Membrane proteins reconstituted into phospholipid nanodiscs comprise a soluble entity accessible ... more Membrane proteins reconstituted into phospholipid nanodiscs comprise a soluble entity accessible to solution small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies. It is demonstrated that using SAXS data it is possible to determine both the shape and localization of the membrane protein cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) while it is embedded in the phospholipid bilayer of a nanodisc. In order to accomplish this, a hybrid approach to analysis of small-angle scattering data was developed which combines an analytical approach to describe the multi-contrast nanodisc with a free-form bead-model description of the embedded protein. The protein shape is then reconstructed ab initio to optimally fit the data. The result of using this approach is compared with the result obtained using a rigid-body description of the CYP3A4-in-nanodisc system. Here, the CYP3A4 structure relies on detailed information from crystallographic and molecular-dynamics studies of CYP3A4. Both modelling approaches arrive at very sim...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2011
It is well established that small sugars exert different types of stabilization of biomembranes b... more It is well established that small sugars exert different types of stabilization of biomembranes both in vivo and in vitro. However, the essential question of whether sugars are bound to or expelled from membrane surfaces, i.e., the sign and size of the free energy of the interaction, remains unresolved, and this prevents a molecular understanding of the stabilizing mechanism. We have used smallangle neutron scattering and thermodynamic measurements to show that sugars may be either bound or expelled depending on the concentration of sugar. At low concentration, small sugars bind quite strongly to a lipid bilayer, and the accumulation of sugar at the interface makes the membrane thinner and laterally expanded. Above ∼0.2 M the sugars gradually become expelled from the membrane surface, and this repulsive mode of interaction counteracts membrane thinning. The dual nature of sugar-membrane interactions offers a reconciliation of conflicting views in earlier reports on sugar-induced modulations of membrane properties.
Aqueous dispersions of mixed egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (PC) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) mo... more Aqueous dispersions of mixed egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (PC) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) modified distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE) were investigated with the purpose of determining shape, size, and conformation of the formed mixed micelles. The samples were prepared at a range of DSPEPEG to PC molar ratios ([DSPEPEG/PC] from 100:0 to 30:70) and with, respectively, DSPEPEG2000 and DSPEPEG5000, where 2000 and 5000 refer to the molar masses of the PEG chains. Particle shape and internal structure were studied using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The contrast of the micelles is different for X-rays and neutrons, and by combining SANS and SAXS, complementary information about the micelle structure was obtained. The detailed structure of the micelles was determined in a self-consistent way by fitting a model for the micelles to SANS and SAXS data simultaneously. In general, a model for the micelles with a hydrophobic core, surrounded by a dense hydrophilic layer that is again surrounded by a corona of PEG chains in the form of Gaussian random coils attached to the outer surface, is in good agreement with the scattering data. At high DSPEPEG contents, nearly spherical micelles are formed. As the PC content increases the micelles elongate, and at a DSPEPEG/PC ratio of 30:70, rodlike micelles longer than 1000 Å are formed. We demonstrate that by mixing DSPEPEG and PC a considerable latitude in controlling the particle shape is obtained. Our results indicate that the PEG chains in the corona are in a relatively unperturbed Gaussian random coil conformation even though the chains are far above the coil-coil overlap concentration and, therefore, interpenetrating. This observation in combination with the observed growth behavior questions that the "mushroom-brush" transition is the single dominating factor for determining the particle shape as assumed in previous theoretical work (Hristova, K.; Needham, D. Macromolecules 1995, 28, 991-1002). * Corresponding authors. E-mail: [email protected] (L.A.); hjelm@ lanl.gov (R.P.H.). Present address (L.A.): Department of Natural Sciences, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural Unviersity, Bü lowsvej 17,
Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, 2005
Monodispersed poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) nanoparticles, with hydrodynamic radius less t... more Monodispersed poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) nanoparticles, with hydrodynamic radius less than 50 nm at room temperature, have been synthesized in the presence of a large amount of emulsifiers. These microgel particles undergo a swollen-collapsed volume transition in an aqueous solution when the temperature is raised to around 34°C. The volume transition and structure changes of the microgel particles as a function of temperature are probed using laser light scattering and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) with the objective of determining the small particle internal structure and particle-particle interactions. Apart from random fluctuations in the crosslinker density below the transition temperature, we find that, within the resolution of the experiments, these particles have a uniform radial crosslinker density on either side of the transition temperature. This result is in contrast to previous reports on the heterogeneous structures of larger PNIPAM microgel particles, but in good agreement with recent reports based on computer simulations of smaller microgels. The particle interactions change across the transition temperature. At temperatures below the transition, the interactions are described by a repulsive interaction far larger than that expected for a hard sphere contact potential. Above the volume transition temperature, the potential is best described by a small, attractive interaction. Comparison of the osmotic second virial coefficient from static laser light scattering at low concentrations with similar values determined from SANS at 250-time greater concentration suggests a strong concentration dependence of the interaction potential.
