was required for calcineurin-mediated azole resistance and sphingoid long-chain base release in C. albicans. Here, we found that Rta2p was co-localized with raft-constituted ergosterol on the plasma membrane of C. albicans. Furthermore, this membrane expression pattern was totally disturbed by inhibitors of either ergosterol or sphingolipid synthesis. Biochemical fractionation of DRMs together with immunoblot uncovered that Rta2p, along with well-known DRM-associated proteins (Pma1p and Gas1p homologue), was associated with DRMs and their associations were blocked by inhibitors of either ergosterol or sphingolipid synthesis. Finally, we used the proteomic analysis together with immunoblot and identified that Rta2p was required for the association of 10 proteins with DRMs. These 5 proteins (Pma1p, Gas1p homologue, Erg11p, Pmt2p and Ali1p) have been reported to be DRM-associated and also that Erg11p is a well-known target of azoles in C. albicans. In conclusion, our results showed that Rta2p was predominantly localized in lipid rafts and was required for the association of certain membrane proteins with lipid rafts in C. albicans.

Lipid transport by mammalian ABC proteins

ABC (ATP-binding cassette) proteins actively transport a wide variety of substrates, including peptides, amino acids, sugars, metals, drugs, vitamins and lipids, across extracellular and intracellular membranes. Of the 49 hum an ABC proteins, a significant number are known to mediate the extrusion of lipids from membranes or the flipping of membrane lipids across the bilayer to generate and maintain membrane lipid asymmetry. Typical lipid substrates include phospholipids, sterols, sphingolipids, bile acids and related lipid conjugates. Members of the ABCA subfamily of ABC transporters and other ABC proteins such as ABCB4, ABCG1 and ABCG5/8 implicated in lipid transport play important roles in diverse biological processes such as cell signalling, membrane lipid asymmetry, removal of potentially toxic compounds and metabolites, and apoptosis. The importance of these ABC lipid transporters in cell physiology is evident from the finding that mutations in the genes encoding many of these proteins are responsible for severe inherited diseases. For example, mutations in ABCA1 cause Tangier disease associated with defective efflux of cholesterol and phosphatidylcholine from the plasma membrane to the lipid acceptor protein apoA1 (apolipoprotein AI), mutations in ABCA3 cause neonatal surfactant deficiency associated with a loss in secretion of the lipid pulmonary surfactants from lungs of newborns, mutations in ABCA4 cause Stargardt macular degeneration, a retinal degenerative disease linked to the reduced clearance of retinoid compounds from photoreceptor cells, mutations in ABCA12 cause harlequin and lamellar ichthyosis, skin diseases associated with defective lipid trafficking in keratinocytes, and mutations in ABCB4 and ABCG5/ABCG8 are responsible for progressive intrafamilial hepatic disease and sitosterolaemia associated with defective phospholipid and sterol transport respectively. This chapter highlights the involvement of various mammalian ABC transporters in lipid transport in the context of their role in cell signalling, cellular homoeostasis, apoptosis and inherited disorders.

Modulation of P-glycoprotein ATPase of Helicoverpa armigera by cholesterol: effects on ATPase activity and interaction of insecticides

Purified P-glycoprotein ATPase from Helicoverpa armigera (Ha-Pgp), reconstituted in proteoliposomes composed of phospholipids and cholesterol, shows higher ATPase activity in the presence of cholesterol than in its absence. The Ha-Pgp ATPase activity was increased 30-40% with cholesterol. The KM for ATP was found to be 1 and 0.8 mM in the absence and presence of cholesterol, respectively. The insecticide-stimulated Ha-Pgp ATPase activity was increased by 10-20% for all the insecticides in the reconstituted proteoliposomes containing cholesterol compared to those with no cholesterol. The effects of cholesterol on KM and Vmax values of insecticide-stimulated Ha-Pgp ATPase activity were unrelated to the size of the insecticide. Ha-Pgp tryptophan fluorescence displayed a red shift of 3 and 8 nm in emission spectra upon binding of insecticides. Cholesterol enhances the interaction of insecticides with Ha-Pgp. Kd values of different insecticides for binding to Ha-Pgp were found to be lower in the presence of cholesterol in the proteoliposomes compared to its absence. Results suggest that cholesterol plays a role in the recognition and interaction of insecticides by modulating Ha-Pgp ATPase and may be involved in efflux of insecticides from cells by the transporter.

