1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylglycero-3-phosphoglycerol and dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol

The bacteriophage ΦX174 causes large pore formation in Escherichia coli and related bacteria. Lysis is mediated by the small membrane-bound toxin ΦX174-E, which is composed of a transmembrane domain and a soluble domain. The toxin requires activation by the bacterial chaperone SlyD and inhibits the cell wall precursor forming enzyme MraY. Bacterial cell wall biosynthesis is an important target for antibiotics; therefore, knowledge of molecular details in the ΦX174-E lysis pathway could help to identify new mechanisms and sites of action. In this study, cell-free expression and nanoparticle technology were combined to avoid toxic effects upon ΦX174-E synthesis, resulting in the efficient production of a functional full-length toxin and engineered derivatives. Pre-assembled nanodiscs were used to study ΦX174-E function in defined lipid environments and to analyze its membrane insertion mechanisms. The conformation of the soluble domain of ΦX174-E was identified as a central trigger for membrane insertion, as well as for the oligomeric assembly of the toxin. Stable complex formation of the soluble domain with SlyD is essential to keep nascent ΦX174-E in a conformation competent for membrane insertion. Once inserted into the membrane, ΦX174-E assembles into high-order complexes via its transmembrane domain and oligomerization depends on the presence of an essential proline residue at position 21. The data presented here support a model where an initial contact of the nascent ΦX174-E transmembrane domain with the peptidyl-prolyl isomerase domain of SlyD is essential to allow a subsequent stable interaction of SlyD with the ΦX174-E soluble domain for the generation of a membrane insertion competent toxin.

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Antibiosis; Bacterial Proteins; Bacteriophage phi X 174; Binding Sites; Cell Wall; Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine; Escherichia coli; Escherichia coli Proteins; Gene Expression; Lipid Bilayers; Lysogeny; Nanoparticles; Peptidylprolyl Isomerase; Phosphatidylglycerols; Protein Binding; Protein Conformation; Protein Engineering; Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs; Protein Multimerization; Recombinant Proteins; Sequence Alignment; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Solubility; Toxins, Biological; Transferases (Other Substituted Phosphate Groups)

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; Bacteria; Cardiolipins; Cell Membrane; Cholesterol; Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine; Fluorine; Humans; Isotopes; Lipid Bilayers; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Peptides; Phosphatidylethanolamines; Phosphatidylglycerols; Protein Binding; Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical; Protein Folding; Proteolysis; Sweat

We have studied the effect of penetratin and a truncated analogue on the bilayer structure using dual polarisation interferometry, to simultaneously measure changes in mass per unit area and birefringence (an optical parameter representing bilayer order) with high sensitivity during the binding and dissociation from the membrane. Specifically, we studied penetratin (RQIKIWFQNRRMKWKK), along with a shortened and biotinylated version known as R8K-biotin (RRMKWKKK(Biotin)-NH2). Overall both peptides bound only weakly to the neutral DMPC and POPC bilayers, while much higher binding was observed for the anionic DMPC/DMPG and POPC/POPG. The binding of penetratin to gel-phase DMPC/DMPG was adequately represented by a two-state model, whereas on the fluid-phase POPC/POPG it exhibited a distinctly different binding pattern, best represented by a three-state kinetic model. However, R8K-biotin did not bind well to DMPC/DMPG and showed a more transitory and superficial binding to POPC/POPG. Comparing the modelling results for both peptides binding to POPC/POPG suggests an important role for a securely bound intermediate prior to penetratin insertion and translocation. Overall these results further elucidate the mechanism of penetratin, and provide another example of the significance of the ability of DPI to measure structural changes and the use of kinetic analysis to investigate the stages of peptide-membrane interactions.

