Label-Free Optical Method for Quantifying Molecular Transport Across Cellular Membranes In Vitro

Issues with lipid probes in flip-flop measurements: A comparative study using sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy and second-harmonic generation

Fluorescent lipid probes such as 1-palmitoyl-2-(6-[7-nitro-2-1,3-benzoxadiazol-4-yl]amino-hexanoyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (C6 NBD-PC) have been used extensively to study the kinetics of lipid flip-flop. However, the efficacy of these probes as reliable reporters of native lipid translocation has never been tested. In this study, sum-frequency vibrational spectroscopy (SFVS) was used to measure the kinetics of C6 NBD-PC lipid flip-flop and the flip-flop of native lipids in planar supported lipid bilayers. C6 NBD-PC was investigated at concentrations of 1 and 3 mol. % in both chain-matched 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and chain-mismatched 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC) to assess the ability of C6 NBD-PC to mimic the behavior of the surrounding matrix lipids. It was observed that C6 NBD-PC exhibited faster flip-flop kinetics compared to the native lipids in both DPPC and DSPC matrices, with notably accelerated rates in the chain-mismatched DSPC system. SFVS was also used to measure the acyl chain orientation and gauche content of C6 NBD-PC in both DPPC and DSPC membranes. In the DSPC matrix (chain mismatched), C6 NBD-PC was more disordered in terms of both gauche content and acyl tilt, whereas it maintained an orientation similar to that of the native lipids in the DPPC matrix (chain matched). In addition, the flip-flop kinetics of C6 NBD-PC were also measured using second-harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy, by probing the motion of the NBD chromophore directly. The flip-flop kinetics measured by SHG were consistent with those obtained from SFVS. This study also marks the first instance of phospholipid flip-flop kinetics being measured via SHG. The results of this study clearly demonstrate that C6 NBD-PC does not adequately mimic the behavior of native lipids within a membrane. These findings also highlight the significant impact of the lipid matrix on the flip-flop behavior of the fluorescently labeled lipid, C6 NBD-PC.

Observing mechanosensitive channels in action in living bacteria

Mechanosensitive (MS) channels act to protect the cytoplasmic membrane (CM) of living cells from environmental changes in osmolarity. In this report, we demonstrate the use of time-resolved second-harmonic light scattering (SHS) as a means of experimentally observing the relative state (open versus closed) of MS channels in living bacteria suspended in different buffer solutions. Specifically, the state of the MS channels was selectively controlled by changing the composition of the suspension medium, inducing either a transient or persistent osmotic shock. SHS was then used to monitor transport of the SHG-active cation, malachite green, across the bacterial CM. When MS channels were forced open, malachite green cations were able to cross the CM at a rate at least two orders of magnitude faster compared with when the MS channels were closed. These observations were corroborated using both numerical model simulations and complementary fluorescence experiments, in which the propensity for the CM impermeant cation, propidium, to stain cells was shown to be contingent upon the relative state of the MS channels (i.e., cells with open MS channels fluoresced red, cells with closed MS channels did not). Application of time-resolved SHS to experimentally distinguish MS channels opened via osmotic shock versus chemical activation, as well as a general comparison with the patch-clamp method is discussed.

Hypo-osmotic Stress Increases Permeability of Individual Barriers in Escherichia coli Cell Envelope, Enabling Rapid Drug Transport

