Amphipols: polymeric surfactants for membrane biology research

Isolation of Escherichia coli mannitol permease, EIImtl, trapped in amphipol A8-35 and fluorescein-labeled A8-35

Amphipols (APols) are short amphipathic polymers that keep integral membrane proteins water-soluble while stabilizing them as compared to detergent solutions. In the present work, we have carried out functional and structural studies of a membrane transporter that had not been characterized in APol-trapped form yet, namely EII(mtl), a dimeric mannitol permease from the inner membrane of Escherichia coli. A tryptophan-less and dozens of single-tryptophan (Trp) mutants of this transporter are available, making it possible to study the environment of specific locations in the protein. With few exceptions, the single-Trp mutants show a high mannitol-phosphorylation activity when in membranes, but, as variance with wild-type EII(mtl), some of them lose most of their activity upon solubilization by neutral (PEG- or maltoside-based) detergents. Here, we present a protocol to isolate these detergent-sensitive mutants in active form using APol A8-35. Trapping with A8-35 keeps EII(mtl) soluble and functional in the absence of detergent. The specific phosphorylation activity of an APol-trapped Trp-less EII(mtl) mutant was found to be ~3× higher than the activity of the same protein in dodecylmaltoside. The preparations are suitable both for functional and for fluorescence spectroscopy studies. A fluorescein-labeled version of A8-35 has been synthesized and characterized. Exploratory studies were conducted to examine the environment of specific Trp locations in the transmembrane domain of EII(mtl) using Trp fluorescence quenching by water-soluble quenchers and by the fluorescein-labeled APol. This approach has the potential to provide information on the transmembrane topology of MPs.

Long-term stability of a vaccine formulated with the amphipol-trapped major outer membrane protein from Chlamydia trachomatis

Chlamydia trachomatis is a major bacterial pathogen throughout the world. Although antibiotic therapy can be implemented in the case of early detection, a majority of the infections are asymptomatic, requiring the development of preventive measures. Efforts have focused on the production of a vaccine using the C. trachomatis major outer membrane protein (MOMP). MOMP is purified in its native (n) trimeric form using the zwitterionic detergent Z3-14, but its stability in detergent solutions is limited. Amphipols (APols) are synthetic polymers that can stabilize membrane proteins (MPs) in detergent-free aqueous solutions. Preservation of protein structure and optimization of exposure of the most effective antigenic regions can avoid vaccination with misfolded, poorly protective protein. Previously, we showed that APols maintain nMOMP secondary structure and that nMOMP/APol vaccine formulations elicit better protection than formulations using either recombinant or nMOMP solubilized in Z3-14. To achieve a greater understanding of the structural behavior and stability of nMOMP in APols, we have used several spectroscopic techniques to characterize its secondary structure (circular dichroism), tertiary and quaternary structures (immunochemistry and gel electrophoresis) and aggregation state (light scattering) as a function of temperature and time. We have also recorded NMR spectra of (15)N-labeled nMOMP and find that the exposed loops are detectable in APols but not in detergent. Our analyses show that APols protect nMOMP much better than Z3-14 against denaturation due to continuous heating, repeated freeze/thaw cycles, or extended storage at room temperature. These results indicate that APols can help improve MP-based vaccine formulations.

In vivo characterization of the biodistribution profile of amphipol A8-35

Amphipols (APols) are polymeric surfactants that keep membrane proteins (MPs) water-soluble in the absence of detergent, while stabilizing them. They can be used to deliver MPs and other hydrophobic molecules in vivo for therapeutic purposes, e.g., vaccination or targeted delivery of drugs. The biodistribution and elimination of the best characterized APol, a polyacrylate derivative called A8-35, have been examined in mice, using two fluorescent APols, grafted with either Alexa Fluor 647 or rhodamine. Three of the most common injection routes have been used, intravenous (IV), intraperitoneal (IP), and subcutaneous (SC). The biodistribution has been studied by in vivo fluorescence imaging and by determining the concentration of fluorophore in the main organs. Free rhodamine was used as a control. Upon IV injection, A8-35 distributes rapidly throughout the organism and is found in most organs but the brain and spleen, before being slowly eliminated (10-20 days). A similar pattern is observed after IP injection, following a brief latency period during which the polymer remains confined to the peritoneal cavity. Upon SC injection, A8-35 remains essentially confined to the point of injection, from which it is only slowly released. An interesting observation is that A8-35 tends to accumulate in fat pads, suggesting that it could be used to deliver anti-obesity drugs.