Glycosylation affects the physical properties of proteins in a number of ways including solubilit... more Glycosylation affects the physical properties of proteins in a number of ways including solubility and aggregation behavior. To elucidate the mechanism underlying these effects, we have measured second virial coefficients (A 2 ) of the heavily glycosylated pheniophora lycii phytase (Phy) and its enzymatically deglycosylated counterpart (dgPhy) in native and in denatured form by means of small angle x-ray scattering. The measured A 2 -values show that the native forms of Phy and dgPhy are equally repulsive at the studied pH 8 where A 2 equals 10.9 5 0.1 Â 10 4 mL mol g À2 . However, when thermally denatured, the A 2 of dgPhy decreases to 9.0 5 0.2 Â 10 4 mL mol g À2 whereas it remained unchanged for Phy. In accord with earlier investigations, the p(r)-function measured here suggested that the glycans did not affect the peptide structure of the native protein.
Small-angle x-ray scattering was used for studying intermediate species, isolated after heat-indu... more Small-angle x-ray scattering was used for studying intermediate species, isolated after heat-induced aggregation of the A variant of bovine beta-lactoglobulin. The intermediates were separated in two fractions, the heated metastable dimer and heated metastable oligomers larger than the dimer. The pair distance distribution functions for the two intermediate fractions as well as for the native protein have been obtained by indirect Fourier transformation. In addition, the scattering intensity data for samples of the native protein at different concentrations were fitted using a combination of monomer and dimer form factors, which provides an estimate of the amount of monomer in solutions. By subtracting the contribution from the monomer, the scattering intensity from the dimer of the native protein can be determined and compared with the results for the metastable dimer. An ellipsoidal model was used to fit the data for the metastable dimer, and for comparison the same analysis was performed on the dimer of the native protein. The results show that the metastable dimer is more elongated than the dimer of the native protein and it occupies a volume 1.4-fold larger, in agreement with a more loose, partially unfolded conformation. The same ellipsoidal model was used to analyze the data for the fraction of larger metastable oligomers. In this case, an even more elongated ellipsoid was obtained, suggesting a linear association of monomers in the oligomers.
Research on the structure of proteins can bring forth a wealth of information about biological fu... more Research on the structure of proteins can bring forth a wealth of information about biological function and can be used to better understand the processes in living cells. This paper reports a new microfluidic sample preparation system for the structural investigation of proteins by Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS). The system includes hardware and software features for precise fluidic control, synchrotron beamline control, UV absorbance measurements and automated data analysis. The precise fluidic handling capabilities are used to transport and precisely position samples as small as 500 nL into the microfluidic chip's detection chambers.
