The transbilayer distribution of phospholipids in disc membranes is a dynamic equilibrium evidence for rapid flip and flop movement

Established and emerging players in phospholipid scrambling: A structural perspective

The maintenance of a diverse and non-homogeneous lipid composition in cell membranes is crucial for a multitude of cellular processes. One important example is transbilayer lipid asymmetry, which refers to a difference in lipid composition between the two leaflets of a cellular membrane. Transbilayer asymmetry is especially pronounced at the plasma membrane, where at resting state, negatively-charged phospholipids such as phosphatidylserine (PS) are almost exclusively restricted to the cytosolic leaflet, whereas sphingolipids are mostly found in the exoplasmic leaflet. Transbilayer movement of lipids is inherently slow, and for a fast cellular response, for example during apoptosis, transmembrane proteins termed scramblases facilitate the movement of polar/charged lipid headgroups through the membrane interior. In recent years, an expanding number of proteins from diverse families have been suggested to possess a lipid scramblase activity. Members of TMEM16 and XKR proteins have been implicated in blood clotting and apoptosis, whereas the scrambling activity of ATG9 and TMEM41B/VMP1 proteins contributes to the synthesis of autophagosomal membrane during autophagy. Structural studies, in vitro reconstitution of lipid scrambling, and molecular dynamics simulations have significantly advanced our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of lipid scrambling and helped delineate potential lipid transport pathways through the membrane. A number of examples also suggest that lipid scrambling activity can be combined with another activity, as is the case for TMEM16 proteins, which also function as ion channels, rhodopsin in the photoreceptor membrane, and possibly other G-protein coupled receptors.

A cholesterol switch controls phospholipid scrambling by G protein-coupled receptors

Class A G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), a superfamily of cell membrane signaling receptors, moonlight as constitutively active phospholipid scramblases. The plasma membrane of metazoan cells is replete with GPCRs yet has a strong resting trans-bilayer phospholipid asymmetry, with the signaling lipid phosphatidylserine confined to the cytoplasmic leaflet. To account for the persistence of this lipid asymmetry in the presence of GPCR scramblases, we hypothesized that GPCR-mediated lipid scrambling is regulated by cholesterol, a major constituent of the plasma membrane. We now present a technique whereby synthetic vesicles reconstituted with GPCRs can be supplemented with cholesterol to a level similar to that of the plasma membrane and show that the scramblase activity of two prototypical GPCRs, opsin and the β1-adrenergic receptor, is impaired upon cholesterol loading. Our data suggest that cholesterol acts as a switch, inhibiting scrambling above a receptor-specific threshold concentration to disable GPCR scramblases at the plasma membrane.

A cholesterol switch controls phospholipid scrambling by G protein-coupled receptors

Class A G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), a superfamily of cell membrane signaling receptors, moonlight as constitutively active phospholipid scramblases. The plasma membrane of metazoan cells is replete with GPCRs, yet has a strong resting trans-bilayer phospholipid asymmetry, with the signaling lipid phosphatidylserine confined to the cytoplasmic leaflet. To account for the persistence of this lipid asymmetry in the presence of GPCR scramblases, we hypothesized that GPCR-mediated lipid scrambling is regulated by cholesterol, a major constituent of the plasma membrane. We now present a technique whereby synthetic vesicles reconstituted with GPCRs can be supplemented with cholesterol to a level similar to that of the plasma membrane and show that the scramblase activity of two prototypical GPCRs, opsin and the β1-adrenergic receptor, is impaired upon cholesterol loading. Our data suggest that cholesterol acts as a switch, inhibiting scrambling above a receptor-specific threshold concentration to disable GPCR scramblases at the plasma membrane.

The role of lipid scramblases in regulating lipid distributions at cellular membranes

Glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids and cholesterol assemble into lipid bilayers that form the scaffold of cellular membranes, in which proteins are embedded. Membrane composition and membrane protein profiles differ between plasma and intracellular membranes and between the two leaflets of a membrane. Lipid distributions between two leaflets are mediated by lipid translocases, including flippases and scramblases. Flippases use ATP to catalyze the inward movement of specific lipids between leaflets. In contrast, bidirectional flip-flop movements of lipids across the membrane are mediated by scramblases in an ATP-independent manner. Scramblases have been implicated in disrupting the lipid asymmetry of the plasma membrane, protein glycosylation, autophagosome biogenesis, lipoprotein secretion, lipid droplet formation and communications between organelles. Although scramblases in plasma membranes were identified over 10 years ago, most progress about scramblases localized in intracellular membranes has been made in the last few years. Herein, we review the role of scramblases in regulating lipid distributions in cellular membranes, focusing primarily on intracellular membrane-localized scramblases.

