The clustering of proteins and lipids in distinct microdomains is emerging as an important princi... more The clustering of proteins and lipids in distinct microdomains is emerging as an important principle for the spatial patterning of biological membranes. Such domain formation can be the result of hydrophobic and ionic interactions with membrane lipids as well as of specific protein–protein interactions. Here using plasma membrane-resident SNARE proteins as model, we show that hydrophobic mismatch between the length of transmembrane domains (TMDs) and the thickness of the lipid membrane suffices to induce clustering of proteins. Even when the TMDs differ in length by only a single residue, hydrophobic mismatch can segregate structurally closely homologous membrane proteins in distinct membrane domains. Domain formation is further fine-tuned by interactions with polyanionic phos-phoinositides and homo and heterotypic protein interactions. Our findings demonstrate that hydrophobic mismatch contributes to the structural organization of membranes.
Heterogeneous diffusion dynamics of molecules play an important role in many cellular signaling e... more Heterogeneous diffusion dynamics of molecules play an important role in many cellular signaling events, such as of lipids in plasma membrane bioactivity. However, these dynamics can often only be visualized by single-molecule and super-resolution optical microscopy techniques. Using fluorescence lifetime correlation spectroscopy (FLCS, an extension of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, FCS) on a super-resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscope, we here extend previous observations of nanoscale lipid dynamics in the plasma membrane of living mammalian cells. STED-FLCS allows an improved determination of spatio-temporal heterogeneity in molecular diffusion and interaction dynamics via a novel gated detection scheme, as demonstrated by a comparison between STED-FLCS and previous conventional STED-FCS recordings on fluorescent phosphoglycerolipid and sphingolipid analogs in the plasma membrane of live mammalian cells. The STED-FLCS data indicate that bio-physical and...
The eukaryotic cell membrane is connected to a dense actin rich cortex. We present FCS and STED e... more The eukaryotic cell membrane is connected to a dense actin rich cortex. We present FCS and STED experiments showing that dense membrane bound actin networks have severe influence on lipid phase separation. A minimal actin cortex was bound to a supported lipid bilayer via biotinylated lipid streptavidin complexes (pinning sites). In general, actin binding to ternary membranes prevented macroscopic liquid-ordered and liquid-disordered domain formation, even at low temperature. Instead, depending on the type of pinning lipid, an actin correlated multi-domain pattern was observed. FCS measurements revealed hindered diffusion of lipids in the presence of an actin network. To explain our experimental findings, a new simulation model is proposed, in which the membrane composition, the membrane curvature, and the actin pinning sites are all coupled. Our results reveal a mechanism how cells may prevent macroscopic demixing of their membrane components, while at the same time regulate the loc...
The clustering of proteins and lipids in distinct microdomains is emerging as an important princi... more The clustering of proteins and lipids in distinct microdomains is emerging as an important principle for the spatial patterning of biological membranes. Such domain formation can be the result of hydrophobic and ionic interactions with membrane lipids as well as of specific protein-protein interactions. Here using plasma membrane-resident SNARE proteins as model, we show that hydrophobic mismatch between the length of transmembrane domains (TMDs) and the thickness of the lipid membrane suffices to induce clustering of proteins. Even when the TMDs differ in length by only a single residue, hydrophobic mismatch can segregate structurally closely homologous membrane proteins in distinct membrane domains. Domain formation is further fine-tuned by interactions with polyanionic phosphoinositides and homo and heterotypic protein interactions. Our findings demonstrate that hydrophobic mismatch contributes to the structural organization of membranes.
The study of molecular dynamics at the single-molecule level with fluorescence correlation spectr... more The study of molecular dynamics at the single-molecule level with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and far-field optics has contributed greatly to the functional understanding of complex systems. Unfortunately, such studies are restricted to length scales of >200 nm because diffraction does not allow further reduction of the measurement volume. This sets an upper limit on the applicable concentration of fluorescently labeled molecules and even more importantly, averages out details of nanoscale dynamics. By combining FCS and fluorescence intensity distribution analysis (FIDA) with sub-diffraction-resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy, we remove this restriction and obtain open measurement volumes of nanoscale dimensions which are tunable in size. As a consequence, single-molecule studies can now be extended to nanoscale dynamics and may be applied to much larger, often endogenous concentrations. In solution, low-brightness signal from axial out-of-focus volume shells was taken into account by using both FCS and FIDA in conjunction to analyze the data. In two-dimensional systems, such as lipid membranes, the background is greatly reduced and measurements feature excellent signal-to-noise ratios. Measurement foci of down to 30 nm in diameter directly reveal anomalous diffusion of lipids in the plasma membrane of living cells and allow for the determination of on/off rates of the binding of lipids 2 to other membrane constituents. Such important insight into the prominent biological question of lipid membrane organization or 'lipid rafts' shows that combining fluctuation analysis with STED-engineered ultra-small measurement volumes is a viable and powerful new approach to probing molecular dynamics on the nanoscale.
