The Homeodomain Derived Peptide Penetratin Induces Curvature of Fluid Membrane Domains

BACKGROUND:Protein membrane transduction domains that are able to cross the plasma membrane are present in several transcription factors, such as the homeodomain proteins and the viral proteins such as Tat of HIV-1. Their discovery resulted in both new concepts on the cell communication during development, and the conception of cell penetrating peptide vectors for internalisation of active molecules into cells. A promising cell penetrating peptide is Penetratin, which crosses the cell membranes by a receptor and metabolic energy-independent mechanism. Recent works have claimed that Penetratin and similar peptides are internalized by endocytosis, but other endocytosis-independent mechanisms have been proposed. Endosomes or plasma membranes crossing mechanisms are not well understood. Previously, we have shown that basic peptides induce membrane invaginations suggesting a new mechanism for uptake, "physical endocytosis". METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Herein, we investigate the role of membrane lipid phases on Penetratin induced membrane deformations (liquid ordered such as in "raft" microdomains versus disordered fluid "non-raft" domains) in membrane models. Experimental data show that zwitterionic lipid headgroups take part in the interaction with Penetratin suggesting that the external leaflet lipids of cells plasma membrane are competent for peptide interaction in the absence of net negative charges. NMR and X-ray diffraction data show that the membrane perturbations (tubulation and vesiculation) are associated with an increase in membrane negative curvature. These effects on curvature were observed in the liquid disordered but not in the liquid ordered (raft-like) membrane domains. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:The better understanding of the internalisation mechanisms of protein transduction domains will help both the understanding of the mechanisms of cell communication and the development of potential therapeutic molecular vectors. Here we showed that the membrane targets for these molecules are preferentially the fluid membrane domains and that the mechanism involves the induction of membrane negative curvature. Consequences on cellular uptake are discussed

Non-Metabolic Membrane Tubulation and Permeability Induced by Bioactive Peptides

BACKGROUND: Basic cell-penetrating peptides are potential vectors for therapeutic molecules and display antimicrobial activity. The peptide-membrane contact is the first step of the sequential processes leading to peptide internalization and cell activity. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in peptide-membrane interaction are not well understood and are frequently controversial. Herein, we compared the membrane activities of six basic peptides with different size, charge density and amphipaticity: Two cell-penetrating peptides (penetratin and R9), three amphipathic peptides and the neuromodulator substance P. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Experiments of X ray diffraction, video-microscopy of giant vesicles, fluorescence spectroscopy, turbidimetry and calcein leakage from large vesicles are reported. Permeability and toxicity experiments were performed on cultured cells. The peptides showed differences in bilayer thickness perturbations, vesicles aggregation and local bending properties which form lipidic tubular structures. These structures invade the vesicle lumen in the absence of exogenous energy. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We showed that the degree of membrane permeabilization with amphipathic peptides is dependent on both peptide size and hydrophobic nature of the residues. We propose a model for peptide-induced membrane perturbations that explains the differences in peptide membrane activities and suggests the existence of a facilitated “physical endocytosis,” which represents a new pathway for peptide cellular internalization

Basic amphipathic model peptides: Structural investigations in solution, studied by circular dichroism, fluorescence, analytical ultracentrifugation and molecular modelling

A twenty amino acid residue long amphipathic peptide made of ten leucine and ten lysine residues and four derivatives, in which a tryptophan, as a fluorescent probe, is substituted for a leucine, are studied. The peptides in water are mainly in an unordered conformation (~90%), and undergo a two state reversible transition upon heating, leading to a partially helical conformation (cold denaturation). Time resolved fluorescence results show that fluorescence decay for the four Trp containing peptides is best described by triple fluorescence decay kinetics. In TFE/water mixture, peptides adopt a single α-helix conformation but the Leu-Trp9 substitution leads to an effective helix destabilizing effect. In salted media, the peptides are fully helical and present a great tendency to self associate by bringing the hydrophobic faces of helices into close contact. This proceeds in non-cooperative multisteps leading to the formation of α helix aggregates with various degrees of complexation. Using modelling, the relative hydrophobic surface areas accessible to water molecules in n-mer structures are calculated and discussed

Characterization of the desiccation of wheat kernels by multivariate imaging

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Structure and function of a mitochondrial late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) protein are revealed by desiccation

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Microbiome engineering for biopreservation of food

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Oxidative stability of DHA phenolic ester

International audienceDocosahexaenoic acid vanillyl ester (DHA-VE) was synthesized from docosahexaenoic acid ethyl ester (DHA-EE) and vanillyl alcohol by a solvent-free alcoholysis process catalysed by Candida antarctica lipase B. Oxidative stability of pure DHA-VE and the crude reaction medium consisting of 45% DHA-VE and 55% DHA-EE were compared with that of DHA-EE under various storage conditions. Oxidation progress was followed by determination of conjugated dienes and FTIR measurements. Analyses showed that DHA-EE was rapidly oxidised under all storage conditions in comparison with DHA-VE and crude reaction medium, whatever the temperature and the storage time. The grafting of vanillyl alcohol appeared as a powerful way to stabilize DHA against oxidation. Thanks to their stability, both DHA-VE and the crude reaction medium, allowing the production of the ester, offer huge potential as functional ingredients