Retinal-phospholipid Schiff-base conjugates and their interaction with ABCA4, the ABC transporter associated with Stargardt Disease

N-retinylidene-phosphatidylethanolamine (N-Ret-PE), the Schiff-base conjugate formed through the reversible reaction of retinal (Vitamin A-aldehyde) and phosphatidylethanolamine, plays a crucial role in the visual cycle and visual pigment photoregeneration. However, N-Ret-PE can react with another molecule of retinal to form toxic di-retinoids if not removed from photoreceptors through its transport across photoreceptor membranes by the ATP-binding-cassette transporter ABCA4. Loss-of-function mutations in ABCA4 are known to cause Stargardt disease (STGD1), an inherited retinal degenerative disease associated with the accumulation of fluorescent di-retinoids and severe loss in vision. A larger assessment of retinal-phospholipid Schiff-base conjugates in photoreceptors is needed, along with further investigation of ABCA4 residues important for N-Ret-PE binding. In this study we show that N-Ret-PE formation is dependent on pH and phospholipid content. When retinal is added to liposomes or photoreceptor membranes, 40-60% is converted to N-Ret-PE at physiological pH. Phosphatidylserine and taurine also react with retinal to form N-retinylidene-phosphatidylserine (N-Ret-PS) and N-retinylidene-taurine, respectively, but at significantly lower levels. N-Ret-PS is not a substrate for ABCA4 and reacts poorly with retinal to form di-retinoids. Additionally, amino acid residues within the binding pocket of ABCA4 that contribute to its interaction with N-Ret-PE were identified and characterized using site-directed mutagenesis together with functional and binding assays. Substitution of arginine residues and hydrophobic residues with alanine or residues implicated in STGD1 significantly reduced or in some cases eliminated substrate-activated ATPase activity and substrate binding. Collectively, this study provides important insight into conditions which affect retinal-phospholipid Schiff-base formation and mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of STGD1.

Rhodopsin, light-sensor of vision

The light sensor of vertebrate scotopic (low-light) vision, rhodopsin, is a G-protein-coupled receptor comprising a polypeptide chain with bound chromophore, 11-cis-retinal, that exhibits remarkable physicochemical properties. This photopigment is extremely stable in the dark, yet its chromophore isomerises upon photon absorption with 70% efficiency, enabling the activation of its G-protein, transducin, with high efficiency. Rhodopsin's photochemical and biochemical activities occur over very different time-scales: the energy of retinaldehyde's excited state is stored in <1 ps in retinal-protein interactions, but it takes milliseconds for the catalytically active state to form, and many tens of minutes for the resting state to be restored. In this review, we describe the properties of rhodopsin and its role in rod phototransduction. We first introduce rhodopsin's gross structural features, its evolution, and the basic mechanisms of its activation. We then discuss light absorption and spectral sensitivity, photoreceptor electrical responses that result from the activity of individual rhodopsin molecules, and recovery of rhodopsin and the visual system from intense bleaching exposures. We then provide a detailed examination of rhodopsin's molecular structure and function, first in its dark state, and then in the active Meta states that govern its interactions with transducin, rhodopsin kinase and arrestin. While it is clear that rhodopsin's molecular properties are exquisitely honed for phototransduction, from starlight to dawn/dusk intensity levels, our understanding of how its molecular interactions determine the properties of scotopic vision remains incomplete. We describe potential future directions of research, and outline several major problems that remain to be solved.

Non-Viral Delivery of CRISPR/Cas Cargo to the Retina Using Nanoparticles: Current Possibilities, Challenges, and Limitations

The discovery of the CRISPR/Cas system and its development into a powerful genome engineering tool have revolutionized the field of molecular biology and generated excitement for its potential to treat a wide range of human diseases. As a gene therapy target, the retina offers many advantages over other tissues because of its surgical accessibility and relative immunity privilege due to its blood-retinal barrier. These features explain the large advances made in ocular gene therapy over the past decade, including the first in vivo clinical trial using CRISPR gene-editing reagents. Although viral vector-mediated therapeutic approaches have been successful, they have several shortcomings, including packaging constraints, pre-existing anti-capsid immunity and vector-induced immunogenicity, therapeutic potency and persistence, and potential genotoxicity. The use of nanomaterials in the delivery of therapeutic agents has revolutionized the way genetic materials are delivered to cells, tissues, and organs, and presents an appealing alternative to bypass the limitations of viral delivery systems. In this review, we explore the potential use of non-viral vectors as tools for gene therapy, exploring the latest advancements in nanotechnology in medicine and focusing on the nanoparticle-mediated delivery of CRIPSR genetic cargo to the retina.

