1
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Domanska M, Setny P. Exploring the Properties of Curved Lipid Membranes: Comparative Analysis of Atomistic and Coarse-Grained Force Fields. J Phys Chem B 2024. [PMID: 38990314 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c02310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Curvature emerges as a fundamental membrane characteristic crucial for diverse biological processes, including vesicle formation, cell signaling, and membrane trafficking. Increasingly valuable insights into atomistic details governing curvature-dependent membrane properties are provided by computer simulations. Nevertheless, the underlying force field models are conventionally calibrated and tested in relation to experimentally derived parameters of planar bilayers, thereby leaving uncertainties concerning their consistency in reproducing curved lipid systems. In this study we compare the depiction of buckled phosphatidylcholine (POPC) and POPC-cholesterol membranes by four popular force field models. Aside from agreement with respect to general trends in curvature dependence of a number of parameters, we observe a few qualitative differences. Among the most prominent ones is the difference between atomistic and coarse grained force fields in their representation of relative compressibility of the polar headgroup region and hydrophobic lipid core. Through a number of downstream effects, this discrepancy can influence the way in which curvature modulates the behavior of membrane bound proteins depending on the adopted simulation model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Domanska
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Setny
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Banacha 2c, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
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2
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Cino EA, Tieleman DP. Curvature Footprints of Transmembrane Proteins in Simulations with the Martini Force Field. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:5987-5994. [PMID: 38860934 PMCID: PMC11216194 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c01385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Membranes play essential roles in biological systems and are tremendously diverse in the topologies and chemical and elastic properties that define their functions. In many cases, a given membrane may display considerable heterogeneity, with localized clusters of lipids and proteins exhibiting distinct characteristics compared to adjoining regions. These lipid-protein assemblies can span nanometers to micrometers and are associated with cellular processes such as transport and signaling. While lipid-protein assemblages are dynamic, they can be stabilized by coupling between local membrane composition and shape. Due to the inherent difficulty in resolving atomistic details of membrane proteins in their native lipid environments, these complexes are notoriously challenging to study experimentally; however, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations might be a viable alternative. Here, we aim to assess the utility of coarse-grained (CG) MD simulations with the Martini force field for studying membrane curvature induced by transmembrane (TM) proteins that are reported to generate local curvature. The direction and magnitude of curvature induced by five different TM proteins, as well as certain lipid-protein and protein-protein interactions, were found to be in good agreement with available reference data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elio A. Cino
- Centre for Molecular Simulation
and Department of Biological Sciences, University
of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - D. Peter Tieleman
- Centre for Molecular Simulation
and Department of Biological Sciences, University
of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada
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3
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Wilson S, Clarke CD, Carbajal MA, Buccafusca R, Fleck RA, Daskalakis V, Ruban AV. Hydrophobic Mismatch in the Thylakoid Membrane Regulates Photosynthetic Light Harvesting. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:14905-14914. [PMID: 38759103 PMCID: PMC11140739 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c05220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
The ability to harvest light effectively in a changing environment is necessary to ensure efficient photosynthesis and crop growth. One mechanism, known as qE, protects photosystem II (PSII) and regulates electron transfer through the harmless dissipation of excess absorbed photons as heat. This process involves reversible clustering of the major light-harvesting complexes of PSII (LHCII) in the thylakoid membrane and relies upon the ΔpH gradient and the allosteric modulator protein PsbS. To date, the exact role of PsbS in the qE mechanism has remained elusive. Here, we show that PsbS induces hydrophobic mismatch in the thylakoid membrane through dynamic rearrangement of lipids around LHCII leading to observed membrane thinning. We found that upon illumination, the thylakoid membrane reversibly shrinks from around 4.3 to 3.2 nm, without PsbS, this response is eliminated. Furthermore, we show that the lipid digalactosyldiacylglycerol (DGDG) is repelled from the LHCII-PsbS complex due to an increase in both the pKa of lumenal residues and in the dipole moment of LHCII, which allows for further conformational change and clustering in the membrane. Our results suggest a mechanistic role for PsbS as a facilitator of a hydrophobic mismatch-mediated phase transition between LHCII-PsbS and its environment. This could act as the driving force to sort LHCII into photoprotective nanodomains in the thylakoid membrane. This work shows an example of the key role of the hydrophobic mismatch process in regulating membrane protein function in plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sam Wilson
- Department
of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Charlea D. Clarke
- Department
of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - M. Alejandra Carbajal
- Centre
for Ultrastructural Imaging, King’s
College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Roberto Buccafusca
- Department
of Chemistry, School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
| | - Roland A. Fleck
- Centre
for Ultrastructural Imaging, King’s
College London, London SE1 1UL, United Kingdom
| | - Vangelis Daskalakis
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Patras, Patras 26504, Greece
| | - Alexander V. Ruban
- Department
of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom
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4
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Barshtein G, Livshits L, Gural A, Arbell D, Barkan R, Pajic-Lijakovic I, Yedgar S. Hemoglobin Binding to the Red Blood Cell (RBC) Membrane Is Associated with Decreased Cell Deformability. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5814. [PMID: 38892001 PMCID: PMC11172562 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The deformability of red blood cells (RBCs), expressing their ability to change their shape as a function of flow-induced shear stress, allows them to optimize oxygen delivery to the tissues and minimize their resistance to flow, especially in microcirculation. During physiological aging and blood storage, or under external stimulations, RBCs undergo metabolic and structural alterations, one of which is hemoglobin (Hb) redistribution between the cytosol and the membrane. Consequently, part of the Hb may attach to the cell membrane, and although this process is reversible, the increase in membrane-bound Hb (MBHb) can affect the cell's mechanical properties and deformability in particular. In the present study, we examined the correlation between the MBHb levels, determined by mass spectroscopy, and the cell deformability, determined by image analysis. Six hemoglobin subunits were found attached to the RBC membranes. The cell deformability was negatively correlated with the level of four subunits, with a highly significant inter-correlation between them. These data suggest that the decrease in RBC deformability results from Hb redistribution between the cytosol and the cell membrane and the respective Hb interaction with the cell membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Barshtein
- Department of Biochemistry, The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel;
| | - Leonid Livshits
- Red Blood Cell Research Group, Vetsuisse Faculty, Institute of Veterinary Physiology, University of Zurich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland;
| | - Alexander Gural
- Blood Bank, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel;
| | - Dan Arbell
- Pediatric Surgery, Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel;
| | - Refael Barkan
- Department of Digital Medical Technologies, Holon Institute of Technology, Holon 5810201, Israel;
| | | | - Saul Yedgar
- Department of Biochemistry, The Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 9112001, Israel;
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5
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Peruzzi JA, Steinkühler J, Vu TQ, Gunnels TF, Hu VT, Lu P, Baker D, Kamat NP. Hydrophobic mismatch drives self-organization of designer proteins into synthetic membranes. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3162. [PMID: 38605024 PMCID: PMC11009411 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47163-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The organization of membrane proteins between and within membrane-bound compartments is critical to cellular function. Yet we lack approaches to regulate this organization in a range of membrane-based materials, such as engineered cells, exosomes, and liposomes. Uncovering and leveraging biophysical drivers of membrane protein organization to design membrane systems could greatly enhance the functionality of these materials. Towards this goal, we use de novo protein design, molecular dynamic simulations, and cell-free systems to explore how membrane-protein hydrophobic mismatch could be used to tune protein cotranslational integration and organization in synthetic lipid membranes. We find that membranes must deform to accommodate membrane-protein hydrophobic mismatch, which reduces the expression and co-translational insertion of membrane proteins into synthetic membranes. We use this principle to sort proteins both between and within membranes, thereby achieving one-pot assembly of vesicles with distinct functions and controlled split-protein assembly, respectively. Our results shed light on protein organization in biological membranes and provide a framework to design self-organizing membrane-based materials with applications such as artificial cells, biosensors, and therapeutic nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin A Peruzzi
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Jan Steinkühler
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Timothy Q Vu
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Taylor F Gunnels
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Vivian T Hu
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Peilong Lu
- Key Laboratory of Structural Biology of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
- Institute of Biology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - David Baker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA
| | - Neha P Kamat
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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6
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Lujan P, Garcia-Cabau C, Wakana Y, Vera Lillo J, Rodilla-Ramírez C, Sugiura H, Malhotra V, Salvatella X, Garcia-Parajo MF, Campelo F. Sorting of secretory proteins at the trans-Golgi network by human TGN46. eLife 2024; 12:RP91708. [PMID: 38466628 DOI: 10.7554/elife.91708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Secretory proteins are sorted at the trans-Golgi network (TGN) for export into specific transport carriers. However, the molecular players involved in this fundamental process remain largely elusive. Here, we identified the human transmembrane protein TGN46 as a receptor for the export of secretory cargo protein PAUF in CARTS - a class of protein kinase D-dependent TGN-to-plasma membrane carriers. We show that TGN46 is necessary for cargo sorting and loading into nascent carriers at the TGN. By combining quantitative fluorescence microscopy and mutagenesis approaches, we further discovered that the lumenal domain of TGN46 encodes for its cargo sorting function. In summary, our results define a cellular function of TGN46 in sorting secretory proteins for export from the TGN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Lujan
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carla Garcia-Cabau
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Yuichi Wakana
- School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Javier Vera Lillo
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carmen Rodilla-Ramírez
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Hideaki Sugiura
- School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Vivek Malhotra
- Centre for Genomic Regulation, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Salvatella
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maria F Garcia-Parajo
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
- Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Felix Campelo
- ICFO-Institut de Ciencies Fotoniques, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
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7
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Lira RB, Hammond JCF, Cavalcanti RRM, Rous M, Riske KA, Roos WH. The underlying mechanical properties of membranes tune their ability to fuse. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105430. [PMID: 37926280 PMCID: PMC10716014 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105430] [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] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Membrane fusion is a ubiquitous process associated with a multitude of biological events. Although it has long been appreciated that membrane mechanics plays an important role in membrane fusion, the molecular interplay between mechanics and fusion has remained elusive. For example, although different lipids modulate membrane mechanics differently, depending on their composition, molar ratio, and complex interactions, differing lipid compositions may lead to similar mechanical properties. This raises the question of whether (i) the specific lipid composition or (ii) the average mesoscale mechanics of membranes acts as the determining factor for cellular function. Furthermore, little is known about the potential consequences of fusion on membrane disruption. Here, we use a combination of confocal microscopy, time-resolved imaging, and electroporation to shed light onto the underlying mechanical properties of membranes that regulate membrane fusion. Fusion efficiency follows a nearly universal behavior that depends on membrane fluidity parameters, such as membrane viscosity and bending rigidity, rather than on specific lipid composition. This helps explaining why the charged and fluid membranes of the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane are more fusogenic than their outer counterparts. Importantly, we show that physiological levels of cholesterol, a key component of biological membranes, has a mild effect on fusion but significantly enhances membrane mechanical stability against pore formation, suggesting that its high cellular levels buffer the membrane against disruption. The ability of membranes to efficiently fuse while preserving their integrity may have given evolutionary advantages to cells by enabling their function while preserving membrane stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael B Lira
- Moleculaire Biofysica, Zernike Instituut, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
| | - Jayna C F Hammond
- Moleculaire Biofysica, Zernike Instituut, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | | | - Madelief Rous
- Moleculaire Biofysica, Zernike Instituut, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Karin A Riske
- Departamento de Biofísica, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Wouter H Roos
- Moleculaire Biofysica, Zernike Instituut, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands.