Survival of foodborne Gram-negative bacteria during osmotic stress often leads to multidrug resistance development. However, despite the concern, how osmoadaptation alters drug penetration across the Gram-negative bacterial cell envelope has remained inconclusive for years. Here, we have investigated drug permeation and accumulation inside hypo-osmotically shocked Escherichia coli. Three different quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) are used as cationic amine-containing drug representatives; they also serve as envelope permeability indicators in different assays. Propidium iodide fluorescence reveals cytoplasmic accumulation and overall envelope permeability, while crystal violet sorption and second harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy reveal periplasmic accumulation and outer membrane permeability. Malachite green sorption and SHG results reveal transport across both the outer and inner membranes and accumulation in the periplasm as well as cytoplasm. The findings are found to be complementary to one another, collectively revealing enhanced permeabilities of both membranes and the periplasmic space in response to hypo-osmotic stress in E. coli. Enhanced permeability leads to faster QACs transport and higher accumulation in subcellular compartments, whereas transport and accumulation both are negligible under isosmotic conditions. The QACs' transport rates are found to be highly influenced by the osmolytes used, where phosphate ion emerges as a key facilitator of transport across the periplasm into the cytoplasm. E. coli is found viable, with morphology unchanged under extreme hypo-osmotic stress; i.e., it adapts to the situation. The outcome shows that the hypo-osmotic shock to E. coli, specifically using phosphate as an osmolyte, can be beneficial for drug delivery.

Facilitating flip-flop: Structural tuning of molecule-membrane interactions in living bacteria

The first barrier that a small molecule must overcome before trespassing into a living cell is the lipid bilayer surrounding the intracellular content. It is imperative, therefore, to understand how the structure of a small molecule influences its fate in this region. Through the use of second harmonic generation, we show how the differing degrees of ionic headgroups, conjugated system, and branched hydrocarbon tail disparities of a series of four styryl dye molecules influence the propensity to "flip-flop" or to be further organized in the outer leaflet by the membrane. We show here that initial adsorption experiments match previous studies on model systems; however, more complex dynamics are observed over time. Aside from probe molecule structure, these dynamics also vary between cell species and can deviate from trends reported based on model membranes. Specifically, we show here that the membrane composition is an important factor to consider for headgroup-mediated small-molecule dynamics. Overall, the findings presented here on how structural variability of small molecules impacts their initial adsorption and eventual destinations within membranes in the context of living cells could have practical applications in antibiotic and drug adjuvant design.

Size dependence of second-harmonic scattering from nanoparticles: Disentangling surface and electrostatic contributions

Polarimetric angle-resolved second-harmonic scattering (AR-SHS) is an all-optical tool enabling the study of unlabeled interfaces of nano-sized particles in an aqueous solution. As the second harmonic signal is modulated by interference between nonlinear contributions originating at the particle's surface and those originating in the bulk electrolyte solution due to the presence of a surface electrostatic field, the AR-SHS patterns give insight into the structure of the electrical double layer. The mathematical framework of AR-SHS has been previously established, in particular regarding changes in probing depth with ionic strength. However, other experimental factors may influence the AR-SHS patterns. Here, we calculate the size dependence of the surface and electrostatic geometric form factors for nonlinear scattering, together with their relative contribution to the AR-SHS patterns. We show that the electrostatic term is stronger in the forward scattering direction for smaller particle sizes, while the ratio of the electrostatic to surface terms decreases with increasing size. Besides this competing effect, the total AR-SHS signal intensity is also weighted by the particle's surface characteristics, given by the surface potential Φ₀ and the second-order surface susceptibility χ_s,2 ². The weighting effect is experimentally demonstrated by comparing SiO₂ particles of different sizes in NaCl and NaOH solutions of varying ionic strengths. For NaOH, the larger χ_s,2 ² values generated by deprotonation of surface silanol groups prevail over the electrostatic screening occurring at high ionic strengths; however, only for larger particle sizes. This study establishes a better connection between the AR-SHS patterns and surface properties and predicts trends for arbitrarily-sized particles.

Three-Dimensional Confinement of Water: H2O Exhibits Long-Range (>50 nm) Structure while D2O Does Not

Water is the liquid of life thanks to its three-dimensional adaptive hydrogen (H)-bond network. Confinement of this network may lead to dramatic structural changes influencing chemical and physical transformations. Although confinement effects occur on a <1 nm length scale, the upper length scale limit is unknown. Here, we investigate 3D-confinement over lengths scales ranging from 58-140 nm. By confining water in zwitterionic liposomes of different sizes and measuring the change in H-bond network conformation using second harmonic scattering (SHS), we determined long-range confinement effects in light and heavy water. D₂O displays no detectable 3D-confinement effects <58 nm (<3 × 10⁶ D₂O molecules). H₂O is distinctly different. The vesicle enclosed inner H-bond network has a different conformation compared to the outside network and the SHS response scales with the volume of the confining space. H₂O displays confinement effects over distances >100 nm (>2 × 10⁷ H₂O molecules).