Dynamic lipid turnover in photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium throughout life

The retinal pigment epithelium-photoreceptor interphase is renewed each day in a stunning display of cellular interdependence. While photoreceptors use photosensitive pigments to convert light into electrical signals, the RPE supports photoreceptors in their function by phagocytizing shed photoreceptor tips, regulating the blood retina barrier, and modulating inflammatory responses, as well as regenerating the 11-cis-retinal chromophore via the classical visual cycle. These processes involve multiple protein complexes, tightly regulated ligand-receptors interactions, and a plethora of lipids and protein-lipids interactions. The role of lipids in maintaining a healthy interplay between the RPE and photoreceptors has not been fully delineated. In recent years, novel technologies have resulted in major advancements in understanding several facets of this interplay, including the involvement of lipids in phagocytosis and phagolysosome function, nutrient recycling, and the metabolic dependence between the two cell types. In this review, we aim to integrate the complex role of lipids in photoreceptor and RPE function, emphasizing the dynamic exchange between the cells as well as discuss how these processes are affected in aging and retinal diseases.

Phospholipid Scrambling by G Protein-Coupled Receptors

Rapid flip-flop of phospholipids across the two leaflets of biological membranes is crucial for many aspects of cellular life. The transport proteins that facilitate this process are classified as pump-like flippases and floppases and channel-like scramblases. Unexpectedly, Class A G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), a large class of signaling proteins exemplified by the visual receptor rhodopsin and its apoprotein opsin, are constitutively active as scramblases in vitro. In liposomes, opsin scrambles lipids at a unitary rate of >100,000 per second. Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of opsin in a lipid membrane reveal conformational transitions that expose a polar groove between transmembrane helices 6 and 7. This groove enables transbilayer lipid movement, conceptualized as the swiping of a credit card (lipid) through a card reader (GPCR). Conformational changes that facilitate scrambling are distinct from those associated with GPCR signaling. In this review, we discuss the physiological significance of GPCR scramblase activity and the modes of its regulation in cells. 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.

Chromophore-Independent Roles of Opsin Apoproteins in Drosophila Mechanoreceptors

Rhodopsins, the major light-detecting molecules of animal visual systems [1], consist of opsin apoproteins that covalently bind a retinal chromophore with a conserved lysine residue [1, 2]. In addition to capturing photons, this chromophore contributes to rhodopsin maturation [3, 4], trafficking [3, 4], and stabilization [5], and defects in chromophore synthesis and recycling can cause dysfunction of the retina and dystrophy [6-9]. Indications that opsin apoproteins alone might have biological roles have come from archaebacteria and platyhelminths, which present opsin-like proteins that lack the chromophore binding site and are deemed to function independently of light [10, 11]. Light-independent sensory roles have been documented for Drosophila opsins [12-15], yet also these unconventional opsin functions are thought to require chromophore binding [12, 13, 15]. Unconjugated opsin apoproteins act as phospholipid scramblases in mammalian photoreceptor disks [16], yet chromophore-independent roles of opsin apoproteins outside of eyes have, to the best of our knowledge, hitherto not been described. Drosophila chordotonal mechanoreceptors require opsins [13, 15], and we find that their function remains uncompromised by nutrient carotenoid depletion. Disrupting carotenoid uptake and cleavage also left the mechanoreceptors unaffected, and manipulating the chromophore attachment site of the fly's major visual opsin Rh1 impaired photoreceptor, but not mechanoreceptor, function. Notwithstanding this chromophore independence, some proteins that process and recycle the chromophore in the retina are also required in mechanoreceptors, including visual cycle components that recycle the chromophore upon its photoisomerization. Our results thus establish biological function for unconjugated opsin apoproteins outside of eyes and, in addition, document chromophore-independent roles for chromophore pathway components.

