Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dayane dos Santos Alvares, Ingrid Bernardes Santana Martins, Taisa Giordano Viegas, Mario Sergio Palma, Alexandre Suman de Araujo, Sidney Jurado de Carvalho, Joao Ruggiero Neto
Summary: The pH solution was found to impact peptide adsorption to anionic lipid membranes, with H-MP1 showing higher sensitivity to partitioning under acidic conditions compared to MP1.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Daeun Lee, Eunbi Lee, Sein Jang, Kyungmin Kim, Euni Cho, Seok-Jun Mun, Wooic Son, Hye-In Jeon, Hyo Keun Kim, Young Jin Jeong, Yuno Lee, Ji Eun Oh, Hye Hyun Yoo, Youngbok Lee, Sun-Joon Min, Chul-Su Yang
Summary: The serine protease inhibitor Rv3364c of Mycobacterium tuberculosis interacts with SNX9 to inhibit endosome trafficking and suppress TLR4 inflammatory signaling. A small molecule called DATPT, derived from Rv3364c, shows potent anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities in vitro and in vivo, and demonstrates significant therapeutic effects in a mouse model of sepsis.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2022)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Andreea Gostaviceanu, Simona Gavrilas, Lucian Copolovici, Dana Maria Copolovici
Summary: Membrane-active peptides (MAPs) have unique properties that make them valuable tools for studying membrane structure and function and promising candidates for therapeutic applications. They can selectively interact with multiple membranes and disrupt lipid bilayers through different pathways. MAPs have shown antimicrobial activity, selective targeting of cancer cells, and drug delivery capabilities, making them a fascinating class of biomolecules with significant potential in basic research and clinical applications.
Review
Cell Biology
Florina Zakany, Istvan M. Mandity, Zoltan Varga, Gyorgy Panyi, Peter Nagy, Tamas Kovacs
Summary: Every cell textbook states that the primary function of the plasma membrane is to separate cells and control the intracellular space. While most hydrophilic molecules larger than 1 kDa cannot permeate the hydrophobic cell membrane, cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) can do so without compromising membrane integrity. Coupling biologically relevant cargos to CPPs shows promise in delivering membrane-impermeable drugs into specific cell types. This review aims to outline the membrane penetration pathways of CPPs and examine how membrane properties influence their uptake mechanisms.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Alaguvel Valliammai, Anthonymuthu Selvaraj, Pandiyan Muthuramalingam, Arumugam Priya, Manikandan Ramesh, Shunmugiah Karutha Pandian
Summary: This study evaluated the inhibitory potential of thymol against MRSA by targeting its production of staphyloxanthin, resulting in increased sensitivity to oxidative stress and neutrophil killing. Thymol was found to interact with CrtM and inhibit staphyloxanthin, making MRSA cells more susceptible to antibiotic treatment. These findings suggest the therapeutic potential of thymol in combating MRSA infections.
BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Malgorzata Kubczak, Sylwia Michlewska, Michael Karimov, Alexander Ewe, Sandra Noske, Achim Aigner, Maria Bryszewska, Maksim Ionov
Summary: Polyethylenimines (PEIs) are efficient non-viral nanocarriers for nucleic acid delivery. Tyrosine modification of PEI reduces toxicity and increases membrane interaction. The effects are dependent on the PEI structure and molecular weight.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Estefania Fandino-Devia, Gloria A. Santa-Gonzalez, Maria C. Klaiss-Luna, Ibeth Guevara-Lora, Veronica Tamayo, Marcela Manrique-Moreno
Summary: This study evaluated the biological activity of the peptide &UDelta;M4 against melanoma cancer cell line A375, epidermoid carcinoma cell line A431, and non-tumoral HaCaT cells. The results showed that &UDelta;M4 exhibited higher activity against cancer cells compared to non-cancer cells. It also demonstrated membrane-disrupting effects and induction of phosphatidylserine translocation, indicating its potential as a selective agent for targeting cancer cells.