Indole Facilitates Antimicrobial Uptake in Bacteria

Indole signaling in bacteria plays an important role in antibiotic resistance, persistence, and tolerance. Here, we used the nonlinear optical technique, second-harmonic light scattering (SHS), to examine the influence of exogenous indole on the bacterial uptake of the antimicrobial quaternary ammonium cation (qac), malachite green. The transport rates of the antimicrobial qac across the individual membranes of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as liposomes composed of the polar lipid extract of E. coli, were directly measured using time-resolved SHS. Whereas exogenous indole was shown to induce a 2-fold increase in the transport rate of the qac across the cytoplasmic membranes of the wild-type bacteria, it had no influence on a knockout strain of E. coli lacking the tryptophan-specific transport protein (Δmtr). Likewise, indole did not affect the transport rate of the qac diffusing across the liposome membrane. Our findings suggest that indole increases the bacterial uptake of antimicrobials through an interaction with the Mtr permease.

Understanding the different cross-membrane transport kinetics of two charged molecules on the DOPG lipid surface with second harmonic generation and MD simulation

A clear physical picture of the dynamic behavior of molecules on the surface of the lipid membrane is highly desired and has attracted great attention from researchers. In this study, a step forward in this direction based on previous studies was presented with second harmonic generation (SHG) and molecular dynamic (MD) simulation. Specifically, details on the orientation flipping and cross-membrane transport of two charged molecules, 4-(4-diethylaminostyry)-1-methyl-pyridinium iodide (D289) and malachite green (MG), on the surface of 2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-rac-(1-glycerol) sodium salt (DOPG) lipids were presented. Firstly, the orientation flipping of the two molecules on the surface of lipids before their cross-membrane transport was confirmed by the MD simulation. Then, the concentration dependent rate of the cross membrane transport for MG/D289 was analyzed. It was found that a simplified model could satisfactorily interpret the faster cross-membrane transport of MG under higher bulk concentrations. A different concentration dependent dynamics was observed with D289 and the reason behind it was also discussed. With this investigation, the surface structures and dynamics of D289 and MG on the DOPG lipid surface were clearly presented.

Evaluating the cross-membrane dynamics of a charged molecule on lipid films with different surface curvature

Does the curvature of a phospholipid membrane influence the permeability of the lipid bilayers? This is a question of great importance yet hard to answer. In this work the permeability of a positively charged rod like probing molecule (D289 dye) on the bilayers of DOPG lipid vesicles was investigated using angle resolved second harmonic generation method. It was revealed that the permeability of D289 on the surface of small vesicles with ∼ 100 nm diameter was notably lower than that on giant vesicles with ∼ 1000 nm diameter. With the increasing of temperature or the introducing of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in the solutions, the D289 permeability of the lipid bilayers was notably enhanced as expected, on both the small and the giant vesicles. Still, the D289 permeability of the lipid film with more curvature is lower than the relatively flat film in all these cases. This work demonstrated a general protocol for the investigating of surface permeability of lipid films with various curvature.

Phosphate Ions Alter the Binding of Daptomycin to Living Bacterial Cell Surfaces

Advancements in antibiotic drug design are often hindered by missing information on how these small molecules interact with living cells. The antibiotic, daptomycin, has found clinical success and an emerging resistance, but a comprehensive picture of its mechanism of action has remained elusive. Using a surface-specific spectroscopy technique, second harmonic generation, we are able to quantitatively assess the binding of daptomycin to living cell membranes without the addition of exogenous labels. Our results reveal similar binding affinities for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria studied, including Escherichia coli. More importantly, we show that the presence of phosphate ions influences the binding of daptomycin to the Gram-positive bacterium Enterococcus faecalis. The role of environmental phosphate has not previously been considered in any proposed mechanism, and its implications are expected to be important in vivo.

