Anionic Phospholipid Cardiolipin Research Articles

Protein Dynamics Mediated by Cardiolipin in Bacteria.

Bacterial proteins targeting the appropriate subcellular sites are the base for their proper function. Several studies have shown that the anionic phospholipid cardiolipin (CL), a conical lipid preferring negative membrane curvature, modulates the lipid bilayers' structure, which impacts the activity of their resident proteins. Due to the favor of negative membrane curvature, CL is not randomly distributed in the bacterial plasma membrane. In contrast, it gathers in particular parts of the cell membrane to form microdomains, in which many functional membrane proteins are accumulated and carry out diverse physiological processes of bacteria, such as cell division, metabolism, infection, and antibiotic residence. In addition, CL has a unique structure that carries two negative charges, which makes it play a pivotal role in protein assembly, interaction, and location. These characteristics of CL make it closely related to many crucial physiological functions of bacteria. Here, we have reviewed the mechanism of protein dynamics mediated by CL initiated on the bacterial membrane. Furthermore, we studied the effect of CL on bacterial infection and antibiotic residence. Finally, the CL-targeting therapeutic agents for antibacterial therapy are also examined.

Interactions of Novel Phosphonium Dye with Lipid Bilayers: A Molecular Dynamics Study

In the present work the 100-ns molecular dynamics simulations (MD) were performed in the CHARMM36m force field using the GROMACS package to estimate the bilayer location and mechanisms of the interaction between the novel phosphonium dye TDV and the model lipid membranes composed of the phosphatidylcholine (PC) and its mixtures with cholesterol (Chol) or/and anionic phospholipid cardiolipin (CL). Varying the dye initial position relative to the membrane midplane, the dye relative orientation and the charge state of the TDV molecule it was found that the one charge form of TDV, which was initially translated to a distance of 20 Å from the membrane midplane along the bilayer normal, readily penetrates deeper into the membrane interior and remains within the lipid bilayer during the entire simulation time. It was revealed that the probe partitioning into the model membranes was accompanied by the reorientation of TDV molecule from perpendicular to nearly parallel to the membrane surface. The analysis of the MD simulation results showed that the lipid bilayer partitioning and location of the one charge form of TDV depend on the membrane composition. The dye binds more rapidly to the neat PC bilayer than to CL- and Chol-containing model membranes. It was found that in the neat PC and CL-containing membranes the one charge TDV resides at the level of carbonyl groups of lipids (the distances ~ 1.1 nm, 1.2 nm and 1.3 nm from the bilayer center for the PC, CL10 and CL20 lipid membranes, respectively), whereas in the Chol-containing membranes the probe is located at the level of glycerol moiety (~ 1.5 nm and 1.6 nm for the Chol30 and CL10/Chol30 lipid membranes, respectively). It was demonstrated that the dye partitioning into the lipid bilayer does not affect the membrane structural properties.

Interactions of Novel Phosphonium Dye with Lipid Bilayers: A Fluorescence Study

The phosphonium-based optical probes attract ever growing interest due to their excellent chemical and photophysical stability, high aqueous solubility, long wavelength absorption and emission, large extinction coefficient, high fluorescence quantum yield, low cytotoxicity, etc. The present study was focused on assessing the ability of the novel phosphonium dye TDV to monitor the changes in physicochemical properties of the model lipid membranes. To this end, the fluorescence spectral properties of TDV have been explored in lipid bilayers composed of zwitterionic lipid phosphatidylcholine (PC) and its mixtures with cholesterol (Chol) or/and anionic phospholipid cardiolipin (CL). It was observed that in the buffer solution TDV possesses one well-defined fluorescence peak with the emission maximum at 533 nm. The dye transfer from the aqueous to lipid phase was followed by the enhancement of the fluorescence intensity coupled with a red shift of the emission maximum up to 67 nm, depending on the liposome composition. The quantitative information about the dye partitioning into lipid phase of the model membranes was obtained through approximating the experimental dependencies of the fluorescence intensity increase vs lipid concentration by the partition model. Analysis of the partition coefficients showed that TDV has a rather high lipid-associating ability and displays sensitivity to the changes in physicochemical properties of the model lipid membranes. The addition of CL, Chol or both lipids to the PC bilayer gives rise to the increase of the TDV partition coefficients compared to the neat PC membranes. The enhancement of the phosphonium dye partitioning in the CL and Chol-containing lipid bilayers has been attributed to the cardiolopin- and cholesterol-induced changes in the structure and physicochemical characteristics of the polar membrane region.