Reverse micelle formation of the poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(propylene oxide) block-copolymer (EO)1... more Reverse micelle formation of the poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(propylene oxide) block-copolymer (EO)13(PO)30(EO)13 (L64) in p-xylene was investigated as a function of water content and copolymer content, using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). PEO/PPO block-copolymers are generally soluble in xylene but without forming aggregates. However, the effective block segregation increases dramatically upon addition of small amounts of water, and micelles form. The SANS data were analyzed using an absolute scale model fitting approach. This way, a detailed quantitative description of the system in terms of unimer concentration, micelle structure, and aggregation number as well as particle-particle interactions can be obtained. This approach throws light on very atypical features of the system as compared to standard amphiphilic systems. Data from samples measured along water-swelling lines with fixed EO/p-xylene-d10 molar ratios show that reverse micelles are formed at the water/EO molar ratio, W0 congruent with 0.2, independent of copolymer concentration. The majority of the block-copolymers are on a free monomer state (unimer state) at this W0. Increasing W0 above 0.2 only has a small effect on the micelle size. However, it does induce a strong increase of the total number of micelles and induce a corresponding decrease of the unimer concentration. On the other hand, increasing the overall copolymer concentration at fixed W0 gives rise to a significant decrease of the micelle size in terms of the micellar aggregation number. This observed behavior is totally different from what is normally observed for binary surfactant-solvent systems and droplet micro-emulsion systems, respectively. We believe that the atypical behavior is a result of the unusually weak segregation in the system, and we are not aware of previous discussions of the phenomenon for reverse micellar systems.
Controlled self-assembly (SA) of proteins offers the possibility to tune their properties or to c... more Controlled self-assembly (SA) of proteins offers the possibility to tune their properties or to create new materials. Herein, we present the synthesis of a modified human insulin (HI) with two distinct metal-ion binding sites, one native, the other abiotic, enabling hierarchical SA through coordination with two different metal ions. Selective attachment of an abiotic 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy) ligand to HI, yielding HI-bipy, enabled Zn(II) -binding hexamers to SA into trimers of hexamers, [[HI-bipy]6 ]3 , driven by octahedral coordination to a Fe(II) ion. The structures were studied in solution by small-angle X-ray scattering and on surfaces with AFM. The abiotic metal ligand had a higher affinity for Fe(II) than Zn(II) ions, enabling control of the hexamer formation with Zn(II) and the formation of trimers of hexamers with Fe(II) ions. This precise control of protein SA to give oligomers of oligomers provides nanoscale structures with potential applications in nanomedicine.
Aqueous mixtures of egg-yolk lecithin and the bile salt glycochenodeoxycholic acid sodium salt ar... more Aqueous mixtures of egg-yolk lecithin and the bile salt glycochenodeoxycholic acid sodium salt are studied using small-angle neutron scattering. Upon dilution, the shape and size of the aggregates change dramatically. This is due to very different critical micellar concentrations and spontaneous curvatures of lecithin and bile salt. At high concentrations, cylindrical micelles with a length of a few hundred angstroms are formed. As the samples are diluted, the length of the micelles first decreases and then increases by a factor of 3, their flexibility becomes noticeable, and the micelles can be described as semiflexible cylindrical micelles, also known as wormlike micelles. We have developed a mathematical model for the scattering of the wormlike micelles, which takes into account the intermicellar interaction effects. By the simultaneous fitting of the scattering data from a range of concentrations, the concentration-dependent growth law of the micelles can be parametrized. The obtained growth law of the mixed micelles is compared to the growth laws observed in simple micellar systems.
Synaptic vesicles (SVs) are small, membrane-bound organelles that are found in the synaptic termi... more Synaptic vesicles (SVs) are small, membrane-bound organelles that are found in the synaptic terminal of neurons, and which are crucial in neurotransmission. After a rise in internal [Ca 2þ ] during neuronal stimulation, SVs fuse with the plasma membrane releasing their neurotransmitter content, which then signals neighboring neurons. SVs are subsequently recycled and refilled with neurotransmitter for further rounds of release. Recently, tremendous progress has been made in elucidating the molecular composition of SVs, as well as putative protein-protein interactions. However, what is lacking is an empirical description of SV structure at the supramolecular level-which is necessary to enable us to fully understand the processes of membrane fusion, retrieval, and recycling. Using small-angle x-ray scattering, we have directly investigated the size and structure of purified SVs. From this information, we deduced detailed size and density parameters for the protein layers responsible for SV function, as well as information about the lipid bilayer. To achieve a convincing model fit, a laterally anisotropic structure for the protein shell is needed, as a rotationally symmetric density profile does not explain the data. Not only does our model confirm many of the preexisting ideas concerning SV structure, but also for the first time, to our knowledge, it indicates structural refinements, such as the presence of protein microdomains.