Article
Polymer Science
Amos Adeniyi, Danae Gonzalez-Ortiz, Celine Pochat-Bohatier, Sandrine Mbakop, Maurice S. Onyango
Summary: Cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) obtained from waste sawdust were used to modify the polyamide membrane, resulting in improved mechanical strength and stability. The modification of the membrane was confirmed by changes in zeta potential and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The presence of CNC reduced the degree of crosslinking and enhanced the membrane's robustness in acidic and alkaline solutions, as indicated by increased Young's modulus, maximum load, and tensile strength.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Gagandeep Kaur, Kazuho Nakamura, Kentaro Ogawa, Kenji Wakui
Summary: Being a promising and sustainable technology, Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) will be highly in demand in the future. The development of novel fouling monitoring indexes based on filtration properties enables more economical processes. The module clogging and fouling properties were monitored in a lab-scale MBR using visual observation, filtration resistance, and zeta potential.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Infectious Diseases
Barbara Skerlavaj, Gerard Boix-Lemonche
Summary: Due to antibiotic resistance, there is a need for antibiotics with novel mechanisms and targets. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) show promise due to their bactericidal action and broad activity spectrum. They can also promote tissue regeneration. AMP-based coatings on orthopaedic prostheses have potential for preventing device-related infections. This review focuses on covalently linked AMPs to titanium, their antimicrobial efficacy, mode of action, and cytocompatibility, aiming to identify suitable features and optimize coupling strategies for improved biological performance.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mingcong Niu, Xiulian Gu, Jingyi Yang, Haoyu Cui, Xinyi Hou, Yue Ma, Chunhua Wang, Guangcheng Wei
Summary: Bacterial drug resistance is a serious issue, and the development of effective antibacterial drugs is urgently needed. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) show great potential as candidates for fighting bacteria. In this study, a series of AMPs with specific biological characteristics were designed and synthesized. Among them, the glycolipidpeptide GLP6 demonstrated excellent antibacterial and immunomodulatory activity, stability, biocompatibility, biofilm eradication, and membrane penetrating activity.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Mingcong Niu, Xiulian Gu, Jingyi Yang, Haoyu Cui, Xinyi Hou, Yue Ma, Chunhua Wang, Guangcheng Wei
Summary: Bacterial drug resistance poses a serious threat, necessitating the development of effective antibacterial drugs. This study focused on the design and synthesis of glycolipidpeptides with excellent antibacterial and immunomodulatory activities, which exhibited sustained-release properties and combined sterilization effects. The results demonstrate the potential applications of this research.
Review
Microbiology
Nur Athirah Yusof, Noor Haza Fazlin Hashim, Izwan Bharudin
Summary: Psychrophilic organisms have adaptive strategies to live in cold temperatures, with studies on Antarctic psychrophiles providing insights into cold adaptation mechanisms. Research on Glaciozyma antarctica PI12 reveals its cold adaptation strategies at molecular and physiological levels.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tiffany Bellanger, David da Silva Barreira, Frank Wien, Patrice Delarue, Patrick Senet, Aurelie Rieu, Fabrice Neiers, Paloma Fernandez Varela, Sophie Combet, Stephanie Weidmann
Summary: This paper investigates the importance of four highly conserved residues in sHSP exhibiting lipochaperon activity at the protein structure and function level, demonstrating the significance of three amino acids in maintaining both the structure and function of Lo18.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Salman Ahmed, Waqas Alam, Khalaf F. Alsharif, Michael Aschner, Fuad M. Alzahrani, Luciano Saso, Haroon Khan
Summary: Malignant melanoma, a dangerous type of skin cancer, is becoming more common and resistant to treatment. Natural substances, particularly marine peptides, are being researched as alternative and safe treatments for melanoma.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nadine Angerer, Paulina Piller, Enrico F. Semeraro, Sandro Keller, Georg Pabst
Summary: Detergents are important for extracting membrane proteins, and this research investigated the solubilization of multi-component lipid membranes using a commonly used detergent. The results showed that the composition complexity of the lipids affects the solubilization behavior of the membranes.
BIOPHYSICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biophysics
Moritz P. K. Frewein, Paulina Piller, Enrico F. Semeraro, Orsolya Czakkel, Yuri Gerelli, Lionel Porcar, Georg Pabst
Summary: We used neutron spin-echo spectroscopy to study mechanical leaflet coupling in mammalian plasma membranes. Most asymmetric membranes exhibited anomalously high bending rigidities, exceeding those of symmetric membranes. Only asymmetric vesicles with sphingolipid-enriched outer leaflets showed bending rigidities similar to symmetric controls. No correlation was found between membrane stiffness and differential stress or membrane thickness changes. We speculate that an asymmetric distribution of charged or H-bond forming lipids may induce intra-leaflet coupling, increasing membrane stiffness.
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
James Jennings, Georg Pabst
Summary: In this article, a high-throughput synthesis of lipidoids that assemble into liquid crystalline phases is conducted. The screening approach leads to the discovery of 12 different lipidoid structures capable of forming bicontinuous double gyroid phases. Unexpected design criteria for phase selection are uncovered through small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data. Two examples of functional materials from lipidoid liquid crystals are demonstrated.