Periodic bilayer organization in the complexes of Beta-2 Glycoprotein I with anionic lipid membranes

β2 glycoprotein I (β2GPI) is a soluble protein that participates in blood coagulation, clearance of apoptotic bodies and generation of antigens in antiphospholipid syndrome among many other functions. We studied the aggregates formed by β2GPI with the anionic phospholipids palmitoyloleoylphosphatidyl glycerol, dimyristoylphosphatidyl glycerol, dipalmitoylphosphatidyl glycerol and cardiolipin using small angle X-ray scattering. The complexes obtained in a medium containing 0.01 M NaCl showed Bragg peaks up to the sixth order in a well-defined integer sequence indicating the presence of a lamellar stacking with a periodicity of 17.8 nm and with largely reduced membrane fluctuations. Modeling the complex signal allowed us to conclude that the coherence length was only two bilayers and that about 15% of the total surface was actually stacked. The space between bilayers allows accommodating an extended β2GPI molecule making a bridge between the interacting bilayers. The interactions between membranes mediated by β2GPI was favored when the membranes were in the liquid crystalline state.

Partial magic angle spinning NMR 1H, 13C, 15N resonance assignments of the flexible regions of a monomeric alpha-synuclein: conformation of C-terminus in the lipid-bound and amyloid fibril states.

Alpha-synuclein (α-syn) is a small presynaptic protein that is believed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). It localizes to presynaptic terminals where it partitions between a cytosolic soluble and a lipid-bound state. Recent evidence suggests that α-syn can also associate with mitochondrial membranes where it interacts with a unique anionic phospholipid cardiolipin (CL). Here, we examine the conformation of the flexible fragments of a monomeric α-syn bound to lipid vesicles composed of anionic 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphate (DOPA) and 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) lipids, of tetraoleoyl CL (TOCL) and DOPC, and of fibrils. The dynamic properties of α-syn associated with DOPA:DOPC vesicles were the most favorable for conducting three-dimensional NMR experiments, and the 13C, 15N and amide 1H chemical shifts of the flexible and disordered C-terminus of α-syn could be assigned using three-dimensional through-bond magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy. Although the C-terminus is more dynamically constrained in fibrils and in α-syn bound to TOCL:DOPC vesicles, a direct comparison of carbon chemical shifts detected using through bond two-dimensional spectroscopy indicates that the C-terminus is flexible and unstructured in all the three samples.

The mitochondria-targeted peptide SS-31 binds lipid bilayers and modulates surface electrostatics as a key component of its mechanism of action

Mitochondrial dysfunction underlies many heritable diseases, acquired pathologies, and aging-related declines in health. Szeto–Schiller (SS) peptides comprise a class of amphipathic tetrapeptides that are efficacious toward a wide array of mitochondrial disorders and are believed to target mitochondrial membranes because they are enriched in the anionic phospholipid cardiolipin (CL). However, little is known regarding how SS peptides interact with or alter the physical properties of lipid bilayers. In this study, using biophysical and computational approaches, we have analyzed the interactions of the lead compound SS-31 (elamipretide) with model and mitochondrial membranes. Our results show that this polybasic peptide partitions into the membrane interfacial region with an affinity and a lipid binding density that are directly related to surface charge. We found that SS-31 binding does not destabilize lamellar bilayers even at the highest binding concentrations; however, it did cause saturable alterations in lipid packing. Most notably, SS-31 modulated the surface electrostatics of both model and mitochondrial membranes. We propose nonexclusive mechanisms by which the tuning of surface charge could underpin the mitoprotective properties of SS-31, including alteration of the distribution of ions and basic proteins at the interface, and/or modulation of bilayer physical properties. As a proof of concept, we show that SS-31 alters divalent cation (calcium) distribution within the interfacial region and reduces the energetic burden of calcium stress in mitochondria. The mechanistic details of SS-31 revealed in this study will help inform the development of future compound variants with enhanced efficacy and bioavailability.