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8
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Meier S, Ridgway ZM, Picciano AL, Caputo GA. Impacts of Hydrophobic Mismatch on Antimicrobial Peptide Efficacy and Bilayer Permeabilization. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1624. [PMID: 37998826 PMCID: PMC10669323 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12111624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance continues to be a major threat to world health, with the continued emergence of resistant bacterial strains. Antimicrobial peptides have emerged as an attractive option for the development of novel antimicrobial compounds in part due to their ubiquity in nature and the general lack of resistance development to this class of molecules. In this work, we analyzed the antimicrobial peptide C18G and several truncated forms for efficacy and the underlying mechanistic effects of the sequence truncation. The peptides were screened for antimicrobial efficacy against several standard laboratory strains, and further analyzed using fluorescence spectroscopy to evaluate binding to model lipid membranes and bilayer disruption. The results show a clear correlation between the length of the peptide and the antimicrobial efficacy. Furthermore, there is a correlation between peptide length and the hydrophobic thickness of the bilayer, indicating that hydrophobic mismatch is likely a contributing factor to the loss of efficacy in shorter peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven Meier
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA (A.L.P.)
| | - Zachary M. Ridgway
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA (A.L.P.)
| | - Angela L. Picciano
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA (A.L.P.)
| | - Gregory A. Caputo
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA (A.L.P.)
- Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
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9
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Michalski M, Setny P. Molecular Mechanisms behind Conformational Transitions of the Influenza Virus Hemagglutinin Membrane Anchor. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:9450-9460. [PMID: 37877534 PMCID: PMC10641832 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c05257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Membrane fusion is a fundamental process that is exploited by enveloped viruses to enter host cells. In the case of the influenza virus, fusion is facilitated by the trimeric viral hemagglutinin protein (HA). So far, major focus has been put on its N-terminal fusion peptides, which are directly responsible for fusion initiation. A growing body of evidence points also to a significant functional role of the HA C-terminal domain, which however remains incompletely understood. Our computational study aimed to elucidate the structural and functional interdependencies within the HA C-terminal region encompassing the transmembrane domain (TMD) and the cytoplasmic tail (CT). In particular, we were interested in the conformational shift of the TMD in response to varying cholesterol concentration in the viral membrane and in its modulation by the presence of CT. Using free-energy calculations based on atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we characterized transitions between straight and tilted metastable TMD configurations under varying conditions. We found that the presence of CT is essential for achieving a stable, highly tilted TMD configuration. As we demonstrate, such a configuration of HA membrane anchor likely supports the tilting motion of its ectodomain, which needs to be executed during membrane fusion. This finding highlights the functional role of, so far, the relatively overlooked CT region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Michalski
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Piotr Setny
- Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
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10
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Fleming KG. Membrane defects as a generalized driving force for membrane protein interactions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2315655120. [PMID: 37851703 PMCID: PMC10622890 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315655120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Karen G. Fleming
- Thomas C. Jenkins Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21218
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11
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Javanainen M, Heftberger P, Madsen JJ, Miettinen MS, Pabst G, Ollila OHS. Quantitative Comparison against Experiments Reveals Imperfections in Force Fields' Descriptions of POPC-Cholesterol Interactions. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:6342-6352. [PMID: 37616238 PMCID: PMC10536986 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023]
Abstract
Cholesterol is a central building block in biomembranes, where it induces orientational order, slows diffusion, renders the membrane stiffer, and drives domain formation. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations have played a crucial role in resolving these effects at the molecular level; yet, it has recently become evident that different MD force fields predict quantitatively different behavior. Although easily neglected, identifying such limitations is increasingly important as the field rapidly progresses toward simulations of complex membranes mimicking the in vivo conditions: pertinent multicomponent simulations must capture accurately the interactions between their fundamental building blocks, such as phospholipids and cholesterol. Here, we define quantitative quality measures for simulations of binary lipid mixtures in membranes against the C-H bond order parameters and lateral diffusion coefficients from NMR spectroscopy as well as the form factors from X-ray scattering. Based on these measures, we perform a systematic evaluation of the ability of commonly used force fields to describe the structure and dynamics of binary mixtures of palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) and cholesterol. None of the tested force fields clearly outperforms the others across the tested properties and conditions. Still, the Slipids parameters provide the best overall performance in our tests, especially when dynamic properties are included in the evaluation. The quality evaluation metrics introduced in this work will, particularly, foster future force field development and refinement for multicomponent membranes using automated approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matti Javanainen
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy
of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 16000 Prague 6, Czech Republic
- Institute
of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Peter Heftberger
- Biophysics,
Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Jesper J. Madsen
- Global
and Planetary Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
- Center
for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public
Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
- Department
of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Markus S. Miettinen
- Fachbereich
Physik, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Bergen, 5007 Bergen, Norway
- Computational
Biology Unit, Department of Informatics, University of Bergen, 5008 Bergen, Norway
| | - Georg Pabst
- Biophysics,
Institute of Molecular Biosciences, NAWI Graz, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- BioTechMed-Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
- Field of Excellence
BioHealth—University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria
| | - O. H. Samuli Ollila
- Institute
of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
- VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, 02150 Espoo, Finland
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12
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Li DH, Wilson S, Mastroianni G, Ruban AV. Altered lipid acyl chain length controls energy dissipation in light-harvesting complex II proteoliposomes by hydrophobic mismatch. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY. B, BIOLOGY 2023; 246:112758. [PMID: 37531665 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2023.112758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
In plants, the major light-harvesting antenna complex (LHCII) is vital for both light harvesting and photoprotection in photosystem II. Previously, we proposed that the thylakoid membrane itself could switch LHCII into the photoprotective state, qE, via a process known as hydrophobic mismatch. The decrease in the membrane thickness that followed the formation of ΔpH was a key fact that prompted this idea. To test this, we made proteoliposomes from lipids with altered acyl chain length (ACL). Here, we show that ACL regulates the average chlorophyll fluorescence lifetime of LHCII. For liposomes made of lipids with an ACL of 18 carbons, the lifetime was ∼2 ns, like that for the thylakoid membrane. Furthermore, LHCII appears to be quenched in proteoliposomes with an ACL both shorter and longer than 18 carbons. The proteoliposomes made of short ACL lipids display structural heterogeneity revealing two quenched conformations of LHCII, each having characteristic 77 K fluorescence spectra. One conformation spectrally resembles isolated LHCII aggregates, whilst the other resembles LHCII immobilized in polyacrylamide gels. Overall, the decrease in the ACL appears to produce quenched conformations of LHCII, which renders plausible the idea that the trigger of qE is the hydrophobic mismatch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Hong Li
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom.
| | - Sam Wilson
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom.
| | - Giulia Mastroianni
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom.
| | - Alexander V Ruban
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom.
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13
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Park S, Levental I, Pastor RW, Im W. Unsaturated Lipids Facilitate Partitioning of Transmembrane Peptides into the Liquid Ordered Phase. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:5303-5314. [PMID: 37417947 PMCID: PMC10413867 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
The affinity of single-pass transmembrane (TM) proteins for ordered membrane phases has been reported to depend on their lipidation, TM length, and lipid accessible surface area. In this work, the raft affinities of the TM domain of the linker for activation of T cells and its depalmitoylated variant are assessed using free energy simulations in a binary bilayer system composed of two laterally patched bilayers of ternary liquid ordered (Lo) and liquid disordered (Ld) phases. These phases are modeled by distinct compositions of distearoylphosphatidylcholine, palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC), and cholesterol, and the simulations were carried out for 4.5 μs/window. Both peptides are shown to preferentially partition into the Ld phase in agreement with model membrane experiments and previous simulations on ternary lipid mixtures but not with measurements on giant plasma membrane vesicles where the Lo is slightly preferred. However, the 500 ns average relaxation time of lipid rearrangement around the peptide precluded a quantitative analysis of free energy differences arising from peptide palmitoylation and two different lipid compositions. When in the Lo phase, peptides reside in regions rich in POPC and interact preferentially with its unsaturated tail. Hence, the detailed substructure of the Lo phase is an important modulator of peptide partitioning, in addition to the inherent properties of the peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soohyung Park
- Departments
of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh
University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - Ilya Levental
- Department
of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903-1738, United States
| | - Richard W. Pastor
- Laboratory
of Computational Biology, National Heart,
Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
| | - Wonpil Im
- Departments
of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh
University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
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14
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Bu B, Tian Z, Li D, Zhang K, Chen W, Ji B, Diao J. Double-Transmembrane Domain of SNAREs Decelerates the Fusion by Increasing the Protein-Lipid Mismatch. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:168089. [PMID: 37030649 PMCID: PMC10247502 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2023.168089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2023]
Abstract
SNARE is the essential mediator of membrane fusion that highly relies on the molecular structure of SNAREs. For instance, the protein syntaxin-1 involved in neuronal SNAREs, has a single transmembrane domain (sTMD) leading to fast fusion, while the syntaxin 17 has a V-shape double TMDs (dTMDs), taking part in the autophagosome maturation. However, it is not clear how the TMD structure influences the fusion process. Here, we demonstrate that the dTMDs significantly reduce fusion rate compared with the sTMD by using an in vitro reconstitution system. Through theoretical analysis, we reveal that the V-shape dTMDs can significantly increase protein-lipid mismatch, thereby raising the energy barrier of the fusion, and that increasing the number of SNAREs can reduce the energy barrier or protein-lipid mismatch. This study provides a physicochemical mechanistic understanding of SNARE-regulated membrane fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Bu
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences, Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu 213164, China
| | - Zhiqi Tian
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA
| | - Dechang Li
- Institute of Applied Mechanics, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China.