Scrambling of natural and fluorescently tagged phosphatidylinositol by reconstituted G protein-coupled receptor and TMEM16 scramblases

Members of the G protein-coupled receptor and TMEM16 (transmembrane protein 16) protein families are phospholipid scramblases that facilitate rapid, bidirectional movement of phospholipids across a membrane bilayer in an ATP-independent manner. On reconstitution into large unilamellar vesicles, these proteins scramble more than 10,000 lipids/protein/s as measured with co-reconstituted fluorescent nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD)-labeled phospholipids. Although NBD-labeled phospholipids are ubiquitously used as reporters of scramblase activity, it remains unclear whether the NBD modification influences the quantitative outcomes of the scramblase assay. We now report a refined biochemical approach for measuring the activity of scramblase proteins with radiolabeled natural phosphatidylinositol ([3H]PI) and exploiting the hydrolytic activity of bacterial PI-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) to detect the transbilayer movement of PI. PI-PLC rapidly hydrolyzed 50% of [3H]PI in large symmetric, unilamellar liposomes, corresponding to the lipid pool in the outer leaflet. On reconstitution of a crude preparation of yeast endoplasmic reticulum scramblase, purified bovine opsin, or purified Nectria haematococca TMEM16, the extent of [3H]PI hydrolysis increased, indicating that [3H]PI from the inner leaflet had been scrambled to the outer leaflet. Using transphosphatidylation, we synthesized acyl-NBD-PI and used it to compare our PI-PLC-based assay with conventional fluorescence-based methods. Our results revealed quantitative differences between the two assays that we attribute to the specific features of the assays themselves rather than to the nature of the phospholipid. In summary, we have developed an assay that measures scrambling of a chemically unmodified phospholipid by a reconstituted scramblase.

An engineered opsin monomer scrambles phospholipids

The G protein-coupled receptor opsin is a phospholipid scramblase that facilitates rapid transbilayer phospholipid exchange in liposomes. The mechanism by which opsin scrambles lipids is unknown. It has been proposed that lipid translocation may occur at protein-protein interfaces of opsin dimers. To test this possibility, we rationally engineered QUAD opsin by tryptophan substitution of four lipid-facing residues in transmembrane helix 4 (TM4) that is known to be important for dimerization. Atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of wild type and QUAD opsins combined with continuum modeling revealed that the tryptophan substitutions lower the energetically unfavorable residual hydrophobic mismatch between TM4 and the membrane, reducing the drive of QUAD opsin to dimerize. We purified thermostable wild type and QUAD opsins, with or without a SNAP tag for fluorescence labeling. Single molecule fluorescence measurements of purified SNAP-tagged constructs revealed that both proteins are monomers. Fluorescence-based activity assays indicated that QUAD opsin is a fully functional scramblase. However, unlike wild type opsin which dimerizes en route to insertion into phospholipid vesicles, QUAD opsin reconstitutes as a monomer. We conclude that an engineered opsin monomer can scramble phospholipids, and that the lipid-exposed face of TM4 is unlikely to contribute to transbilayer phospholipid exchange.

C-edge loops of arrestin function as a membrane anchor

G-protein-coupled receptors are membrane proteins that are regulated by a small family of arrestin proteins. During formation of the arrestin-receptor complex, arrestin first interacts with the phosphorylated receptor C terminus in a pre-complex, which activates arrestin for tight receptor binding. Currently, little is known about the structure of the pre-complex and its transition to a high-affinity complex. Here we present molecular dynamics simulations and site-directed fluorescence experiments on arrestin-1 interactions with rhodopsin, showing that loops within the C-edge of arrestin function as a membrane anchor. Activation of arrestin by receptor-attached phosphates is necessary for C-edge engagement of the membrane, and we show that these interactions are distinct in the pre-complex and high-affinity complex in regard to their conformation and orientation. Our results expand current knowledge of C-edge structure and further illuminate the conformational transitions that occur in arrestin along the pathway to tight receptor binding.

Stimulus-evoked outer segment changes occur before the hyperpolarization of retinal photoreceptors

Transient retinal phototropism (TRP) has been predominantly observed in rod photoreceptors activated by oblique visible light stimulation. Dynamic confocal microscopy and optical coherence tomography (OCT) have revealed rod outer segment (ROS) movement as the physical source of TRP. However, the physiological source of ROS movement is still not well understood. In this study, concurrent near-infrared imaging of TRP and electroretinogram (ERG) measurement of retinal electrophysiology revealed that ROS movement occurs before the onset of the ERG a-wave, which is known to reflect the hyperpolarization of retinal photoreceptors. Moreover, substitution of normal superfusing medium with low-sodium medium reversibly blocked the photoreceptor ERG a-wave, but largely preserved the stimulus-evoked ROS movements. Our experimental results and theoretical analysis indicate that early, disc-based stages of the phototransduction cascade, which occur before the hyperpolarization of retinal photoreceptors, contribute to the TRP associated ROS movement.