CONTROL OF PHYSICO-CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF A LIPID NANOCONTAINER FOR DELIVERY OF DRUGS WITH LOW BIOAVAILABILITY

We have used two ways to control the physicochemical properties of liposomal nanocontainers for the delivery of fluoroquinolones: variation of the lipid composition of liposomes and selection of a functionalizing polymer based on chitosan mannose derivatives. The presence of anionic phospholipid cardiolipin in the liposome composition increases the loading efficiency by 5-20%. The mechanism of drug incorporation into membranes was studied, and the main binding sites were determined. The functionalization of the liposomal surface was carried out by chitosan mannose derivatives of various molecular weights, potentially providing targeted delivery to alveolar macrophages.

Rcs Phosphorelay Activation in Cardiolipin-Deficient Escherichia coli Reduces Biofilm Formation.

Biofilm formation is a complex process that requires a number of transcriptional, proteomic, and physiological changes to enable bacterial survival. The lipid membrane presents a barrier to communication between the machinery within bacteria and the physical and chemical features of their extracellular environment, and yet little is known about how the membrane influences biofilm development. We found that depleting the anionic phospholipid cardiolipin reduces biofilm formation in Escherichia coli cells by as much as 50%. The absence of cardiolipin activates the regulation of colanic acid synthesis (Rcs) envelope stress response, which represses the production of flagella, disrupts initial biofilm attachment, and reduces biofilm growth. We demonstrate that a reduction in the concentration of cardiolipin impairs translocation of proteins across the inner membrane, which we hypothesize activates the Rcs pathway through the outer membrane lipoprotein RcsF. Our study demonstrates a molecular connection between the composition of membrane phospholipids and biofilm formation in E. coli and suggests that altering lipid biosynthesis may be a viable approach for altering biofilm formation and possibly other multicellular phenotypes related to bacterial adaptation and survival.IMPORTANCE There is a growing interest in the role of lipid membrane composition in the physiology and adaptation of bacteria. We demonstrate that a reduction in the anionic phospholipid cardiolipin impairs biofilm formation in Escherichia coli cells. Depleting cardiolipin reduced protein translocation across the inner membrane and activated the Rcs envelope stress response. Consequently, cardiolipin depletion produced cells lacking assembled flagella, which impacted their ability to attach to surfaces and seed the earliest stage in biofilm formation. This study provides empirical evidence for the role of anionic phospholipid homeostasis in protein translocation and its effect on biofilm development and highlights modulation of the membrane composition as a potential method of altering bacterial phenotypes related to adaptation and survival.

Cardiolipin Alters Rhodobacter sphaeroides Cell Shape by Affecting Peptidoglycan Precursor Biosynthesis

