Search results for "Membrane interaction"
showing 10 items of 16 documents
Direct observation of alpha-lactalbumin, adsorption and incorporation into lipid membrane and formation of lipid/protein hybrid structures
2019
The interaction between proteins and membranes is of great interest in biomedical and biotechnological research for its implication in many functional and dysfunctional processes. We present an experimental study on the interaction between model membranes and alpha-lactalbumin (alpha-La). alpha-La is widely studied for both its biological function and its anti-tumoral properties. We use advanced fluorescence microscopy and spectroscopy techniques to characterize alpha-La-membrane mechanisms of interaction and alpha-La-induced modifications of membranes when insertion of partially disordered regions of protein chains in the lipid bilayer is favored. Moreover, using fluorescence lifetime imag…
Amyloid β-peptide insertion in liposomes containing GM1-cholesterol domains.
2015
Neuronal membrane damage is related to the early impairments appearing in Alzheimer's disease due to the interaction of the amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) with the phospholipid bilayer. In particular, the ganglioside GM1, present with cholesterol in lipid rafts, seems to be able to initiate Aβ aggregation on membrane. We studied the thermodynamic and structural effects of the presence of GM1 on the interaction between Aβ and liposomes, a good membrane model system. Isothermal Titration Calorimetry highlighted the importance of the presence of GM1 in recruiting monomeric Aβ toward the lipid bilayer. Light and Small Angle X-ray Scattering revealed a different pattern for GM1 containing liposomes, bot…
Protein/lipid coaggregates are formed during α-synuclein-induced disruption of lipid bilayers.
2014
Amyloid formation is associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's disease (PD). Significant α-synuclein (αSN) deposition in lipid-rich Lewy bodies is a hallmark of PD. Nonetheless, an unraveling of the connection between neurodegeneration and amyloid fibrils, including the molecular mechanisms behind potential amyloid-mediated toxic effects, is still missing. Interaction between amyloid aggregates and the lipid cell membrane is expected to play a key role in the disease progress. Here, we present experimental data based on hybrid analysis of two-photon-microscopy, solution small-angle X-ray scattering and circular dichroism data. Data show in real time changes in liposome …
α-casein micelles-membranes interaction: Flower-like lipid protein coaggregates formation
2022
Background: Environmental conditions regulate the association/aggregation states of proteins and their action in cellular compartments. Analysing protein behaviour in presence of lipid membranes is fundamental for the comprehension of many functional and dysfunctional processes. Here, we present an experimental study on the interaction between model membranes and α-casein. α-casein is the major component of milk proteins and it is recognised to play a key role in performing biological functions. The conformational properties of this protein and its capability to form supramolecular structures, like micelles or irreversible aggregates, are key effectors in functional and pathological effects…
Probing Protein−Membrane Interactions Using Solid Supported Membranes
2011
International audience; Tethered bilayer lipid membranes have been used as a model system to mimic the interactions between the whey protein β-lactoglobulin and a lipid interface. The approach allowed for a detailed study of the lipid-protein interactions, the results being of possible importance in food and cosmetic applications. For such applications, lipid-protein interactions and the interfacial behavior are vital factors in controlling and manipulating process conditions such as emulsion stabilization and gelification. Lipid composition as well as the structural properties of the protein governed their interactions, which were probed by a combination of surface plasmon spectroscopy, ne…
Protein-membrane interaction: insights from advanced microscopy
2017
The interaction between proteins and membranes is sub ject of renewed interest in biomedical and biotechnologi cal research for its implication in many functional and dys functional processes and for its pharmaceutical applications. It has been shown that the interaction between amyloido genic proteins and membranes results in mutually destruc tive structural perturbations. The study we present is focused on the interaction between synthetic model membranes and alpha-lactalbumin (α-La), widely studied for its biolog ical function since it can induce apoptosis in tumor cells. Upon α-La addition to giant vesicles (GVs) samples, the sys tem has been characterized by means of spectroscopy meth …
Effect of cholesterol on the interaction between amphyphylic peptides and liposomes
With the rise of antibiotic resistance, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been proposed as an alternative novel class of therapeutic agents. They are polycationic, with a net positive charge of more than +2, and they are characterized by amphipathic structures, with both a hydrophobic and a hydrophilic domain. These characteristics allow them to selectively bind to negatively charged lipids (largely present in bacteria, not in mammalian cells), via hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. Moreover, mammalian cells are characterized by a high content of cholesterol. For this reason, here we present an experimental study on the effect of the presence of cholesterol on the capability of am…
Transportan 10 Induces Perturbation and Pores Formation in Giant Plasma Membrane Vesicles Derived from Cancer Liver Cells
2023
Continuous progress has been made in the development of new molecules for therapeutic purposes. This is driven by the need to address several challenges such as molecular instability and biocompatibility, difficulties in crossing the plasma membrane, and the development of host resistance. In this context, cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) constitute a promising tool for the development of new therapies due to their intrinsic ability to deliver therapeutic molecules to cells and tissues. These short peptides have gained increasing attention for applications in drug delivery as well as for their antimicrobial and anticancer activity but the general rules regulating the events involved in cell…
Peptide–Membrane Interactions Monitored by Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging: A Study Case of Transportan 10
2021
The interest on detailed analysis of peptide-membrane interactions is of great interest in both fundamental and applied sciences as these may relate to both functional and pathogenic events. Such interactions are highly dynamic and spatially heterogeneous, making the investigation of the associated phenomena highly complex. The specific properties of membranes and peptide structural details, together with environmental conditions, may determine different events at the membrane interface, which will drive the fate of the peptide-membrane system. Here, we use an experimental approach based on the combination of spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy methods to characterize the interactions …