Lipid somersaults: Uncovering the mechanisms of protein-mediated lipid flipping

Membrane lipids diffuse rapidly in the plane of the membrane but their ability to flip spontaneously across a membrane bilayer is hampered by a significant energy barrier. Thus spontaneous flip-flop of polar lipids across membranes is very slow, even though it must occur rapidly to support diverse aspects of cellular life. Here we discuss the mechanisms by which rapid flip-flop occurs, and what role lipid flipping plays in membrane homeostasis and cell growth. We focus on conceptual aspects, highlighting mechanistic insights from biochemical and in silico experiments, and the recent, ground-breaking identification of a number of lipid scramblases.

Molecular basis for photoreceptor outer segment architecture

To serve vision, vertebrate rod and cone photoreceptors must detect photons, convert the light stimuli into cellular signals, and then convey the encoded information to downstream neurons. Rods and cones are sensory neurons that each rely on specialized ciliary organelles to detect light. These organelles, called outer segments, possess elaborate architectures that include many hundreds of light-sensitive membranous disks arrayed one atop another in precise register. These stacked disks capture light and initiate the chain of molecular and cellular events that underlie normal vision. Outer segment organization is challenged by an inherently dynamic nature; these organelles are subject to a renewal process that replaces a significant fraction of their disks (up to ∼10%) on a daily basis. In addition, a broad range of environmental and genetic insults can disrupt outer segment morphology to impair photoreceptor function and viability. In this chapter, we survey the major progress that has been made for understanding the molecular basis of outer segment architecture. We also discuss key aspects of organelle lipid and protein composition, and highlight distributions, interactions, and potential structural functions of key OS-resident molecules, including: kinesin-2, actin, RP1, prominin-1, protocadherin 21, peripherin-2/rds, rom-1, glutamic acid-rich proteins, and rhodopsin. Finally, we identify key knowledge gaps and challenges that remain for understanding how normal outer segment architecture is established and maintained.

Phospholipid scrambling by rhodopsin

Rhodopsin has been intensively characterized in its role as a visual pigment and G protein-coupled receptor responsible for dim-light vision. We recently discovered that it also functions as an ATP-independent phospholipid scramblase: when reconstituted into large unilamellar vesicles, rhodopsin accelerates the normally sluggish transbilayer translocation of common phospholipids by more than 1000-fold, to rates in excess of 10 000 phospholipids transported per rhodopsin per second. Here we summarize the work leading to this discovery and speculate on the mechanism by which rhodopsin scrambles phospholipids. We also present a hypothesis that rhodopsin's scramblase activity is necessary for the function of the ABC transporter ABCA4 that is responsible for mitigating the toxic accumulation of 11-cis-retinal and bis-retinoids in the retina.

Getting to the Outer Leaflet: Physiology of Phosphatidylserine Exposure at the Plasma Membrane

Phosphatidylserine (PS) is a major component of membrane bilayers whose change in distribution between inner and outer leaflets is an important physiological signal. Normally, members of the type IV P-type ATPases spend metabolic energy to create an asymmetric distribution of phospholipids between the two leaflets, with PS confined to the cytoplasmic membrane leaflet. On occasion, membrane enzymes, known as scramblases, are activated to facilitate transbilayer migration of lipids, including PS. Recently, two proteins required for such randomization have been identified: TMEM16F, a scramblase regulated by elevated intracellular Ca(2+), and XKR8, a caspase-sensitive protein required for PS exposure in apoptotic cells. Once exposed at the cell surface, PS regulates biochemical reactions involved in blood coagulation, and bone mineralization, and also regulates a variety of cell-cell interactions. Exposed on the surface of apoptotic cells, PS controls their recognition and engulfment by other cells. This process is exploited by parasites to invade their host, and in specialized form is used to maintain photoreceptors in the eye and modify synaptic connections in the brain. This review discusses what is known about the mechanism of PS exposure at the surface of the plasma membrane of cells, how actors in the extracellular milieu sense surface exposed PS, and how this recognition is translated to downstream consequences of PS exposure.