Cardiolipin (CL) is an anionic phospholipid that plays an important role in regulating protein biochemistry in bacteria and mitochondria. Deleting the CL synthase gene (Δcls) in Rhodobacter sphaeroides depletes CL and decreases cell length by 20%. Using a chemical biology approach, we found that a CL deficiency does not impair the function of the cell wall elongasome in R. sphaeroides; instead, biosynthesis of the peptidoglycan (PG) precursor lipid II is decreased. Treating R. sphaeroides cells with fosfomycin and d-cycloserine inhibits lipid II biosynthesis and creates phenotypes in cell shape, PG composition, and spatial PG assembly that are strikingly similar to those seen with R. sphaeroides Δcls cells, suggesting that CL deficiency alters the elongation of R. sphaeroides cells by reducing lipid II biosynthesis. We found that MurG-a glycosyltransferase that performs the last step of lipid II biosynthesis-interacts with anionic phospholipids in native (i.e., R. sphaeroides) and artificial membranes. Lipid II production decreases 25% in R. sphaeroides Δcls cells compared to wild-type cells, and overexpression of MurG in R. sphaeroides Δcls cells restores their rod shape, indicating that CL deficiency decreases MurG activity and alters cell shape. The R. sphaeroides Δcls mutant is more sensitive than the wild-type strain to antibiotics targeting PG synthesis, including fosfomycin, d-cycloserine, S-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)isothiourea (A22), mecillinam, and ampicillin, suggesting that CL biosynthesis may be a potential target for combination chemotherapies that block the bacterial cell wall.IMPORTANCE The phospholipid composition of the cell membrane influences the spatial and temporal biochemistry of cells. We studied molecular mechanisms connecting membrane composition to cell morphology in the model bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides The peptidoglycan (PG) layer of the cell wall is a dominant component of cell mechanical properties; consequently, it has been an important antibiotic target. We found that the anionic phospholipid cardiolipin (CL) plays a role in determination of the shape of R. sphaeroides cells by affecting PG precursor biosynthesis. Removing CL in R. sphaeroides alters cell morphology and increases its sensitivity to antibiotics targeting proteins synthesizing PG. These studies provide a connection to spatial biochemical control in mitochondria, which contain an inner membrane with topological features in common with R. sphaeroides.

Interactions of a Bacterial Cu(I)-ATPase with a Complex Lipid Environment.

Phospholipids and sterols play multiple roles in cells. In addition to establishing barriers between compartments, they also provide the matrix for assembly and function of a large variety of catalytic processes. Lipid composition is a highly regulated feature of biological membranes, yet its implications for membrane proteins are difficult problems to approach. One obstacle is the inherent complexity of observing and describing these interactions and their dynamics at a molecular and atomic level. However, lipid interactions are pivotal for membrane protein function and should be acknowledged. The enzymatic activity of several different P-type ATPases, one of the major families of ion pumping primary active transporters, has previously been shown to exhibit a strong dependence on phospholipids; however, distinguishing the effects of annular and specific lipid interactions is challenging. Here we show that the hydrolytic activity of a bacterial Cu(I)-transporting P-type ATPase (LpCopA) is stimulated by the bacterial, anionic phospholipid cardiolipin and to some extent by phosphatidylglycerol. Furthermore, multiscale molecular dynamics simulations pinpoint lipid hot spots on the membrane-spanning domain of LpCopA. Thus, using two independent methods, our study shows converging evidence that the lipid membrane composition plays an important role for LpCopA.

Structure of the complex of cytochrome c with cardiolipin in non-polar environment

The complex of mitochondrial protein cytochrome c (CytC) with anionic phospholipid cardiolipin (CL) plays a crucial role in the initiation of apoptosis by catalyzing lipid peroxidation in mitochondrial membranes. In our previous papers, we found that CytC and CL mixed in millimolar concentrations form a sediment showing microcrystals composed of nanospheres (Cyt-CL) of 11–12 and 8 nm in diameter. The hypothesis was proposed that Cyt-CL, having hydrophobic shell, may appear inside the membrane lipid bilayer in mitochondria and peroxidase membrane phospholipids so initiating the apoptotic cascade. In this work, Cyt-CL complex dissolved in chloroform or hexane was investigated as a model of the complex in mitochondrial membranes. We used dynamic light scattering method to measure the size of the particles. The analysis of particles size distribution of Cyt-CL in chloroform allows to reveal three dominant diameters of 12.1 ± 1.4, 7.8 ± 1.0, and 4.7 ± 0.7 nm. The first two values are closed to those, earlier obtained with small-angle X-ray scattering method in Cyt-CL microcrystals, 11.1 ± 1.0 and 8.0 ± 0.7 nm. CL extracted in chloroform-methanol forms a real solution of particles with diameter of 0.7 ± 0.1 nm. In methanol-water phase, CL and CL + CytC mixture form particles of 83.7 ± 9.8 and 71.3 ± 11.6 nm, respectively. Apparently, cardiolipin in 50% methanol forms single-layer liposomes regardless of the presence of CytC in the medium. Partial unfolding of CytC in the complex was evidenced by (a) appearance of fluorescence of tyrosine and tryptophan residues and (b) disappearance of the absorption band at 699 nm due to breakdown of heme iron – methionine bond > F⋯S(Met80). In hydrophobic solvent Cyt-CL exhibited quasi-lipoperoxidase and lipoxygenase activity as was shown in kinetic measurements of chemiluminescence enhanced by coumarin C-525, a selective sensitizer of chemiluminescence, associated with reactions of lipid peroxyl radicals.Our data in this model system do not contradict the hypothesis (Vladimirov, Y.A. et al. Biochemistry (Mosc) 78, 1086–1097) that nanospheres of Cyt-CL complex, embedded into the lipid phase of mitochondrial membrane, catalyze lipid peroxidation, thereby initiating apoptosis.