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Biotinylation; Birefringence; Carrier Proteins; Cell-Penetrating Peptides; Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine; Gels; Interferometry; Kinetics; Lipid Bilayers; Liposomes; Membrane Lipids; Models, Chemical; Peptide Fragments; Phosphatidylcholines; Phosphatidylglycerols; Protein Binding; Structure-Activity Relationship

The recovery of secondary structure in disordered, disulfide-reduced hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) upon interaction with lipid vesicles was studied using circular dichroism (CD), fluorescence and infrared (IR) spectroscopic techniques. Lipid vesicles having negative head groups, such as DMPG, interact with reduced HEWL to induce formation of more helical structure than in native HEWL, but no stable tertiary structure was evident. Changes in tertiary structure, as evidenced by local environment of the tryptophan residues, were monitored by fluorescence. Spectra for oxidized HEWL, reduced HEWL and mutants with no or just one disulfide bond developed variable degrees of increased helicity when added to negatively charged lipid vesicles, mostly depending on packing of tails. When mixed with zwitterionic lipid vesicles, reduced HEWL developed β-sheet structure with no change in helicity, indicating an altered interaction mechanism. Stopped flow CD and fluorescence dynamics, were fit to multi-exponential forms, consistent with refolding to metastable intermediates of increasing helicity for HEWL interacting with lipid vesicles. Formation of an intermediate after rapid interaction of the lipid vesicles and the protein is supported by the correlation of faster steps in CD and fluorescence kinetics, and largely appears driven by electrostatic interaction. In subsequent slower steps, the partially refolded intermediate further alters structure, gaining helicity and modifying tryptophan packing, as driven by hydrophobic interactions.

Topics: Animals; Chickens; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Kinetics; Liposomes; Muramidase; Mutation; Oxidation-Reduction; Phosphatidylglycerols; Protein Binding; Protein Conformation, alpha-Helical; Protein Conformation, beta-Strand; Protein Folding; Protein Refolding; Protein Structure, Tertiary; Static Electricity

The initial steps of membrane disruption by antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) involve binding to bacterial membranes in a surface-bound (S) orientation. To evaluate the effects of lipid composition on the S state, molecular dynamics simulations of the AMPs piscidin 1 (p1) and piscidin 3 (p3) were carried out in four different bilayers: 3:1 DMPC/DMPG, 3:1 POPC/POPG, 1:1 POPE/POPG, and 4:1 POPC/cholesterol. In all cases, the addition of 1:40 piscidin caused thinning of the bilayer, though thinning was least for DMPC/DMPG. The peptides also insert most deeply into DMPC/DMPG, spanning the region from the bilayer midplane to the headgroups, and thereby only mildly disrupting the acyl chains. In contrast, the peptides insert less deeply in the palmitoyl-oleoyl containing membranes, do not reach the midplane, and substantially disrupt the chains, i.e., the neighboring acyl chains bend under the peptide, forming a basket-like conformation. Curvature free energy derivatives calculated from the simulation pressure profiles reveal that the peptides generate positive curvature in membranes with palmitoyl and oleoyl chains but negative curvature in those with myristoyl chains. Curvature inductions predicted with a continuum elastic model follow the same trends, though the effect is weaker, and a small negative curvature induction is obtained in POPC/POPG. These results do not directly speak to the relative stability of the inserted (I) states or ease of pore formation, which requires the free energy pathway between the S and I states. Nevertheless, they do highlight the importance of lipid composition and acyl chain packing.

Topics: Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine; Fish Proteins; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Phosphatidylcholines; Phosphatidylethanolamines; Phosphatidylglycerols; Protein Structure, Secondary; Thermodynamics