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Illinois 61801, USA
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Cell Biology and Department of Cardiology of the Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Baohua Ji
- Institute of Applied Mechanics, Department of Engineering Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Jiajie Diao
- Department of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267, USA.
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15
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Harned TC, Stan RV, Cao Z, Chakrabarti R, Higgs HN, Chang CCY, Chang TY. Acute ACAT1/SOAT1 Blockade Increases MAM Cholesterol and Strengthens ER-Mitochondria Connectivity. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:5525. [PMID: 36982602 PMCID: PMC10059652 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol is a key component of all mammalian cell membranes. Disruptions in cholesterol metabolism have been observed in the context of various diseases, including neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). The genetic and pharmacological blockade of acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase 1/sterol O-acyltransferase 1 (ACAT1/SOAT1), a cholesterol storage enzyme found on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and enriched at the mitochondria-associated ER membrane (MAM), has been shown to reduce amyloid pathology and rescue cognitive deficits in mouse models of AD. Additionally, blocking ACAT1/SOAT1 activity stimulates autophagy and lysosomal biogenesis; however, the exact molecular connection between the ACAT1/SOAT1 blockade and these observed benefits remain unknown. Here, using biochemical fractionation techniques, we observe cholesterol accumulation at the MAM which leads to ACAT1/SOAT1 enrichment in this domain. MAM proteomics data suggests that ACAT1/SOAT1 inhibition strengthens the ER-mitochondria connection. Confocal and electron microscopy confirms that ACAT1/SOAT1 inhibition increases the number of ER-mitochondria contact sites and strengthens this connection by shortening the distance between these two organelles. This work demonstrates how directly manipulating local cholesterol levels at the MAM can alter inter-organellar contact sites and suggests that cholesterol buildup at the MAM is the impetus behind the therapeutic benefits of ACAT1/SOAT1 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taylor C. Harned
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (T.C.H.); (R.V.S.); (H.N.H.)
| | - Radu V. Stan
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (T.C.H.); (R.V.S.); (H.N.H.)
| | - Ze Cao
- Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100045, China;
| | - Rajarshi Chakrabarti
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA;
| | - Henry N. Higgs
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (T.C.H.); (R.V.S.); (H.N.H.)
| | - Catherine C. Y. Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (T.C.H.); (R.V.S.); (H.N.H.)
| | - Ta Yuan Chang
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Geisel School of Medicine, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA; (T.C.H.); (R.V.S.); (H.N.H.)
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16
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van Tilburg M, Hilbers PAJ, Markvoort AJ. On the role of membrane embedding, protein rigidity and transmembrane length in lipid membrane fusion. SOFT MATTER 2023; 19:1791-1802. [PMID: 36786821 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm01582j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The fusion of biological membranes is ubiquitous in natural processes like exo- and endocytosis, intracellular trafficking and viral entry. Membrane fusion is also utilized in artificial biomimetic fusion systems, e.g. for drug delivery. Both the natural and the biomimetic fusion systems rely on a wide range of (artificial) proteins mediating the fusion process. Although the exact mechanisms of these proteins differ, clear analogies in their general behavior can be observed in bringing the membranes in close proximity and mediating the fusion reaction. In our study, we use molecular dynamics simulations with coarse grained models, mimicking the general behavior of fusion proteins (spikes), to systematically examine the effects of specific characteristics of these proteins on the fusion process. The protein characteristics considered are (i) the type of membrane embedding, i.e., either transmembrane or not, (ii) the rigidity, and (iii) the transmembrane domain (TMD) length. The results show essential differences in fusion pathway between monotopic and transmembrane spikes, in which transmembrane spikes seem to inhibit the formation of hemifusion diaphragms, leading to a faster fusion development. Furthermore, we observed that an increased rigidity and a decreased TMD length both proved to contribute to a faster fusion development. Finally, we show that a single spike may suffice to successfully induce a fusion reaction, provided that the spike is sufficiently rigid and attractive. Not only does this shed light on biological fusion of membranes, it also provides clear design rules for artificial membrane fusion systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco van Tilburg
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Computational Biology Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands.
| | - Peter A J Hilbers
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Computational Biology Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands.
- Institute of Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
| | - Albert J Markvoort
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Computational Biology Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands.
- Institute of Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands
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17
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Quantitative analysis of sterol-modulated monomer-dimer equilibrium of the β 1-adrenergic receptor by DEER spectroscopy. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2221036120. [PMID: 36745787 PMCID: PMC9963004 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2221036120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR) activate numerous intracellular signaling pathways. The oligomerization properties of GPCRs, and hence their cellular functions, may be modulated by various components within the cell membrane (such as the presence of cholesterol). Modulation may occur directly via specific interaction with the GPCR or indirectly by affecting the physical properties of the membrane. Here, we use pulsed Q-band double electron-electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy to probe distances between R1 nitroxide spin labels attached to Cys163 and Cys344 of the β1-adrenergic receptor (β1AR) in n-dodecyl-β-D-maltoside micelles upon titration with two soluble cholesterol analogs, cholesteryl hemisuccinate (CHS) and sodium cholate. The former, like cholesterol, inserts itself into the lipid membrane, parallel to the phospholipid chains; the latter is aligned parallel to the surface of membranes. Global quantitative analysis of DEER echo curves upon titration of spin-labeled β1AR with CHS and sodium cholate reveal the following: CHS binds specifically to the β1AR monomer at a site close to the Cys163-R1 spin label with an equilibrium dissociation constant [Formula: see text] ~1.4 ± 0.4 mM. While no direct binding of sodium cholate to the β1AR receptor was observed by DEER, sodium cholate induces specific β1AR dimerization ([Formula: see text] ~35 ± 6 mM and a Hill coefficient n ~ 2.5 ± 0.4) with intersubunit contacts between transmembrane helices 1 and 2 and helix 8. Analysis of the DEER data obtained upon the addition of CHS to the β1AR dimer in the presence of excess cholate results in dimer dissociation with species occupancies as predicted from the individual KD values.
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18
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Alas CD, Haselwandter CA. Dependence of protein-induced lipid bilayer deformations on protein shape. Phys Rev E 2023; 107:024403. [PMID: 36932542 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.107.024403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Membrane proteins typically deform the surrounding lipid bilayer membrane, which can play an important role in the function, regulation, and organization of membrane proteins. Membrane elasticity theory provides a beautiful description of protein-induced lipid bilayer deformations, in which all physical parameters can be directly determined from experiments. While analytic solutions of protein-induced elastic bilayer deformations are most easily developed for proteins with approximately circular cross sections, structural biology has shown that membrane proteins come in a variety of distinct shapes, with often considerable deviations from a circular cross section. We develop here a boundary value method (BVM) that permits the construction of analytic solutions of protein-induced elastic bilayer deformations for protein shapes with arbitrarily large deviations from a circular cross section, for constant as well as variable boundary conditions along the bilayer-protein interface. We apply this BVM to protein-induced lipid bilayer thickness deformations. Our BVM reproduces available analytic solutions for proteins with circular cross section and yields, for proteins with noncircular cross section, excellent agreement with numerical, finite element solutions. On this basis, we formulate a simple analytic approximation of the bilayer thickness deformation energy associated with general protein shapes and show that, for modest deviations from rotational symmetry, this analytic approximation is in good agreement with BVM solutions. Using the BVM, we survey the dependence of protein-induced elastic bilayer thickness deformations on protein shape, and thus explore how the coupling of protein shape and bilayer thickness deformations affects protein oligomerization and transitions in protein conformational state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos D Alas
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Christoph A Haselwandter
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
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19
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Yang X, Tu W, Gao X, Zhang Q, Guan J, Zhang J. Functional regulation of syntaxin-1: An underlying mechanism mediating exocytosis in neuroendocrine cells. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1096365. [PMID: 36742381 PMCID: PMC9892835 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1096365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The fusion of the secretory vesicle with the plasma membrane requires the assembly of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) protein complexes formed by synaptobrevin, syntaxin-1, and SNAP-25. Within the pathway leading to exocytosis, the transitions between the "open" and "closed" conformations of syntaxin-1 function as a switch for the fusion of vesicles with the plasma membranes; rapid assembly and disassembly of syntaxin-1 clusters on the plasma membrane provide docking and fusion sites for secretory vesicles in neuroendocrine cells; and the fully zippered trans-SNARE complex, which requires the orderly, rapid and accurate binding of syntaxin-1 to other SNARE proteins, play key roles in triggering fusion. All of these reactions that affect exocytosis under physiological conditions are tightly regulated by multiple factors. Here, we review the current evidence for the involvement of syntaxin-1 in the mechanism of neuroendocrine cell exocytosis, discuss the roles of multiple factors such as proteins, lipids, protein kinases, drugs, and toxins in SNARE complex-mediated membrane fusion, and present an overview of syntaxin-1 mutation-associated diseases with a view to developing novel mechanistic therapeutic targets for the treatment of neuroendocrine disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinquan Yang
- Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine laboratory, the Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Weifeng Tu
- Faculty of Anesthesioloy, Suzhou Hospital Affiliated to Medical School of Nanjing University, Suzhou, China
| | - Xuzhu Gao
- Department of Central Laboratory, Lianyungang Hospital Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Qi Zhang
- Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine laboratory, the Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Jinping Guan
- Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine laboratory, the Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
| | - Junlong Zhang
- Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine laboratory, the Affiliated Lianyungang Hospital of Jiangsu University, Lianyungang, China
- *Correspondence: Junlong Zhang,
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20
