A quantitative assay to study the lipid selectivity of membrane-associated systems using solution NMR

Abstract

The activity of membrane proteins and compounds that interact with the membrane is modulated by the lipid composition around them. However, there are no simple methods that determine the composition...

A Nanoscale Model System for the Human Myelin Sheath

“…Both SMA and SMA-SB solubilize all lipids in similar amount as they are present in the liposomes and only minor preferences are observed which is in accordance with literature. 22,39 Somewhat stronger deviations from liposomal compositions were found in the case of the PNS lipid mixture: while SMA appears to show a minor deficiency in cholesterol content and a higher amount of PC, SMA-SB prefers to solubilize anionic lipids. The latter effect was also observed in the CNS lipid mixture but to a smaller extent.…”

Supramolecular self-associating amphiphiles (SSAs) as enhancers of antimicrobial agents towards Escherichia coli (E. coli)

“…[14][15][16]20 This previous work has led us to hypothesise that SSA antimicrobial activity is linked to both molecular self-association and selective SSA:phospholipid complexation, resulting in molecular membrane permeation events. 15,16,25,26 Additionally, not only have we shown SSAs to arrive at the external microbial membrane as self-associated spherical aggregates, 16 but that these aggregates can incorporate small drug(like) guest species. 17 The summation of this evidence has therefore led us to hypothesise that this class of compound has the potential to act as efficacy enhancers for other therapeutic agents.…”

Zn2+ triggered two-step mechanism of CLIC1 membrane insertion and activation into chloride channels

“…While the structural rearrangements involved in this process are not yet fully understood, the molecular switch between the soluble and membrane bound forms is now elucidated. This enables, for the first time, the manipulation of CLIC1 localisation in cellular systems and the recombinant production of CLIC1 samples in the chloride channel form in membrane mimetic systems (Medina-Carmona et al, 2020), and provides a clear mechanism for the channel formation process of this unusual and clinically important protein.…”