Structural and functional aspects of high-density lipoproteins have been studied for over half a ... more Structural and functional aspects of high-density lipoproteins have been studied for over half a century. Due to the plasticity of this highly complex system, new aspects continue to be discovered. Here, we present a structural study of the human Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) and investigate the role of its N-terminal domain, the so-called globular domain of ApoA1, in discoidal complexes with phospholipids and increasing amounts of cholesterol. Using a combination of solution-based small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and molecular constrained data modeling, we show that the ApoA1-1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC)-based particles are disk shaped with an elliptical cross section and composed by a central lipid bilayer surrounded by two stabilizing ApoA1 proteins. This structure is very similar to the particles formed in the so-called nanodisc system, which is based on N-terminal truncated ApoA1 protein. Although it is commonly agreed that the nanodisc is plain disk s...
Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology, Jan 6, 2015
De novo design and chemical synthesis of proteins and of other artificial structures, which mimic... more De novo design and chemical synthesis of proteins and of other artificial structures, which mimic them, is a central strategy for understanding protein folding and for accessing proteins with novel functions. We have previously described carbohydrates as templates for the assembly of artificial proteins, so called carboproteins. The hypothesis is that the template pre-organizes the secondary structure elements and directs the formation of a tertiary structure, thus achieving structural economy in the combination of peptide, linker, and template. We speculate that the structural information from the template could facilitate protein folding. Here we report the design and synthesis of 3-helix bundle carboproteins on deoxy-hexopyranosides. The carboproteins were analyzed by CD, AUC, SAXS, and NMR, which revealed the formation of the first compact, and folded monomeric carboprotein distinctly different to a molten globule.
Membrane proteins reconstituted into phospholipid nanodiscs comprise a soluble entity accessible ... more Membrane proteins reconstituted into phospholipid nanodiscs comprise a soluble entity accessible to solution small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) studies. It is demonstrated that using SAXS data it is possible to determine both the shape and localization of the membrane protein cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) while it is embedded in the phospholipid bilayer of a nanodisc. In order to accomplish this, a hybrid approach to analysis of small-angle scattering data was developed which combines an analytical approach to describe the multi-contrast nanodisc with a free-form bead-model description of the embedded protein. The protein shape is then reconstructed ab initio to optimally fit the data. The result of using this approach is compared with the result obtained using a rigid-body description of the CYP3A4-in-nanodisc system. Here, the CYP3A4 structure relies on detailed information from crystallographic and molecular-dynamics studies of CYP3A4. Both modelling approaches arrive at very sim...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2011
It is well established that small sugars exert different types of stabilization of biomembranes b... more It is well established that small sugars exert different types of stabilization of biomembranes both in vivo and in vitro. However, the essential question of whether sugars are bound to or expelled from membrane surfaces, i.e., the sign and size of the free energy of the interaction, remains unresolved, and this prevents a molecular understanding of the stabilizing mechanism. We have used smallangle neutron scattering and thermodynamic measurements to show that sugars may be either bound or expelled depending on the concentration of sugar. At low concentration, small sugars bind quite strongly to a lipid bilayer, and the accumulation of sugar at the interface makes the membrane thinner and laterally expanded. Above ∼0.2 M the sugars gradually become expelled from the membrane surface, and this repulsive mode of interaction counteracts membrane thinning. The dual nature of sugar-membrane interactions offers a reconciliation of conflicting views in earlier reports on sugar-induced modulations of membrane properties.