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Barrantes FJ. Fluorescence microscopy imaging of a neurotransmitter receptor and its cell membrane lipid milieu. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1014659. [PMID: 36518846 PMCID: PMC9743973 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1014659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Hampered by the diffraction phenomenon, as expressed in 1873 by Abbe, applications of optical microscopy to image biological structures were for a long time limited to resolutions above the ∼200 nm barrier and restricted to the observation of stained specimens. The introduction of fluorescence was a game changer, and since its inception it became the gold standard technique in biological microscopy. The plasma membrane is a tenuous envelope of 4 nm-10 nm in thickness surrounding the cell. Because of its highly versatile spectroscopic properties and availability of suitable instrumentation, fluorescence techniques epitomize the current approach to study this delicate structure and its molecular constituents. The wide spectral range covered by fluorescence, intimately linked to the availability of appropriate intrinsic and extrinsic probes, provides the ability to dissect membrane constituents at the molecular scale in the spatial domain. In addition, the time resolution capabilities of fluorescence methods provide complementary high precision for studying the behavior of membrane molecules in the time domain. This review illustrates the value of various fluorescence techniques to extract information on the topography and motion of plasma membrane receptors. To this end I resort to a paradigmatic membrane-bound neurotransmitter receptor, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). The structural and dynamic picture emerging from studies of this prototypic pentameric ligand-gated ion channel can be extrapolated not only to other members of this superfamily of ion channels but to other membrane-bound proteins. I also briefly discuss the various emerging techniques in the field of biomembrane labeling with new organic chemistry strategies oriented to applications in fluorescence nanoscopy, the form of fluorescence microscopy that is expanding the depth and scope of interrogation of membrane-associated phenomena.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco J. Barrantes
- Biomedical Research Institute (BIOMED), Catholic University of Argentina (UCA)–National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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21
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Tanaka H, Tsuji D, Watanabe R, Ohnishi Y, Kitaguchi S, Nakae R, Teramoto H, Tsukimoto J, Horii Y, Itoh K. Aberrant autophagy in lysosomal storage disorders marked by a lysosomal SNARE protein shortage due to suppression of endocytosis. J Inherit Metab Dis 2022; 45:1191-1202. [PMID: 36102069 DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) are inherited metabolic diseases caused by genetic defects in lysosomal enzymes or related factors. LSDs are associated with excessive accumulation of natural substrates in lysosomes leading to central nervous system and peripheral tissue damage. Abnormal autophagy is also involved in pathogenesis, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We demonstrated that impairment of lysosome-autophagosome fusion is due to suppressed endocytosis in LSDs. The fusion was reduced in several LSD cells and the brains of LSD model mice, suggesting that the completion of autophagy is suppressed by the accumulation of substrates. In this brain, the expression of the soluble N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins, VAMP8 and Syntaxin7, was decreased on the lysosomal surface but not intracellular. This aberrant autophagy preceded the development of pathological phenotypes in LSD-model mice. Furthermore, the enzyme deficiency leading to the substrate accumulation could suppress endocytosis, and the inhibited endocytosis decreased SNARE proteins localized on lysosomes. These findings suggest that the shortage of SNARE proteins on lysosomes is one of the reasons for the impairment of lysosome-autophagosome fusion in LSD cells. Defects in lysosomal enzyme activity suppress endocytosis and decrease the supply of intracellular SNARE proteins recruited to lysosomes. This shortage of lysosomal SNARE proteins impairs lysosome-autophagosome fusion in lysosomal storage disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Tanaka
- Department of Medicinal Biotechnology, Institute for Medicinal Research, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Daisuke Tsuji
- Department of Medicinal Biotechnology, Institute for Medicinal Research, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Ryosuke Watanabe
- Department of Medicinal Biotechnology, Institute for Medicinal Research, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yukiya Ohnishi
- Department of Medicinal Biotechnology, Institute for Medicinal Research, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Shindai Kitaguchi
- Department of Medicinal Biotechnology, Institute for Medicinal Research, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Ryuto Nakae
- Department of Medicinal Biotechnology, Institute for Medicinal Research, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Hiromi Teramoto
- Department of Medicinal Biotechnology, Institute for Medicinal Research, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Jun Tsukimoto
- Department of Medicinal Biotechnology, Institute for Medicinal Research, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Yuto Horii
- Department of Medicinal Biotechnology, Institute for Medicinal Research, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Kohji Itoh
- Department of Medicinal Biotechnology, Institute for Medicinal Research, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan
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22
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Gupta S, Mandal T. Simulation study of domain formation in a model bacterial membrane. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:18133-18143. [PMID: 35856570 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp01873j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Recent experimental studies revealed that functional membrane microdomains (FMMs) are formed in prokaryotic cells which are structurally and functionally similar to the lipid rafts formed in eukaryotic cells. In this study, we employ coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the mechanism of domain formation and its physiochemical properties in a model methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) cell membrane. We find that domains are formed through lateral segregation of staphyloxanthin (STX), a carotenoid which shields the bacteria from the host's immune because of its antioxidant nature. Simulation results suggest that membrane integrity increases with the size of the domain, which is assessed by computing bond order parameter of the lipid tails, membrane expansion modulus and water permeability across the membrane. Various membrane domain proteins such as flotillin-like protein floA and penicillin binding protein (PBP2a) preferentially bind with the STX and accumulate in the membrane domain which is consistent with the recent experimental results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivam Gupta
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur-208016, India.
| | - Taraknath Mandal
- Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur-208016, India.
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23
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Qin X, Tieleman DP, Liang Q. Effects of Cholesterol and PIP2 on Interactions between Glycophorin A and Band 3 in Lipid Bilayers. Biophys J 2022; 121:2069-2077. [PMID: 35524411 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
In the erythrocyte membrane, the interactions between Glycophorin A (GPA) and Band 3 are associated strongly with the biological function of the membrane and several blood disorders. In this work, using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation, we systematically investigate the effects of cholesterol and phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) on the interactions of GPA with Band 3 in the model erythrocyte membranes. We examine the dynamics of the interactions of GPA with Band 3 in different lipid bilayers on the microsecond time scale and calculate the binding free energy between GPA and Band 3. The results indicate that cholesterols thermodynamically favor the binding of GPA to Band 3 by increasing the thickness of the lipid bilayer and by producing an effective attraction between the proteins due to the depletion effect. Cholesterols also slow the kinetics of the binding of GPA to Band 3 by reducing the lateral mobility of the lipids and proteins and may influence the binding sites between the proteins. The anionic PIP2 lipids prefer binding to the surface of the proteins through electrostatic attraction between the PIP2 headgroup and the positively charged residues on the protein surface. Ions in the solvent facilitate the PIP2 aggregation which promotes the binding of GPA to Band 3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxue Qin
- Center for Statistical and Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics and Department of Physics, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, P. R. China
| | - D Peter Tieleman
- Centre for Molecular Simulations and Department of Biological Science, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Qing Liang
- Center for Statistical and Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics and Department of Physics, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, P. R. China.
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24
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Shrestha A, Kahraman O, Haselwandter CA. Mechanochemical coupling of lipid organization and protein function through membrane thickness deformations. Phys Rev E 2022; 105:054410. [PMID: 35706253 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.105.054410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cell membranes are composed of a great variety of protein and lipid species with distinct unperturbed hydrophobic thicknesses. To achieve hydrophobic matching, the lipid bilayer tends to deform around membrane proteins so as to match the protein hydrophobic thickness at bilayer-protein interfaces. Such protein-induced distortions of the lipid bilayer hydrophobic thickness incur a substantial energy cost that depends critically on the bilayer-protein hydrophobic mismatch, while distinct conformational states of membrane proteins often show distinct hydrophobic thicknesses. As a result, hydrophobic interactions between membrane proteins and lipids can yield a rich interplay of lipid-protein organization and transitions in protein conformational state. We combine here the membrane elasticity theory of protein-induced lipid bilayer thickness deformations with the Landau-Ginzburg theory of lipid domain formation to systematically explore the coupling between local lipid organization, lipid and protein hydrophobic thickness, and protein-induced lipid bilayer thickness deformations in membranes with heterogeneous lipid composition. We allow for a purely mechanical coupling of lipid and protein composition through the energetics of protein-induced lipid bilayer thickness deformations as well as a chemical coupling driven by preferential interactions between particular lipid and protein species. We find that the resulting lipid-protein organization can endow membrane proteins with diverse and controlled mechanical environments that, via protein-induced lipid bilayer thickness deformations, can strongly influence protein function. The theoretical approach employed here provides a general framework for the quantitative prediction of how membrane thickness deformations influence the joint organization and function of lipids and proteins in cell membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahis Shrestha
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Osman Kahraman
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Christoph A Haselwandter
- Department of Physics and Astronomy and Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
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25
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Hao B, Zhou W, Theg SM. Hydrophobic mismatch is a key factor in protein transport across lipid bilayer membranes via the Tat pathway. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101991. [PMID: 35490783 PMCID: PMC9207671 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The twin-arginine translocation (Tat) pathway transports folded proteins across membranes in bacteria, thylakoids, plant mitochondria, and archaea. In most species, the active Tat machinery consists of three independent subunits: TatA, TatB, and TatC. TatA and TatB possess short transmembrane alpha helices (TMHs), both of which are only 15 residues long in Escherichia coli. Such short TMHs cause a hydrophobic mismatch between Tat subunits and the membrane bilayer, although the functional significance of this mismatch is unclear. Here, we sought to address the functional importance of the hydrophobic mismatch in the Tat transport mechanism in E. coli. We conducted three different assays to evaluate the effect of TMH length mutants on Tat activity and observed that the TMHs of TatA and TatB appear to be evolutionarily tuned to 15 amino acids, with activity dropping off following any modification of this length. Surprisingly, TatA and TatB with as few as 11 residues in their TMHs can still insert into the membrane bilayer, albeit with a decline in membrane integrity. These findings support a model of Tat transport utilizing localized toroidal pores that form when the membrane bilayer is thinned to a critical threshold. In this context, we conclude that the 15-residue length of the TatA and TatB TMHs can be seen as a compromise between the need for some hydrophobic mismatch to allow the membrane to reversibly reach the threshold thinness required for toroidal pore formation and the permanently destabilizing effect of placing even shorter helices into these energy-transducing membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binhan Hao
- Plant Biology Department, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Wenjie Zhou
- Plant Biology Department, University of California, Davis, CA 95616
| | - Steven M Theg
- Plant Biology Department, University of California, Davis, CA 95616.