Article
Cell Biology
Nermina Malanovic, Djenana Vejzovic
Summary: The continuous use of antibiotics is associated with the spread of antimicrobial resistances and the unclear link to cancer development. Conventional antibiotics have different effects on various cancer types, raising questions about their rational use in cancer treatment. The complex link between antibiotics and cancer involves direct effects through specific targeting of tumor/cancer, antimicrobial activity, and immunomodulatory activity, as well as indirect effects primarily affecting the immune equilibrium between bacteria, cancer, and immune cells. Comprehensive screening programs and in-depth studies are needed to understand the risks and benefits of antibiotic use.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
James Jennings, Dunja Asceric, Enrico Federico Semeraro, Karl Lohner, Nermina Malanovic, Georg Pabst
Summary: The search for next-generation antibacterial compounds that overcome resistance can be advanced by understanding how to target bacterial cell membranes. This study investigates the effects of chemical functionality and molecular shape of lipid-like compounds on their activity against bacterial membranes. The results show that lipidoids with intermediate tail hydrophobicity and lower headgroup charge density exhibit the most potent antimicrobial properties. Furthermore, lipidoids that can self-assemble into an inverse hexagonal liquid crystalline phase have the lowest minimum effective concentration and induce the most significant membrane damage.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Matti Javanainen, Peter Heftberger, Jesper J. Madsen, Markus S. Miettinen, Georg Pabst, O. H. Samuli Ollila
Summary: Cholesterol plays a critical role in biomembranes, affecting their structure and dynamics. Molecular dynamics simulations are important tools for studying these effects; however, different force fields yield different predictions. In this study, we systematically evaluated the performance of commonly used force fields in describing the structure and dynamics of binary mixtures of palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) and cholesterol, using quantitative quality measures.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL THEORY AND COMPUTATION
(2023)
Article
Infectious Diseases
James Jennings, Dunja Asceric, Nermina Malanovic, Georg Pabst
Summary: Membrane-active molecules are a promising strategy to target and kill pathogenic bacteria. This study tested a library of lipid-like compounds against Gram-negative bacteria to understand the structure-activity relationships and mechanisms of antimicrobial activity. The results showed that specific structural features, including hydrophobicity and charge density, play a crucial role in the antibacterial activity.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Paulina Piller, Enrico F. Semeraro, Gerald N. Rechberger, Sandro Keller, Georg Pabst
Summary: The activity of integral membrane proteins is influenced by the properties of the lipid matrix. In this study, the researchers investigated the effect of transbilayer asymmetry on the activity of the membrane-embedded enzyme OmpLA. They found that increasing membrane asymmetry resulted in a decrease in the enzyme's activity. This study highlights the importance of membrane asymmetry in controlling membrane-protein activity.
Meeting Abstract
Biophysics
Enrico F. Semeraro, Paulina Piller, Sandro Keller, Georg Pabst
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Meeting Abstract
Biophysics
Moritz P. K. Frewein, Paulina Piller, Enrico F. Semeraro, Orsolya Czakkel, Yuri Gerelli, Lionel Porcar, Georg Pabst
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Philipp Grad, Katarina Edwards, Lars Gedda, Victor Agmo Hernandez
Summary: This study investigates the effects of polyethylene glycol-(PEG) modified lipids and gangliosides on the Ca2+ induced interaction between liposomes composed of palmitoyl-oleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (POPE) and palmitoyl-oleoyl phosphatidylserine (POPS) at physiological ionic strength. The results show that naked liposomes tend to adhere, rupture, and collapse on each other's surfaces upon addition of Ca2+, eventually resulting in the formation of large multilamellar aggregates and bilayer sheets. However, the presence of gangliosides or PEGylated lipids leads to the formation of small, long-lived bilayer fragments/disks. PEGylated lipids seem to be more effective than gangliosides at stabilizing these structures. The study suggests that direct liposome-liposome fusion is not the dominating process triggered by Ca2+ in the systems studied.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Saurabh Saraswat, Archana Chugh
Summary: Cell penetrating peptides (CPP) are important tools for intracellular delivery of molecules. In this study, a novel marine-derived CPP from Engraulis japonicus, called Engraulisin, was reported. Engraulisin demonstrated successful cellular uptake and selective antimicrobial activity against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), making it a potential candidate for drug delivery.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Emanuela Efodili, Ashlynn Knight, Maryem Mirza, Cedric Briones, Il-Hyung Lee
Summary: This study demonstrates the spontaneous transfer of small membrane-bound peptides between a supported lipid bilayer and giant unilamellar vesicles in vitro. The transfer occurs through the formation of hemi-fusion stalks and is limited to small peptides due to the highly curved structure of the stalk. This system provides a synthetic platform for studying peptide trafficking between synthetic membranes.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yueqi Niu, Si Jia Chen, Jeffery B. Klauda
Summary: Macrophage membranes in the activated state are more tightly packed, exhibit increased chain order across lipid species, and form specific lipid clusters. These findings provide physiologically accurate models for future computational studies of macrophage membranes and their proteins.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Niki Baccile, Vincent Chaleix, Ingo Hoffmann