The interaction of lipids and proteins plays an important role in plasma membrane bioactivity, an... more The interaction of lipids and proteins plays an important role in plasma membrane bioactivity, and much can be learned from their diffusion characteristics. Here we present the combination of super-resolution STED microscopy with scanning fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (scanning STED-FCS, sSTED-FCS) to characterize the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of lipid interactions. sSTED-FCS reveals transient molecular interaction hotspots for a fluorescent sphingolipid analogue. The interaction sites are smaller than 80 nm in diameter and lipids are transiently trapped for several milliseconds in these areas. In comparison, newly developed fluorescent phospholipid and cholesterol analogues with improved phase-partitioning properties show more homogenous diffusion, independent of the preference for liquid-ordered or disordered membrane environments. Our results do not support the presence of nanodomains based on lipid-phase separation in the basal membrane of our cultured nonstimulated cells, and show that alternative interactions are responsible for the strong local trapping of our sphingolipid analogue.
Details of molecular membrane dynamics in living cells such as lipid-protein interactions or the ... more Details of molecular membrane dynamics in living cells such as lipid-protein interactions or the incorporation of molecules into lipid "rafts" are often hidden to the observer because of the limited spatial resolution of conventional far-field optical microscopy. Fortunately, the superior spatial resolution of far-field stimulated-emission-depletion (STED) nanoscopy allows gaining new insights. Applying fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) in focal spots continuously tuned down to 30 nm in diameter distinguishes free from anomalous molecular diffusion due to transient binding, as for the diffusion of fluorescent phosphoglycero- and sphingolipid analogs in the plasma membrane of living cells. STED-FCS data recorded at different environmental conditions and on different lipid analogs reveal molecular details of the observed nanoscale trapping. Dependencies on the molecular structure of the lipids point to the distinct connectivity of the various lipids to initiate or assist cellular signaling events, but also outline strong differences to the characteristics of liquid-ordered and disordered phase separation in model membranes. STED-FCS is a highly sensitive and exceptional tool to study the membrane organization by introducing a new class of nanoscale biomolecular studies.
Synaptic vesicle exocytosis is mediated by the vesicular Ca 2+ -sensor synaptotagmin-1. Synaptota... more Synaptic vesicle exocytosis is mediated by the vesicular Ca 2+ -sensor synaptotagmin-1. Synaptotagmin-1 interacts with the SNARE protein syntaxin-1A and with acidic phospholipids such as phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). However, it is unclear how these interactions contribute to triggering membrane fusion. Using both PC12 cells from Rattus norvegicus and artificial supported bilayers we now show that synaptotagmin-1 interacts with the polybasic linker region of syntaxin-1A independent of Ca 2+ via PIP2. This interaction allows both Ca 2+ -binding sites of synaptotagmin-1 to bind to phosphatidylserine (PS) in the vesicle membrane upon Ca 2+ -triggering. We determined the crystal structure of the C2B-domain of synaptotagmin-1 bound to phosphoserine, allowing for developing a high-resolution model of synaptotagmin bridging two different membranes. Our results suggest that PIP2 clusters organized by syntaxin-1 act as molecular beacons for vesicle docking, with the subsequent Ca 2+ -influx bringing the vesicle membrane close enough for membrane fusion.
The ideal fluorescent probe for bioimaging is bright, absorbs at long wavelengths and can be impl... more The ideal fluorescent probe for bioimaging is bright, absorbs at long wavelengths and can be implemented flexibly in living cells and in vivo. However, the design of synthetic fluorophores that combine all of these properties has proved to be extremely difficult. Here, we introduce a biocompatible near-infrared silicon-rhodamine probe that can be coupled specifically to proteins using different labelling techniques. Importantly, its high permeability and fluorogenic character permit the imaging of proteins in living cells and tissues, and its brightness and photostability make it ideally suited for live-cell super-resolution microscopy. The excellent spectroscopic properties of the probe combined with its ease of use in live-cell applications make it a powerful new tool for bioimaging.