Human ATG3 Binding to Lipid Bilayers. Role of Lipid Geometry and Electric Charge

Specific protein-lipid interactions lead to a gradual recruitment of AuTophaGy-related (ATG) proteins to the nascent membrane during autophagosome (AP) formation. ATG3, a key protein in the movement of LC3 towards the isolation membrane, has been proposed to facilitate LC3/GABARAP lipidation in highly curved membranes. In this work we have performed a biophysical study of human ATG3 interaction with membranes containing phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine and anionic phospholipids. We have found that ATG3 interacts more strongly with negatively-charged phospholipid vesicles or nanotubes than with electrically neutral model membranes, cone-shaped anionic phospholipids (cardiolipin and phosphatidic acid) being particularly active in promoting binding. Moreover, an increase in membrane curvature facilitates ATG3 recruitment to membranes although addition of anionic lipid molecules makes the curvature factor relatively less important. The predicted N-terminus amphipathic α-helix of ATG3 would be responsible for membrane curvature detection, the positive residues Lys 9 and 11 being essential in the recognition of phospholipid negative moieties. We have also observed membrane aggregation induced by ATG3 in vitro, which could point to a more complex function of this protein in AP biogenesis. Moreover, in vitro GABARAP lipidation assays suggest that ATG3-membrane interaction could facilitate the lipidation of ATG8 homologues.

Human ATG3 binding to lipid bilayers: role of lipid geometry, and electric charge

Specific protein-lipid interactions lead to a gradual recruitment of AuTophaGy-related (ATG) proteins to the nascent membrane during autophagosome (AP) formation. ATG3, a key protein in the movement of LC3 towards the isolation membrane, has been proposed to facilitate LC3/GABARAP lipidation in highly curved membranes. In this work we have performed a biophysical study of human ATG3 interaction with membranes containing phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine and anionic phospholipids. We have found that ATG3 interacts more strongly with negatively-charged phospholipid vesicles or nanotubes than with electrically neutral model membranes, cone-shaped anionic phospholipids (cardiolipin and phosphatidic acid) being particularly active in promoting binding. Moreover, an increase in membrane curvature facilitates ATG3 recruitment to membranes although addition of anionic lipid molecules makes the curvature factor relatively less important. The predicted N-terminus amphipathic α-helix of ATG3 would be responsible for membrane curvature detection, the positive residues Lys 9 and 11 being essential in the recognition of phospholipid negative moieties. We have also observed membrane aggregation induced by ATG3 in vitro, which could point to a more complex function of this protein in AP biogenesis. Moreover, in vitro GABARAP lipidation assays suggest that ATG3-membrane interaction could facilitate the lipidation of ATG8 homologues.