Application of amphipols for structure-functional analysis of TRP channels

Amphipathic polymers (amphipols), such as A8-35 and SApol, are a new tool for stabilizing integral membrane proteins in detergent-free conditions for structural and functional studies. Transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels function as tetrameric protein complexes in a diverse range of cellular processes including sensory transduction. Mammalian TRP channels share ~20 % sequence similarity and are categorized into six subfamilies: TRPC (canonical), TRPV (vanilloid), TRPA (ankyrin), TRPM (melastatin), TRPP (polycystin), and TRPML (mucolipin). Due to the inherent difficulties in purifying eukaryotic membrane proteins, structural studies of TRP channels have been limited. Recently, A8-35 was essential in resolving the molecular architecture of the nociceptor TRPA1 and led to the determination of a high-resolution structure of the thermosensitive TRPV1 channel by cryo-EM. Newly developed maltose-neopentyl glycol (MNG) detergents have also proven to be useful in stabilizing TRP channels for structural analysis. In this review, we will discuss the impacts of amphipols and MNG detergents on structural studies of TRP channels by cryo-EM. We will compare how A8-35 and MNG detergents interact with the hydrophobic transmembrane domains of TRP channels. In addition, we will discuss what these cryo-EM studies reveal on the importance of screening different types of surfactants toward determining high-resolution structures of TRP channels.

Increased immunoaccessibility of MOMP epitopes in a vaccine formulated with amphipols may account for the very robust protection elicited against a vaginal challenge with Chlamydia muridarum

There is a need to implement a vaccine to protect against Chlamydia trachomatis infections. To test a new vaccine, mice were immunized with the Chlamydia muridarum native major outer membrane protein (nMOMP) solubilized with either amphipol A8-35 or the detergent Z3-14. OVA was used as a negative control, and mice were inoculated intranasally with C. muridarum as positive controls. Animals vaccinated with nMOMP mounted strong Chlamydia-specific humoral and cell-mediated immune responses. Mice vaccinated with nMOMP/A8-35 had a higher ratio of Abs to denatured elementary bodies (EB) over live EB, recognized more synthetic MOMP peptides and had higher neutralizing titers than sera from mice immunized with nMOMP/Z3-14. T cell lymphoproliferative responses and levels of IFN-γ were also higher in mice vaccinated with nMOMP/A8-35 than with nMOMP/Z3-14. Following immunization, animals were challenged intravaginally with C. muridarum. On the basis of the number of mice with positive vaginal cultures, length of vaginal shedding, total number of positive vaginal cultures, and number of Chlamydia inclusion forming units recovered, nMOMP/A8-35 elicited a more robust protection than nMOMP/Z3-14. By depleting T cells with Abs, we determined that CD4(+) and not CD8(+) T cells mediated the protection elicited by nMOMP/A8-35. Mice were subsequently mated, and based on the number of pregnant mice and number of embryos, animals that were vaccinated with nMOMP/A8-35 or nMOMP/Z3-14 had fertility rates equivalent to the positive control group immunized with live EB and the fertility controls. In conclusion, increased accessibility of epitopes in the nMOMP/A8-35 preparation may account for the very robust protection against infection and disease elicited by this vaccine.

Outer membrane protein F stabilised with minimal amphipol forms linear arrays and LPS-dependent 2D crystals

Amphipols (APol) are polymers which can solubilise and stabilise membrane proteins (MP) in aqueous solutions. In contrast to conventional detergents, APol are able to keep MP soluble even when the free APol concentration is very low. Outer membrane protein F (OmpF) is the most abundant MP commonly found in the outer membrane (OM) of Escherichia coli. It plays a vital role in the transport of hydrophilic nutrients, as well as antibiotics, across the OM. In the present study, APol was used to solubilise OmpF to characterize its interactions with molecules such as lipopolysaccharides (LPS) or colicins. OmpF was reconstituted into APol by the removal of detergents using Bio-Beads followed by size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) to remove excess APol. OmpF/APol complexes were then analysed by SEC, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM showed that in the absence of free APol-OmpF associated as long filaments with a thickness of ~6 nm. This indicates that the OmpF trimers lie on their sides on the carbon EM grid and that they also favour side by side association. The formation of filaments requires APol and occurs very rapidly. Addition of LPS to OmpF/APol complexes impeded filament formation and the trimers form 2D sheets which mimic the OM. Consequently, free APol is undoubtedly required to maintain the homogeneity of OmpF in solutions, but 'minimum APol' provides a new phase, which can allow weaker protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions characteristic of native membranes to take place and thus control 1D-2D crystallisation.

