Search results for "Membrane structure"
showing 10 items of 14 documents
Specific interaction of IM30/Vipp1 with cyanobacterial and chloroplast membranes results in membrane remodeling and eventually in membrane fusion.
2016
The photosynthetic light reaction takes place within the thylakoid membrane system in cyanobacteria and chloroplasts. Besides its global importance, the biogenesis, maintenance and dynamics of this membrane system are still a mystery. In the last two decades, strong evidence supported the idea that these processes involve IM30, the inner membrane-associated protein of 30kDa, a protein also known as the vesicle-inducing protein in plastids 1 (Vipp1). Even though we just only begin to understand the precise physiological function of this protein, it is clear that interaction of IM30 with membranes is crucial for biogenesis of thylakoid membranes. Here we summarize and discuss forces guiding I…
Membrane chaperoning by members of the PspA/IM30 protein family
2017
ABSTRACTPspA, IM30 (Vipp1) and LiaH, which all belong to the PspA/IM30 protein family, form high molecular weight oligomeric structures. For all proteins membrane binding and protection of the membrane structure and integrity has been shown or postulated. Here we discuss the possible membrane chaperoning activity of PspA, IM30 and LiaH and propose that larger oligomeric structures bind to stressed membrane regions, followed by oligomer disassembly and membrane stabilization by protein monomers or smaller/different oligomeric scaffolds.
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…
Curvature increases permeability of the plasma membrane for ions, water and the anti-cancer drugs cisplatin and gemcitabine
2019
ABSTRACTIn this work the permeability of a model asymmetric plasma membrane, for ions, water and the anti-cancer drugs cisplatin and gemcitabine is studied by means of all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. It is shown that permeability of the membranes increases from one to three orders of magnitude upon membrane bending depending on the compound and the sign of curvature. Our results show that the membrane curvature is an important factor which should be considered during evaluation of drug translocation.TOC GRAPHICS
Improved stability of black lipid membranes by coating with polysaccharide derivatives bearing hydrophobic anchor groups
1986
Abstract Black lipid membranes were coated with modified polysaccharides bearing hydrophobic palmitoyl and cholesteryl moieties. The changes in membrane structure were investigated using dipicrylamine, a lipophilic ion, as membrane probe. The kinetics of ion transport through the black lipid membranes were studied using the charge pulse relaxation technique. With this technique it was found that it is possible to detect the insertion of the hydrophobic anchor groups of the polysaccharides into the membrane bilayer. As a result of the surface coating, these membranes exhibit a drastically increased long-term stability.
Structural characterisation of the natural membrane-bound state of melittin: a fluorescence study of a dansylated analogue
1997
Abstract The binding of a dansylated analogue of melittin (DNC–melittin) to natural membranes is described. The cytolytic peptide from honey bee venom melittin was enzymatically labelled in its glutamine-25 with the fluorescent probe monodansylcadaverine using guinea pig liver transglutaminase. The labelled peptide was characterised functionally in cytolytic assays, and spectroscopically by circular dichroism and fluorescence. The behaviour of DNC–melittin was, in all respects, indistinguishable from that of the naturally occurring peptide. We used resonance energy transfer to measure the state of aggregation of melittin on the membrane plane in synthetic and natural lipid bilayers. When bo…
Membrane Structure of Aquaporin Observed with Combined Experimental and Theoretical Sum Frequency Generation Spectroscopy
2021
High-resolution structural information on membrane proteins is essential for understanding cell biology and for the structure-based design of new medical drugs and drug delivery strategies. X-ray diffraction (XRD) can provide angstrom-level information about the structure of membrane proteins, yet for XRD experiments, proteins are removed from their native membrane environment, chemically stabilized, and crystallized, all of which can compromise the conformation. Here, we describe how a combination of surface-sensitive vibrational spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations can account for the native membrane environment. We observe the structure of a glycerol facilitator channel (GlpF)…
Exploration of lipid metabolism in relation with plasma membrane properties of Duchenne muscular dystrophy cells: influence of L-carnitine.
2012
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) arises as a consequence of mutations in the dystrophin gene. Dystrophin is a membrane-spanning protein that connects the cytoskeleton and the basal lamina. The most distinctive features of DMD are a progressive muscular dystrophy, a myofiber degeneration with fibrosis and metabolic alterations such as fatty infiltration, however, little is known on lipid metabolism changes arising in Duchenne patient cells. Our goal was to identify metabolic changes occurring in Duchenne patient cells especially in terms of L-carnitine homeostasis, fatty acid metabolism both at the mitochondrial and peroxisomal level and the consequences on the membrane structure and functi…
Ultrathin Anodic Aluminum Oxide Membranes for Production of Dense Sub-20 nm Nanoparticle Arrays
2014
We present a systematic study of membrane structure (pore diameter and arrangement) in anodized aluminum oxide (AAO) layers obtained by anodization voltages 8-20 V in sulfuric and 15-40 V in oxalic acid electrolyte solutions. Anodization of bulk aluminum in sulfuric acid at 10 V potential was found to be optimal for production or ultrathin freestanding membranes with pore diameter in sub-20 nm range. The developed process with slow electrochemical reaction results in AAO membranes with thickness below 70 nm. The minimum required time for formation of continuous AAO membrane was determined and influence of electrolyte concentration on pore diameter in membrane after barrier layer removal ana…
Fractionation of cellulose acetate for the investigation of molecular weight influences on the morphology of membranes
2003
Abstract Cellulose acetate (CA) with an apparent weight average molar mass, M w ∗ , of 150 kg/mol was fractionated with respect to M by means of the mixed solvent methyl acetate (MeAc)/2-propanol (2-POH) applying a new method that uses spinning nozzles to promote the rapid attainment of phase equilibria. Two of the fractions obtained in this manner were employed to prepare membranes from solutions in methyl acetate with 2-propanol as coagulating agent. Electron micrographs demonstrate that the molar mass of CA influences the morphology of the membranes markedly under otherwise identical conditions. For M w ∗ =128 kg/mol, one obtains considerably denser structures than for M w ∗ =263 kg/mo…