ABSTRACT Artificial bilayer containing reconstituted ion channels, transporters and pumps serve a... more ABSTRACT Artificial bilayer containing reconstituted ion channels, transporters and pumps serve as a well-defined model system for electrophysiological investigations of membrane protein structure-function relationship. Appropriately constructed microchips containing horizontally oriented bilayers with easy solution access to both sides provide, in addition, the possibility to investigate these model bilayer membranes and the membrane proteins therein with high resolution fluorescence techniques up to the single-molecule level. Here, we describe a bilayer microchip system in which long-term stable horizontal free-standing and hydrogel-supported bilayers can be formed and demonstrate its prospects particularly for single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy and high resolution fluorescence microscopy in probing the physicochemical properties like phase behavior of the bilayer-forming lipids, as well as in functional studies of membrane proteins.
We report on a fiber laser-based stimulated emission-depletion microscope providing down to ∼20 n... more We report on a fiber laser-based stimulated emission-depletion microscope providing down to ∼20 nm resolution in raw data images as well as 15-19 nm diameter probing areas in fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Stimulated emission depletion pulses of nanosecond duration and 775 nm wavelength are used to silence two fluorophores simultaneously, ensuring offset-free colocalization analysis. The versatility of this superresolution method is exemplified by revealing the octameric arrangement of Xenopus nuclear pore complexes and by quantifying the diffusion of labeled lipid molecules in artificial and living cell membranes.
Artificial lipid membranes are widely used as a model system to study single ion channel activity... more Artificial lipid membranes are widely used as a model system to study single ion channel activity using electrophysiological techniques. In this study, we characterize the properties of the artificial bilayer system with respect to its dynamics of lipid phase separation using single-molecule fluorescence fluctuation and electrophysiological techniques. We determined the rotational motions of fluorescently labeled lipids on the nanosecond timescale using confocal time-resolved anisotropy to probe the microscopic viscosity of the membrane. Simultaneously, long-range mobility was investigated by the lateral diffusion of the lipids using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Depending on the solvent used for membrane preparation, lateral diffusion coefficients in the range D lat ¼ 10-25 mm 2 /s and rotational diffusion coefficients ranging from D rot ¼ 2.8 À 1.4 Â 10 7 s À1 were measured in pure liquid-disordered (L d ) membranes. In ternary mixtures containing saturated and unsaturated phospholipids and cholesterol, liquid-ordered (L o ) domains segregated from the L d phase at 23 C. The lateral mobility of lipids in L o domains was around eightfold lower compared to those in the L d phase, whereas the rotational mobility decreased by a factor of 1.5. Burstintegrated steady-state anisotropy histograms, as well as anisotropy imaging, were used to visualize the rotational mobility of lipid probes in phase-separated bilayers. These experiments and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy measurements at different focal diameters indicated a heterogeneous microenvironment in the L o phase. Finally, we demonstrate the potential of the optoelectro setup to study the influence of lipid domains on the electrophysiological properties of ion channels. We found that the electrophysiological activity of gramicidin A (gA), a well-characterized ion-channel-forming peptide, was related to lipid-domain partitioning. During liquid-liquid phase separation, gA was largely excluded from L o domains. Simultaneously, the number of electrically active gA dimers increased due to the increased surface density of gA in the L d phase.
Details about molecular membrane dynamics in living cells, such as lipid-protein interactions, ar... more Details about molecular membrane dynamics in living cells, such as lipid-protein interactions, are often hidden from the observer because of the limited spatial resolution of conventional far-field optical microscopy. The superior spatial resolution of stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy can provide new insights into this process. The application of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) in focal spots continuously tuned down to 30 nm in diameter distinguishes between free and anomalous molecular diffusion due to, for example, transient binding of lipids to other membrane constituents, such as lipids and proteins. We compared STED-FCS data recorded on various fluorescent lipid analogs in the plasma membrane of living mammalian cells. Our results demonstrate details about the observed transient formation of molecular complexes. The diffusion characteristics of phosphoglycerolipids without hydroxyl-containing headgroups revealed weak interactions. The strongest interactions were observed with sphingolipid analogs, which showed cholesterol-assisted and cytoskeletondependent binding. The hydroxyl-containing headgroup of gangliosides, galactosylceramide, and phosphoinositol assisted binding, but in a much less cholesterol-and cytoskeleton-dependent manner. The observed anomalous diffusion indicates lipid-specific transient hydrogen bonding to other membrane molecules, such as proteins, and points to a distinct connectivity of the various lipids to other membrane constituents. This strong interaction is different from that responsible for forming cholesterol-dependent, liquid-ordered domains in model membranes.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2012
The transition from water soluble state to an integral membrane protein state is a crucial step i... more The transition from water soluble state to an integral membrane protein state is a crucial step in the formation of the active form of many pore-forming or receptor proteins. Albeit this, high resolution techniques which allow assay of protein membrane binding and concomitant development of the final active form in the membrane await further development. Here, we describe a horizontal artificial bilayers setup allowing for simultaneous electrical and optical measurements at a single molecule level. We use the membrane binding and subsequent channel formation of colicin A (ColA) a water soluble bacteriocin secreted by some strains of Escherichia coli to demonstrate the potential of the combined electro-optical technique. Our results expand the knowledge on ColA molecular details which show that active ColA is monomeric; membrane binding is pH but not membrane-potential (Δϕ) dependent. ColA is at Δϕ=0 permeable for molecules ≥1 nm. Although ColA exhibits low ion conductance it facilitates permeation of large molecules. Our electro-optical recordings reveal ColA monomeric state and the chimeric character of its pore.