A detergent-free strategy for the reconstitution of active enzyme complexes from native biological membranes into nanoscale discs

Background

The reconstitution of membrane proteins and complexes into nanoscale lipid bilayer structures has contributed significantly to biochemical and biophysical analyses. Current methods for performing such reconstitutions entail an initial detergent-mediated step to solubilize and isolate membrane proteins. Exposure to detergents, however, can destabilize many membrane proteins and result in a loss of function. Amphipathic copolymers have recently been used to stabilize membrane proteins and complexes following suitable detergent extraction. However, the ability of these copolymers to extract proteins directly from native lipid bilayers for subsequent reconstitution and characterization has not been explored.

Results

The styrene-maleic acid (SMA) copolymer effectively solubilized membranes of isolated mitochondria and extracted protein complexes. Membrane complexes were reconstituted into polymer-bound nanoscale discs along with endogenous lipids. Using respiratory Complex IV as a model, these particles were shown to maintain the enzymatic activity of multicomponent electron transporting complexes.

Conclusions

We report a novel process for reconstituting fully operational protein complexes directly from cellular membranes into nanoscale lipid bilayers using the SMA copolymer. This facile, single-step strategy obviates the requirement for detergents and yields membrane complexes suitable for structural and functional studies.

From cells to peptides: "one-stop" integrated proteomic processing using amphipols

In proteomics, detergents and chaotropes are indispensable for proteome analysis, not only for protein extraction, but also for protein digestion. To increase the protein extraction efficiency, detergents are usually added in the lysis buffer to extract membrane proteins out of membrane structure and to maintain protein in solutions. In general, these detergents need to be removed prior to protein digestion, usually by precipitation or ultrafiltration. Digestion often takes place in the presence of chaotropic reagents, such as urea, which often need to be removed prior to mass spectrometry. The addition and removal of detergents and chaotropes require multiple steps that are time-consuming and can cause sample losses. Amphipols (APols) are a different class of detergents that have physical and solubilization properties that are distinct from conventional detergents. They have primarily been used in protein structure analysis for membrane protein trapping and stabilization. Here, we demonstrate a simple and rapid protocol for total and membrane proteome preparation using APols. We demonstrate that APols added for cell lysis help maintain the proteome in solution, are compatible with protein digestion using trypsin, and can readily be removed prior to mass spectrometry by a one-step acidification and centrifugation. This protocol is much faster, can be performed in a single tube, and can readily replace the conventional detergent/chaotrope approaches for total and membrane proteome analysis.

Examining protein-lipid complexes using neutron scattering

Studying the structure of protein-lipid complexes, be they in vesicles, planar bilayers, monolayers, or nanodiscs, poses two particular challenges. Firstly such complexes are often dynamic. Secondly we need to resolve the lipid and protein structures within the complex. Neutron scattering is well placed to help in both respects since it deals with molecules in large, complex, dynamic structures and can easily differentiate between different molecular species. This comes from the great penetrating power of neutrons and their sensitivity to the difference between hydrogen (H) and deuterium (D). Both membrane proteins and lipids can be produced with varying degrees of deuteration, thus allowing us to dissect complexes with great accuracy. Two main scattering techniques are immediately applicable to the study of protein-lipid interactions. Neutron reflection exploits the constructive interference, which occurs when neutrons are reflected from different points in a layer. An everyday example is the rainbow of colors reflected from an oil film on water, which result from varying film thickness and the angle of reflection. Neutrons because of their short wavelengths (4-15 Å) and H/D sensitivity can, in reflectometry mode, provide accurate cross sections of lipid monolayers and bilayers. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) can resolve the structures of protein-lipid complexes if they are present as homogeneous dispersions. This is easiest with detergent micelles, but increasingly methods are being developed whereby vesicles, nanodiscs, etc., can be resolved. Again the ability to deuterate proteins and lipids enables SANS to resolve the inner structure of big, dynamic, lipid-protein complexes. The recent introduction of advanced neutron beam lines means that the technique is now within the grasp of a broad cross section of researchers.