Unveiling the Molecular Dynamics in a Living Cell to the Subcellular Organelle Level Using Second-Harmonic Generation Spectroscopy and Microscopy

Second-harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy has been proved to be a powerful method for investigating the structures of biomaterials. SHG spectra were also generally used to probe the adsorption and cross-membrane transport of molecules on lipid bilayers in situ and in real time. In this work, we applied SHG and two-photon fluorescence (TPF) spectra to investigate the dynamics of an amphiphilic ion with an SHG and TPF chromophore, D289 (4-(4-diethylaminostyry)-1-methyl-pyridinium iodide), on the surface of human chronic myelogenous leukemia (K562) cells and the subcellular structures inside the cells. The adsorption and cross-membrane transport of D289 into the cells and then into the organelles such as mitochondria were revealed. SHG images were also recorded and used to demonstrate their capability of probing molecular dynamics in organelles in K562 cells. This work demonstrated the first SHG investigation of the cross-membrane transport dynamics on the surface of subcellular organelles. It may also shed light on the differentiation of different types of subcellular structures in cells.

Influence of Temperature on Molecular Adsorption and Transport at Liposome Surfaces Studied by Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Second Harmonic Generation Spectroscopy

A fundamental understanding of the kinetics and thermodynamics of chemical interactions at the phospholipid bilayer interface is crucial for developing potential drug-delivery applications. Here we use molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and surface-sensitive second harmonic generation (SHG) spectroscopy to study the molecular adsorption and transport of a small organic cation, malachite green (MG), at the surface of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1'-rac-glycerol) (DOPG) liposomes in water at different temperatures. The temperature-dependent adsorption isotherms, obtained by SHG measurements, provide information on adsorbate concentration, free energy of adsorption, and associated changes in enthalpy and entropy, showing that the adsorption process is exothermic, resulting in increased overall entropy. Additionally, the molecular transport kinetics are found to be more rapid under higher temperatures. Corresponding MD simulations are used to calculate the free energy profiles of the adsorption and the molecular orientation distributions of MG at different temperatures, showing excellent agreement with the experimental results.

Extracellular Polymeric Substance Protects Some Cells in an Escherichia coli Biofilm from the Biomechanical Consequences of Treatment with Magainin 2

Bacterial biofilms have long been recognized as a source of persistent infections and industrial contamination with their intransigence generally attributed to their protective layer of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). EPS, consisting of secreted nucleic acids, proteins, and polysaccharides, make it difficult to fully eliminate biofilms by conventional chemical or physical means. Since most bacteria are capable of forming biofilms, understanding how biofilms respond to new antibiotic compounds and components of the immune system has important ramifications. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are both potential novel antibiotic compounds and part of the immune response in many different organisms. Here, we use atomic force microscopy to investigate the biomechanical changes that occur in individual cells when a biofilm is exposed to the AMP magainin 2 (MAG2), which acts by permeabilizing bacterial membranes. While MAG2 is able to prevent biofilm initiation, cells in an established biofilm can withstand exposure to high concentrations of MAG2. Treated cells in the biofilm are classified into two distinct populations after treatment: one population of cells is indistinguishable from untreated cells, maintaining cellular turgor pressure and a smooth outer surface, and the second population of cells are softer than untreated cells and have a rough outer surface after treatment. Notably, the latter population is similar to planktonic cells treated with MAG2. The EPS likely reduces the local MAG2 concentration around the stiffer cells since once the EPS was enzymatically removed, all cells became softer and had rough outer surfaces. Thus, while MAG2 appears to have the same mechanism of action in biofilm cells as in planktonic ones, MAG2 cannot eradicate a biofilm unless coupled with the removal of the EPS.