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26
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Kluge C, Pöhnl M, Böckmann RA. Spontaneous local membrane curvature induced by transmembrane proteins. Biophys J 2022; 121:671-683. [PMID: 35122737 PMCID: PMC8943716 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The (local) curvature of cellular membranes acts as a driving force for the targeting of membrane-associated proteins to specific membrane domains, as well as a sorting mechanism for transmembrane proteins, e.g., by accumulation in regions of matching spontaneous curvature. The latter measure was previously experimentally employed to study the curvature induced by the potassium channel KvAP and by aquaporin AQP0. However, the direction of the reported spontaneous curvature levels as well as the molecular driving forces governing the membrane curvature induced by these integral transmembrane proteins could not be addressed experimentally. Here, using both coarse-grained and atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we report induced spontaneous curvature values for the homologous potassium channel Kv 1.2/2.1 Chimera (KvChim) and AQP0 embedded in unrestrained lipid bicelles that are in very good agreement with experiment. Importantly, the direction of curvature could be directly assessed from our simulations: KvChim induces a strong positive membrane curvature (≈0.036 nm-1) whereas AQP0 causes a comparably small negative curvature (≈-0.019 nm-1). Analyses of protein-lipid interactions within the bicelle revealed that the potassium channel shapes the surrounding membrane via structural determinants. Differences in shape of the protein-lipid interface of the voltage-gating domains between the extracellular and cytosolic membrane leaflets induce membrane stress and thereby promote a protein-proximal membrane curvature. In contrast, the water pore AQP0 displayed a high structural stability and an only faint effect on the surrounding membrane environment that is connected to its wedge-like shape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Kluge
- Computational Biology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Matthias Pöhnl
- Computational Biology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany
| | - Rainer A. Böckmann
- Computational Biology, Department of Biology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany,National Center for High-Performance Computing Erlangen (NHR@FAU), Erlangen, Germany,Corresponding author
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27
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Dietz J, Oelkers M, Hubrich R, Pérez-Lara A, Jahn R, Steinem C, Janshoff A. Forces, Kinetics, and Fusion Efficiency Altered by the Full-Length Synaptotagmin-1 -PI(4,5)P 2 Interaction in Constrained Geometries. NANO LETTERS 2022; 22:1449-1455. [PMID: 34855407 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c02491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
A mechanism for full-length synaptotagmin-1 (syt-1) to interact with anionic bilayers and to promote fusion in the presence of SNAREs is proposed. Colloidal probe force spectroscopy in conjunction with tethered particle motion monitoring showed that in the absence of Ca2+ the binding of syt-1 to membranes depends on the presence and content of PI(4,5)P2. Addition of Ca2+ switches the interaction forces from weak to strong, eventually exceeding the cohesion of the C2A domain of syt-1 leading to partial unfolding of the protein. Fusion of single unilamellar vesicles equipped with syt-1 and synaptobrevin 2 with planar pore-spanning target membranes containing PS and PI(4,5)P2 shows an almost complete suppression of stalled intermediate fusion states and an accelerated fusion kinetics in the presence of Ca2+, which is further enhanced upon addition of ATP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joern Dietz
- Institute for Physical Chemistry, Georg-August Universität, Tammannstr. 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marieelen Oelkers
- Institute for Physical Chemistry, Georg-August Universität, Tammannstr. 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Raphael Hubrich
- Institute for Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Georg-August Universität, Tammannstr. 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Angel Pérez-Lara
- Department of Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Faβberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Reinhard Jahn
- Department of Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Faβberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Steinem
- Institute for Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Georg-August Universität, Tammannstr. 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andreas Janshoff
- Institute for Physical Chemistry, Georg-August Universität, Tammannstr. 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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28
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Dudok B, Soltesz I. Imaging the endocannabinoid signaling system. J Neurosci Methods 2022; 367:109451. [PMID: 34921843 PMCID: PMC8734437 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid (eCB) system is one of the most widespread neuromodulatory systems in the mammalian brain, with a multifaceted role in functions ranging from development to synaptic plasticity. Endocannabinoids are synthesized on demand from membrane lipid precursors, and act primarily on a single G-protein coupled receptor type, CB1, to carry out diverse functions. Despite the importance of the eCB system both in healthy brain function and in disease, critically important details of eCB signaling remained unknown. How eCBs are released from the membrane, how these lipid molecules are transported between cells, and how the distribution of their receptors is controlled, remained elusive. Recent advances in optical microscopy methods and biosensor engineering may open up new avenues for studying eCB signaling. We summarize applications of superresolution microscopy using single molecule localization to reveal distinct patterns of nanoscale CB1 distribution in neuronal axons and axon terminals. We review single particle tracking studies using quantum dots that allowed visualizing CB1 trajectories. We highlight the recent development of fluorescent eCB biosensors, that revealed spatiotemporally specific eCB release in live cells and live animals. Finally, we discuss future directions where method development may help to advance a precise understanding of eCB signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barna Dudok
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Ivan Soltesz
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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29
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Kondrashov OV, Kuzmin PI, Akimov SA. Hydrophobic Mismatch Controls the Mode of Membrane-Mediated Interactions of Transmembrane Peptides. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:89. [PMID: 35054615 PMCID: PMC8781805 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12010089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Various cellular processes require the concerted cooperative action of proteins. The possibility for such synchronization implies the occurrence of specific long-range interactions between the involved protein participants. Bilayer lipid membranes can mediate protein-protein interactions via relatively long-range elastic deformations induced by the incorporated proteins. We considered the interactions between transmembrane peptides mediated by elastic deformations using the framework of the theory of elasticity of lipid membranes. An effective peptide shape was assumed to be cylindrical, hourglass-like, or barrel-like. The interaction potentials were obtained for membranes of different thicknesses and elastic rigidities. Cylindrically shaped peptides manifest almost neutral average interactions-they attract each other at short distances and repel at large ones, independently of membrane thickness or rigidity. The hourglass-like peptides repel each other in thin bilayers and strongly attract each other in thicker bilayers. On the contrary, the barrel-like peptides repel each other in thick bilayers and attract each other in thinner membranes. These results potentially provide possible mechanisms of control for the mode of protein-protein interactions in membrane domains with different bilayer thicknesses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg V. Kondrashov
- Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 31/4 Leninskiy Prospekt, 119071 Moscow, Russia;
| | | | - Sergey A. Akimov
- Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 31/4 Leninskiy Prospekt, 119071 Moscow, Russia;
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30
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Sych T, Levental KR, Sezgin E. Lipid–Protein Interactions in Plasma Membrane Organization and Function. Annu Rev Biophys 2022; 51:135-156. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biophys-090721-072718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Lipid–protein interactions in cells are involved in various biological processes, including metabolism, trafficking, signaling, host–pathogen interactions, and transmembrane transport. At the plasma membrane, lipid–protein interactions play major roles in membrane organization and function. Several membrane proteins have motifs for specific lipid binding, which modulate protein conformation and consequent function. In addition to such specific lipid–protein interactions, protein function can be regulated by the dynamic, collective behavior of lipids in membranes. Emerging analytical, biochemical, and computational technologies allow us to study the influence of specific lipid–protein interactions, as well as the collective behavior of membranes on protein function. In this article, we review the recent literature on lipid–protein interactions with a specific focus on the current state-of-the-art technologies that enable novel insights into these interactions. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biophysics, Volume 51 is May 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taras Sych
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden;,
| | - Kandice R. Levental
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, Center for Membrane and Cell Physiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Erdinc Sezgin
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden;,
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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31
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Westra M, Gutierrez Y, MacGillavry HD. Contribution of Membrane Lipids to Postsynaptic Protein Organization. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2021; 13:790773. [PMID: 34887741 PMCID: PMC8649999 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2021.790773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The precise subsynaptic organization of proteins at the postsynaptic membrane controls synaptic transmission. In particular, postsynaptic receptor complexes are concentrated in distinct membrane nanodomains to optimize synaptic signaling. However, despite the clear functional relevance of subsynaptic receptor organization to synaptic transmission and plasticity, the mechanisms that underlie the nanoscale organization of the postsynaptic membrane remain elusive. Over the last decades, the field has predominantly focused on the role of protein-protein interactions in receptor trafficking and positioning in the synaptic membrane. In contrast, the contribution of lipids, the principal constituents of the membrane, to receptor positioning at the synapse remains poorly understood. Nevertheless, there is compelling evidence that the synaptic membrane is enriched in specific lipid species and that deregulation of lipid homeostasis in neurons severely affects synaptic functioning. In this review we focus on how lipids are organized at the synaptic membrane, with special emphasis on how current models of membrane organization could contribute to protein distribution at the synapse and synaptic transmission. Finally, we will present an outlook on how novel technical developments could be applied to study the dynamic interplay between lipids and proteins at the postsynaptic membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manon Westra
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Yolanda Gutierrez
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Harold D MacGillavry
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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32
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Munc18-dependent and -independent clustering of syntaxin in the plasma membrane of cultured endocrine cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2025748118. [PMID: 34857632 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2025748118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Syntaxin helps in catalyzing membrane fusion during exocytosis. It also forms clusters in the plasma membrane, where both its transmembrane and SNARE domains are thought to homo-oligomerize. To study syntaxin clustering in live PC12 cells, we labeled granules with neuropeptide-Y-mCherry and syntaxin clusters with syntaxin-1a green fluorescent protein (GFP). Abundant clusters appeared under total internal reflection (TIRF) illumination, and some of them associated with granules ("on-granule clusters"). Syntaxin-1a-GFP or its mutants were expressed at low levels and competed with an excess of endogenous syntaxin for inclusion into clusters. On-granule inclusion was diminished by mutations known to inhibit binding to Munc18-1 in vitro. Knock-down of Munc18-1 revealed Munc18-dependent and -independent on-granule clustering. Clustering was inhibited by mutations expected to break salt bridges between syntaxin's Hb and SNARE domains and was rescued by additional mutations expected to restore them. Most likely, syntaxin is in a closed conformation when it clusters on granules, and its SNARE and Hb domains approach to within atomic distances. Pairwise replacements of Munc18-contacting residues with alanines had only modest effects, except that the pair R114A/I115A essentially abolished on-granule clustering. In summary, an on-granule cluster arises from the specific interaction between a granule and a dense cluster of syntaxin-Munc18-1 complexes. Off-granule clusters, by contrast, were resistant to even the strongest mutations we tried and required neither Munc18-1 nor the presence of a SNARE domain. They may well form through the nonstoichiometric interactions with membrane lipids that others have observed in cell-free systems.