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Biomembranes, 2012
Several simplified membrane models featuring coexisting liquid disordered (Ld) and ordered (Lo) l... more Several simplified membrane models featuring coexisting liquid disordered (Ld) and ordered (Lo) lipid phases have been developed to mimic the heterogeneous organization of cellular membranes, and thus, aid our understanding of the nature and functional role of ordered lipid-protein nanodomains, termed "rafts". In spite of their greatly reduced complexity, quantitative characterization of local lipid environments using model membranes is not trivial, and the parallels that can be drawn to cellular membranes are not always evident. Similarly, various fluorescently labeled lipid analogs have been used to study membrane organization and function in vitro, although the biological activity of these probes in relation to their native counterparts often remains uncharacterized. This is particularly true for raft-preferring lipids ("raft lipids", e.g. sphingolipids and sterols), whose domain preference is a strict function of their molecular architecture, and is thus susceptible to disruption by fluorescence labeling. Here, we analyze the phase partitioning of a multitude of fluorescent raft lipid analogs in synthetic Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUVs) and cell-derived Giant Plasma Membrane Vesicles (GPMVs). We observe complex partitioning behavior dependent on label size, polarity, charge and position, lipid headgroup, and membrane composition. Several of the raft lipid analogs partitioned into the ordered phase in GPMVs, in contrast to fully synthetic GUVs, in which most raft lipid analogs mis-partitioned to the disordered phase. This behavior correlates with the greatly enhanced order difference between coexisting phases in the synthetic system. In addition, not only partitioning, but also ligand binding of the lipids is perturbed upon labeling: while cholera toxin B binds unlabeled GM1 in the Lo phase, it binds fluorescently labeled GM1 exclusively in the Ld phase. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) by stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy on intact cellular plasma membranes consistently reveals a constant level of confined diffusion for raft lipid analogs that vary greatly in their partitioning behavior, suggesting different physicochemical bases for these phenomena.
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics, 2007
Nitric oxide reductase (NOR) from P. denitrificans is a membrane-bound protein complex that catal... more Nitric oxide reductase (NOR) from P. denitrificans is a membrane-bound protein complex that catalyses the reduction of NO to N 2 O (2NO + 2e − + 2H + → N 2 O + H 2 O) as part of the denitrification process. Even though NO reduction is a highly exergonic reaction, and NOR belongs to the superfamily of O 2 -reducing, proton-pumping heme-copper oxidases (HCuOs), previous measurements have indicated that the reaction catalyzed by NOR is non-electrogenic, i.e. not contributing to the proton electrochemical gradient. Since electrons are provided by donors in the periplasm, this non-electrogenicity implies that the substrate protons are also taken up from the periplasm. Here, using direct measurements in liposomereconstituted NOR during reduction of both NO and the alternative substrate O 2 , we demonstrate that protons are indeed consumed from the 'outside'. First, multiple turnover reduction of O 2 resulted in an increase in pH on the outside of the NOR-vesicles. Second, comparison of electrical potential generation in NOR-liposomes during oxidation of the reduced enzyme by either NO or O 2 shows that the proton transfer signals are very similar for the two substrates proving the usefulness of O 2 as a model substrate for these studies. Last, optical measurements during single-turnover oxidation by O 2 show electron transfer coupled to proton uptake from outside the NOR-liposomes with a τ = 15 ms, similar to results obtained for net proton uptake in solubilised NOR [U. Flock, N.J. Watmough, P. Ädelroth, Electron/proton coupling in bacterial nitric oxide reductase during reduction of oxygen, Biochemistry 44 (2005) 10711-10719]. NOR must thus contain a proton transfer pathway leading from the periplasmic surface into the active site. Using homology modeling with the structures of HCuOs as templates, we constructed a 3D model of the NorB catalytic subunit from P. denitrificans in order to search for such a pathway. A plausible pathway, consisting of conserved protonatable residues, is suggested.