Summary: This study measured the bending rigidity of self-assembled structures formed by a new biobased glucolipid bioamphiphile using neutron spin-echo (NSE) technology. The results showed that the bending rigidity of these structures is lower or higher compared to phospholipid membranes, providing a new theoretical basis for the application of these new molecular systems.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alain Bolano Alvares, Pablo E. A. Rodriguez, Gerardo D. Fidelio
Summary: The behavior of amphiphilic molecules at the air/water interface was studied to evaluate the arrangement formed in a confined area. The surface properties of zwitterionic DPPC lipid and A beta(1-40) amyloid peptide in mixed films were investigated at different temperatures. DPPC undergoes a phase transition depending on temperature and lateral pressure, which allows for the study of its influence on amyloid structure formation.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lukasz Plachta, Marzena Mach, Magdalena Kowalska, Pawel Wydro
Summary: Resveratrol, a popular phytoalexin found in grapes and red wine, has beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system, exhibits antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, and may have therapeutic effects against cancer. This study investigates the interaction of resveratrol with model cell membranes, demonstrating changes in their physicochemical parameters and highlighting the role of cholesterol content in resveratrol incorporation. The findings suggest that the molecular mechanism of action of resveratrol may involve interactions with lipid rafts.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Edurne Rujas, Beatriz Apellaniz, Johana Torralba, David Andreu, Jose M. M. Caaveiro, Shixia Wang, Shan Lu, Jose L. Nieva
Summary: This study investigates the role of fusion peptide and Trp-rich membrane proximal external region in HIV-1 fusion and demonstrates that liposome-based formulations containing FP-MPER hybrid peptides can induce the production of specific neutralizing antibodies in rabbits. The results support the use of liposomes as vaccine carriers and the inclusion of lipid membranes in immunogens to elicit specific humoral responses.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Dailin Li, Dingyuan Shi, Lei Wang
Summary: G protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels play a significant role in regulating cell excitability. This study investigated the ion permeation mechanism in GIRK2 mutants using molecular dynamic simulations and QM/MM methods. The results revealed the importance of a multi-ion distribution for ion conduction.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Max J. den Uijl, Arnold J. M. Driessen
Summary: Membrane protein insertion into and translocation across the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane are essential processes facilitated by the Sec translocon. The phospholipid dependence of membrane protein insertion has remained mostly unknown. This study reveals that the insertion of the mannitol permease MtlA into the membrane depends on the presence of phosphatidylglycerol and is stimulated by phosphatidylethanolamine.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Patrick Allen, Adam C. Smith, Vernon Benedicto, Abbas Abdulhasan, Vasanthy Narayanaswami, Enrico Tapavicza
Summary: We explore the stability, size, and structure of nanodiscs formed by the N-terminal domain of apolipoprotein E3 and a variable number of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine molecules. Our simulations suggest that nanodiscs containing 240 to 420 DMPC molecules are stable. The antiparallel configuration shows more protein-protein interactions and ionic contacts, as well as greater stability and rigidity compared to the parallel configuration.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Patrick M. Keating, Nicholas P. Schifano, Xinrui Wei, Matthew Y. Kong, Jinwoo Lee
Summary: Lassa virus (LASV) infection is dependent on the fusion of its viral membrane with the host cell membrane, and our study reveals that this fusion process involves pH-dependent conformational changes in the transmembrane domain of LASV. These findings provide valuable insights into the fusion mechanism of LASV and can be utilized in the design of therapeutics to combat Lassa virus infections and prevent its potential spread.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ashley L. Bennett, Kristen N. Cranford, Austin L. Bates, Christopher R. Sabatini, Hee-Seung Lee
Summary: This study employed molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the binding, folding, and insertion details of TP10W in the cell membrane. The simulations revealed that TP10W can translocate across the lipid membrane as a monomer, and the charged amino acid side chains can move between lipid leaflets. Comparison with point mutated variants demonstrated significant conformational changes due to charge distribution.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2024)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jessica H. van Wonderen, Jason C. Crack, Marcus J. Edwards, Thomas A. Clarke, Gerhard Saalbach, Carlo Martins, Julea N. Butt
Summary: Electrogenic bacteria transfer excess respiratory electrons to metal oxide particles and electrodes through the MtrCAB complex. The crystal structure of MtrCAB from S. baltica OS185 was resolved, and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry was used to determine the mass values of the three proteins in purified MtrCAB complexes.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2024)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yi-Ming Chen, Ching-Tai Lu, Chia-Wen Wang, Wolfgang B. Fischer
Summary: A series of dye ligands were ranked based on docking experiments, selecting the most suitable ligands for binding with different proteins. Additionally, a comparison study was conducted on a series of repurposing drugs and known antivirals.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2024)