Cell surface engineering of Bacillus subtilis improves production yields of heterologously expressed \u03b1-amylases

BackgroundBacillus subtilis is widely used as a cell factory for numerous heterologous proteins of commercial value and medical interest. To explore the possibility of further enhancing the secretion potential of this model bacterium, a library of engineered strains with modified cell surface components was constructed, and the corresponding influences on protein secretion were investigated by analyzing the secretion of α-amylase variants with either low-, neutral- or high- isoelectric points (pI).ResultsRelative to the wild-type strain, the presence of overall anionic membrane phospholipids (phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin) increased dramatically in the PssA-, ClsA- and double KO mutants, which resulted in an up to 47% higher secretion of α-amylase. Additionally, we demonstrated that the appropriate net charge of secreted targets (AmyTS-23, AmyBs and AmyBm) was beneficial for secretion efficiency as well.ConclusionsIn B. subtilis, the characteristics of cell membrane phospholipid bilayer and the pIs of heterologous α-amylases appear to be important for their secretion efficiency. These two factors can be engineered to reduce the electrostatic interaction between each other during the secretion process, which finally leads to a better secretion yield of α-amylases.

Interactions of two structurally related anionic phospholipids cardiolipin and phosphatidylglycerol with phospholipase A2. Langmuir monolayer studies

Anionic phospholipids cardiolipins (CL) and phosphatidylglycerols (PG) dominate in the biomembranes of the majority of soil bacteria. CL to PG ratio differs between the species and is also dependent on the external conditions. CL/PG ratio is different in polluted than in unspoiled soils and it was hypothesized that it is connected with the activity of the membranelytic enzymes from the phospholipase A2 class (PLA2) as it was proved that persistent soil pollutants can activate PLA2. In our studies we applied the Langmuir monolayer technique and Brewster angle microscopy to elucidate the mechanism of the interactions of PLA2 with the model membranes formed by anionic phospholipids. It turned out that there are significant differences between CL and PG. The monolayer of PG is hydrolyzed readily and entirely, whereas for CL approximately 30% of the phospholipid molecules are hydrolyzed after which the enzyme is inhibited. The observed differences between PG and CL are strictly connected with the hydrophobicity of the generated lysolipids: lyso-PG and lyso-CL. Lyso-PG is water soluble and leaves the interface whereas lyso-CL is water-insoluble remains at the interface and modifies the monolayer properties. The second hydrolysis product – myristic acid (MA) forms crystallites of calcium myristate when generated from PG, whereas when generated from CL it is shielded by the lysolipid and does not interact with calcium. Therefore, on the basis of our study it can be concluded that the increase in CL content protects the soil bacteria from PLA2 activity and from the loss of calcium homeostasis.

The ionization properties of cardiolipin and its variants in model bilayers

The anionic phospholipid cardiolipin has an unusual dimeric structure with a two-phosphate headgroup and four acyl chains. Cardiolipin is present in energy-transducing membranes that maintain electrochemical gradients, including most bacterial plasma membranes and the mitochondrial inner membrane, where it mediates respiratory complex assembly and activation, among many other roles. Dysfunctional biogenesis of cardiolipin is implicated in the pathogenesis of several diseases including Barth syndrome. Because cardiolipin is a dominant anionic lipid in energy-conserving membranes, its headgroup is a major contributor to surface charge density and the bilayer electrostatic profile. However, the proton dissociation behavior of its headgroup remains controversial. In one model, the pKa values of the phosphates differ by several units and the headgroup exists as a monoanion at physiological pH. In another model, both phosphates ionize as strong acids with low pKa values and the headgroup exists in dianionic form at physiological pH. Using independent electrokinetic and spectroscopic approaches, coupled with analysis using Gouy–Chapman–Stern formalism, we have analyzed the ionization properties of cardiolipin within biologically relevant lipid bilayer model systems. We show that both phosphates of the cardiolipin headgroup show strong ionization behavior with low pKa values. Moreover, cardiolipin variants lacking structural features proposed to be required to maintain disparate pKa values – namely the secondary hydroxyl on the central glycerol or a full complement of four acyl chains – were shown to have ionization behavior identical to intact cardiolipin. Hence, these results indicate that within the physiological pH range, the cardiolipin headgroup is fully ionized as a dianion. We discuss the implications of these results with respect to the role of cardiolipin in defining membrane surface potential, activating respiratory complexes, and modulating membrane curvature.