3D imaging and quantitative analysis of small solubilized membrane proteins and their complexes by transmission electron microscopy

Inherently unstable, detergent-solubilized membrane protein complexes can often not be crystallized. For complexes that have a mass of >300 kDa, cryo-electron microscopy (EM) allows their three-dimensional (3D) structure to be assessed to a resolution that makes secondary structure elements visible in the best case. However, many interesting complexes exist whose mass is below 300 kDa and thus need alternative approaches. Two methods are reviewed: (i) Mass measurement in a scanning transmission electron microscope, which has provided important information on the stoichiometry of membrane protein complexes. This technique is applicable to particulate, filamentous and sheet-like structures. (ii) 3D-EM of negatively stained samples, which determines the molecular envelope of small membrane protein complexes. Staining and dehydration artifacts may corrupt the quality of the 3D map. Staining conditions thus need to be optimized. 3D maps of plant aquaporin SoPIP2;1 tetramers solubilized in different detergents illustrate that the flattening artifact can be partially prevented and that the detergent itself contributes significantly. Another example discussed is the complex of G protein-coupled receptor rhodopsin with its cognate G protein transducin.

Computational design of membrane proteins

Membrane proteins are involved in a wide variety of cellular processes, and are typically part of the first interaction a cell has with extracellular molecules. As a result, these proteins comprise a majority of known drug targets. Membrane proteins are among the most difficult proteins to obtain and characterize, and a structure-based understanding of their properties can be difficult to elucidate. Notwithstanding, the design of membrane proteins can provide stringent tests of our understanding of these crucial biological systems, as well as introduce novel or targeted functionalities. Computational design methods have been particularly helpful in addressing these issues, and this review discusses recent studies that tailor membrane proteins to display specific structures or functions and examines how redesigned membrane proteins are being used to facilitate structural and functional studies.

Folding of diphtheria toxin T-domain in the presence of amphipols and fluorinated surfactants: Toward thermodynamic measurements of membrane protein folding

Solubilizing membrane proteins for functional, structural and thermodynamic studies is usually achieved with the help of detergents, which, however, tend to destabilize them. Several classes of non-detergent surfactants have been designed as milder substitutes for detergents, most prominently amphipathic polymers called 'amphipols' and fluorinated surfactants. Here we test the potential usefulness of these compounds for thermodynamic studies by examining their effect on conformational transitions of the diphtheria toxin T-domain. The advantage of the T-domain as a model system is that it exists as a soluble globular protein at neutral pH yet is converted into a membrane-competent form by acidification and inserts into the lipid bilayer as part of its physiological action. We have examined the effects of various surfactants on two conformational transitions of the T-domain, thermal unfolding and pH-induced transition to a membrane-competent form. All tested detergent and non-detergent surfactants lowered the cooperativity of the thermal unfolding of the T-domain. The dependence of enthalpy of unfolding on surfactant concentration was found to be least for fluorinated surfactants, thus making them useful candidates for thermodynamic studies. Circular dichroism measurements demonstrate that non-ionic homopolymeric amphipols (NAhPols), unlike any other surfactants, can actively cause a conformational change of the T-domain. NAhPol-induced structural rearrangements are different from those observed during thermal denaturation and are suggested to be related to the formation of the membrane-competent form of the T-domain. Measurements of leakage of vesicle content indicate that interaction with NAhPols not only does not prevent the T-domain from inserting into the bilayer, but it can make bilayer permeabilization even more efficient, whereas the pH-dependence of membrane permeabilization becomes more cooperative. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Protein Folding in Membranes.

