Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Sevde Puza, Stefanie Caesar, Chetan Poojari, Michael Jung, Ralf Seemann, Jochen S. Hub, Bianca Schrul, Jean-Baptiste Fleury
Summary: Lipid droplets (LDs) are organelles derived from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane and play a crucial role in lipid storage. The distribution of proteins between phospholipid bilayer and LD monolayer membranes is determined by the collective properties of protein-intrinsic and lipid-mediated features. In this study, researchers produced a freestanding phospholipid bilayer using microfluidics and observed the insertion of micrometer-sized LDs into the bilayer. They found that the LDs presented a lens shape and there was a diffusion barrier between the LD monolayer and the bilayer. This barrier may influence the partitioning of proteins between the ER membrane and LDs in living cells.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ons Hmam, Antonella Badia
Summary: The surface-confined redox reaction triggers the formation of high surface coverage bilayers on gold surfaces. This method is rapid, compatible with various charged phospholipids, and is not affected by the phase state of the phospholipids.
ADVANCED MATERIALS INTERFACES
(2022)
Article
Biophysics
Autumn A. Anthony, Osman Sahin, Murat Kaya Yapici, Daniel Rogers, Aurelia R. Honerkamp-Smith
Summary: This study systematically measured the coefficient of interleaflet friction in supported lipid membranes using a microfluidic technique. The results showed that this technique provides reproducible measurements of the friction coefficient and is sensitive enough to detect differences in friction between different lipid membranes. Adding cholesterol significantly increased interleaflet friction. Additionally, fluid shear stress was found to reversibly induce the gel phase in supported lipid bilayers close to the gel-transition temperature.
BIOPHYSICAL JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mikhail Matveyenka, Kiryl Zhaliazka, Stanislav Rizevsky, Dmitry Kurouski
Summary: The abrupt aggregation of misfolded proteins is a hallmark of amyloid pathologies, and lipids appear to play a role in this process. This study demonstrates that certain lipids can uniquely alter the aggregation rates and secondary structure of the lysozyme protein. Additionally, the presence of specific lipids is associated with reduced production of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial dysfunction, suggesting that changes in lipid composition may trigger the formation of toxic protein species.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Volker S. Urban, Raquel L. Lieberman, Wellington C. Leite, Yuqi Wu, Sai Venkatesh Pingali
Summary: This study investigates the impact of the single chain detergent DDM on the morphology of bicelles. DDM is able to reshape the bicelles at different temperatures, which is crucial for understanding lipid membrane self-organization and optimizing lipid mimics in membrane biology research.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Madhurima Chattopadhyay, Emilia Krok, Hanna Orlikowska, Petra Schwille, Henri G. Franquelim, Lukasz Piatkowski
Summary: The research introduces a new method to obtain dehydrated, phase-separated, supported lipid bilayers solely by controlling the decrease of relative humidity in the environment, facilitating the study of lipid bilayer structure and dynamics. The study shows that dehydration significantly affects lipid mobility, while the lipid domain structure of phase-separated SLBs remains largely unaffected by the presence of hydration layer.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yanyun Lin, Xingjuan Wu, Kaicheng Wang, Sen Shang, Yubin Gong, Hongwei Zhao, Dai Wu, Peng Zhang, Xiaoyun Lu
Summary: This study examined the THz spectrum of several phospholipid components in biological membranes and found different resonant absorption patterns. The absorption peak at approximately 3.0 THz of DSPE and DPPC was confirmed to originate from a collective vibration of their hydrophobic tails. Additionally, irradiation at 3.1 THz significantly enhanced cell membrane fluidity and improved phagocytosis.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Philip N. Jemmett, David C. Milan, Richard J. Nichols, Thomas Howitt, Alexandra L. Martin, Thomas Arnold, Jonathan L. Rawle, Christopher L. Nicklin, Timothy R. Dafforn, Liam R. Cox, Sarah L. Horswell
Summary: This study investigates the behavior of sphingolipids in an electric field using electrochemical and structural methods. It is found that sphingomyelin and di-palmitoyl phosphatidylcholine have similar bilayer properties, but sphingomyelin maintains its tilt even at higher electric field strengths. This behavior may be related to the disruption of the hydrogen-bonding network in sphingomyelin molecules.
Article
Electrochemistry
Inga Gabriunaite, Gintaras Valincius, Albinas Zilinskas, Ausra Valiuniene
Summary: Silane compound synthesized via click chemistry can form self-assembled monolayers on metal oxide conducting films, resulting in electrically insulating tethered bilayer membranes (tBLMs). The tBLMs, containing water-ion reservoir, demonstrate biological relevance and the ability to reconstitute specific protein channels. The addition of cholesterol can mitigate membrane damage caused by certain proteins. This biomimetic membrane system can be regenerated multiple times without losing functionality.