Elucidation of Electrostatic Determinants in Cytochrome C-Cardiolipin Binding

Recently, there has been great interest in understanding the role of cytochrome c (Cytc) as it pertains to the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Positively charged domains on Cytc interact with the anionic phospholipid cardiolipin. Although the exact mechanism of this interaction is still under investigation, Cytc undergoes a conformational change upon association with cardiolipin. In the presence of reactive oxygen species, these conformational changes lead to increased peroxidase activity of Cytc. Cytc is capable of oxidizing cardiolipin acyl chains leading to Cytc dissociation from the membrane, and downstream initiation of apoptosis through apoptosome formation. Using circular dichroism, fluorescence and UV-visible spectroscopy methods, we investigate the cytochrome c/cardiolipin interaction. To date, three potential cardiolipin interaction sites have been proposed on cytochrome c. Through environmental manipulation, we are able to isolate and study the cytochrome c/cardiolipin interaction at anionic binding site A. Using mutagenesis we are able to investigate the role of specific positively charged amino acids in site A during electrostatic cardiolipin binding. We utilize optimized titration techniques that generate reproducible quantitative data that can then be fit to extrapolate the binding contribution to cardiolipin for each amino acid investigated. Monitoring the binding of Cytc variants to cardiolipin vesicles allows us to investigate the role of individual amino acids in the protein-lipid interaction and elucidate the contribution of different sites on cytochrome c to cardiolipin binding.

Inverted Erythrocyte Membranes Are a Novel Platform for Expressing Phosphatidylserine and Investigating the Antiphospholipid Syndrome

Background: The antiphospholipid (aPL) syndrome (APS) is an acquired thrombophilic disorder in which autoantibodies target proteins bound to anionic phospholipids; the mechanisms involved have not yet been clearly established. Anionic phospholipids are normally present in the internal leaflets of cytoplasmic membranes and become expressed after cell injury or death. Current diagnosis of APS is based on a panel of non-mechanistic "criteria" tests, which consist of the paradoxical lupus anticoagulant (LA) and immunoassays for autoantibodies binding to anionic phospholipids (cardiolipin) or β2glycoprotein I. Also, there has been difficulty in identifying biologically relevant and robust phospholipid platforms for analyzing aPL-membrane interactions. We therefore decided upon a novel path by: 1) developing a cell-based model consisting of inverted erythrocyte membranes (iEMs) and 2) developing novel ways of detecting aPL-iEM interactions.Materials & Methods: iEMs were prepared from erythrocytes using an established protocol, suspended in 20 mOsm Tris buffer and used fresh or stored at -80°C. iEMs were incubated with normal or patient plasmas for a minimum of 30 minutes and washed by centrifugation at 15,000g. Binding of IgG to iEMs was investigated by goat anti-human IgG-Alexa 633 (GαH IgG-Alexa 633) in flow cytometry. PS exposure on membranes was confirmed by microscopy with annexin A5 (A5)-Oregon green and A5-Alexa 647 binding in flow cytometry. Bright field images of aggregated membranes were obtained to visually assess aggregation. The potential of iEMs to serve as phospholipids necessary for coagulation was assessed through calibrated automated thrombinography.Results: Incubation of iEMs with normal and aPL plasmas resulted in increased IgG binding to the iEMs, as determined by flow cytometry (figure 1A). The IgG staining was more pronounced with aPL compared to normal plasmas (mean fluorescence ± standard deviation; aPL (n = 3): 10004 ± 5416 versus healthy (n = 3): 4055 ± 1680). When studying these samples with bright field microscopy aggregate formation of iEMs was observed. The aggregates induced by aPL plasma were more numerous and larger than those forming in plasma of healthy donors (figure 2A-B). Amplified agglutination was observed in the presence of broad spectrum anti-hIgG/anti-hC3d reagent (figure 2C-D).Fluorescence microscopy of iEMs incubated with A5-OG confirmed that a population of iEMs was exposing PS. Thrombin generation (TG) studies established that iEMs contribute to coagulation reactions by providing a source of anionic phospholipids. TG increased dose-dependently with higher levels of iEMs until a plateau concentration was reached. Additionally, A5 resistance was investigated by means of flow cytometry. The aPL plasmas induced a decrease in A5 binding to iEMs compared to normal plasma and the control conditions (figure 1B), consistent with the functional A5 resistance assay.Discussion: We have developed a novel model for a more physiological approach to phospholipid based assays in APS using iEMs as a source of anionic phospholipids. They are easily prepared by hypotonic lysis of erythrocytes and can be frozen for storage until use.We have thus far demonstrated that a higher level of iEM aggregation is induced by aPL samples compared to healthy plasmas. Moreover, iEMs expose PS and dose-dependently accelerate TG by functioning as a platform for coagulation. Previous findings on A5 resistance induced by aPL plasma are confirmed with this iEM model.Conclusion: IEMs offer a novel and robust biologically-derived platform; they express PS, promote coagulation, bind aPL antibodies and open different approaches to investigate APS. [Display omitted] [Display omitted] DisclosuresDe Laat:Synapse bv: Employment.