Many biophysical processes such as insertion of proteins into membranes and membrane fusion are governed by bilayer electrostatic potential. At the time of this writing, the arsenal of biophysical methods for such measurements is limited to a few techniques. Here we describe a, to our knowledge, new spin-probe electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) approach for assessing the electrostatic surface potential of lipid bilayers that is based on a recently synthesized EPR probe (IMTSL-PTE) containing a reversibly ionizable nitroxide tag attached to the lipids' polar headgroup. EPR spectra of the probe directly report on its ionization state and, therefore, on electrostatic potential through changes in nitroxide magnetic parameters and the degree of rotational averaging. Further, the lipid nature of the probe provides its full integration into lipid bilayers. Tethering the nitroxide moiety directly to the lipid polar headgroup defines the location of the measured potential with respect to the lipid bilayer interface. Electrostatic surface potentials measured by EPR of IMTSL-PTE show a remarkable (within ±2%) agreement with the Gouy-Chapman theory for anionic DMPG bilayers in fluid (48°C) phase at low electrolyte concentration (50 mM) and in gel (17°C) phase at 150-mM electrolyte concentration. This agreement begins to diminish for DMPG vesicles in gel phase (17°C) upon varying electrolyte concentration and fluid phase bilayers formed from DMPG/DMPC and POPG/POPC mixtures. Possible reasons for such deviations, as well as the proper choice of an electrostatically neutral reference interface, have been discussed. Described EPR method is expected to be fully applicable to more-complex models of cellular membranes.

Topics: Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine; Electrolytes; Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Lipid Bilayers; Lipids; Molecular Probes; Nitrogen Oxides; Phosphatidylglycerols; Spin Labels; Static Electricity; Surface Properties; Unilamellar Liposomes

Cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) can cross cell membranes in a receptor independent manner and transport cargo molecules inside cells. These peptides can internalize through two independent routes: energy dependent endocytosis and energy independent translocation across the membrane, but the exact mechanisms are still unknown. The interaction of the CPP with different membrane components is certainly a preliminary key point that triggers internalization, such as the interaction with lipids to lead to the translocation process. In this study, we used two arginine-rich peptides, RW9 (RRWWRRWRR-NH2), which is a potent CPP, and RL9 (RRLLRRLRR-NH2) that, although binding tightly and accumulating on membranes, does not enter into cells. Using a set of experimental and theoretical techniques, we studied the binding, insertion and orientation of the peptides into different model membranes as well as the subsequent membrane reorganization. Herein we show that although the two peptides had rather similar behavior regarding lipid membrane interaction, subtle differences were found concerning the depth of peptide insertion, effect on the lipid chain ordering and kinetics of peptide insertion in the membrane, which altogether might explain their different cell internalization capacities. Molecular dynamics simulation studies show that some peptide molecules flipped their orientation over the course of the simulation such that the hydrophobic residues penetrated deeper in the lipid core region while Arg-residues maintained H-bonds with the lipid headgroups, serving as a molecular hinge in a conformation that appeared to correspond to the equilibrium one.

Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Arginine; Calorimetry; Cell Membrane; Cell-Penetrating Peptides; Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine; Endocytosis; Lipid Bilayers; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Membrane Lipids; Micelles; Models, Molecular; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Phosphatidylcholines; Phosphatidylglycerols; Protein Binding; Protein Transport; Refractometry; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Unilamellar Liposomes

Intravenous lipid emulsion is recommended as treatment for local anesthetic intoxication based on the hypothesis that the lipophilic drug is entrapped by the lipid phase created in plasma. We compared a 15.6 mM 80/20 mol% phosphatidyl choline (PC)/phosphatidyl glycerol (PG)-based liposome dispersion with the commercially available Intralipid® emulsion in a pig model of local anesthetic intoxication. Bupivacaine-lipid interactions were studied by electrokinetic capillary chromatography. Multilamellar vesicles were used in the first in vivo experiment series. This series was interrupted when the liposome dispersion was discovered to cause cardiovascular collapse. The toxicity was decreased by an optimized sonication of the 50% diluted liposome dispersion (7.8 mM). Twenty anesthetized pigs were then infused with either sonicated PC/PG liposome dispersion or Intralipid®, following infusion of a toxic dose of bupivacaine which decreased the mean arterial pressure by 50% from baseline. Bupivacaine concentrations were quantified in blood samples using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. No significant difference in the context-sensitive plasma half-life of bupivacaine was detected (p=0.932). After 30 min of lipid infusion, the bupivacaine concentration was 8.2±1.5 mg/L in the PC/PG group and 7.8±1.8 mg/L in the Intralipid® group, with no difference between groups (p=0.591). No difference in hemodynamic recovery was detected between groups (p > 0.05).