The clustering of proteins and lipids in distinct microdomains is emerging as an important princi... more The clustering of proteins and lipids in distinct microdomains is emerging as an important principle for the spatial patterning of biological membranes. Such domain formation can be the result of hydrophobic and ionic interactions with membrane lipids as well as of specific protein–protein interactions. Here using plasma membrane-resident SNARE proteins as model, we show that hydrophobic mismatch between the length of transmembrane domains (TMDs) and the thickness of the lipid membrane suffices to induce clustering of proteins. Even when the TMDs differ in length by only a single residue, hydrophobic mismatch can segregate structurally closely homologous membrane proteins in distinct membrane domains. Domain formation is further fine-tuned by interactions with polyanionic phos-phoinositides and homo and heterotypic protein interactions. Our findings demonstrate that hydrophobic mismatch contributes to the structural organization of membranes.
Heterogeneous diffusion dynamics of molecules play an important role in many cellular signaling e... more Heterogeneous diffusion dynamics of molecules play an important role in many cellular signaling events, such as of lipids in plasma membrane bioactivity. However, these dynamics can often only be visualized by single-molecule and super-resolution optical microscopy techniques. Using fluorescence lifetime correlation spectroscopy (FLCS, an extension of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, FCS) on a super-resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscope, we here extend previous observations of nanoscale lipid dynamics in the plasma membrane of living mammalian cells. STED-FLCS allows an improved determination of spatio-temporal heterogeneity in molecular diffusion and interaction dynamics via a novel gated detection scheme, as demonstrated by a comparison between STED-FLCS and previous conventional STED-FCS recordings on fluorescent phosphoglycerolipid and sphingolipid analogs in the plasma membrane of live mammalian cells. The STED-FLCS data indicate that bio-physical and...
The eukaryotic cell membrane is connected to a dense actin rich cortex. We present FCS and STED e... more The eukaryotic cell membrane is connected to a dense actin rich cortex. We present FCS and STED experiments showing that dense membrane bound actin networks have severe influence on lipid phase separation. A minimal actin cortex was bound to a supported lipid bilayer via biotinylated lipid streptavidin complexes (pinning sites). In general, actin binding to ternary membranes prevented macroscopic liquid-ordered and liquid-disordered domain formation, even at low temperature. Instead, depending on the type of pinning lipid, an actin correlated multi-domain pattern was observed. FCS measurements revealed hindered diffusion of lipids in the presence of an actin network. To explain our experimental findings, a new simulation model is proposed, in which the membrane composition, the membrane curvature, and the actin pinning sites are all coupled. Our results reveal a mechanism how cells may prevent macroscopic demixing of their membrane components, while at the same time regulate the loc...
The clustering of proteins and lipids in distinct microdomains is emerging as an important princi... more The clustering of proteins and lipids in distinct microdomains is emerging as an important principle for the spatial patterning of biological membranes. Such domain formation can be the result of hydrophobic and ionic interactions with membrane lipids as well as of specific protein-protein interactions. Here using plasma membrane-resident SNARE proteins as model, we show that hydrophobic mismatch between the length of transmembrane domains (TMDs) and the thickness of the lipid membrane suffices to induce clustering of proteins. Even when the TMDs differ in length by only a single residue, hydrophobic mismatch can segregate structurally closely homologous membrane proteins in distinct membrane domains. Domain formation is further fine-tuned by interactions with polyanionic phosphoinositides and homo and heterotypic protein interactions. Our findings demonstrate that hydrophobic mismatch contributes to the structural organization of membranes.
The study of molecular dynamics at the single-molecule level with fluorescence correlation spectr... more The study of molecular dynamics at the single-molecule level with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and far-field optics has contributed greatly to the functional understanding of complex systems. Unfortunately, such studies are restricted to length scales of >200 nm because diffraction does not allow further reduction of the measurement volume. This sets an upper limit on the applicable concentration of fluorescently labeled molecules and even more importantly, averages out details of nanoscale dynamics. By combining FCS and fluorescence intensity distribution analysis (FIDA) with sub-diffraction-resolution stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy, we remove this restriction and obtain open measurement volumes of nanoscale dimensions which are tunable in size. As a consequence, single-molecule studies can now be extended to nanoscale dynamics and may be applied to much larger, often endogenous concentrations. In solution, low-brightness signal from axial out-of-focus volume shells was taken into account by using both FCS and FIDA in conjunction to analyze the data. In two-dimensional systems, such as lipid membranes, the background is greatly reduced and measurements feature excellent signal-to-noise ratios. Measurement foci of down to 30 nm in diameter directly reveal anomalous diffusion of lipids in the plasma membrane of living cells and allow for the determination of on/off rates of the binding of lipids 2 to other membrane constituents. Such important insight into the prominent biological question of lipid membrane organization or 'lipid rafts' shows that combining fluctuation analysis with STED-engineered ultra-small measurement volumes is a viable and powerful new approach to probing molecular dynamics on the nanoscale.