Lipid topogenesis--35years on

Glycerophospholipids are the principal fabric of cellular membranes. The pathways by which these lipids are synthesized were elucidated mainly through the work of Kennedy and colleagues in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Subsequently, attention turned to cell biological aspects of lipids: Where in the cell are lipids synthesized? How are lipids integrated into membranes to form a bilayer? How are they sorted and transported from their site of synthesis to other cellular destinations? These topics, collectively termed 'lipid topogenesis', were the subject of a review article in 1981 by Bell, Ballas and Coleman. We now assess what has been learned about early events of lipid topogenesis, i.e. "lipid synthesis, the integration of lipids into membranes, and lipid translocation across membranes", in the 35 years since the publication of this important review. We highlight the recent elucidation of the X-ray structures of key membrane enzymes of glycerophospholipid synthesis, progress on identifying lipid scramblase proteins needed to equilibrate lipids across membranes, and new complexities in the subcellular location and membrane topology of phosphatidylinositol synthesis revealed through a comparison of two unicellular model eukaryotes. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: The cellular lipid landscape edited by Tim P. Levine and Anant K. Menon.

Transport through recycling endosomes requires EHD1 recruitment by a phosphatidylserine translocase

P4-ATPases translocate aminophospholipids, such as phosphatidylserine (PS), to the cytosolic leaflet of membranes. PS is highly enriched in recycling endosomes (REs) and is essential for endosomal membrane traffic. Here, we show that PS flipping by an RE-localized P4-ATPase is required for the recruitment of the membrane fission protein EHD1. Depletion of ATP8A1 impaired the asymmetric transbilayer distribution of PS in REs, dissociated EHD1 from REs, and generated aberrant endosomal tubules that appear resistant to fission. EHD1 did not show membrane localization in cells defective in PS synthesis. ATP8A2, a tissue-specific ATP8A1 paralogue, is associated with a neurodegenerative disease (CAMRQ). ATP8A2, but not the disease-causative ATP8A2 mutant, rescued the endosomal defects in ATP8A1-depleted cells. Primary neurons from Atp8a2-/- mice showed a reduced level of transferrin receptors at the cell surface compared to Atp8a2+/+ mice. These findings demonstrate the role of P4-ATPase in membrane fission and give insight into the molecular basis of CAMRQ.

Constitutive phospholipid scramblase activity of a G protein-coupled receptor

Opsin, the rhodopsin apoprotein, was recently shown to be an ATP-independent flippase (or scramblase) that equilibrates phospholipids across photoreceptor disc membranes in mammalian retina, a process required for disc homeostasis. Here we show that scrambling is a constitutive activity of rhodopsin, distinct from its light-sensing function. Upon reconstitution into vesicles, discrete conformational states of the protein (rhodopsin, a metarhodopsin II-mimic, and two forms of opsin) facilitated rapid (>10,000 phospholipids per protein per second) scrambling of phospholipid probes. Our results indicate that the large conformational changes involved in converting rhodopsin to metarhodopsin II are not required for scrambling, and that the lipid translocation pathway either lies near the protein surface or involves membrane packing defects in the vicinity of the protein. Additionally, we demonstrate that β₂-adrenergic and adenosine A_2A receptors scramble lipids, suggesting that rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptors may play an unexpected moonlighting role in re-modeling cell membranes.

Phospholipid flippase ATP8A2 is required for normal visual and auditory function and photoreceptor and spiral ganglion cell survival

ATP8A2 is a P4-ATPase that is highly expressed in the retina, brain, spinal cord and testes. In the retina, ATP8A2 is localized in photoreceptors where it uses ATP to transport phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) from the exoplasmic to the cytoplasmic leaflet of membranes. Although mutations in ATP8A2 have been reported to cause mental retardation in humans and degeneration of spinal motor neurons in mice, the role of ATP8A2 in sensory systems has not been investigated. We have analyzed the retina and cochlea of ATP8A2-deficient mice to determine the role of ATP8A2 in visual and auditory systems. ATP8A2-deficient mice have shortened photoreceptor outer segments, a reduction in photoresponses and decreased photoreceptor viability. The ultrastructure and phagocytosis of the photoreceptor outer segment appeared normal, but the PS and PE compositions were altered and the rhodopsin content was decreased. The auditory brainstem response threshold was significantly higher and degeneration of spiral ganglion cells was apparent. Our studies indicate that ATP8A2 plays a crucial role in photoreceptor and spiral ganglion cell function and survival by maintaining phospholipid composition and contributing to vesicle trafficking.

Structural features of the G-protein/GPCR interactions

BACKGROUND

The details of the functional interaction between G proteins and the G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) have long been subjected to extensive investigations with structural and functional assays and a large number of computational studies.

SCOPE OF REVIEW

The nature and sites of interaction in the G-protein/GPCR complexes, and the specificities of these interactions selecting coupling partners among the large number of families of GPCRs and G protein forms, are still poorly defined.