Topics: Anesthetics, Local; Animals; Bupivacaine; Chromatography, Micellar Electrokinetic Capillary; Drug Interactions; Emulsions; Fat Emulsions, Intravenous; Liposomes; Particle Size; Phosphatidylglycerols; Phospholipids; Sonication; Soybean Oil; Swine

We studied the conformation of β2-human glycoprotein (β2GPI) in solution and bound to the anionic lipids palmitoyl oleoyl phosphatidylglycerol (POPG), dimiristoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) and dipalmitoyl phosphatidylglycerol (DPPG) as a function of the temperature. We used the infrared amide I' band to study the protein conformation, and the position of the antisymmetric stretching band of the methylene groups in the lipid hydrocarbon chains to study the lipid order. Lipid-protein complexes were studied in media of low and high ionic strengths. In solution, β2GPI displayed a conformational pre-transition in the range 47-50°C, characterized by a shift in the band of β secondary structure, previous to the main unfolding at 64°C. When the protein was bound to the anionic lipid membranes at 25°C, a similar shift as in the pre-transition in solution was observed, together with an increase in the band corresponding to α-helix secondary structure. Lipid-protein complexes formed large aggregates within the temperature range 10≅60°C. At temperatures above the protein unfolding, the complexes were disrupted to yield vesicles with bound protein. This finding indicated that the native fold was required for the formation of the lipid-protein aggregates. Cycles of heating and cooling showed hysteresis in the formation of aggregates.

Topics: Calorimetry; Glycoproteins; Light; Lipids; Nephelometry and Turbidimetry; Phosphatidylglycerols; Protein Conformation; Protein Denaturation; Protein Structure, Secondary; Scattering, Radiation; Spectrophotometry; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Temperature

Four synthesized biocidal guanidine hydrochloride polymers with different alkyl chain length, including polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride and its three new analogs, were used to investigate their interactions with phospholipids vesicles mimicking bacterial membrane. Characterization was conducted by using fluorescence dye leakage, isothermal titration calorimetry, and differential scanning calorimetry. The results showed that the gradually lengthened alkyl chain of the polymer increased the biocidal activity, accompanied with the increased dye leakage rate and the increased binding constant and energy change value of polymer-membrane interaction. The polymer-membrane interaction induced the change of pretransition and main phase transition (decreased temperature and increased width) of phospholipids vesicles, suggesting the conformational change in the phospholipids headgroups and disordering in the hydrophobic regions of lipid membranes. The above information revealed that the membrane disruption actions of guanidine hydrochloride polymers are the results of the polymer's strong binding to the phospholipids membrane and the subsequent perturbations of the polar headgroups and hydrophobic core region of the phospholipids membrane. The alkyl chain structure significantly affects the binding constant and energy change value of the polymer-membrane interactions and the perturbation extent of the phospholipids membrane, which lead to the different biocidal activity of the polymer analogs. This work provides important information about the membrane disruption action mechanism of biocidal guanidine hydrochloride polymers.

Topics: Anti-Infective Agents; Biophysical Phenomena; Calorimetry; Candida albicans; Escherichia coli; Guanidine; Guanidines; Lipid Bilayers; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Models, Chemical; Molecular Structure; Phosphatidylethanolamines; Phosphatidylglycerols; Phospholipids; Polymers; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Staphylococcus aureus