The interaction of lipids and proteins plays an important role in plasma membrane bioactivity, an... more The interaction of lipids and proteins plays an important role in plasma membrane bioactivity, and much can be learned from their diffusion characteristics. Here we present the combination of super-resolution STED microscopy with scanning fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (scanning STED-FCS, sSTED-FCS) to characterize the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of lipid interactions. sSTED-FCS reveals transient molecular interaction hotspots for a fluorescent sphingolipid analogue. The interaction sites are smaller than 80 nm in diameter and lipids are transiently trapped for several milliseconds in these areas. In comparison, newly developed fluorescent phospholipid and cholesterol analogues with improved phase-partitioning properties show more homogenous diffusion, independent of the preference for liquid-ordered or disordered membrane environments. Our results do not support the presence of nanodomains based on lipid-phase separation in the basal membrane of our cultured nonstimulated cells, and show that alternative interactions are responsible for the strong local trapping of our sphingolipid analogue.
Details of molecular membrane dynamics in living cells such as lipid-protein interactions or the ... more Details of molecular membrane dynamics in living cells such as lipid-protein interactions or the incorporation of molecules into lipid "rafts" are often hidden to the observer because of the limited spatial resolution of conventional far-field optical microscopy. Fortunately, the superior spatial resolution of far-field stimulated-emission-depletion (STED) nanoscopy allows gaining new insights. Applying fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) in focal spots continuously tuned down to 30 nm in diameter distinguishes free from anomalous molecular diffusion due to transient binding, as for the diffusion of fluorescent phosphoglycero- and sphingolipid analogs in the plasma membrane of living cells. STED-FCS data recorded at different environmental conditions and on different lipid analogs reveal molecular details of the observed nanoscale trapping. Dependencies on the molecular structure of the lipids point to the distinct connectivity of the various lipids to initiate or assist cellular signaling events, but also outline strong differences to the characteristics of liquid-ordered and disordered phase separation in model membranes. STED-FCS is a highly sensitive and exceptional tool to study the membrane organization by introducing a new class of nanoscale biomolecular studies.
Synaptic vesicle exocytosis is mediated by the vesicular Ca 2+ -sensor synaptotagmin-1. Synaptota... more Synaptic vesicle exocytosis is mediated by the vesicular Ca 2+ -sensor synaptotagmin-1. Synaptotagmin-1 interacts with the SNARE protein syntaxin-1A and with acidic phospholipids such as phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2). However, it is unclear how these interactions contribute to triggering membrane fusion. Using both PC12 cells from Rattus norvegicus and artificial supported bilayers we now show that synaptotagmin-1 interacts with the polybasic linker region of syntaxin-1A independent of Ca 2+ via PIP2. This interaction allows both Ca 2+ -binding sites of synaptotagmin-1 to bind to phosphatidylserine (PS) in the vesicle membrane upon Ca 2+ -triggering. We determined the crystal structure of the C2B-domain of synaptotagmin-1 bound to phosphoserine, allowing for developing a high-resolution model of synaptotagmin bridging two different membranes. Our results suggest that PIP2 clusters organized by syntaxin-1 act as molecular beacons for vesicle docking, with the subsequent Ca 2+ -influx bringing the vesicle membrane close enough for membrane fusion.
The ideal fluorescent probe for bioimaging is bright, absorbs at long wavelengths and can be impl... more The ideal fluorescent probe for bioimaging is bright, absorbs at long wavelengths and can be implemented flexibly in living cells and in vivo. However, the design of synthetic fluorophores that combine all of these properties has proved to be extremely difficult. Here, we introduce a biocompatible near-infrared silicon-rhodamine probe that can be coupled specifically to proteins using different labelling techniques. Importantly, its high permeability and fluorogenic character permit the imaging of proteins in living cells and tissues, and its brightness and photostability make it ideally suited for live-cell super-resolution microscopy. The excellent spectroscopic properties of the probe combined with its ease of use in live-cell applications make it a powerful new tool for bioimaging.