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33
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Glitscher M, Hildt E. Endosomal Cholesterol in Viral Infections - A Common Denominator? Front Physiol 2021; 12:750544. [PMID: 34858206 PMCID: PMC8632007 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.750544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Cholesterol has gained tremendous attention as an essential lipid in the life cycle of virtually all viruses. These seem to have developed manifold strategies to modulate the cholesterol metabolism to the side of lipid uptake and de novo synthesis. In turn, affecting the cholesterol homeostasis has emerged as novel broad-spectrum antiviral strategy. On the other hand, the innate immune system is similarly regulated by the lipid and stimulated by its derivatives. This certainly requires attention in the design of antiviral strategies aiming to decrease cellular cholesterol, as evidence accumulates that withdrawal of cholesterol hampers innate immunity. Secondly, there are exceptions to the rule of the abovementioned virus-induced metabolic shift toward cholesterol anabolism. It therefore is of interest to dissect underlying regulatory mechanisms, which we aimed for in this minireview. We further collected evidence for intracellular cholesterol concentrations being less important in viral life cycles as compared to the spatial distribution of the lipid. Various routes of cholesterol trafficking were found to be hijacked in viral infections with respect to organelle-endosome contact sites mediating cholesterol shuttling. Thus, re-distribution of cellular cholesterol in the context of viral infections requires more attention in ongoing research. As a final aim, a pan-antiviral treatment could be found just within the transport and re-adjustment of local cholesterol concentrations. Thus, we aimed to emphasize the importance of the regulatory roles the endosomal system fulfils herein and hope to stimulate research in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eberhard Hildt
- Department of Virology, Paul-Ehrlich-Institute, Langen, Germany
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34
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Tran N, Oh Y, Sutherland M, Cui Q, Hong M. Cholesterol-Mediated Clustering of the HIV Fusion Protein gp41 in Lipid Bilayers. J Mol Biol 2021; 434:167345. [PMID: 34762895 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The envelope glycoprotein (Env) of the human immunodeficient virus (HIV-1) is known to cluster on the viral membrane surface to attach to target cells and cause membrane fusion for HIV-1 infection. However, the molecular structural mechanisms that drive Env clustering remain opaque. Here, we use solid-state NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate nanometer-scale clustering of the membrane-proximal external region (MPER) and transmembrane domain (TMD) of gp41, the fusion protein component of Env. Using 19F solid-state NMR experiments of mixed fluorinated peptides, we show that MPER-TMD trimers form clusters with interdigitated MPER helices in cholesterol-containing membranes. Inter-trimer 19F-19F cross peaks, which are indicative of spatial contacts within ∼2 nm, are observed in cholesterol-rich virus-mimetic membranes but are suppressed in cholesterol-free model membranes. Water-peptide and lipid-peptide cross peaks in 2D 1H-19F correlation spectra indicate that the MPER is well embedded in model phosphocholine membranes but is more exposed to the surface of the virus-mimetic membrane. These experimental results are reproduced in coarse-grained and atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, which suggest that the effects of cholesterol on gp41 clustering is likely via indirect modulation of the MPER orientation. Cholesterol binding to the helix-turn-helix region of the MPER-TMD causes a parallel orientation of the MPER with the membrane surface, thus allowing MPERs of neighboring trimers to interact with each other to cause clustering. These solid-state NMR data and molecular dynamics simulations suggest that MPER and cholesterol cooperatively govern the clustering of gp41 trimers during virus-cell membrane fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nhi Tran
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 170 Albany Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
| | - Younghoon Oh
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Madeleine Sutherland
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 170 Albany Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
| | - Qiang Cui
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, United States; Department of Physics, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, United States; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, United States.
| | - Mei Hong
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 170 Albany Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States. https://twitter.com/MeiHongLab
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35
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Super-resolution microscopy: a closer look at synaptic dysfunction in Alzheimer disease. Nat Rev Neurosci 2021; 22:723-740. [PMID: 34725519 DOI: 10.1038/s41583-021-00531-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The synapse has emerged as a critical neuronal structure in the degenerative process of Alzheimer disease (AD), in which the pathogenic signals of two key players - amyloid-β (Aβ) and tau - converge, thereby causing synaptic dysfunction and cognitive deficits. The synapse presents a dynamic, confined microenvironment in which to explore how key molecules travel, localize, interact and assume different levels of organizational complexity, thereby affecting neuronal function. However, owing to their small size and the diffraction-limited resolution of conventional light microscopic approaches, investigating synaptic structure and dynamics has been challenging. Super-resolution microscopy (SRM) techniques have overcome the resolution barrier and are revolutionizing our quantitative understanding of biological systems in unprecedented spatio-temporal detail. Here we review critical new insights provided by SRM into the molecular architecture and dynamic organization of the synapse and, in particular, the interactions between Aβ and tau in this compartment. We further highlight how SRM can transform our understanding of the molecular pathological mechanisms that underlie AD. The application of SRM for understanding the roles of synapses in AD pathology will provide a stepping stone towards a broader understanding of dysfunction in other subcellular compartments and at cellular and circuit levels in this disease.
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36
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Tom AM, Kim WK, Hyeon C. Polymer brush-induced depletion interactions and clustering of membrane proteins. J Chem Phys 2021; 154:214901. [PMID: 34240971 DOI: 10.1063/5.0048554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
We investigate the effect of mobile polymer brushes on proteins embedded in biological membranes by employing both Asakura-Oosawa type of theoretical model and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. The brush polymer-induced depletion attraction between proteins changes non-monotonically with the size of brush. The depletion interaction, which is determined by the ratio of the protein size to the grafting distance between brush polymers, increases linearly with the brush size as long as the polymer brush height is shorter than the protein size. When the brush height exceeds the protein size, however, the depletion attraction among proteins is slightly reduced. We also explore the possibility of the brush polymer-induced assembly of a large protein cluster, which can be related to one of many molecular mechanisms underlying recent experimental observations of integrin nanocluster formation and signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anvy Moly Tom
- Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul 02455, South Korea
| | - Won Kyu Kim
- Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul 02455, South Korea
| | - Changbong Hyeon
- Korea Institute for Advanced Study, Seoul 02455, South Korea
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37
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Wang H, Kulas JA, Wang C, Holtzman DM, Ferris HA, Hansen SB. Regulation of beta-amyloid production in neurons by astrocyte-derived cholesterol. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2102191118. [PMID: 34385305 PMCID: PMC8379952 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2102191118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the presence of amyloid β (Aβ) plaques, tau tangles, inflammation, and loss of cognitive function. Genetic variation in a cholesterol transport protein, apolipoprotein E (apoE), is the most common genetic risk factor for sporadic AD. In vitro evidence suggests that apoE links to Aβ production through nanoscale lipid compartments (lipid clusters), but its regulation in vivo is unclear. Here, we use superresolution imaging in the mouse brain to show that apoE utilizes astrocyte-derived cholesterol to specifically traffic neuronal amyloid precursor protein (APP) in and out of lipid clusters, where it interacts with β- and γ-secretases to generate Aβ-peptide. We find that the targeted deletion of astrocyte cholesterol synthesis robustly reduces amyloid and tau burden in a mouse model of AD. Treatment with cholesterol-free apoE or knockdown of cholesterol synthesis in astrocytes decreases cholesterol levels in cultured neurons and causes APP to traffic out of lipid clusters, where it interacts with α-secretase and gives rise to soluble APP-α (sAPP-α), a neuronal protective product of APP. Changes in cellular cholesterol have no effect on α-, β-, and γ-secretase trafficking, suggesting that the ratio of Aβ to sAPP-α is regulated by the trafficking of the substrate, not the enzymes. We conclude that cholesterol is kept low in neurons, which inhibits Aβ accumulation and enables the astrocyte regulation of Aβ accumulation by cholesterol signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wang
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL 33458
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL 33458
- Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL 33458
| | - Joshua A Kulas
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Chao Wang
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - David M Holtzman
- Department of Neurology, Hope Center for Neurological Disorders, Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110
| | - Heather A Ferris
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908;
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22908
| | - Scott B Hansen
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL 33458;
- Department of Neuroscience, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL 33458
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38
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Alfredsson V, Lo Nostro P, Ninham B, Nylander T. Morphologies and Structure of Brain Lipid Membrane Dispersions. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:675140. [PMID: 34195192 PMCID: PMC8236638 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.675140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aims to explore the variety of previously unknown morphologies that brain lipids form in aqueous solutions. We study how these structures are dependent on cholesterol content, salt solution composition, and temperature. For this purpose, dispersions of porcine sphingomyelin with varying amounts of cholesterol as well as dispersions of porcine brain lipid extracts were investigated. We used cryo-TEM to investigate the dispersions at high-salt solution content together with small-angle (SAXD) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for dispersions in the corresponding salt solution at high lipid content. Sphingomyelin forms multilamellar vesicles in large excess of aqueous salt solution. These vesicles appear as double rippled bilayers in the images and as split Bragg peaks in SAXD together with a very distinct lamellar phase pattern. These features disappear with increasing temperature, and addition of cholesterol as the WAXD data shows that the peak corresponding to the chain crystallinity disappears. The dispersions of sphingomyelin at high cholesterol content form large vesicular type of structures with smooth bilayers. The repeat distance of the lamellar phase depends on temperature, salt solution composition, and slightly with cholesterol content. The brain lipid extracts form large multilamellar vesicles often attached to assemblies of higher electron density. We think that this is probably an example of supra self-assembly with a multiple-layered vesicle surrounding an interior cubic microphase. This is challenging to resolve. DSC shows the presence of different kinds of water bound to the lipid aggregates as a function of the lipid content. Comparison with the effect of lithium, sodium, and calcium salts on the structural parameters of the sphingomyelin and the morphologies of brain lipid extract morphologies demonstrate that lithium has remarkable effects also at low content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viveka Alfredsson
- Centre for Analysis and Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Pierandrea Lo Nostro
- Department of Chemistry "Ugo Schiff" and CSGI, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Barry Ninham
- Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Tommy Nylander