JOURNAL OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Yu P. Zhang, Evgeniia Lobanova, Derya Emin, Sergey V. Lobanov, Antonina Kouli, Caroline H. Williams-Gray, David Klenerman
Summary: This study introduces a new method for the diagnosis of early Parkinson's disease. The results show that the proportion of soluble alpha-synuclein aggregates can distinguish between Parkinson's disease patients and control groups, with Parkinson's disease patients having a higher proportion of larger and rounder alpha-synuclein aggregates. By combining the number and morphology of the aggregates, a new biomarker with improved accuracy for early Parkinson's disease diagnosis was constructed.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nathan E. Thomas, Wei Feng, Katherine A. Henzler-Wildman
Summary: This study presents a new method for measuring transport stoichiometry using solid supported membrane electrophysiology (SSME), which greatly improves throughput and allows verification of specific transport ratios for various ion-coupled transporters.
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mikhail Matveyenka, Stanislav Rizevsky, Dmitry Kurouski
Summary: Phosphatidylserine (PS) in the plasma membrane is crucial for cell signaling and apoptosis. The degree of unsaturation of fatty acids in PS affects the rate of insulin aggregation, and insulin aggregates formed in the presence of PS have lower toxicity compared to insulin fibrils in a lipid-free environment.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kiryl Zhaliazka, Mikhail Matveyenka, Dmitry Kurouski
Summary: Abrupt aggregation of amyloid beta(1-42) (Aβ) peptide is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and lipids have been found to uniquely alter the rate and structure of Aβ(1-42) aggregation. In this study, the effect of phosphatidylcholine (PC), cardiolipin (CL), and cholesterol (Chol) on Aβ(1-42) aggregation was investigated. The results showed that these lipids significantly accelerated the rate of fibril formation and modified the secondary structure of Aβ(1-42) aggregates.
Article
Biophysics
Beatrice Barletti, Giacomo Lucchesi, Stefano Muscat, Silvia Errico, Denise Barbut, Andrea Danani, Michael Zasloff, Gianvito Grasso, Fabrizio Chiti, Gabriella Caminati
Summary: Trodusquemine, an amphipathic aminosterol, has shown therapeutic benefit in neurodegenerative diseases by altering the binding of misfolded proteins to the cell membrane. This study investigated the interaction between Trodusquemine and lipid monolayers, and found that Trodusquemine evenly distributed in the lipid monolayer and influenced the organization of lipid rafts within the neuronal membrane in a dose-dependent manner.
COLLOIDS AND SURFACES B-BIOINTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
David Siniscalco, Gregory Francius, Mounir Tarek, Semiha Kevser Bali, Olivier Laprevote, Catherine Malaplate, Thierry Oster, Lynn Pauron, Fabienne Quiles
Summary: Deciphering the mechanism of Alzheimer's disease is crucial for designing effective therapeutic strategies. This study combined molecular dynamics calculations, atomic force microscopy, and infrared spectroscopy to investigate the interaction between beta-amyloid (A beta(1-42)) peptide and supported lipid bilayers (SLBs). The findings suggest that A beta can remain stable in its native environment and cause membrane destabilization when interacting with SLBs, highlighting its damaging effects.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Rita Del Giudice, Alessandra Pesce, Flora Cozzolino, Maria Monti, Annalisa Relini, Renata Piccoli, Angela Arciello, Daria Maria Monti
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Claudia Capitini, Jayneil R. Patel, Antonino Natalello, Cristiano D'Andrea, Annalisa Relini, James A. Jarvis, Leila Birolo, Alessia Peduzzo, Michele Vendruscolo, Paolo Matteini, Christopher M. Dobson, Alfonso De Simone, Fabrizio Chiti
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2018)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
P. Patrizia Mangione, Guglielmo Verona, Alessandra Corazza, Julien Marcoux, Diana Canetti, Sofia Giorgetti, Sara Raimondi, Monica Stoppini, Marilena Esposito, Annalisa Relini, Claudio Canale, Maurizia Valli, Loredana Marchese, Giulia Faravelli, Laura Obici, Philip N. Hawkins, Graham W. Taylor, Julian D. Gillmore, Mark B. Pepys, Vittorio Bellotti
JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY
(2018)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Chiara Lambruschini, Silvia Villa, Luca Banfi, Fabio Canepa, Fabio Morana, Annalisa Relini, Paola Riani, Renata Riva, Fulvio Silvetti
BEILSTEIN JOURNAL OF NANOTECHNOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Cristiano D'Andrea, Antonino Foti, Maximilien Cottat, Martina Banchelli, Claudia Capitini, Francesco Barreca, Claudio Canale, Marella de Angelis, Annalisa Relini, Onofrio M. Marago, Roberto Pini, Fabrizio Chiti, Pietro G. Gucciardi, Paolo Matteini
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Claudia Capitini, Giulia Fani, Mirella Vivoli Vega, Amanda Penco, Claudio Canale, Lisa D. Cabrita, Martino Calamai, John Christodoulou, Annalisa Relini, Fabrizio Chiti
Summary: The study found that both the full-length and C-terminal domain of TDP-43 have a tendency to form filaments under in vitro conditions, and these filaments possess a largely disordered secondary structure. Additionally, the filaments do not exhibit clear amyloid-like characteristics.
