Applications of neutron reflectometry in biology

Gerelli, Yuri

doi:10.1051/epjconf/202023604002

Cited by 9 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 68 publications

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“…The result of NR data modeling is a set of scattering length density profiles describing the distribution (or volume fraction) of nuclei along the perpendicular direction with respect to the supporting interface. − This information relates to the distribution of chemical species in the sample.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interaction of Caffeine with Model Lipid Membranes

2021

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Caffeine is not only a widely consumed active stimulant, but it is also a model molecule commonly used in pharmaceutical sciences. In this work, by performing quartz–crystal microbalance and neutron reflectometry experiments we investigate the interaction of caffeine molecules with a model lipid membrane. We determined that caffeine molecules are not able to spontaneously partition from an aqueous environment, enriched in caffeine, into a bilayer. Caffeine could be however included in solid-supported lipid bilayers if present with lipids during self-assembly. In this case, thanks to surface-sensitive techniques, we determined that caffeine molecules are preferentially located in the hydrophobic region of the membrane. These results are highly relevant for the development of new drug delivery vectors, as well as for a deeper understanding of the membrane permeation role of purine molecules.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interaction of Caffeine with Model Lipid Membranes

2021

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“…Reflectivity data were reduced using the SLIM module from the MOTOFIT reflectometry analysis software . The slab model was used to fit the reflectivity data. , To this end, we considered each slab as a layer of the sample that could be characterized by a particular neutron scattering length density (nSLD) value, differing from adjacent regions along the z direction . The structural information on deposited films was extracted from the reflectivity profile by corefining H 2 O- and D 2 O-based contrasts using the MOTOFIT reflectometry analysis software.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…37,38 To this end, we considered each slab as a layer of the sample that could be characterized by a particular neutron scattering length density (nSLD) value, differing from adjacent regions along the z direction. 39 The structural information on deposited films was extracted from the reflectivity profile by corefining H 2 O-and D 2 O-based contrasts using the MOTOFIT 40 reflectometry analysis software. Utilizing multiple solvent contrasts lowers the uncertainty of the structural model and allows the degree of solvent penetration to be determined.…”

Section: ■ Experimentalmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Assembly Mechanism and Mesoscale Architecture of Protein–Polysaccharide Complexes Formed at the Solid–liquid Interface

et al. 2022

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Protein–polysaccharide composite materials have generated much interest due to their potential use in medical science and biotechnology. A comprehensive understanding of the assembly mechanism and the mesoscale architecture is needed for fabricating protein–polysaccharide composite materials with desired properties. In this study, complex assemblies were built on silica surfaces through a layer-by-layer (LbL) approach using bovine beta-lactoglobulin variant A (βLgA) and pectin as model protein and polysaccharide, respectively. We demonstrated the combined use of quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and neutron reflectometry (NR) for elucidating the assembly mechanism as well as the internal architecture of the protein–polysaccharide complexes formed at the solid–liquid interface. Our results show that βLgA and pectin interacted with each other and formed a cohesive matrix structure at the interface consisting of intertwined pectin chains that were cross-linked by βLgA-rich domains. Although the complexes were fabricated in an LbL fashion, the complexes appeared to be relatively homogeneous with βLgA and pectin molecules spatially distributed within the matrix structure. Our results also demonstrate that the density of βLgA-pectin complex assemblies increased with both the overall and local charge density of pectin molecules. Therefore, the physical properties of the protein–polysaccharide matrix structure, including density and level of hydration, can be tuned by using polysaccharides with varying charge patterns, thus promoting the development of composite materials with desired properties.

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“…For further reading about examples of the biological work undertaken with NR please refer to review articles by Gerelli [72] , Wacklin [73] , Lakey [74] , Heinrich and Lösche [75] and Fragneto et al [76] . More technical details on performing NR experiments to examine protein-lipid interactions can be found in a methods chapter by us [77] .…”

Section: Nr Studies On Protein-lipid Complexesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unravelling the structural complexity of protein–lipid interactions with neutron reflectometry

Clifton

2021

Biochemical Society Transactions

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Neutron reflectometry (NR) is a large-facility technique used to examine structure at interfaces. In this brief review an introduction to the utilisation of NR in the study of protein–lipid interactions is given. Cold neutron beams penetrate matter deeply, have low energies, wavelengths in the Ångstrom regime and are sensitive to light elements. High differential hydrogen sensitivity (between protium and deuterium) enables solution and sample isotopic labelling to be utilised to enhance or diminish the scattering signal of individual components within complex biological structures. The combination of these effects means NR can probe buried structures such as those at the solid–liquid interface and encode molecular level structural information on interfacial protein–lipid complexes revealing the relative distribution of components as well as the overall structure. Model biological membrane sample systems can be structurally probed to examine phenomena such as antimicrobial mode of activity, as well as structural and mechanistic properties peripheral/integral proteins within membrane complexes. Here, the example of the antimicrobial protein α1-purothionin binding to a model Gram negative bacterial outer membrane is used to highlight the utilisation of this technique, detailing how changes in the protein/lipid distributions across the membrane before and after the protein interaction can be easily encoded using hydrogen isotope labelling.

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Applications of neutron reflectometry in biology

Cited by 9 publications

References 68 publications

Interaction of Caffeine with Model Lipid Membranes

Interaction of Caffeine with Model Lipid Membranes

The Assembly Mechanism and Mesoscale Architecture of Protein–Polysaccharide Complexes Formed at the Solid–liquid Interface

Unravelling the structural complexity of protein–lipid interactions with neutron reflectometry

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