Toward structure determination using membrane-protein nanocrystals and microcrystals

Membrane proteins are very important for all living cells, being involved in respiration, photosynthesis, cellular uptake and signal transduction, amongst other vital functions. However, less than 300 unique membrane protein structures have been determined to date, often due to difficulties associated with the growth of sufficiently large and well-ordered crystals. This work has been focused on showing the first proof of concept for using membrane protein nanocrystals and microcrystals for high-resolution structure determination. Upon determining that crystals of the membrane protein Photosystem I, which is the largest and most complex membrane protein crystallized to date, exist with only 100 unit cells with sizes of less than 200 nm on an edge, work was done to develop a technique that could exploit the growth of the Photosystem I nanocrystals and microcrystals. Femtosecond X-ray protein nanocrystallography was developed for use at the first high-energy X-ray free electron laser, the LCLS at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, in which a liquid jet brought fully-hydrated Photosystem I nanocrystals into the interaction region of the pulsed X-ray source. Diffraction patterns were recorded from millions of individual PSI nanocrystals and data from thousands of different, randomly oriented crystallites were integrated using Monte Carlo integration of the peak intensities. The short pulses (∼70fs) provided by the LCLS allowed the possibility to collect the diffraction data before the onset of radiation damage, exploiting the diffract-before-destroy principle. During the initial experiments at the AMO beamline using 6.9-Å wavelength, Bragg peaks were recorded to 8.5-Å resolution, and an electron-density map was determined that did not show any effects of X-ray-induced radiation damage [94]. Many additional techniques still need to be developed to explore the femtosecond nanocrystallography technique for experimental phasing and time-resolved X-ray crystallography experiments. The first proof-of-principle results for the femtosecond nanocrystallography technique indicate the incredible potential of the technique to offer a new route to the structure determination of membrane proteins.

Designer lipid-like peptides: a class of detergents for studying functional olfactory receptors using commercial cell-free systems

A crucial bottleneck in membrane protein studies, particularly G-protein coupled receptors, is the notorious difficulty of finding an optimal detergent that can solubilize them and maintain their stability and function. Here we report rapid production of 12 unique mammalian olfactory receptors using short designer lipid-like peptides as detergents. The peptides were able to solubilize and stabilize each receptor. Circular dichroism showed that the purified olfactory receptors had alpha-helical secondary structures. Microscale thermophoresis suggested that the receptors were functional and bound their odorants. Blot intensity measurements indicated that milligram quantities of each olfactory receptor could be produced with at least one peptide detergent. The peptide detergents' capability was comparable to that of the detergent Brij-35. The ability of 10 peptide detergents to functionally solubilize 12 olfactory receptors demonstrates their usefulness as a new class of detergents for olfactory receptors, and possibly other G-protein coupled receptors and membrane proteins.

Molecular architecture and subunit organization of TRPA1 ion channel revealed by electron microscopy

Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) is a non-selective ion channel, which is expressed in nociceptor sensory neurons and transduces chemical, inflammatory, and neuropathic pain signals. Numerous non-reactive compounds and electrophilic compounds, such as endogenous inflammatory mediators and exogenous pungent chemicals, can activate TRPA1. Here we report a 16-Å resolution structure of purified, functional, amphipol-stabilized TRPA1 analyzed by single-particle EM. Molecular models of the N and C termini of the channel were generated using the I-TASSER protein structure prediction server and docked into the EM density to provide insight into the TRPA1 subunit organization. This structural analysis suggests a location for critical N-terminal cysteine residues involved in electrophilic activation at the interface between neighboring subunits. Our results indicate that covalent modifications within this pocket may alter interactions between subunits and promote conformational changes that lead to channel activation.

Amphipols from A to Z

Amphipols (APols) are short amphipathic polymers that can substitute for detergents to keep integral membrane proteins (MPs) water soluble. In this review, we discuss their structure and solution behavior; the way they associate with MPs; and the structure, dynamics, and solution properties of the resulting complexes. All MPs tested to date form water-soluble complexes with APols, and their biochemical stability is in general greatly improved compared with MPs in detergent solutions. The functionality and ligand-binding properties of APol-trapped MPs are reviewed, and the mechanisms by which APols stabilize MPs are discussed. Applications of APols include MP folding and cell-free synthesis, structural studies by NMR, electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction, APol-mediated immobilization of MPs onto solid supports, proteomics, delivery of MPs to preexisting membranes, and vaccine formulation.