The use of naturally occurring lytic bacteriophage proteins as specific antibacterial agents is a promising way to treat bacterial infections caused by antibiotic-resistant pathogens. The opportunity to develop bacterial resistance to these agents is minimized by their broad mechanism of action on bacterial membranes and peptidoglycan integrity. In the present study, we have investigated lipid interactions of the gp144 lytic transglycosylase from the Pseudomonas aeruginosa phage varphiKZ. Interactions with zwitterionic lipids characteristic of eukaryotic cells and with anionic lipids characteristic of bacterial cells were studied using fluorescence, solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier transform infrared, circular dichroism, Langmuir monolayers, and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM). Gp144 interacted preferentially with anionic lipids, and the presence of gp144 in anionic model systems induced membrane disruption and lysis. Lipid domain formation in anionic membranes was observed by BAM. Gp144 did not induce disruption of zwitterionic membranes but caused an increase in rigidity of the lipid polar head group. However, gp144 interacted with zwitterionic and anionic lipids in a model membrane system containing both lipids. Finally, the gp144 secondary structure was not significantly modified upon lipid binding.

Topics: Circular Dichroism; Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine; Fluoresceins; Fluorescence; Glycosyltransferases; Lipid Bilayers; Membrane Lipids; Models, Molecular; Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; Phosphatidylglycerols; Protein Conformation; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Pseudomonas Phages; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Temperature; Unilamellar Liposomes; Vibration

E1(145-162), a peptide corresponding to the structural protein E1 of the GB virus C, has been shown earlier to bind at pH 7.4 to vesicles containing 1,2-dimyiristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-rac-(1-glycerol)] (DMPG) and 1,2-dimyiristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) phospholipids. To deepen the understanding of the interaction of E1(145-162) with the lipid membrane, in this paper, we report a detailed study of the surface properties of peptide, miscibility properties, and behavior of mixed monomolecular films of it and three phospholipids DMPG, DMPC, and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPG). These studies were performed using the Langmuir balance by means of surface adsorption studies, surface pressure-mean molecular area compression isotherms, and penetration kinetics. The Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) was used to study the morphological properties of pure peptide and the mixed monolayers. The results show us that the peptide showed surface activity concentration dependent when injected beneath a buffered solution (HEPES/NaCl, pH 7.4). This tendency to accumulate into the air/water interface confirms its potential capacity to interact with membranes; the higher penetration of peptide into phospholipids is attained when the monolayers are in the liquid expanded state and the lipids are charged negatively maybe due to its negative electric charge that interacts with the positive global charge of the peptide sequence. The area per molecule values obtained suggested that the main arrangement structure for E1(145-162) peptide is the alpha-helical at the air-water interface that agreed with computational prediction calculations. Miscibility studies indicated that mixtures become thermodynamically favored at low peptide molar fraction.

Topics: Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine; Kinetics; Lipid Bilayers; Phosphatidylglycerols; Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs; Surface Properties; Thermodynamics; Viral Envelope Proteins

The effects of hydrophobic thickness and the molar phosphatidylglycerol (PG) content of lipid bilayers on the structure and membrane interaction of three cationic antimicrobial peptides were examined: aurein 2.2, aurein 2.3 (almost identical to aurein 2.2, except for a point mutation at residue 13), and a carboxy C-terminal analog of aurein 2.3. Circular dichroism results indicated that all three peptides adopt an alpha-helical structure in the presence of a 3:1 molar mixture of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine/1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-rac-(1-glycerol)] (DMPC/DMPG), and 1:1 and 3:1 molar mixtures of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine/1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-rac-(1-glycerol)] (POPC/POPG). Oriented circular dichroism data for three different lipid compositions showed that all three peptides were surface-adsorbed at low peptide concentrations, but were inserted into the membrane at higher peptide concentrations. The (31)P solid-state NMR data of the three peptides in the DMPC/DMPG and POPC/POPG bilayers showed that all three peptides significantly perturbed lipid headgroups, in a peptide or lipid composition-dependent manner. Differential scanning calorimetry results demonstrated that both amidated aurein peptides perturbed the overall phase structure of DMPC/DMPG bilayers, but perturbed the POPC/POPG chains less. The nature of the perturbation of DMPC/DMPG bilayers was most likely micellization, and for the POPC/POPG bilayers, distorted toroidal pores or localized membrane aggregate formation. Calcein release assay results showed that aurein peptide-induced membrane leakage was more severe in DMPC/DMPG liposomes than in POPC/POPG liposomes, and that aurein 2.2 induced higher calcein release than aurein 2.3 and aurein 2.3-COOH from 1:1 and 3:1 POPC/POPG liposomes. Finally, DiSC(3)5 assay data further delineated aurein 2.2 from the others by showing that it perturbed the lipid membranes of intact S. aureus C622 most efficiently, whereas aurein 2.3 had the same efficiency as gramicidin S, and aurein 2.3-COOH was the least efficient. Taken together, these data show that the membrane interactions of aurein peptides are affected by the hydrophobic thickness of the lipid bilayers and the PG content.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Infective Agents; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; Anura; Benzothiazoles; Carbocyanines; Cell Membrane; Cell Membrane Permeability; Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine; Fluoresceins; Gramicidin; Lipid Bilayers; Membrane Potentials; Phosphatidylcholines; Phosphatidylglycerols; Protein Structure, Secondary; Staphylococcus aureus