ABSTRACT Artificial bilayer containing reconstituted ion channels, transporters and pumps serve a... more ABSTRACT Artificial bilayer containing reconstituted ion channels, transporters and pumps serve as a well-defined model system for electrophysiological investigations of membrane protein structure-function relationship. Appropriately constructed microchips containing horizontally oriented bilayers with easy solution access to both sides provide, in addition, the possibility to investigate these model bilayer membranes and the membrane proteins therein with high resolution fluorescence techniques up to the single-molecule level. Here, we describe a bilayer microchip system in which long-term stable horizontal free-standing and hydrogel-supported bilayers can be formed and demonstrate its prospects particularly for single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy and high resolution fluorescence microscopy in probing the physicochemical properties like phase behavior of the bilayer-forming lipids, as well as in functional studies of membrane proteins.
We report on a fiber laser-based stimulated emission-depletion microscope providing down to ∼20 n... more We report on a fiber laser-based stimulated emission-depletion microscope providing down to ∼20 nm resolution in raw data images as well as 15-19 nm diameter probing areas in fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Stimulated emission depletion pulses of nanosecond duration and 775 nm wavelength are used to silence two fluorophores simultaneously, ensuring offset-free colocalization analysis. The versatility of this superresolution method is exemplified by revealing the octameric arrangement of Xenopus nuclear pore complexes and by quantifying the diffusion of labeled lipid molecules in artificial and living cell membranes.
Artificial lipid membranes are widely used as a model system to study single ion channel activity... more Artificial lipid membranes are widely used as a model system to study single ion channel activity using electrophysiological techniques. In this study, we characterize the properties of the artificial bilayer system with respect to its dynamics of lipid phase separation using single-molecule fluorescence fluctuation and electrophysiological techniques. We determined the rotational motions of fluorescently labeled lipids on the nanosecond timescale using confocal time-resolved anisotropy to probe the microscopic viscosity of the membrane. Simultaneously, long-range mobility was investigated by the lateral diffusion of the lipids using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Depending on the solvent used for membrane preparation, lateral diffusion coefficients in the range D lat ¼ 10-25 mm 2 /s and rotational diffusion coefficients ranging from D rot ¼ 2.8 À 1.4 Â 10 7 s À1 were measured in pure liquid-disordered (L d ) membranes. In ternary mixtures containing saturated and unsaturated phospholipids and cholesterol, liquid-ordered (L o ) domains segregated from the L d phase at 23 C. The lateral mobility of lipids in L o domains was around eightfold lower compared to those in the L d phase, whereas the rotational mobility decreased by a factor of 1.5. Burstintegrated steady-state anisotropy histograms, as well as anisotropy imaging, were used to visualize the rotational mobility of lipid probes in phase-separated bilayers. These experiments and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy measurements at different focal diameters indicated a heterogeneous microenvironment in the L o phase. Finally, we demonstrate the potential of the optoelectro setup to study the influence of lipid domains on the electrophysiological properties of ion channels. We found that the electrophysiological activity of gramicidin A (gA), a well-characterized ion-channel-forming peptide, was related to lipid-domain partitioning. During liquid-liquid phase separation, gA was largely excluded from L o domains. Simultaneously, the number of electrically active gA dimers increased due to the increased surface density of gA in the L d phase.
Details about molecular membrane dynamics in living cells, such as lipid-protein interactions, ar... more Details about molecular membrane dynamics in living cells, such as lipid-protein interactions, are often hidden from the observer because of the limited spatial resolution of conventional far-field optical microscopy. The superior spatial resolution of stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy can provide new insights into this process. The application of fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) in focal spots continuously tuned down to 30 nm in diameter distinguishes between free and anomalous molecular diffusion due to, for example, transient binding of lipids to other membrane constituents, such as lipids and proteins. We compared STED-FCS data recorded on various fluorescent lipid analogs in the plasma membrane of living mammalian cells. Our results demonstrate details about the observed transient formation of molecular complexes. The diffusion characteristics of phosphoglycerolipids without hydroxyl-containing headgroups revealed weak interactions. The strongest interactions were observed with sphingolipid analogs, which showed cholesterol-assisted and cytoskeletondependent binding. The hydroxyl-containing headgroup of gangliosides, galactosylceramide, and phosphoinositol assisted binding, but in a much less cholesterol-and cytoskeleton-dependent manner. The observed anomalous diffusion indicates lipid-specific transient hydrogen bonding to other membrane molecules, such as proteins, and points to a distinct connectivity of the various lipids to other membrane constituents. This strong interaction is different from that responsible for forming cholesterol-dependent, liquid-ordered domains in model membranes.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 2012
The transition from water soluble state to an integral membrane protein state is a crucial step i... more The transition from water soluble state to an integral membrane protein state is a crucial step in the formation of the active form of many pore-forming or receptor proteins. Albeit this, high resolution techniques which allow assay of protein membrane binding and concomitant development of the final active form in the membrane await further development. Here, we describe a horizontal artificial bilayers setup allowing for simultaneous electrical and optical measurements at a single molecule level. We use the membrane binding and subsequent channel formation of colicin A (ColA) a water soluble bacteriocin secreted by some strains of Escherichia coli to demonstrate the potential of the combined electro-optical technique. Our results expand the knowledge on ColA molecular details which show that active ColA is monomeric; membrane binding is pH but not membrane-potential (Δϕ) dependent. ColA is at Δϕ=0 permeable for molecules ≥1 nm. Although ColA exhibits low ion conductance it facilitates permeation of large molecules. Our electro-optical recordings reveal ColA monomeric state and the chimeric character of its pore.