Recent Experimental Developments in Studying Passive Membrane Transport of Drug Molecules

The ability to measure the passive membrane permeation of drug-like molecules is of fundamental biological and pharmaceutical importance. Of significance, passive diffusion across the cellular membranes plays an effective role in the delivery of many pharmaceutical agents to intracellular targets. Hence, approaches for quantitative measurement of membrane permeability have been the topics of research for decades, resulting in sophisticated biomimetic systems coupled with advanced techniques. In this review, recent developments in experimental approaches along with theoretical models for quantitative and real-time analysis of membrane transport of drug-like molecules through mimetic and living cell membranes are discussed. The focus is on time-resolved fluorescence-based, surface plasmon resonance, and second-harmonic light scattering approaches. The current understanding of how properties of the membrane and permeant affect the permeation process is discussed.

Determination of bacterial surface charge density via saturation of adsorbed ions

Bacterial surface charge is a critical characteristic of the cell's interfacial physiology that influences how the cell interacts with the local environment. A direct, sensitive, and accurate experimental technique capable of quantifying bacterial surface charge is needed to better understand molecular adaptations in interfacial physiology in response to environmental changes. We introduce here the method of second-harmonic light scattering (SHS), which is capable of detecting the number of molecular ions adsorbed as counter charges on the exterior bacterial surface, thereby providing a measure of the surface charge. In this first demonstration, we detect the small molecular cation, malachite green, electrostatically adsorbed on the surface of representative strains of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Surprisingly, the SHS-deduced molecular transport rates through the different cellular ultrastructures are revealed to be nearly identical. However, the adsorption saturation densities on the exterior surfaces of the two bacteria were shown to be characteristically distinct. The negative charge density of the lipopolysaccharide coated outer surface of Gram-negative Escherichia coli (6.6 ± 1.3 nm^-2) was deduced to be seven times larger than that of the protein surface layer of Gram-positive Lactobacillus rhamnosus (1.0 ± 0.2 nm^-2). The feasibility of SHS-deduced bacterial surface charge density for Gram-type differentiation is presented.

Qualitative and Quantitative Changes to Escherichia coli during Treatment with Magainin 2 Observed in Native Conditions by Atomic Force Microscopy

The bacterial membrane has been suggested as a good target for future antibiotics, so it is important to understand how naturally occurring antibiotics like antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) disrupt those membranes. The interaction of the AMP magainin 2 (MAG2) with the bacterial cell membrane has been well characterized using supported lipid substrates, unilamellar vesicles, and spheroplasts created from bacterial cells. However, to fully understand how MAG2 kills bacteria, we must consider its effect on the outer membrane found in Gram-negative bacteria. Here, we use atomic force microscopy (AFM) to directly investigate MAG2 interaction with the outer membrane of Escherichia coli and characterize the biophysical consequences of MAG2 treatment under native conditions. While propidium iodide penetration indicates that MAG2 permeabilizes cells within seconds, a corresponding decrease in cellular turgor pressure is not observed until minutes after MAG2 application, suggesting that cellular homeostasis machinery may be responsible for helping the cell maintain turgor pressure despite a loss of membrane integrity. AFM imaging and force measurement modes applied in tandem reveal that the outer membrane becomes pitted, more flexible, and more adhesive after MAG2 treatment. MAG2 appears to have a highly disruptive effect on the outer membrane, extending the known mechanism of MAG2 to the Gram-negative outer membrane.

Molecule-Membrane Interactions in Biological Cells Studied with Second Harmonic Light Scattering

The nonlinear optical phenomenon second harmonic light scattering (SHS) can be used for detecting molecules at the membrane surfaces of living biological cells. Over the last decade, SHS has been developed for quantitatively monitoring the adsorption and transport of small and medium size molecules (both neutral and ionic) across membranes in living cells. SHS can be operated with both time and spatial resolution and is even capable of isolating molecule-membrane interactions at specific membrane surfaces in multi-membrane cells, such as bacteria. In this review, we discuss select examples from our lab employing time-resolved SHS to study real-time molecular interactions at the plasma membranes of biological cells. We first demonstrate the utility of this method for determining the transport rates at each membrane/interface in a Gram-negative bacterial cell. Next, we show how SHS can be used to characterize the molecular mechanism of the century old Gram stain protocol for classifying bacteria. Additionally, we examine how membrane structures and molecular charge and polarity affect adsorption and transport, as well as how antimicrobial compounds alter bacteria membrane permeability. Finally, we discuss adaptation of SHS as an imaging modality to quantify molecular adsorption and transport in sub-cellular regions of individual living cells.