AMYLOID-JOURNAL OF PROTEIN FOLDING DISORDERS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Marta Campora, Claudio Canale, Elena Gatta, Bruno Tasso, Erik Laurini, Annalisa Relini, Sabrina Pricl, Marco Catto, Michele Tonelli
Summary: Two series of naphthoquinone and anthraquinone derivatives have been synthesized and evaluated for their potential in targeting factors involved in Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis. Naphthoquinone 2 showed strong inhibitory activity against key enzymes and protein aggregation related to AD, making it a promising candidate for therapy.
ACS CHEMICAL NEUROSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ester Canepa, Sebastian Salassi, Federica Simonelli, Riccardo Ferrando, Ranieri Rolandi, Chiara Lambruschini, Fabio Canepa, Silvia Dante, Annalisa Relini, Giulia Rossi
Summary: Studies comparing the effects of negatively and positively charged gold nanoparticles on model neutral lipid membranes show that neither type significantly damages the liposomes. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that there is no difference in energy barriers for membrane penetration between the two types of charged nanoparticles.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ester Canepa, Davide Bochicchio, Matteo Gasbarri, Davide Odino, Claudio Canale, Riccardo Ferrando, Fabio Canepa, Francesco Stellacci, Giulia Rossi, Silvia Dante, Annalisa Relini
Summary: Cholesterol content in plasma membranes affects the passive internalization of amphiphilic gold nanoparticles within lipid bilayers, leading to a significant reduction in the amount of internalized nanoparticles.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Samira Jadavi, Ester Canepa, Alberto Diaspro, Claudio Canale, Annalisa Relini, Silvia Dante
Summary: This study investigated the interactions of alpha-synuclein with neuronal membranes by modeling external and internal membrane leaflets with different lipid mixtures. The results showed that membranes composed of the internal leaflet mixture were more stable in the presence of alpha-syn, while damage to membranes made of the external leaflet mixture was concentration-dependent and related to lipid domain fluidity rather than the presence of negatively charged lipids.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ester Canepa, Annalisa Relini, Davide Bochicchio, Enrico Lavagna, Andrea Mescola
Summary: Functional peptides play a crucial role in biomedical and clinical applications. The interactions between peptides and cell membranes are non-specific and regulated by peptide amphipathicity and surface structural flexibility. The mechanistic details of peptide-membrane interactions are still poorly understood, limiting the biomimetic potential. Amphiphilic AuNPs provide a powerful tool to investigate these interactions.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ester Canepa, Davide Bochicchio, Giorgia Brosio, Paulo Henrique Jacob Silva, Francesco Stellacci, Silvia Dante, Giulia Rossi, Annalisa Relini
Summary: Membrane fusion is essential for eukaryotic cell functionality and is regulated by specialized proteins, lipid composition, and ion environment. Liposomes decorated with amphiphilic Au nanoparticles (AuLips) have been shown to act as tunable fusion machinery, triggered by divalent ions and tunable by liposome cholesterol content. This research provides new mechanistic details on the fusogenic activity of AuNPs and demonstrates their potential as artificial fusogenic agents for biomedical applications.
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Sajedeh Kerdegari, Paolo Canepa, Davide Odino, Reinier Oropesa-Nunez, Annalisa Relini, Ornella Cavalleri, Claudio Canale
Summary: This article reviews the advancements made in cell/tissue mechanics and adhesion using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)-based approaches. AFM offers high force sensitivity and a wide range of detectable forces, making it suitable for studying various biological issues. It enables accurate control of probe position during experiments, providing subcellular resolution mechanical maps of biological samples. The importance of mechanobiology in biotechnological and biomedical fields is recognized. The article discusses cell mechanosensing, the relationship between cell mechanical properties and pathological states (with a focus on cancer and neurodegenerative diseases), and the role of AFM in characterizing pathological mechanisms and developing new diagnostic tools using cell mechanics as tumor biomarkers. The article also highlights AFM's unique ability to study cell adhesion at the single-cell level and its relevance to understanding pathologies.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Silvia Errico, Giacomo Lucchesi, Davide Odino, Stefano Muscat, Claudia Capitini, Chiara Bugelli, Claudio Canale, Riccardo Ferrando, Gianvito Grasso, Denise Barbut, Martino Calamai, Andrea Danani, Michael Zasloff, Annalisa Relini, Gabriella Caminati, Michele Vendruscolo, Fabrizio Chiti
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ester Canepa, Sebastian Salassi, Anna Lucia de Marco, Chiara Lambruschini, Davide Odino, Davide Bochicchio, Fabio Canepa, Claudio Canale, Silvia Dante, Rosaria Brescia, Francesco Stellacci, Giulia Rossi, Annalisa Relini