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Biomembranes, 2012
Several simplified membrane models featuring coexisting liquid disordered (Ld) and ordered (Lo) l... more Several simplified membrane models featuring coexisting liquid disordered (Ld) and ordered (Lo) lipid phases have been developed to mimic the heterogeneous organization of cellular membranes, and thus, aid our understanding of the nature and functional role of ordered lipid-protein nanodomains, termed "rafts". In spite of their greatly reduced complexity, quantitative characterization of local lipid environments using model membranes is not trivial, and the parallels that can be drawn to cellular membranes are not always evident. Similarly, various fluorescently labeled lipid analogs have been used to study membrane organization and function in vitro, although the biological activity of these probes in relation to their native counterparts often remains uncharacterized. This is particularly true for raft-preferring lipids ("raft lipids", e.g. sphingolipids and sterols), whose domain preference is a strict function of their molecular architecture, and is thus susceptible to disruption by fluorescence labeling. Here, we analyze the phase partitioning of a multitude of fluorescent raft lipid analogs in synthetic Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUVs) and cell-derived Giant Plasma Membrane Vesicles (GPMVs). We observe complex partitioning behavior dependent on label size, polarity, charge and position, lipid headgroup, and membrane composition. Several of the raft lipid analogs partitioned into the ordered phase in GPMVs, in contrast to fully synthetic GUVs, in which most raft lipid analogs mis-partitioned to the disordered phase. This behavior correlates with the greatly enhanced order difference between coexisting phases in the synthetic system. In addition, not only partitioning, but also ligand binding of the lipids is perturbed upon labeling: while cholera toxin B binds unlabeled GM1 in the Lo phase, it binds fluorescently labeled GM1 exclusively in the Ld phase. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) by stimulated emission depletion (STED) nanoscopy on intact cellular plasma membranes consistently reveals a constant level of confined diffusion for raft lipid analogs that vary greatly in their partitioning behavior, suggesting different physicochemical bases for these phenomena.
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Bioenergetics, 2007
Nitric oxide reductase (NOR) from P. denitrificans is a membrane-bound protein complex that catal... more Nitric oxide reductase (NOR) from P. denitrificans is a membrane-bound protein complex that catalyses the reduction of NO to N 2 O (2NO + 2e − + 2H + → N 2 O + H 2 O) as part of the denitrification process. Even though NO reduction is a highly exergonic reaction, and NOR belongs to the superfamily of O 2 -reducing, proton-pumping heme-copper oxidases (HCuOs), previous measurements have indicated that the reaction catalyzed by NOR is non-electrogenic, i.e. not contributing to the proton electrochemical gradient. Since electrons are provided by donors in the periplasm, this non-electrogenicity implies that the substrate protons are also taken up from the periplasm. Here, using direct measurements in liposomereconstituted NOR during reduction of both NO and the alternative substrate O 2 , we demonstrate that protons are indeed consumed from the 'outside'. First, multiple turnover reduction of O 2 resulted in an increase in pH on the outside of the NOR-vesicles. Second, comparison of electrical potential generation in NOR-liposomes during oxidation of the reduced enzyme by either NO or O 2 shows that the proton transfer signals are very similar for the two substrates proving the usefulness of O 2 as a model substrate for these studies. Last, optical measurements during single-turnover oxidation by O 2 show electron transfer coupled to proton uptake from outside the NOR-liposomes with a τ = 15 ms, similar to results obtained for net proton uptake in solubilised NOR [U. Flock, N.J. Watmough, P. Ädelroth, Electron/proton coupling in bacterial nitric oxide reductase during reduction of oxygen, Biochemistry 44 (2005) 10711-10719]. NOR must thus contain a proton transfer pathway leading from the periplasmic surface into the active site. Using homology modeling with the structures of HCuOs as templates, we constructed a 3D model of the NorB catalytic subunit from P. denitrificans in order to search for such a pathway. A plausible pathway, consisting of conserved protonatable residues, is suggested.
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Papers by Alf Honigmann