MAJOR CONCLUSIONS

Many of the contact sites between the two proteins in specific complexes have been identified, but the three dimensional molecular architecture of a receptor-Gα interface is only known for one pair. Consequently, many fundamental questions regarding this macromolecular assembly and its mechanism remain unanswered.

GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE

In the context of current structural data we review the structural details of the interfaces and recognition sites in complexes of sub-family A GPCRs with cognate G-proteins, with special emphasis on the consequences of activation on GPCR structure, the prevalence of preassembled GPCR/G-protein complexes, the key structural determinants for selective coupling and the possible involvement of GPCR oligomerization in this process.

Ion permeation by a folded multiblock amphiphilic oligomer achieved by hierarchical construction of self-assembled nanopores

A multiblock amphiphilic molecule 1, with a tetrameric alternating sequence of hydrophilic and hydrophobic units, adopts a folded structure in a liposomal membrane like a multipass transmembrane protein, and is able to transport alkali metal cations through the membrane. Hill's analysis and conductance measurements, analyzed by the Hille equation, revealed that the tetrameric assembly of 1 forms a 0.53 nm channel allowing for permeation of cations. Since neither 3, bearing flexible hydrophobic units and forming no stacked structures in the membrane, nor 2, a monomeric version of 1, is able to transport cations, the folded conformation of 1 in the membrane is likely essential for realizing its function. Thus, function and hierarchically formed higher-order structures of 1, is strongly correlated with each other like proteins and other biological macromolecules.

The lipid translocase, ABCA4: seeing is believing

Mutations to members of the A subfamily of ATP binding cassette (ABC) proteins are responsible for a number of diseases; typically they are associated with aberrant cellular lipid transport processes. Mutations to the ABCA4 protein are linked to a number of visual disorders including Stargardt's disease and retinitis pigmentosa. Over 500 disease-associated mutations in ABCA4 have been demonstrated; however, the genotype-phenotype link has not been firmly established. This shortfall is primarily because the function of ABCA4 in the visual cycle is not yet fully understood. One hypothesis suggests that ABCA4 mediates the trans-bilayer translocation of retinal-phosphatidylethanolamine conjugates to facilitate the retinal regeneration process in the visual cycle. This review examines the evidence to support, or refute, this working hypothesis on the function of this clinically important protein.

Role of membrane integrity on G protein-coupled receptors: Rhodopsin stability and function

Rhodopsin is a prototypical G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) - a member of the superfamily that shares a similar structural architecture consisting of seven-transmembrane helices and propagates various signals across biological membranes. Rhodopsin is embedded in the lipid bilayer of specialized disk membranes in the outer segments of retinal rod photoreceptor cells where it transmits a light-stimulated signal. Photoactivated rhodopsin then activates a visual signaling cascade through its cognate G protein, transducin or Gt, that results in a neuronal response in the brain. Interestingly, the lipid composition of ROS membranes not only differs from that of the photoreceptor plasma membrane but is critical for visual transduction. Specifically, lipids can modulate structural changes in rhodopsin that occur after photoactivation and influence binding of transducin. Thus, altering the lipid organization of ROS membranes can result in visual dysfunction and blindness.

Opsin is a phospholipid flippase

Polar lipids must flip-flop rapidly across biological membranes to sustain cellular life [1, 2], but flipping is energetically costly [3] and its intrinsic rate is low. To overcome this problem, cells have membrane proteins that function as lipid transporters (flippases) to accelerate flipping to a physiologically relevant rate. Flippases that operate at the plasma membrane of eukaryotes, coupling ATP hydrolysis to unidirectional lipid flipping, have been defined at a molecular level [2]. On the other hand, ATP-independent bidirectional flippases that translocate lipids in biogenic compartments, e.g., the endoplasmic reticulum, and specialized membranes, e.g., photoreceptor discs [4, 5], have not been identified even though their activity has been recognized for more than 30 years [1]. Here, we demonstrate that opsin is the ATP-independent phospholipid flippase of photoreceptor discs. We show that reconstitution of opsin into large unilamellar vesicles promotes rapid (τ<10 s) flipping of phospholipid probes across the vesicle membrane. This is the first molecular identification of an ATP-independent phospholipid flippase in any system. It reveals an unexpected activity for opsin and, in conjunction with recently available structural information on this G protein-coupled receptor [6, 7], significantly advances our understanding of the mechanism of ATP-independent lipid flip-flop.