All-atom and coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of a membrane protein stabilizing polymer

Amphipathic polymers called amphipols (APols) have been developed as an alternative to detergents for stabilizing membrane proteins (MPs) in aqueous solutions. APols provide MPs with a particularly mild environment and, as a rule, keep them in a native functional state for longer periods than do detergents. Amphipol A8-35, a derivative of polyacrylate, is widely used and has been particularly well studied experimentally. In aqueous solutions, A8-35 molecules self-assemble into well-defined globular particles with a mass of ∼40 kDa and a R(g) of ∼2.4 nm. As a first step towards describing MP/A8-35 complexes by molecular dynamics (MD), we present three sets of simulations of the pure APol particle. First, we performed a series of all-atom MD (AAMD) simulations of the particle in solution, starting from an arbitrary initial configuration. Although AAMD simulations result in stable cohesive particles over a 45 ns simulation, the equilibration of the particle organization is limited. This motivated the use of coarse-grained MD (CGMD), allowing us to investigate processes on the microsecond time scale, including de novo particle assembly. We present a detailed description of the parametrization of the CGMD model from the AAMD simulations and a characterization of the resulting CGMD particles. Our third set of simulations utilizes reverse coarse-graining (rCG), through which we obtain all-atom coordinates from a CGMD simulation. This allows a higher-resolution characterization of a configuration determined by a long-timescale simulation. Excellent agreement is observed between MD models and experimental, small-angle neutron scattering data. The MD data provides new insight into the structure and dynamics of A8-35 particles, which is possibly relevant to the stabilizing effects of APols on MPs, as well as a starting point for modeling MP/A8-35 complexes.

Solubilization of native integral membrane proteins in aqueous buffer by noncovalent chelation with monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) polymers

Highly hydrophobic integral membrane proteins (IMPs)are typically purified in excess detergent media, often resulting in rapid inactivation and denaturation of the protein. One promising approach to solve this problem is to couple hydrophilic polymers, such as monomethoxypolyethylene glycol (mPEG) to IMPs under mild conditions in place of detergents. However, the broad application of this approach is hampered by poor reaction efficiencies, low tolerance of detergent stabilized membrane proteins to reaction conditions, and a lack of proper site-specific reversible approaches. Here, we have developed a straightforward, efficient, and mild approach to site-specific noncovalent binding of long-chain polymers to recombinant IMPs. This method uses the hexa-histidine tag (His-Tag) often used for purification of recombinant proteins as an attachment site for mPEGs. Solubility studies performed using five different IMPs confirmed that all tested mPEG-bound IMPs were completely soluble and stable in detergent free aqueous buffer compared to their precipitated native proteins under the identical circumstances. Activity assays and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy confirmed the structural integrity of modified IMPs.

Sulfonated amphipols: synthesis, properties, and applications

Amphipols (APols) are amphiphatic polymers that keep membrane proteins (MPs) water-soluble. The best characterized and most widely used APol to date, A8-35, comprises a polyacrylate backbone grafted with octyl- and isopropylamine side chains. The nature of its hydrophilic moieties prevents its use at the slightly acidic pH that is desirable to slow down the rate of amide proton exchange in solution NMR studies. We describe here the synthesis and properties of pH-insensitive APols obtained by replacing isopropyles with taurine. Sulfonated APols (SAPols) can be used to trap MPs in the form of small complexes, to stabilize them, and to keep them water-soluble even at low pH. [(15) N,(1) H]-transverse relaxation-optimized spectroscopy NMR spectra obtained at pH 6.8 of a bacterial outer MP folded in SAPols show that the protein is correctly folded. The spectra have a resolution similar to that achieved with A8-35 and reveal water-exposed amide and indole protons whose resonance peaks are absent at pH 8.0.

Amphipols stabilize the Chlamydia major outer membrane protein and enhance its protective ability as a vaccine

The native major outer membrane protein (nMOMP) from Chlamydia was purified in its trimeric form using the zwitterionic detergent Z3-14. In aliquots from this preparation, Z3-14 was exchanged for amphipol (APol) A8-35. CD analysis showed that trapping with A8-35 improved the thermostability of nMOMP without affecting its secondary structure. Recombinant MOMP (rMOMP) was also formulated with Z3-14 or A8-35. Four groups of mice were vaccinated with nMOMP/Z3-14, nMOMP/A8-35, rMOMP/Z3-14 or rMOMP/A8-35 using CpG and Montanide as adjuvants. A positive control group was inoculated intranasally with live Chlamydia and a negative control group with culture medium. Mice were challenged intranasally with live Chlamydia and protection was assessed based on changes in body weight, the weight of the lungs and the number of chlamydial inclusion forming units recovered from the lungs 10 days after the challenge. Overall, vaccines formulated with nMOMP elicited better protection than those using rMOMP. Furthermore, the protection afforded by nMOMP/A8-35 was more robust than that achieved with nMOMP/Z3-14. In contrast, no differences in protection were observed between rMOMP/Z3-14 and rMOMP/A8-35 preparations. These findings suggest that the higher protection conferred by nMOMP/A8-35 complexes most likely results from a better preservation of the native structure of MOMP and/or from a more efficient presentation of the antigen to the immune system, rather than from an adjuvant effect of the amphipol. Thus, amphipols can be used in vaccine formulations to stabilize a membrane-protein component and enhance its immunogenicity.