Aqueous dispersions of mixed egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (PC) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) mo... more Aqueous dispersions of mixed egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (PC) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) modified distearoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DSPE) were investigated with the purpose of determining shape, size, and conformation of the formed mixed micelles. The samples were prepared at a range of DSPEPEG to PC molar ratios ([DSPEPEG/PC] from 100:0 to 30:70) and with, respectively, DSPEPEG2000 and DSPEPEG5000, where 2000 and 5000 refer to the molar masses of the PEG chains. Particle shape and internal structure were studied using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The contrast of the micelles is different for X-rays and neutrons, and by combining SANS and SAXS, complementary information about the micelle structure was obtained. The detailed structure of the micelles was determined in a self-consistent way by fitting a model for the micelles to SANS and SAXS data simultaneously. In general, a model for the micelles with a hydrophobic core, surrounded by a dense hydrophilic layer that is again surrounded by a corona of PEG chains in the form of Gaussian random coils attached to the outer surface, is in good agreement with the scattering data. At high DSPEPEG contents, nearly spherical micelles are formed. As the PC content increases the micelles elongate, and at a DSPEPEG/PC ratio of 30:70, rodlike micelles longer than 1000 Å are formed. We demonstrate that by mixing DSPEPEG and PC a considerable latitude in controlling the particle shape is obtained. Our results indicate that the PEG chains in the corona are in a relatively unperturbed Gaussian random coil conformation even though the chains are far above the coil-coil overlap concentration and, therefore, interpenetrating. This observation in combination with the observed growth behavior questions that the "mushroom-brush" transition is the single dominating factor for determining the particle shape as assumed in previous theoretical work (Hristova, K.; Needham, D. Macromolecules 1995, 28, 991-1002). * Corresponding authors. E-mail: [email protected] (L.A.); hjelm@ lanl.gov (R.P.H.). Present address (L.A.): Department of Natural Sciences, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural Unviersity, Bü lowsvej 17,
Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, 2005
Monodispersed poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) nanoparticles, with hydrodynamic radius less t... more Monodispersed poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) nanoparticles, with hydrodynamic radius less than 50 nm at room temperature, have been synthesized in the presence of a large amount of emulsifiers. These microgel particles undergo a swollen-collapsed volume transition in an aqueous solution when the temperature is raised to around 34°C. The volume transition and structure changes of the microgel particles as a function of temperature are probed using laser light scattering and small angle neutron scattering (SANS) with the objective of determining the small particle internal structure and particle-particle interactions. Apart from random fluctuations in the crosslinker density below the transition temperature, we find that, within the resolution of the experiments, these particles have a uniform radial crosslinker density on either side of the transition temperature. This result is in contrast to previous reports on the heterogeneous structures of larger PNIPAM microgel particles, but in good agreement with recent reports based on computer simulations of smaller microgels. The particle interactions change across the transition temperature. At temperatures below the transition, the interactions are described by a repulsive interaction far larger than that expected for a hard sphere contact potential. Above the volume transition temperature, the potential is best described by a small, attractive interaction. Comparison of the osmotic second virial coefficient from static laser light scattering at low concentrations with similar values determined from SANS at 250-time greater concentration suggests a strong concentration dependence of the interaction potential.
Glycosylation affects the physical properties of proteins in a number of ways including solubilit... more Glycosylation affects the physical properties of proteins in a number of ways including solubility and aggregation behavior. To elucidate the mechanism underlying these effects, we have measured second virial coefficients (A 2 ) of the heavily glycosylated pheniophora lycii phytase (Phy) and its enzymatically deglycosylated counterpart (dgPhy) in native and in denatured form by means of small angle x-ray scattering. The measured A 2 -values show that the native forms of Phy and dgPhy are equally repulsive at the studied pH 8 where A 2 equals 10.9 5 0.1 Â 10 4 mL mol g À2 . However, when thermally denatured, the A 2 of dgPhy decreases to 9.0 5 0.2 Â 10 4 mL mol g À2 whereas it remained unchanged for Phy. In accord with earlier investigations, the p(r)-function measured here suggested that the glycans did not affect the peptide structure of the native protein.