- Physical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,NanoLund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.,Lund Institute of Advanced Neutron and X-ray Science, Lund, Sweden
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39
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Zhemkov V, Ditlev JA, Lee WR, Wilson M, Liou J, Rosen MK, Bezprozvanny I. The role of sigma 1 receptor in organization of endoplasmic reticulum signaling microdomains. eLife 2021; 10:e65192. [PMID: 33973848 PMCID: PMC8112866 DOI: 10.7554/elife.65192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sigma 1 receptor (S1R) is a 223-amino-acid-long transmembrane endoplasmic reticulum (ER) protein. S1R modulates activity of multiple effector proteins and is a well-established drug target. However, signaling functions of S1R in cells are poorly understood. Here, we test the hypothesis that biological activity of S1R in cells can be explained by its ability to interact with cholesterol and to form cholesterol-enriched microdomains in the ER membrane. By performing experiments in reduced reconstitution systems, we demonstrate direct effects of cholesterol on S1R clustering. We identify a novel cholesterol-binding motif in the transmembrane region of human S1R. Mutations of this motif impair association of recombinant S1R with cholesterol beads, affect S1R clustering in vitro and disrupt S1R subcellular localization. We demonstrate that S1R-induced membrane microdomains have increased local membrane thickness and that increased local cholesterol concentration and/or membrane thickness in these microdomains can modulate signaling of inositol-requiring enzyme 1α in the ER. Further, S1R agonists cause disruption of S1R clusters, suggesting that biological activity of S1R agonists is linked to remodeling of ER membrane microdomains. Our results provide novel insights into S1R-mediated signaling mechanisms in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir Zhemkov
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at DallasDallasUnited States
| | - Jonathon A Ditlev
- Department of Biophysics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center at DallasDallasUnited States
| | - Wan-Ru Lee
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at DallasDallasUnited States
| | - Mikaela Wilson
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at DallasDallasUnited States
| | - Jen Liou
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at DallasDallasUnited States
| | - Michael K Rosen
- Department of Biophysics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, UT Southwestern Medical Center at DallasDallasUnited States
| | - Ilya Bezprozvanny
- Department of Physiology, UT Southwestern Medical Center at DallasDallasUnited States
- Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration, Peter the Great St. Petersburg State Polytechnic UniversitySt. PetersburgRussian Federation
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40
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Shrestha A, Kahraman O, Haselwandter CA. Regulation of membrane proteins through local heterogeneity in lipid bilayer thickness. Phys Rev E 2021; 102:060401. [PMID: 33465991 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.102.060401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Cell membranes show an intricate organization of lipids and membrane proteins into domains with distinct composition and hydrophobic thickness. Using mechanosensitive ion channels as a model system, we employ the membrane elasticity theory of lipid-protein interactions together with the Landau-Ginzburg theory of lipid domain formation to quantify protein-induced lipid bilayer thickness deformations in lipid bilayers with heterogeneous hydrophobic thickness. We show that protein-induced lipid bilayer thickness deformations yield, without any assumptions about preferential interactions between particular lipid and protein species, organization of lipids and membrane proteins according to their preferred hydrophobic thickness, and couple the conformational states of membrane proteins to the local membrane composition. Our calculations suggest that protein-induced lipid bilayer thickness deformations endow proteins in cell membranes with diverse and controlled mechanical environments that, in turn, allow targeted regulation of membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahis Shrestha
- Department of Physics & Astronomy and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Osman Kahraman
- Department of Physics & Astronomy and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
| | - Christoph A Haselwandter
- Department of Physics & Astronomy and Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089, USA
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41
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Mühlenbrock P, Sari M, Steinem C. In vitro single vesicle fusion assays based on pore-spanning membranes: merits and drawbacks. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL: EBJ 2020; 50:239-252. [PMID: 33320298 PMCID: PMC8071798 DOI: 10.1007/s00249-020-01479-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Neuronal fusion mediated by soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive-factor attachment protein receptors (SNAREs) is a fundamental cellular process by which two initially distinct membranes merge resulting in one interconnected structure to release neurotransmitters into the presynaptic cleft. To get access to the different stages of the fusion process, several in vitro assays have been developed. In this review, we provide a short overview of the current in vitro single vesicle fusion assays. Among those assays, we developed a single vesicle assay based on pore-spanning membranes (PSMs) on micrometre-sized pores in silicon, which might overcome some of the drawbacks associated with the other membrane architectures used for investigating fusion processes. Prepared by spreading of giant unilamellar vesicles with reconstituted t-SNAREs, PSMs provide an alternative tool to supported lipid bilayers to measure single vesicle fusion events by means of fluorescence microscopy. Here, we discuss the diffusive behaviour of the reconstituted membrane components as well as that of the fusing synthetic vesicles with reconstituted synaptobrevin 2 (v-SNARE). We compare our results with those obtained if the synthetic vesicles are replaced by natural chromaffin granules under otherwise identical conditions. The fusion efficiency as well as the different fusion states observable in this assay by means of both lipid mixing and content release are illuminated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Mühlenbrock
- Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Tammannstr. 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Merve Sari
- Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Tammannstr. 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Steinem
- Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Tammannstr. 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany. .,Max-Planck-Institute for Dynamics and Self Organization, Am Faßberg 17, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
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42
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Kroppen B, Teske N, Yambire KF, Denkert N, Mukherjee I, Tarasenko D, Jaipuria G, Zweckstetter M, Milosevic I, Steinem C, Meinecke M. Cooperativity of membrane-protein and protein-protein interactions control membrane remodeling by epsin 1 and affects clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 78:2355-2370. [PMID: 32997199 PMCID: PMC7966211 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03647-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Membrane remodeling is a critical process for many membrane trafficking events, including clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Several molecular mechanisms for protein-induced membrane curvature have been described in some detail. Contrary, the effect that the physico-chemical properties of the membrane have on these processes is far less well understood. Here, we show that the membrane binding and curvature-inducing ENTH domain of epsin1 is regulated by phosphatidylserine (PS). ENTH binds to membranes in a PI(4,5)P2-dependent manner but only induces curvature in the presence of PS. On PS-containing membranes, the ENTH domain forms rigid homo-oligomers and assembles into clusters. Membrane binding and membrane remodeling can be separated by structure-to-function mutants. Such oligomerization mutants bind to membranes but do not show membrane remodeling activity. In vivo, they are not able to rescue defects in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) endocytosis in epsin knock-down cells. Together, these data show that the membrane lipid composition is important for the regulation of protein-dependent membrane deformation during clathrin-mediated endocytosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Kroppen
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Humboldtallee 23, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nelli Teske
- Institute for Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Tammannstr. 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - King F Yambire
- European Neuroscience Institute, Göttingen - A Joint Initiative of the University Medical Center Göttingen and the Max-Planck-Society, Grisebachstr. 5, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Niels Denkert
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Humboldtallee 23, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Indrani Mukherjee
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Humboldtallee 23, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Daryna Tarasenko
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Humboldtallee 23, 37073, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Garima Jaipuria
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ira Milosevic
- European Neuroscience Institute, Göttingen - A Joint Initiative of the University Medical Center Göttingen and the Max-Planck-Society, Grisebachstr. 5, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, Nuffield Department of Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Claudia Steinem
- Institute for Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Tammannstr. 2, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
- Göttinger Zentrum für Molekulare Biowissenschaften - GZMB, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
- Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Am Faßberg 17, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Michael Meinecke
- Department of Cellular Biochemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, Humboldtallee 23, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
- Göttinger Zentrum für Molekulare Biowissenschaften - GZMB, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
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43
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Kinnun JJ, Bolmatov D, Lavrentovich MO, Katsaras J. Lateral heterogeneity and domain formation in cellular membranes. Chem Phys Lipids 2020; 232:104976. [PMID: 32946808 PMCID: PMC7491465 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2020.104976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Review article describing recent experimental and theoretical membrane lateral heterogeneity research. Describes the static and dynamic physical concepts behind domain formation in model membranes. Describes coarse-grained, phenomenological approaches that result in phases associated with lipid lateral heterogeneity.
As early as the development of the fluid mosaic model for cellular membranes, researchers began observing the telltale signs of lateral heterogeneity. Over the decades this has led to the development of the lipid raft hypothesis and the ensuing controversy that has unfolded, as a result. Here, we review the physical concepts behind domain formation in lipid membranes, both of their structural and dynamic origins. This, then leads into a discussion of coarse-grained, phenomenological approaches that describe the wide range of phases associated with lipid lateral heterogeneity. We use these physical concepts to describe the interaction between raft-lipid species, such as long-chain saturated lipids, sphingomyelin, and cholesterol, and non-raft forming lipids, such as those with short acyl chains or unsaturated fatty acids. While debate has persisted on the biological relevance of lipid domains, recent research, described here, continues to identify biological roles for rafts and new experimental approaches have revealed the existence of lipid domains in living systems. Given the recent progress on both the biological and structural aspects of raft formation, the research area of membrane lateral heterogeneity will not only expand, but will continue to produce exciting results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob J Kinnun
- Large Scale Structures Group, Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States; Shull-Wollan Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States.
| | - Dima Bolmatov
- Large Scale Structures Group, Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States; Shull-Wollan Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States.
| | - Maxim O Lavrentovich
- Shull-Wollan Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States.
| | - John Katsaras
- Shull-Wollan Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United States; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, United States; Sample Environment Group, Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, United States.