Transition path sampling study of flip-flop transitions in model lipid bilayer membranes

The microscopic dynamics of lipids in biomembranes is of special relevance in the study of chemical reactions produced in cells. The mechanism of the exchange of a model lipid molecule between both sides of a flexible bilayer membrane or flip-flop in an aqueous environment has been studied by computer simulation using the recently developed transition path sampling technique, since flip-flop transitions are infrequent events of the lipid dynamics. In addition, structural changes in the membrane have been investigated at ambient conditions and for increasing temperature. Our results highlight the cooperative effort of the whole system in order to allow a lipid molecule to cross the bottleneck in configuration space associated with the transition state of the flip-flop event. Within the time interval of the transition, all molecules of the system significantly change the frequency of their molecular motions.

Signal transduction in the visual cascade involves specific lipid-protein interactions

In retinal rod photoreceptor cells, transducin (Gt) and cyclic GMP phosphodiesterase (PDE) are peripherally anchored to the cytoplasmic surface of the disk saccules. We have examined the role of specific phospholipids in the interaction of these proteins with native osmotically intact disk vesicles, employing spin-labeled phospholipid analogues (2% of total phospholipids) and bovine serum albumin back-exchange assay. Inactive GDP-bound transducin exclusively reduced the extraction of negatively charged phosphatidylserine. The effect disappeared upon activation of the G-protein with guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTPgammaS). PDE affected the extraction of the zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine and, to a smaller extent, of phosphatidylethanolamine. When active GtGTPgammaS interacted with the PDE to form the active effector, the interaction with phosphatidylcholine was specifically enhanced. Each copy of the G-protein bound 3 +/- 1 molecules of phosphatidylserine, whereas the PDE bound a much larger amount (70 +/- 10) of a mixture of phosphatidylcholine and ethanolamine. The results are interpreted as a head group-specific and state-dependent interaction of the signaling proteins with the phospholipids of the photoreceptor membrane.

Interaction of A2E with model membranes. Implications to the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration

Deposition of a fluorophoric material, known as lipofuscin, in retinal pigment epithelium cells has been speculated to be one of the biomarkers of age-related macular degeneration. One of the fluorophores of lipofuscin has been characterized as A2E, a pyridinium bisretinoid. Its cationic nature along with two hydrophobic retinal chains suggests that it can disrupt the membrane integrity by its detergent-like activity and can thus cause cellular damage. With this notion, we studied in detail the interaction between A2E and the model membranes of different lipid compositions using fluorescence steady-state and fluorescence anisotropy measurements. A transition from vesicular to micellar structure occurred upon incorporation of A2E into the lipid bilayer. However, the A2E concentration at which this transition occurred depends on the lipid composition. A lipid mixture containing 10% phosphatidylserine (PS) (close to disc membrane PS content) behaved similarly to a lipid mixture having no PS. In contrast, vesicles containing 20% PS showed significantly different behavior. Membrane solubilization by A2E was also confirmed by vesicle leakage experiments. A2E also showed significant activity in liposome-mediated gene transfection. A lipid formulation containing 40% A2E and a helper lipid showed plasmid DNA transfection efficiency comparable to commercially available transfection reagents with no evidence of cytotoxicity. These results contribute to understanding the mechanism underlying the A2E-induced cellular dysfunction.

Light-induced reorganization of phospholipids in rod disc membranes

The transbilayer redistribution of spin-labeled phospholipid analogues (SL-PL) with choline, serine, and ethanolamine head groups (PC, PS, and PE, respectively) was studied on intact disc vesicles of bovine rod outer segment membranes in the dark and after illumination. Redistribution was measured by the extraction of spin-labeled lipid analogues from the outer leaflet of membrane using the bovine serum albumin back-exchange assay. In the dark, PS was distributed asymmetrically, favoring the outer leaflet, whereas PC and PE showed small if any asymmetry. Green illumination for 1 min caused lipid head group-specific reorganization of SL-PL. Extraction of SL-PS by bovine serum albumin showed a fast transient (<10 min) enhancement, which was further augmented by a peptide stabilizing the active metarhodopsin II conformation. The data suggest a direct release of 1 molecule of bound PS per rhodopsin into the outer leaflet and subsequent redistribution between the two leaflets. SL-PE and SL-PC showed more complex kinetics, in both cases consistent with a prolonged period of reduced extraction (2 phospholipids per rhodopsin in each case). The different phases of SL-PL reorganization after illumination may be related to the formation and decay of the active rhodopsin species and to their subsequent regeneration process.