Small-angle x-ray scattering was used for studying intermediate species, isolated after heat-indu... more Small-angle x-ray scattering was used for studying intermediate species, isolated after heat-induced aggregation of the A variant of bovine beta-lactoglobulin. The intermediates were separated in two fractions, the heated metastable dimer and heated metastable oligomers larger than the dimer. The pair distance distribution functions for the two intermediate fractions as well as for the native protein have been obtained by indirect Fourier transformation. In addition, the scattering intensity data for samples of the native protein at different concentrations were fitted using a combination of monomer and dimer form factors, which provides an estimate of the amount of monomer in solutions. By subtracting the contribution from the monomer, the scattering intensity from the dimer of the native protein can be determined and compared with the results for the metastable dimer. An ellipsoidal model was used to fit the data for the metastable dimer, and for comparison the same analysis was performed on the dimer of the native protein. The results show that the metastable dimer is more elongated than the dimer of the native protein and it occupies a volume 1.4-fold larger, in agreement with a more loose, partially unfolded conformation. The same ellipsoidal model was used to analyze the data for the fraction of larger metastable oligomers. In this case, an even more elongated ellipsoid was obtained, suggesting a linear association of monomers in the oligomers.
Research on the structure of proteins can bring forth a wealth of information about biological fu... more Research on the structure of proteins can bring forth a wealth of information about biological function and can be used to better understand the processes in living cells. This paper reports a new microfluidic sample preparation system for the structural investigation of proteins by Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS). The system includes hardware and software features for precise fluidic control, synchrotron beamline control, UV absorbance measurements and automated data analysis. The precise fluidic handling capabilities are used to transport and precisely position samples as small as 500 nL into the microfluidic chip's detection chambers.
Reverse micelle formation of the poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(propylene oxide) block-copolymer (EO)1... more Reverse micelle formation of the poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(propylene oxide) block-copolymer (EO)13(PO)30(EO)13 (L64) in p-xylene was investigated as a function of water content and copolymer content, using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). PEO/PPO block-copolymers are generally soluble in xylene but without forming aggregates. However, the effective block segregation increases dramatically upon addition of small amounts of water, and micelles form. The SANS data were analyzed using an absolute scale model fitting approach. This way, a detailed quantitative description of the system in terms of unimer concentration, micelle structure, and aggregation number as well as particle-particle interactions can be obtained. This approach throws light on very atypical features of the system as compared to standard amphiphilic systems. Data from samples measured along water-swelling lines with fixed EO/p-xylene-d10 molar ratios show that reverse micelles are formed at the water/EO molar ratio, W0 congruent with 0.2, independent of copolymer concentration. The majority of the block-copolymers are on a free monomer state (unimer state) at this W0. Increasing W0 above 0.2 only has a small effect on the micelle size. However, it does induce a strong increase of the total number of micelles and induce a corresponding decrease of the unimer concentration. On the other hand, increasing the overall copolymer concentration at fixed W0 gives rise to a significant decrease of the micelle size in terms of the micellar aggregation number. This observed behavior is totally different from what is normally observed for binary surfactant-solvent systems and droplet micro-emulsion systems, respectively. We believe that the atypical behavior is a result of the unusually weak segregation in the system, and we are not aware of previous discussions of the phenomenon for reverse micellar systems.
Controlled self-assembly (SA) of proteins offers the possibility to tune their properties or to c... more Controlled self-assembly (SA) of proteins offers the possibility to tune their properties or to create new materials. Herein, we present the synthesis of a modified human insulin (HI) with two distinct metal-ion binding sites, one native, the other abiotic, enabling hierarchical SA through coordination with two different metal ions. Selective attachment of an abiotic 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy) ligand to HI, yielding HI-bipy, enabled Zn(II) -binding hexamers to SA into trimers of hexamers, [[HI-bipy]6 ]3 , driven by octahedral coordination to a Fe(II) ion. The structures were studied in solution by small-angle X-ray scattering and on surfaces with AFM. The abiotic metal ligand had a higher affinity for Fe(II) than Zn(II) ions, enabling control of the hexamer formation with Zn(II) and the formation of trimers of hexamers with Fe(II) ions. This precise control of protein SA to give oligomers of oligomers provides nanoscale structures with potential applications in nanomedicine.
