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Ventura AE, Santos TCB, Marquês JT, de Almeida RFM, Silva LC. Biophysical Analysis of Lipid Domains by Fluorescence Microscopy. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2187:223-245. [PMID: 32770510 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0814-2_13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/26/2023]
Abstract
The study of the structure and dynamics of membrane domains in vivo is a challenging task. However, major advances could be achieved through the application of microscopic and spectroscopic techniques coupled with the use of model membranes, where the relations between lipid composition and the type, amount and properties of the domains present can be quantitatively studied.This chapter provides protocols to study membrane organization and visualize membrane domains by fluorescence microscopy both in artificial membrane and living cell models of Gaucher Disease (GD ). We describe a bottom-up multiprobe methodology, which enables understanding how the specific lipid interactions established by glucosylceramide, the lipid that accumulates in GD , affect the biophysical properties of model and cell membranes, focusing on its ability to influence the formation, properties and organization of lipid raft domains. In this context, we address the preparation of (1) raft-mimicking giant unilamellar vesicles labeled with a combination of fluorophores that allow for the visualization and comprehensive characterization of those membrane domains and (2) human fibroblasts exhibiting GD phenotype to assess the biophysical properties of biological membrane in living cells using fluorescence microscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana E Ventura
- Research Institute for medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- CQFM-IN and IBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Tânia C B Santos
- Research Institute for medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- CQFM-IN and IBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joaquim T Marquês
- Centro de Química e Bioquímica, Centro de Química Estrutural, DQB, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rodrigo F M de Almeida
- Centro de Química e Bioquímica, Centro de Química Estrutural, DQB, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Liana C Silva
- Research Institute for medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
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Ventura A, Varela A, Dingjan T, Santos T, Fedorov A, Futerman A, Prieto M, Silva L. Lipid domain formation and membrane shaping by C24-ceramide. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2020; 1862:183400. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2020.183400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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Khmelinskaia A, Marquês JMT, Bastos AEP, Antunes CAC, Bento-Oliveira A, Scolari S, Lobo GMDS, Malhó R, Herrmann A, Marinho HS, de Almeida RFM. Liquid-Ordered Phase Formation by Mammalian and Yeast Sterols: A Common Feature With Organizational Differences. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:337. [PMID: 32596234 PMCID: PMC7304482 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, biophysical properties of membranes enriched in three metabolically related sterols are analyzed both in vitro and in vivo. Unlike cholesterol and ergosterol, the common metabolic precursor zymosterol is unable to induce the formation of a liquid ordered (l o) phase in model lipid membranes and can easily accommodate in a gel phase. As a result, Zym has a marginal ability to modulate the passive membrane permeability of lipid vesicles with different compositions, contrary to cholesterol and ergosterol. Using fluorescence-lifetime imaging microscopy of an aminostyryl dye in living mammalian and yeast cells we established a close parallel between sterol-dependent membrane biophysical properties in vivo and in vitro. This approach unraveled fundamental differences in yeast and mammalian plasma membrane organization. It is often suggested that, in eukaryotes, areas that are sterol-enriched are also rich in sphingolipids, constituting highly ordered membrane regions. Our results support that while cholesterol is able to interact with saturated lipids, ergosterol seems to interact preferentially with monounsaturated phosphatidylcholines. Taken together, we show that different eukaryotic kingdoms developed unique solutions for the formation of a sterol-rich plasma membrane, a common evolutionary trait that accounts for sterol structural diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alena Khmelinskaia
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joaquim M T Marquês
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - André E P Bastos
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Catarina A C Antunes
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Andreia Bento-Oliveira
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Silvia Scolari
- Department of Biology, Molecular Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gerson M da S Lobo
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rui Malhó
- Faculdade de Ciências, BioISI, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Andreas Herrmann
- Department of Biology, Molecular Biophysics, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - H Susana Marinho
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rodrigo F M de Almeida