Three atomistic empirical models for phosphatidylglycerol (PG) lipids are tested against structural data in the crystal and liquid crystal states. Simulations of the anhydrous crystal of dimyristoyl-phosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) show that only the CHARMM force field describes the conformation and interactions of PG head groups accurately. The other two models do not reproduce the native network of hydrogen bonds, suggesting the presence of biases in their conformational and nonbonded interaction properties. The CHARMM model is further validated in the biologically relevant liquid crystal phase by comparing experimental small-angle X-ray scattering spectra from DMPG unilamellar vesicles with data calculated from fluid bilayer simulations. The good agreement found in this model-free comparison implies that liquid crystal PG bilayers as described by CHARMM exhibit realistic bilayer thickness and lateral packing. Last, this model is used to simulate a fluid bilayer of palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylglycerol (POPG). The resulting view of the POPG bilayer structure is at variance with that proposed previously based on simulations, in particular, with respect to lateral packing of head groups and the role of counterions.

Topics: Crystallography, X-Ray; Lipid Bilayers; Models, Molecular; Phosphatidylglycerols; Scattering, Small Angle; Water

Chicken liver bile acid-binding protein (L-BABP) binds to anionic lipid membranes by electrostatic interactions and acquires a partly folded state [Nolan, V., Perduca, M., Monaco, H., Maggio, B. and Montich, G. G. (2003) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1611, 98-106]. We studied the infrared amide I' band of L-BABP bound to dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol (DPPG), dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) and palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylglycerol (POPG) in the range of 7 to 60 degrees C. Besides, the thermotrophic behaviour of DPPG and DMPG was studied in the absence and in the presence of bound-protein by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and infrared spectra of the stretching vibration of methylene and carbonyl groups. When L-BABP was bound to lipid membranes in the liquid-crystalline state (POPG between 7 and 30 degrees C) acquired a more unfolded conformation that in membranes in the gel state (DPPG between 7 and 30 degrees C). Nevertheless, this conformational change of the protein in DMPG did not occur at the temperature of the lipid gel to liquid-crystalline phase transition detected by infrared spectroscopy. Instead, the degree of unfolding in the protein was coincident with a phase transition in DMPG that occurs with heat absorption and without change in the lipid order.

Topics: Animals; Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; Carrier Proteins; Chickens; Lipid Bilayers; Liver; Membrane Glycoproteins; Phase Transition; Phosphatidylglycerols; Protein Conformation; Protein Folding; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Static Electricity; Temperature

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) enzymes act at the membrane-water interface to access their phospholipid substrate from the membrane. They are regulated by diverse factors, including the membrane charge, fluidity, mode of membrane binding (insertion, orientation), and allosteric conformational effects. Relative contributions of these factors to the complex kinetics of PLA2 activation are not well understood. Here we examine the effects of thermal phase transitions and the surface charge of phospholipid membranes on the activation of human pancreatic PLA2. The temperature dependence of the initial catalytic rate of PLA2 peaks around the lipid phase transition temperature (Tm) when Tm is not too far from physiological temperatures (30-40 degrees C), and the peak is higher in the presence of anionic membranes. High PLA2 activity can be induced by thermal perturbations of the membrane. Temperature-dependent fluorescence quenching experiments show that despite dramatic effects of the lipid phase transition on PLA2 activity, the membrane insertion depth of PLA2 increases only modestly above Tm. The data show that membrane structural disorder, and not the depth of membrane insertion, plays a major role in PLA2 activity.