Proteins that bind and move lipids: MsbA and NPC1

Membrane proteins that bind and transport lipids face special challenges. Since lipids typically have low water solubility, both accessibility of the substrate to the protein and delivery to the desired destination are problematical. The amphipathic nature of membrane lipids, and their relatively large molecular size, also means that these proteins must possess substrate-binding sites of a different nature than those designed to handle small polar molecules. This review considers two integral proteins whose function is to bind and transfer membrane lipids within or across a membrane. The first protein, MsbA, is a putative lipid flippase that is a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily. The protein is found in the inner (cytoplasmic) membrane (IM) of Gram-negative bacteria such as E. coli, where it is proposed to move lipid A from the inner to the outer membrane (OM) leaflet, an important step in the lipopolysaccharide biosynthetic pathway. Cholesterol is a major component of the plasma membrane in eukaryotic cells, where it regulates bilayer fluidity. The other lipid-binding protein discussed here, mammalian NPC1 (Niemann-Pick disease, Type C1), binds cholesterol inside late endosomes/lysosomes (LE/LY) and is involved in its transfer to the cytosol as part of a key intracellular sterol-trafficking pathway. Mutations in NPC1 lead to a devastating neurodegenerative condition, Niemann-Pick Type C disease, which is characterized by massive cholesterol accumulation in LE/LY. The accelerating pace of membrane protein structure determination over the past decade has allowed us a glimpse of how lipid binding and transfer by membrane proteins such as MsbA and NPC1 might be achieved.

Flipping and flopping--lipids on the move

The rapid movement of polar lipids from one membrane leaflet to the other is facilitated by lipid flippases or translocases. Although their activity was first observed over 30 years ago, the structures, physiological roles, and molecular mechanisms of this group of proteins remain enigmatic. Lipid flippases maintain membrane lipid asymmetry, and in eukaryotes they are also intimately involved in membrane budding and vesicle trafficking. The ATP-dependent flippases are members of well-characterized protein families, whose other members transport nonlipid substrates across cell membranes. The P(4)-type ATPases carry out the inward translocation of phospholipids, and various ABC transporters are involved in outward lipid movement. The ATP-independent flippases move lipid substrates in both directions between membrane leaflets. With only a few exceptions, the molecular identity of these proteins is still unknown, despite their involvement in key biosynthetic pathways in both bacteria and eukaryotes. This review provides an overview of the different classes of flippases, and summarizes recent progress in their identification and functional characterization. The possible mechanisms of action of lipid flippases are discussed, and future directions explored.

Ca2+-activated transbilayer movement of plasma membrane phospholipids in Leishmania donovani during ionomycin or thapsigargin stimulation

The protozoan parasite Leishmania causes serious infections in humans all over the world. After being inoculated into the skin through the bite of an infected sandfly, Leishmania promastigotes must gain entry into macrophages to initiate a successful infection. Specific, surface exposed phospholipids have been implicated in Leishmania-macrophage interaction but the mechanisms controlling and regulating the plasma membrane lipid distribution remains to be elucidated. Here, we provide evidence for Ca(2+)-induced phospholipid scrambling in the plasma membrane of Leishmania donovani. Stimulation of parasites with ionomycin increases intracellular Ca(2+) levels and triggers exposure of phosphatidylethanolamine at the cell surface. We found that increasing intracellular Ca(2+) levels with ionomycin or thapsigargin induces rapid transbilayer movement of NBD-labelled phospholipids in the parasite plasma membrane that is bidirectional, independent of cellular ATP and not specific to the polar lipid head group. The findings suggest the presence of a Ca(2+)-dependent lipid scramblase activity in Leishmania parasites. Our studies further show that lipid scrambling is not activated by rapid exposure of promastigotes to higher physiological temperature that increases intracellular Ca(2+) levels.

Dynamic transbilayer lipid asymmetry

Cells have thousands of different lipids. In the plasma membrane, and in membranes of the late secretory and endocytotic pathways, these lipids are not evenly distributed over the two leaflets of the lipid bilayer. The basis for this transmembrane lipid asymmetry lies in the fact that glycerolipids are primarily synthesized on the cytosolic and sphingolipids on the noncytosolic surface of cellular membranes, that cholesterol has a higher affinity for sphingolipids than for glycerolipids. In addition, P4-ATPases, "flippases," actively translocate the aminophospholipids phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine to the cytosolic surface. ABC transporters translocate lipids in the opposite direction but they generally act as exporters rather than "floppases." The steady state asymmetry of the lipids can be disrupted within seconds by the activation of phospholipases and scramblases. The asymmetric lipid distribution has multiple implications for physiological events at the membrane surface. Moreover, the active translocation also contributes to the generation of curvature in the budding of transport vesicles.

The yeast plasma membrane ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter Aus1: purification, characterization, and the effect of lipids on its activity

The ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter Aus1 is expressed under anaerobic growth conditions at the plasma membrane of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and is required for sterol uptake. These observations suggest that Aus1 promotes the translocation of sterols across membranes, but the precise transport mechanism has yet to be identified. In this study, an extraction and purification procedure was developed to characterize the Aus1 transporter. The detergent-solubilized protein was able to bind and hydrolyze ATP. Mutagenesis of the conserved lysine to methionine in the Walker A motif abolished ATP hydrolysis. Likewise, ATP hydrolysis was inhibited by classical inhibitors of ABC transporters. Upon reconstitution into proteoliposomes, the ATPase activity of Aus1 was specifically stimulated by phosphatidylserine (PS) in a stereoselective manner. We also found that Aus1-dependent sterol uptake, but not Aus1 expression and trafficking to the plasma membrane, was affected by changes in cellular PS levels. These results suggest a direct interaction between Aus1 and PS that is critical for the activity of the transporter.