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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Ceramide Domains in Health and Disease: A Biophysical Perspective. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1159:79-108. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-21162-2_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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Zelnik ID, Ventura AE, Kim JL, Silva LC, Futerman AH. The role of ceramide in regulating endoplasmic reticulum function. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Biol Lipids 2019; 1865:158489. [PMID: 31233888 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbalip.2019.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 06/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Sphingolipids (SLs) are an important class of membrane lipids containing a long chain sphingoid base backbone. SL synthesis is compartmentalized between two major cell organelles, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi apparatus. The initial steps of sphingolipid synthesis take place in the ER, where the simplest SL, ceramide, is synthesized. Although ceramide is a critical membrane component, an imbalance of ceramide levels can have significant deleterious effects on cell properties leading to events such as apoptosis. For this reason and others, ER ceramide levels must be tightly regulated. Here, we describe the biological and biophysical properties of ceramide and discuss how this might impact the ER membrane. This article is part of a special issue entitled: ER Platforms for Membrane Lipid Dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iris D Zelnik
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Ana E Ventura
- iMed.UL, Research Institute for Medicines and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal; Centro de Química-Física Molecular and IN-Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Jiyoon L Kim
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Liana C Silva
- iMed.UL, Research Institute for Medicines and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Anthony H Futerman
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
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Jones AA, Bennett PC. Mineral Ecology: Surface Specific Colonization and Geochemical Drivers of Biofilm Accumulation, Composition, and Phylogeny. Front Microbiol 2017; 8:491. [PMID: 28400754 PMCID: PMC5368280 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
This study tests the hypothesis that surface composition influences microbial community structure and growth of biofilms. We used laboratory biofilm reactors (inoculated with a diverse subsurface community) to explore the phylogenetic and taxonomic variability in microbial communities as a function of surface type (carbonate, silicate, aluminosilicate), media pH, and carbon and phosphate availability. Using high-throughput pyrosequencing, we found that surface type significantly controlled ~70–90% of the variance in phylogenetic diversity regardless of environmental pressures. Consistent patterns also emerged in the taxonomy of specific guilds (sulfur-oxidizers/reducers, Gram-positives, acidophiles) due to variations in media chemistry. Media phosphate availability was a key property associated with variation in phylogeny and taxonomy of whole reactors and was negatively correlated with biofilm accumulation and α-diversity (species richness and evenness). However, mineral-bound phosphate limitations were correlated with less biofilm. Carbon added to the media was correlated with a significant increase in biofilm accumulation and overall α-diversity. Additionally, planktonic communities were phylogenetically distant from those in biofilms. All treatments harbored structurally (taxonomically and phylogenetically) distinct microbial communities. Selective advantages within each treatment encouraged growth and revealed the presence of hundreds of additional operational taxonomix units (OTU), representing distinct consortiums of microorganisms. Ultimately, these results provide evidence that mineral/rock composition significantly influences microbial community structure, diversity, membership, phylogenetic variability, and biofilm growth in subsurface communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron A Jones
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX, USA
| | - Philip C Bennett
- Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX, USA
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Recursive Alterations of the Relationship between Simple Membrane Geometry and Insertion of Amphiphilic Motifs. MEMBRANES 2017; 7:membranes7010006. [PMID: 28208740 PMCID: PMC5371967 DOI: 10.3390/membranes7010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Revised: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The shape and composition of a membrane directly regulate the localization, activity, and signaling properties of membrane associated proteins. Proteins that both sense and generate membrane curvature, e.g., through amphiphilic insertion motifs, potentially engage in recursive binding dynamics, where the recruitment of the protein itself changes the properties of the membrane substrate. Simple geometric models of membrane curvature interactions already provide prediction tools for experimental observations, however these models are treating curvature sensing and generation as separated phenomena. Here, we outline a model that applies both geometric and basic thermodynamic considerations. This model allows us to predict the consequences of recursive properties in such interaction schemes and thereby integrate the membrane as a dynamic substrate. We use this combined model to hypothesize the origin and properties of tubular carrier systems observed in cells. Furthermore, we pinpoint the coupling to a membrane reservoir as a factor that influences the membrane curvature sensing and generation properties of local curvatures in the cell in line with classic determinants such as lipid composition and membrane geometry.