Topics: Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine; Enzyme Activation; Humans; Membrane Lipids; Phase Transition; Phosphatidylcholines; Phosphatidylglycerols; Phospholipases A2; Temperature; Unilamellar Liposomes

Cell membranes and their lipids play critical roles in calcification. Specific membrane phospholipids promote the formation of calcium phosphate and become a part of the organic matrix of growing calcification. We propose that membrane lipids also promote the formation of calcium oxalate (CaOx) and calcium phosphate (CaP) containing kidney stones, and become a part of their stone matrix.. Human urine, crystals of CaOx and CaP produced in the urine of healthy individuals, and urinary stones containing struvite, uric acid, CaOx and CaP crystals for the presence of membrane lipids were analyzed. Crystallization of CaOx monohydrate at Langmuir monolayers of dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol (DPPG), dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), dipalmitoylphosphatidylserine (DPPS), dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol (DOPG), palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylglycerol (POPG) and dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) was investigated to directly demonstrate that phospholipid assemblies can catalyze CaOx nucleation.. Urine as well as CaOx and CaP crystals made in the urine and various types of urinary stones investigated contained some lipids. Urine of both CaOx and uric acid stone formers contained significantly more cholesterol, cholesterol ester and triglycerides than urine of healthy subjects. However, urine of CaOx stone formers contained more acidic phospholipids. The organic matrix of calcific stones contained significantly more acidic and complexed phospholipids than uric acid and struvite stones. For each Langmuir monolayer precipitation was heterogeneous and selective with respect to the orientation and morphology of the CaOx crystals. Crystals were predominantly monohydrate, and most often grew singly with the calcium rich (10-1) face toward the monolayer. The number of crystals/mm2 decreased in the order DPPG> DPPC and was inversely proportional to surface pressure and mean molecular area/molecule.. Stone forming conditions in the kidneys greatly impact their epithelial cells producing significant differences in the urinary lipids between healthy and stone forming individuals. Altered membrane lipids promote face selective nucleation and retention of calcium oxalate crystals, and in the process become a part of the growing crystals and stones.

Topics: 1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Calcium Oxalate; Crystallization; Female; Humans; Kidney Calculi; Lipids; Male; Membrane Fluidity; Middle Aged; Phosphatidylglycerols; Phosphatidylserines

The membrane protein porin and a synthetic polypeptide of 21 hydrophobic residues were inserted into detergent micelles or lipid membranes, and the fluorescence of their single tryptophan residue was measured in the time-resolved and polarized mode. In all cases, the tryptophan fluorescence exhibits a long-lifetime component of about 20 ns. This long-lifetime component was exploited to detect slow orientational motions in the range of tens of nanoseconds via the anisotropy decay. For this purpose, the analysis of the anisotropy has to be extended to account for different orientations of the dipoles of the short- and long-lifetime components. This is demonstrated for porin and the polypeptide solubilized in micelles, in which the longest relaxation time reflects the rotational diffusion of the micelle. When the polypeptide is inserted into lipid membranes, it forms a membrane-spanning alpha-helix, and the slowest relaxation process is interpreted as reflecting orientational fluctuations of the helix.

Topics: Diffusion; Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine; Fluorescence Polarization; Liposomes; Micelles; Models, Theoretical; Peptides; Phosphatidylethanolamines; Phosphatidylglycerols; Porins; Protein Conformation; Rhodobacter capsulatus; Rotation; Tryptophan