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44
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Intercellular trafficking via plasmodesmata: molecular layers of complexity. Cell Mol Life Sci 2020; 78:799-816. [PMID: 32920696 PMCID: PMC7897608 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-020-03622-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodesmata are intercellular pores connecting together most plant cells. These structures consist of a central constricted form of the endoplasmic reticulum, encircled by some cytoplasmic space, in turn delimited by the plasma membrane, itself ultimately surrounded by the cell wall. The presence and structure of plasmodesmata create multiple routes for intercellular trafficking of a large spectrum of molecules (encompassing RNAs, proteins, hormones and metabolites) and also enable local signalling events. Movement across plasmodesmata is finely controlled in order to balance processes requiring communication with those necessitating symplastic isolation. Here, we describe the identities and roles of the molecular components (specific sets of lipids, proteins and wall polysaccharides) that shape and define plasmodesmata structural and functional domains. We highlight the extensive and dynamic interactions that exist between the plasma/endoplasmic reticulum membranes, cytoplasm and cell wall domains, binding them together to effectively define plasmodesmata shapes and purposes.
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45
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Abstract
Communication between and inside cells as well as their response to external stimuli relies on elaborated systems of signal transduction. They all require a directional transmission across membranes, often realized by primary messenger docking onto external receptor units and subsequent internalization of the signal in form of a released second messenger. This in turn starts a cascade of events which ultimately control all functions of the living cell. Although signal transduction is a fundamental biological process realized by supramolecular recognition and multiplication events with small molecules, chemists have just begun to invent artificial models which allow to study the underlying rules, and one day perhaps to rescue damaged transduction systems in nature. This review summarizes the exciting pioneering efforts of chemists to create simple models for the basic principles of signal transduction across a membrane. It starts with first attempts to establish molecular recognition events on liposomes with embedded receptor amphiphiles and moves on to simple transmembrane signaling across lipid bilayers. More elaborated systems step by step incorporate more elements of cell signaling, such as primary and secondary messenger or a useful cellular response such as cargo release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Bekus
- University of Duisburg-Essen Faculty of Chemistry Universitätsstr. 7 45117 Essen Germany
| | - Thomas Schrader
- University of Duisburg-Essen Faculty of Chemistry Universitätsstr. 7 45117 Essen Germany
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46
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Pankratenko AV, Atabekova AK, Morozov SY, Solovyev AG. Membrane Contacts in Plasmodesmata: Structural Components and Their Functions. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2020; 85:531-544. [DOI: 10.1134/s0006297920050028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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47
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Akimov SA, Molotkovsky RJ, Kuzmin PI, Galimzyanov TR, Batishchev OV. Continuum Models of Membrane Fusion: Evolution of the Theory. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E3875. [PMID: 32485905 PMCID: PMC7312925 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21113875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Starting from fertilization, through tissue growth, hormone secretion, synaptic transmission, and sometimes morbid events of carcinogenesis and viral infections, membrane fusion regulates the whole life of high organisms. Despite that, a lot of fusion processes still lack well-established models and even a list of main actors. A merger of membranes requires their topological rearrangements controlled by elastic properties of a lipid bilayer. That is why continuum models based on theories of membrane elasticity are actively applied for the construction of physical models of membrane fusion. Started from the view on the membrane as a structureless film with postulated geometry of fusion intermediates, they developed along with experimental and computational techniques to a powerful tool for prediction of the whole process with molecular accuracy. In the present review, focusing on fusion processes occurring in eukaryotic cells, we scrutinize the history of these models, their evolution and complication, as well as open questions and remaining theoretical problems. We show that modern approaches in this field allow continuum models of membrane fusion to stand shoulder to shoulder with molecular dynamics simulations, and provide the deepest understanding of this process in multiple biological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergey A. Akimov
- Laboratory of Bioelectrochemistry, A.N. Frumkin Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 31/4 Leninskiy Prospekt, 119071 Moscow, Russia; (R.J.M.); (P.I.K.); (T.R.G.); (O.V.B.)
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48
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Dhara M, Mantero Martinez M, Makke M, Schwarz Y, Mohrmann R, Bruns D. Synergistic actions of v-SNARE transmembrane domains and membrane-curvature modifying lipids in neurotransmitter release. eLife 2020; 9:e55152. [PMID: 32391794 PMCID: PMC7239655 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Vesicle fusion is mediated by assembly of SNARE proteins between opposing membranes. While previous work suggested an active role of SNARE transmembrane domains (TMDs) in promoting membrane merger (Dhara et al., 2016), the underlying mechanism remained elusive. Here, we show that naturally-occurring v-SNARE TMD variants differentially regulate fusion pore dynamics in mouse chromaffin cells, indicating TMD flexibility as a mechanistic determinant that facilitates transmitter release from differentially-sized vesicles. Membrane curvature-promoting phospholipids like lysophosphatidylcholine or oleic acid profoundly alter pore expansion and fully rescue the decelerated fusion kinetics of TMD-rigidifying VAMP2 mutants. Thus, v-SNARE TMDs and phospholipids cooperate in supporting membrane curvature at the fusion pore neck. Oppositely, slowing of pore kinetics by the SNARE-regulator complexin-2 withstands the curvature-driven speeding of fusion, indicating that pore evolution is tightly coupled to progressive SNARE complex formation. Collectively, TMD-mediated support of membrane curvature and SNARE force-generated membrane bending promote fusion pore formation and expansion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhurima Dhara
- Institute for Physiology, Center of Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Saarland UniversityHomburgGermany
| | - Maria Mantero Martinez
- Institute for Physiology, Center of Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Saarland UniversityHomburgGermany
| | - Mazen Makke
- Institute for Physiology, Center of Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Saarland UniversityHomburgGermany
| | - Yvonne Schwarz
- Institute for Physiology, Center of Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Saarland UniversityHomburgGermany
| | - Ralf Mohrmann
- Institute for Physiology, Otto-von-Guericke UniversityMagdeburgGermany
| | - Dieter Bruns
- Institute for Physiology, Center of Integrative Physiology and Molecular Medicine, Saarland UniversityHomburgGermany
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49
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Syga Ł, de Vries RH, van Oosterhout H, Bartelds R, Boersma AJ, Roelfes G, Poolman B. A Trifunctional Linker for Palmitoylation and Peptide and Protein Localization in Biological Membranes. Chembiochem 2020; 21:1320-1328. [PMID: 31814256 PMCID: PMC7317724 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201900655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Attachment of lipophilic groups is an important post-translational modification of proteins, which involves the coupling of one or more anchors such as fatty acids, isoprenoids, phospholipids, or glycosylphosphatidyl inositols. To study its impact on the membrane partitioning of hydrophobic peptides or proteins, we designed a tyrosine-based trifunctional linker. The linker allows the facile incorporation of two different functionalities at a cysteine residue in a single step. We determined the effect of the lipid modification on the membrane partitioning of the synthetic α-helical model peptide WALP with or without here and in all cases below; palmitoyl groups in giant unilamellar vesicles that contain a liquid-ordered (Lo ) and liquid-disordered (Ld ) phase. Introduction of two palmitoyl groups did not alter the localization of the membrane peptides, nor did the membrane thickness or lipid composition. In all cases, the peptide was retained in the Ld phase. These data demonstrate that the Lo domain in model membranes is highly unfavorable for a single membrane-spanning peptide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Syga
- Department of BiochemistryGroningen Biomolecular Sciences andBiotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of GroningenNijenborgh 49747 AGGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Reinder H. de Vries
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry and CatalysisStratingh Institute for ChemistryUniversity of GroningenNijenborgh 49747 AGGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Hugo van Oosterhout
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry and CatalysisStratingh Institute for ChemistryUniversity of GroningenNijenborgh 49747 AGGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Rianne Bartelds
- Department of BiochemistryGroningen Biomolecular Sciences andBiotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of GroningenNijenborgh 49747 AGGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Arnold J. Boersma
- DWI Leibniz Institute for Interactive MaterialsForckenbeckstrasse 5052074AachenGermany
| | - Gerard Roelfes
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry and CatalysisStratingh Institute for ChemistryUniversity of GroningenNijenborgh 49747 AGGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Bert Poolman
- Department of BiochemistryGroningen Biomolecular Sciences andBiotechnology Institute and Zernike Institute for Advanced MaterialsUniversity of GroningenNijenborgh 49747 AGGroningenThe Netherlands
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50
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van Hilten N, Stroh KS, Risselada HJ. Membrane Thinning Induces Sorting of Lipids and the Amphipathic Lipid Packing Sensor (ALPS) Protein Motif. Front Physiol 2020; 11:250. [PMID: 32372966 PMCID: PMC7177014 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00250] [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: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Heterogeneities (e.g., membrane proteins and lipid domains) and deformations (e.g., highly curved membrane regions) in biological lipid membranes cause lipid packing defects that may trigger functional sorting of lipids and membrane-associated proteins. To study these phenomena in a controlled and efficient way within molecular simulations, we developed an external field protocol that artificially enhances packing defects in lipid membranes by enforcing local thinning of a flat membrane region. For varying lipid compositions, we observed strong thinning-induced depletion or enrichment, depending on the lipid's intrinsic shape and its effect on a membrane's elastic modulus. In particular, polyunsaturated and lysolipids are strongly attracted to regions high in packing defects, whereas phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) lipids and cholesterol are strongly repelled from it. Our results indicate that externally imposed changes in membrane thickness, area, and curvature are underpinned by shared membrane elastic principles. The observed sorting toward the thinner membrane region is in line with the sorting expected for a positively curved membrane region. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that the amphipathic lipid packing sensor (ALPS) protein motif, a known curvature and packing defect sensor, is effectively attracted to thinner membrane regions. By extracting the force that drives amphipathic molecules toward the thinner region, our thinning protocol can directly quantify and score the lipid packing sensing of different amphipathic molecules. In this way, our protocol paves the way toward high-throughput exploration of potential defect- and curvature-sensing motifs, making it a valuable addition to the molecular simulation toolbox.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niek van Hilten
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Kai Steffen Stroh
- Institute for Theoretical Physics, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Herre Jelger Risselada
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands.,Institute for Theoretical Physics, Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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