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Varela ARP, Ventura AE, Carreira AC, Fedorov A, Futerman AH, Prieto M, Silva LC. Pathological levels of glucosylceramide change the biophysical properties of artificial and cell membranes. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2017; 19:340-346. [DOI: 10.1039/c6cp07227e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Accumulation of glucosylceramide decreases membrane fluidity in artificial membranes and in cell models of Gaucher disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana R. P. Varela
- iMed.ULisboa – Research Institute for Medicines
- Faculdade de Farmácia
- Universidade de Lisboa
- 1649-003 Lisboa
- Portugal
| | - Ana E. Ventura
- iMed.ULisboa – Research Institute for Medicines
- Faculdade de Farmácia
- Universidade de Lisboa
- 1649-003 Lisboa
- Portugal
| | - Ana C. Carreira
- iMed.ULisboa – Research Institute for Medicines
- Faculdade de Farmácia
- Universidade de Lisboa
- 1649-003 Lisboa
- Portugal
| | - Aleksander Fedorov
- Centro de Química-Física Molecular and Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
- Instituto Superior Técnico
- Universidade de Lisboa
- 1049-001 Lisboa
- Portugal
| | - Anthony H. Futerman
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences
- Weizmann Institute of Science
- Rehovot 76100
- Israel
| | - Manuel Prieto
- Centro de Química-Física Molecular and Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology
- Instituto Superior Técnico
- Universidade de Lisboa
- 1049-001 Lisboa
- Portugal
| | - Liana C. Silva
- iMed.ULisboa – Research Institute for Medicines
- Faculdade de Farmácia
- Universidade de Lisboa
- 1649-003 Lisboa
- Portugal
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Varela ARP, Couto AS, Fedorov A, Futerman AH, Prieto M, Silva LC. Glucosylceramide Reorganizes Cholesterol-Containing Domains in a Fluid Phospholipid Membrane. Biophys J 2016; 110:612-622. [PMID: 26840726 PMCID: PMC4744164 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2015.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Revised: 11/23/2015] [Accepted: 12/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucosylceramide (GlcCer), one of the simplest glycosphingolipids, plays key roles in physiology and pathophysiology. It has been suggested that GlcCer modulates cellular events by forming specialized domains. In this study, we investigated the interplay between GlcCer and cholesterol (Chol), an important lipid involved in the formation of liquid-ordered (lo) phases. Using fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy, and dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering, we characterized the interaction between these lipids in different pH environments. A quantitative description of the phase behavior of the ternary unsaturated phospholipid/Chol/GlcCer mixture is presented. The results demonstrate coexistence between lo and liquid-disordered (ld) phases. However, the extent of lo/ld phase separation is sparse, mainly due to the ability of GlcCer to segregate into tightly packed gel domains. As a result, the phase diagram of these mixtures is characterized by an extensive three-phase coexistence region of fluid (ld-phospholipid enriched)/lo (Chol enriched)/gel (GlcCer enriched). Moreover, the results show that upon acidification, GlcCer solubility in the lo phase is increased, leading to a larger lo/ld coexistence region. Quantitative analyses allowed us to determine the differences in the composition of the phases at neutral and acidic pH. These results predict the impact of GlcCer on domain formation and membrane organization in complex biological membranes, and provide a background for unraveling the relationship between the biophysical properties of GlcCer and its biological action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana R P Varela
- iMed.ULisboa-Research Institute for Medicines, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Centro de Química-Física Molecular and IN-Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; Department of Biological Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - André Sá Couto
- iMed.ULisboa-Research Institute for Medicines, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Aleksander Fedorov
- Centro de Química-Física Molecular and IN-Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Anthony H Futerman
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Manuel Prieto
- Centro de Química-Física Molecular and IN-Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Liana C Silva
- iMed.ULisboa-Research Institute for Medicines, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
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Carreira AC, Ventura AE, Varela AR, Silva LC. Tackling the biophysical properties of sphingolipids to decipher their biological roles. Biol Chem 2015; 396:597-609. [DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2014-0283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2014] [Accepted: 01/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
From the most simple sphingoid bases to their complex glycosylated derivatives, several sphingolipid species were shown to have a role in fundamental cellular events and/or disease. Increasing evidence places lipid-lipid interactions and membrane structural alterations as central mechanisms underlying the action of these lipids. Understanding how these molecules exert their biological roles by studying their impact in the physical properties and organization of membranes is currently one of the main challenges in sphingolipid research. Herein, we review the progress in the state-of-the-art on the biophysical properties of sphingolipid-containing membranes, focusing on sphingosine, ceramides, and glycosphingolipids.
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