Liaison between Myristoylation and Cryptic EF-Hand Motif Confers Ca2+ Sensitivity to Neuronal Calcium Sensor-1

A novel fluorescent chemosensor based on tetra-peptides for detecting zinc ions in aqueous solutions and live cells

A novel fluorescent chemosensor (HL) based on tetra-peptides conjugated with dansyl groups has been designed and synthesized, which is a promising analytical tool for detecting Zn²⁺ in aqueous solutions and live cells.

Membrane binding of Neuronal Calcium Sensor-1 (NCS1)

Neuronal Calcium Sensor-1 (NCS1) belongs to the family of Neuronal Calcium Sensor (NCS) proteins. NCS1 is composed of four EF-hand motifs and an N-terminal myristoylation. However, the presence of a calcium-myristoyl switch in NCS1 and its role in the membrane binding are controversial. The model of Langmuir lipid monolayers is thus used to mimic the cell membrane in order to characterize the membrane interactions of NCS1. Two binding parameters are calculated from monolayer measurements: the maximum insertion pressure, up to which protein binding is energetically favorable, and the synergy, reporting attractive or repulsive interactions with the lipid monolayers. Binding membrane measurements performed in the presence of myristoylated NCS1 reveal better binding interactions for phospholipids composed of phosphoethanolamine polar head groups and unsaturated fatty acyl chains. In the absence of calcium, the membrane binding measurements are drastically modified and suggest that the protein is more strongly bound to the membrane. Indeed, the binding of calcium by three EF-hand motifs of NCS1 leads to a conformation change. NCS1 arrangement at the membrane could thus be reshuffled for better interactions with its substrates. The N-terminal peptide of NCS1 is composed of two amphiphilic helices involved in the membrane interactions of NCS1. Moreover, the presence of the myristoyl group has a weak influence on the membrane binding of NCS1 suggesting the absence of a calcium-myristoyl switch mechanism in this protein. The myristoylation could thus have a structural role required in the folding/unfolding of NCS1 which is essential to its multiple biological functions.

A peptide-based fluorescent chemosensor for measuring cadmium ions in aqueous solutions and live cells

A novel peptide fluorescent chemosensor (H2L) with a lysine backbone and both -NH2 sites conjugated with cysteine and dansyl groups has been designed and synthesized by solid phase peptide synthesis with Fmoc chemistry. This chemosensor is a promising analytical tool for detecting Cd(2+) based on the photo-induced electron transfer (PET) effect by turn-on response in 100% aqueous solutions. As designed, H2L exhibits excellent cell permeation and low biotoxicity as well as displaying relatively high selectivity and sensitivity. The chemosensor penetrated live HeLa cells and detected intracellular Cd(2+) by turn-on response. The binding stoichiometry and affinity, interference test, pH sensitivity, fluorescence quantum yield, quantum mechanical calculations, lifetimes, and cytotoxicity of the chemosensor H2L to Cd(2+) were also investigated. Moreover, H2L exhibits low biotoxicity with a limit of detection (LOD) for Cd(2+) of about 52 nM, implying that H2L can be used as a highly selective and sensitive peptide fluorescent chemosensor in biological systems.