ATP-binding cassette transporter G26 is required for male fertility and pollen exine formation in Arabidopsis

The highly resistant biopolymer, sporopollenin, gives the outer wall (exine) of spores and pollen grains their unparalleled strength, shielding these structures from terrestrial stresses. Despite a limited understanding of the composition of sporopollenin, it appears that the synthesis of sporopollenin occurs in the tapetum and requires the transport of one or more sporopollenin constituents to the surface of developing microspores. Here, we describe ABCG26, a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily, which is required for pollen exine formation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). abcg26 mutants are severely reduced in fertility, with most siliques failing to produce seeds by self-fertilization and mature anthers failing to release pollen. Transmission electron microscopy analyses revealed an absence of an exine wall on abcg26-1 mutant microspores. Phenotypic abnormalities in pollen wall formation were first apparent in early uninucleate microspores as a lack of exine formation and sporopollenin deposition. Additionally, the highest levels of ABCG26 mRNA were in the tapetum, during early pollen wall formation, sporopollenin biosynthesis, and sporopollenin deposition. Accumulations resembling the trilamellar lipidic coils in the abcg11 and abcg12 mutants defective in cuticular wax export were observed in the anther locules of abcg26 mutants. A yellow fluorescent protein-ABCG26 protein was localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane. Our results show that ABCG26 plays a critical role in exine formation and pollen development and are consistent with a model by which ABCG26 transports sporopollenin precursors across the tapetum plasma membrane into the locule for polymerization on developing microspore walls.

Cell cholesterol homeostasis: mediation by active cholesterol

Recent evidence suggests that the major pathways mediating cell cholesterol homeostasis respond to a common signal: active membrane cholesterol. Active cholesterol is the fraction that exceeds the complexing capacity of the polar bilayer lipids. Increments in plasma membrane cholesterol exceeding this threshold have an elevated chemical activity (escape tendency) and redistribute via diverse transport proteins to both circulating plasma lipoproteins and intracellular organelles. Active cholesterol thereby prompts several feedback responses. It is the substrate for its own esterification and for the synthesis of regulatory side-chain oxysterols. It also stimulates manifold pathways that down-regulate the biosynthesis, curtail the ingestion and increase the export of cholesterol. Thus, the abundance of cell cholesterol is tightly coupled to that of its polar lipid partners through active cholesterol.

Alzheimer's disease: brain expression of a metabolic disorder?

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and is of rapidly increasing health, social and economic impact. Recent evidence suggests a strict link between metabolic disorders and AD. In the last decade much attention has focused specifically on the connection between dysfunction of lipid metabolism and AD. Here we discuss aspects of lipid regulation, including changes in cholesterol levels, function of apolipoproteins and leptin, and how these relate to AD pathogenesis. Despite the vast literature available, many aspects still need clarification. Nevertheless, the route is already delineated to directly connect aspects of lipid regulation to AD. This could represent a starting point to identify novel potential targets for a preventive and/or treatment strategy of the disease.

Altered expression of nuclear receptors affects the expression of metabolic enzymes and transporters in a rat model of cholestasis

Hepatic metabolism is altered in some clinical conditions owing to the changes in the expression of metabolic enzymes and transporters. Therefore, we think that investigating the altered expression of metabolic enzymes and transporters is of particular significance to studies on drug disposition in some clinical conditions. We also believe that a simultaneous in vivo investigation of all factors affecting nuclear receptors and regulated genes is important to understand the relationship between nuclear receptors and their target genes. In this study, we induced cholestasis in rats by bile duct ligation (BDL), and investigated the changes in the mRNA expression of metabolic enzymes, transporters, and nuclear receptors and the protein levels of nuclear receptors in the nucleus by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting. In the liver of the rats subjected to BDL, the mRNA expression levels of cytochrome P450, conjugation enzymes, and transporters were concomitantly altered. The altered mRNA and protein levels of constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARalpha) in the nucleus were consistent with the changes in the plasma concentrations of total and conjugated bilirubin and fatty acid, respectively. The mRNA expression of CAR and PPARalpha was linearly associated with the expression of the corresponding target genes. These results suggested that the increase in the levels of bilirubin and fatty acid on the BDL groups altered the mRNA and protein levels of CAR and PPARalpha, respectively in the nucleus, and this in turn altered the mRNA expression of metabolic enzymes and transporters as a hepatoprotective mechanism.