Second Harmonic Generation Spectroscopy of Membrane Probe Dynamics in Gram-Positive Bacteria

Bacterial membranes are complex mixtures with dispersity that is dynamic over scales of both space and time. To capture adsorption onto and transport within these mixtures, we conduct simultaneous second harmonic generation (SHG) and two-photon fluorescence measurements on two different gram-positive bacterial species as the cells uptake membrane-specific probe molecules. Our results show that SHG not only can monitor the movement of small molecules across membrane leaflets but also is sensitive to higher-level ordering of the molecules within the membrane. Further, we show that the membranes of Staphylococcus aureus remain more dynamic after longer times at room temperature in comparison to Enterococcus faecalis. Our findings provide insight into the variability of activities seen between structurally similar molecules in gram-positive bacteria while also demonstrating the power of SHG to examine these dynamics.

Molecular Adsorption and Transport at Liposome Surfaces Studied by Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Second Harmonic Generation Spectroscopy

A fundamental understanding of the factors that determine the interactions with and transport of small molecules through phospholipid membranes is crucial in developing liposome-based drug delivery systems. Here we combine time-dependent second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements with molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the events associated with adsorption and transport of the small molecular cation, malachite green isothiocyanate (MGITC), in colloidal liposomes of different compositions. The molecular transport of MGITC through the liposome bilayer is found to be more rapid in 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1'-rac-glycerol) and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-l-serine (DOPG and DOPS, respectively) liposomes, while the molecular transport is slower in 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) liposomes. Interestingly, MGITC is observed to neither adsorb nor transport in trimethyl quinone-1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (QPADOPE) liposomes due to shielding by the quinone group. The modified Langmuir adsorption isotherm model is used to determine the free energy of adsorption for MGITC, which is found to be less negative in DOPC than in DOPG and DOPS, caused by lower electrostatic interactions between the positively charged dye and the zwitterionic DOPC liposome surface. The results are compared to our previous investigations, which showed that malachite green (MG) adsorbs and transports in DOPG and DOPS liposomes but not in DOPC and QPADOPE liposomes. Molecular dynamics simulations are used to investigate the adsorption and transport properties of MG and MGITC in DOPC and DOPG liposomes using umbrella sampling to determine the free energy profiles and interfacial molecular orientations. Together, these time-resolved SHG studies and corresponding molecular dynamics simulations characterize the complicated chemical interactions at different lipid membranes to provide key molecular-level insights for potential drug delivery applications. The results also point toward understanding the role of chemical functional groups, in this case isothiocyanate, in controlling molecular adsorption at and transport through lipid bilayers.

Hyperpolarised NMR to follow water proton transport through membrane channels via exchange with biomolecules

Water uptake in vesicles and the subsequent exchange between water protons and amide -NH protons in amino acids can be followed by a new, highly sensitive, type of magnetic resonance spectroscopy: dynamic nuclear polarisation (DNP)-enhanced NMR in the liquid state. Water hydrogen atoms are detected prior to and after their transfer to molecular sites in peptides and proteins featuring highly-accessible proton-exchangeable groups, as is the case for the -NH groups of intrinsically disordered proteins. The detected rates for amide proton-water proton exchange can be modulated by membrane-crossing rates, when a membrane channel is interposed. We hyperpolarised water proton spins via dynamic nuclear polarisation followed by sample dissolution (d-DNP) and transferred the created polarisation to -NH groups with high solvent accessibility in an intrinsically disordered protein domain. This domain is the membrane anchor of c-Src kinase, whose activity controls cell proliferation. The hindrance of effective water proton transfer rate constants observed in free solvent when a membrane-crossing step is involved is discussed. This study aims to assess the feasibility of recently-introduced hyperpolarised (DNP-enhanced) NMR to assess water membrane crossing dynamics.

