AI Article Synopsis
Article Abstract
We investigated the existence of long-range excitations and correlated structures in phospholipid membranes by means of grazing-incidence neutron spin echo spectroscopy, grazing-incidence small-angle neutron scattering, and corresponding theoretical calculations inspired by smectic-membrane theory. All these methods confirmed the existence of thermal excitations in the plane of the surface of the phospholipid membranes or the corresponding structures, respectively. Also, these measurements revealed a temperature dependence of these excitations. These excitations are associated with 100 nm in-plane correlations around physiological temperatures and of 75 nm at 16 °C. A single excitation has an energy around the μeV-regime. A temperature series revealed a high abundance at physiological temperatures and pronounced long-range in-plane structures, which are strongly suppressed at temperatures below 20 °C. From the length-scales and energy transfers involved we surmise that these excitations may play a role in several functions of the cell membranes such as stability and energy dissipation along the membrane. From a fundamental point of view, the observed behavior of those excitations is congruent with that of a quasi-particle (surface mode phonon, smomon) that exists in the plane of phospholipid membranes.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemphyslip.2019.104788 | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Vesicle docking and fusion pore modulation by the neuronal calcium sensor Synaptotagmin-1.
Biophys J
December 2024
Cellular and Molecular Physiology, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT; Nanobiology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, CT; Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT; Saints-Pères Paris Institute for the Neurosciences (SPPIN), Université de Paris, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) UMR 8003, Paris, France; Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University. Electronic address:
Synaptotagmin-1 (Syt1) is a major calcium sensor for rapid neurotransmitter release in neurons and hormone release in many neuroendocrine cells. It possesses two tandem cytosolic C2 domains that bind calcium, negatively charged phospholipids, and the neuronal SNARE complex. Calcium binding to Syt1 triggers exocytosis, but how this occurs is not well understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRNA Order Regulates Its Interactions with Zwitterionic Lipid Bilayers.
Nano Lett
December 2024
Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Chemin du Musée 10, CH-1700 Fribourg, Switzerland.
RNA-lipid interactions directly influence RNA activity, which plays a crucial role in the development of new applications in medicine and biotechnology. However, while specific preferential behaviors between RNA and lipid bilayers have been identified experimentally, their molecular origin remains unexplored. Here we use molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the interaction between RNA and membranes composed of zwitterionic lipids at the atomistic level.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnique gel-like colony forming bacterium sp. nov., isolated from a membrane bioreactor (MBR) treating sewage.
Heliyon
October 2024
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology, Niigata, 940-2188, Japan.
A novel, gelatinous, colony-forming, rod-shaped bacterial strain, designated IK01 was isolated from biofilms formed on the membrane surface of a sewage-treating membrane bioreactor (MBR). Strain IK01 produced gelatinous and almost transparent colonies at lower medium concentrations. Fourier transform infrared analysis of the gelatinous colony matrix showed that the matrix could be a biofilm substance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEffect of hydrophobic proteins in modulating the mechanical properties of lung surfactant membranes.
Chem Phys Lipids
December 2024
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain; Research Institute Hospital 12 de Octubre (imas12), Madrid, Spain.
Pulmonary surfactant is a membranous complex that enables breathing dynamics at the respiratory surface. Extremely low values of surface tension are achieved at end-expiration thanks to a unique mixture of lipids and proteins. In particular, the hydrophobic surfactant proteins, specially the protein SP-B, are crucial for surfactant biophysical function, in order to provide the surfactant lipid matrix with the ability to form membranous multi-layered interfacial films that sustain optimal mechanical properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe Calcium-Dependent Antibiotics: Structure-Activity Relationships and Determination of Their Lipid Target.
ACS Infect Dis
December 2024
Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, 200 University Ave. West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L3G1, Canada.
The calcium-dependent antibiotics (CDAs) are a group of seven closely related membrane-active cyclic lipopeptide antibiotics (cLPAs) first isolated in the early 1980s from the fermentation broth of . Their target was unknown, and the mechanism of action is uncertain. Herein, we report new routes for the synthesis of CDA4b and its analogues, explore the structure-activity relationships at its lipid tail and at positions 3, 9, and 11, and determine the CDAs' lipid target.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!