Aqueous mixtures of egg-yolk lecithin and the bile salt glycochenodeoxycholic acid sodium salt ar... more Aqueous mixtures of egg-yolk lecithin and the bile salt glycochenodeoxycholic acid sodium salt are studied using small-angle neutron scattering. Upon dilution, the shape and size of the aggregates change dramatically. This is due to very different critical micellar concentrations and spontaneous curvatures of lecithin and bile salt. At high concentrations, cylindrical micelles with a length of a few hundred angstroms are formed. As the samples are diluted, the length of the micelles first decreases and then increases by a factor of 3, their flexibility becomes noticeable, and the micelles can be described as semiflexible cylindrical micelles, also known as wormlike micelles. We have developed a mathematical model for the scattering of the wormlike micelles, which takes into account the intermicellar interaction effects. By the simultaneous fitting of the scattering data from a range of concentrations, the concentration-dependent growth law of the micelles can be parametrized. The obtained growth law of the mixed micelles is compared to the growth laws observed in simple micellar systems.
Synaptic vesicles (SVs) are small, membrane-bound organelles that are found in the synaptic termi... more Synaptic vesicles (SVs) are small, membrane-bound organelles that are found in the synaptic terminal of neurons, and which are crucial in neurotransmission. After a rise in internal [Ca 2þ ] during neuronal stimulation, SVs fuse with the plasma membrane releasing their neurotransmitter content, which then signals neighboring neurons. SVs are subsequently recycled and refilled with neurotransmitter for further rounds of release. Recently, tremendous progress has been made in elucidating the molecular composition of SVs, as well as putative protein-protein interactions. However, what is lacking is an empirical description of SV structure at the supramolecular level-which is necessary to enable us to fully understand the processes of membrane fusion, retrieval, and recycling. Using small-angle x-ray scattering, we have directly investigated the size and structure of purified SVs. From this information, we deduced detailed size and density parameters for the protein layers responsible for SV function, as well as information about the lipid bilayer. To achieve a convincing model fit, a laterally anisotropic structure for the protein shell is needed, as a rotationally symmetric density profile does not explain the data. Not only does our model confirm many of the preexisting ideas concerning SV structure, but also for the first time, to our knowledge, it indicates structural refinements, such as the presence of protein microdomains.
Structural and functional aspects of high-density lipoproteins have been studied for over half a ... more Structural and functional aspects of high-density lipoproteins have been studied for over half a century. Due to the plasticity of this highly complex system, new aspects continue to be discovered. Here, we present a structural study of the human Apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) and investigate the role of its N-terminal domain, the so-called globular domain of ApoA1, in discoidal complexes with phospholipids and increasing amounts of cholesterol. Using a combination of solution-based small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) and molecular constrained data modeling, we show that the ApoA1-1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC)-based particles are disk shaped with an elliptical cross section and composed by a central lipid bilayer surrounded by two stabilizing ApoA1 proteins. This structure is very similar to the particles formed in the so-called nanodisc system, which is based on N-terminal truncated ApoA1 protein. Although it is commonly agreed that the nanodisc is plain disk s...
Chembiochem : a European journal of chemical biology, Jan 6, 2015
De novo design and chemical synthesis of proteins and of other artificial structures, which mimic... more De novo design and chemical synthesis of proteins and of other artificial structures, which mimic them, is a central strategy for understanding protein folding and for accessing proteins with novel functions. We have previously described carbohydrates as templates for the assembly of artificial proteins, so called carboproteins. The hypothesis is that the template pre-organizes the secondary structure elements and directs the formation of a tertiary structure, thus achieving structural economy in the combination of peptide, linker, and template. We speculate that the structural information from the template could facilitate protein folding. Here we report the design and synthesis of 3-helix bundle carboproteins on deoxy-hexopyranosides. The carboproteins were analyzed by CD, AUC, SAXS, and NMR, which revealed the formation of the first compact, and folded monomeric carboprotein distinctly different to a molten globule.
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Papers by Lise Arleth