Spatially Resolved Membrane Transport in a Single Cell Imaged by Second Harmonic Light Scattering

We demonstrate that time-resolved second harmonic (SH) light scattering, when applied as an imaging modality, can be used to spatially resolve the adsorption and transport rates of molecules diffusing across the membrane in a living cell. As a representative example, we measure the passive transport of the amphiphilic ion, malachite green, across the plasma membrane in living human dermal fibroblast cells. Analysis of the time-resolved SH images reveals that membrane regions, which appear to be enduring higher stress, exhibit slower transport rates. It is proposed that this stress-transport relation may be a result of local enrichment of membrane rigidifiers as part of a response to maintain membrane integrity under strain.

Influence of molecular structure on passive membrane transport: A case study by second harmonic light scattering

We present an experimental study, using the surface sensitive technique, second harmonic light scattering (SHS), to examine the influence of structure on the propensity of a molecule to passively diffuse across a phospholipid membrane. Specifically, we monitor the relative tendency of the structurally similar amphiphilic cationic dyes, malachite green (MG) and crystal violet (CV), to transport across membranes in living cells (E. coli) and biomimetic liposomes. Despite having nearly identical molecular structures, molecular weights, cationic charges, and functional groups, MG is of lower overall symmetry and consequently has a symmetry allowed permanent dipole moment, which CV does not. The two molecules showed drastically different interactions with phospholipid membranes. MG is observed to readily cross the hydrophobic interior of the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. Conversely, CV does not. Furthermore, experiments conducted with biomimetic liposomes, constructed from the total lipid extract of E. coli and containing no proteins, show that while MG is able to diffuse across the liposome membrane, CV does not. These observations indicate that the SHS results measured with bacteria do not result from the functions of efflux pumps, but suggests that MG possesses an innate molecular property (which is absent in CV) that allows it to passively diffuse across the hydrophobic interior of a phospholipid membrane.

Azithromycin-Induced Changes to Bacterial Membrane Properties Monitored in Vitro by Second-Harmonic Light Scattering

We present a nonlinear light scattering method for monitoring, with real-time resolution and membrane specificity, changes in molecular adsorption, and transport at bacterial membranes induced by an antimicrobial compound. Specifically, time-resolved second-harmonic light scattering (SHS) is used to quantify azithromycin-induced changes to bacterial membrane permeability in colloidal suspensions of living Escherichia coli. Variations in membrane properties are monitored through changes in the adsorption and transport rates of malachite green, a hydrophobic cation that gives SHS signal. Regardless of concentration, instantaneous treatment with azithromycin showed no significant changes in membrane permeability. However, 1 h pretreatment with subminimum inhibitory concentrations of azithromycin induced an order-of-magnitude enhancement in the permeability of both the outer membrane and, through facilitation of a new transport mechanism, the cytoplasmic membrane of the bacteria as well. This study illustrates SHS as a novel tool for monitoring antimicrobial-induced changes to membrane properties in living bacteria.

Comparison of thermally actuated retro-diels-alder release groups for nanoparticle based nucleic acid delivery

The present study explores alternate pericyclic chemistries for tethering amine-terminal biomolecules onto silver nanoparticles. Employing the versatile tool of the retro-Diels-Alder (rDA) reaction, three thermally-labile cycloadducts are constructed that cleave at variable temperature ranges. While the reaction between furan and maleimide has widely been reported, the current study also evaluates the reverse reaction kinetics between thiophene-maleimide, and pyrrole-maleimide cycloadducts. Density Functional Theorem (DFT) calculations used to model and plan the experiments, predict energy barriers for the thiophene-maleimide reverse reaction to be greatest, and the pyrrole-maleimide barriers the lowest. Based on the computational analyses, it is projected that the cycloreversion rate would occur slowest with the thiophene, followed by furan, and finally pyrrole would yield the promptest release. These thermally-responsive linkers, characterized by Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, are thiol-linked to silver nanoparticles and conjugate single stranded siRNA mimics with 5' fluorescein tag. Second harmonic generation spectroscopy (SHG) and fluorescence spectroscopy are used to measure release and rate of release. The SHG decay constants and fluorescence release profiles obtained for the three rDA reactions confirm the trends obtained from the DFT computations.