Anionic Phospholipids Stabilize RecA Filament Bundles in Escherichia coli

We characterize the interaction of RecA with membranes in vivo and in vitro and demonstrate that RecA binds tightly to the anionic phospholipids cardiolipin (CL) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG). Using computational models, we identify two regions of RecA that interact with PG and CL: (1) the N-terminal helix and (2) loop L2. Mutating these regions decreased the affinity of RecA to PG and CL in vitro. Using 3D super-resolution microscopy, we demonstrate that depleting Escherichia coli PG and CL altered the localization of RecA foci and hindered the formation of RecA filament bundles. Consequently, E. coli cells lacking aPLs fail to initiate a robust SOS response after DNA damage, indicating that the membrane acts as a scaffold for nucleating the formation of RecA filament bundles and plays an important role in the SOS response.

A Cardiolipin-Deficient Mutant of Rhodobacter sphaeroides Has an Altered Cell Shape and Is Impaired in Biofilm Formation

Cell shape has been suggested to play an important role in the regulation of bacterial attachment to surfaces and the formation of communities associated with surfaces. We found that a cardiolipin synthase (Δcls) mutant of the rod-shaped bacterium Rhodobacter sphaeroides--in which synthesis of the anionic, highly curved phospholipid cardiolipin (CL) is reduced by 90%--produces ellipsoid-shaped cells that are impaired in biofilm formation. Reducing the concentration of CL did not cause significant defects in R. sphaeroides cell growth, swimming motility, lipopolysaccharide and exopolysaccharide production, surface adhesion protein expression, and membrane permeability. Complementation of the CL-deficient mutant by ectopically expressing CL synthase restored cells to their rod shape and increased biofilm formation. Treating R. sphaeroides cells with a low concentration (10 μg/ml) of the small-molecule MreB inhibitor S-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)isothiourea produced ellipsoid-shaped cells that had no obvious growth defect yet reduced R. sphaeroides biofilm formation. This study demonstrates that CL plays a role in R. sphaeroides cell shape determination, biofilm formation, and the ability of the bacterium to adapt to its environment. Membrane composition plays a fundamental role in the adaptation of many bacteria to environmental stress. In this study, we build a new connection between the anionic phospholipid cardiolipin (CL) and cellular adaptation in Rhodobacter sphaeroides. We demonstrate that CL plays a role in the regulation of R. sphaeroides morphology and is important for the ability of this bacterium to form biofilms. This study correlates CL concentration, cell shape, and biofilm formation and provides the first example of how membrane composition in bacteria alters cell morphology and influences adaptation. This study also provides insight into the potential of phospholipid biosynthesis as a target for new chemical strategies designed to alter or prevent biofilm formation.