Effect of Curcumin Addition on the Adsorption and Transport of a Cationic Dye across DPPG-POPG Liposomes Probed by Second Harmonic Spectroscopy

The effect of addition of curcumin on the adsorption and transport characteristics of a cationic dye, LDS⁺, across negatively charged bilayers composed of POPG and DPPG lipids were investigated by the interface selective second harmonic (SH) spectroscopic technique. Curcumin induced changes in the SH electric field signal of the LDS⁺ ions (E_2ω (LDS⁺)) were observed to depend critically on the bilayer acyl chain saturation/unsaturation ratio (S/U). Following earlier works, the increase in the E_2ω (LDS⁺) signal is attributed to the release of the Na⁺ counterions present in the head group region of the bilayer by curcumin and the decay of the E_2ω (LDS⁺) signal is attributed to the bilayer intercalated state of curcumin. While the changes observed in the E_2ω (LDS⁺) signal in the presence of POPG liposomes were consistent with our earlier study ( Varshney, G. K. et al. Langmuir , 2016 , 32 , 10415 - 10421 ), they were significantly different for DPPG liposomes, following curcumin addition. While the increase in the E_2ω (LDS⁺) signal in the presence of POPG liposomes, is marginal (∼10-20%) and instantaneous (<1 s) followed by a rapid decay (completed within ∼100 s), in the presence of DPPG liposomes it was observed to increase slowly and at saturation shows a substantial increase (100-200%), following curcumin addition. When liposomes consisting of a mixture of POPG and DPPG lipids are used, curcumin induced kinetic characteristics of the E_2ω (LDS⁺) signal showed a mixture of the individual kinetic characteristics observed for the unsaturated (POPG) and saturated (DPPG) liposomes. The observed kinetic trends of the E_2ω (LDS⁺) signal following curcumin addition are explained on the basis of the relative strength of the Na⁺-POPG and Na⁺-DPPG interaction. Higher ordering of the lipid acyl chain region in DPPG liposome makes the Na⁺-DPPG interaction much stronger than the Na⁺-POPG interaction. Further, it is proposed that, in POPG-DPPG liposomes, individual domains of POPG and DPPG lipids exist at low temperature as suggested by the observed temperature dependent kinetic characteristics of the E_2ω (LDS⁺) signal following curcumin addition. These domains are dependent on the S/U ratio and phase state of the bilayer. The gel phase was observed to be more conducive for individual domain formation. Results presented in this work not only support the notion that biological activity of curcumin is associated with its bilayer altering properties, but more interestingly it provides a qualitative insight about how bilayer phase separation can be achieved by modulating the hydrophobic interactions between the lipid acyl chains.

Applications of Surface Second Harmonic Generation in Biological Sensing

Surface second harmonic generation (SHG) is a coherent, nonlinear optical technique that is well suited for investigations of biomolecular interactions at interfaces. SHG is surface specific due to the intrinsic symmetry constraints on the nonlinear process, providing a distinct analytical advantage over linear spectroscopic methods, such as fluorescence and UV-Visible absorbance spectroscopies. SHG has the ability to detect low concentrations of analytes, such as proteins, peptides, and small molecules, due to its high sensitivity, and the second harmonic response can be enhanced through the use of target molecules that are resonant with the incident (ω) and/or second harmonic (2ω) frequencies. This review describes the theoretical background of SHG, and then it discusses its sensitivity, limit of detection, and the implementation of the method. It also encompasses the applications of surface SHG directed at the study of protein-surface, small-molecule-surface, and nanoparticle-membrane interactions, as well as molecular chirality, imaging, and immunoassays. The versatility, high sensitivity, and surface specificity of SHG show great potential for developments in biosensors and bioassays.