Polymer-based cell-free expression of ligand-binding family B G-protein coupled receptors without detergents

G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest family of intercellular signaling molecules and are estimated to be the target of more than 50% of all modern drugs. As with most integral membrane proteins (IMPs), a major bottleneck in the structural and biochemical analysis of GPCRs is their expression by conventional expression systems. Cell-free (CF) expression provides a relatively new and powerful tool for obtaining preparative amounts of IMPs. However, in the case of GPCRs, insufficient homogeneity of the targeted protein is a problem as the in vitro expression is mainly done with detergents, in which aggregation and solubilization difficulties, as well as problems with proper folding of hydrophilic domains, are common. Here, we report that using CF expression with the help of a fructose-based polymer, NV10 polymer (NVoy), we obtained preparative amounts of homogeneous GPCRs from the three GPCR families. We demonstrate that two GPCR B family members, corticotrophin-releasing factor receptors 1 and 2β are not only solubilized in NVoy but also have functional ligand-binding characteristics with different agonists and antagonists in a detergent-free environment as well. Our findings open new possibilities for functional and structural studies of GPCRs and IMPs in general.

New advances in production and functional folding of G-protein-coupled receptors

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), the largest family of integral membrane proteins, participate in the regulation of many physiological functions and are the targets of approximately 30% of currently marketed drugs. However, knowledge of the structural and molecular bases of GPCR functions remains limited owing to difficulties related to their overexpression, purification and stabilization. The development of new strategies aimed at obtaining large amounts of functional GPCRs is therefore crucial. Here, we review the most recent advances in the production and functional folding of GPCRs from Escherichia coli inclusion bodies. Major breakthroughs open exciting perspectives for structural and dynamic investigations of GPCRs. In particular, combining targeting to bacterial inclusion bodies with amphipol-assisted folding is emerging as a highly powerful strategy.

Contemporary methods in structure determination of membrane proteins by solution NMR

Integral membrane proteins are vital to life, being responsible for information and material exchange between a cell and its environment. Although high-resolution structural information is needed to understand how these functions are achieved, membrane proteins remain an under-represented subset of the protein structure databank. Solution NMR is increasingly demonstrating its ability to help address this knowledge shortfall, with the development of a diverse array of techniques to counter the challenges presented by membrane proteins. Here we document the advances that are helping to define solution NMR as an effective tool for membrane protein structure determination. Developments introduced over the last decade in the production of isotope-labeled samples, reconstitution of these samples into the growing selection of NMR-compatible membrane-mimetic systems, and the approaches used for the acquisition and application of structural restraints from these complexes are reviewed.

Structure of a GPCR ligand in its receptor-bound state: leukotriene B4 adopts a highly constrained conformation when associated to human BLT2

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are key players in signal recognition and cell communication and are among the most important targets for drug development. Direct structural information on the conformation of GPCR ligands bound to their receptors is scarce. Using a leukotriene receptor, BLT2, expressed under a perdeuterated form in Escherichia coli , purified in milligram amounts, and folded to its native state using amphipols, we have solved, by (1)H NMR, the structure of receptor-bound leukotriene B4 (LTB4). Upon binding, LTB4 adopts a highly constrained seahorse conformation, at variance with the free state, where it explores a wide range of conformations. This structure provides an experimentally determined template of a pro-inflammatory compound for further pharmacological studies. The novel approach used for its determination could prove powerful to investigate ligand binding to GPCRs and membrane proteins in general.

Permeabilization of lipid membranes and cells by a light-responsive copolymer

Membrane permeabilization is achieved via numerous techniques involving the use of molecular agents such as peptides used in antimicrobial therapy. Although high efficiency is reached, the permeabilization mechanism remains global with a noticeable lack of control. To achieve localized control and more gradual increase in membrane perturbation, we have developed hydrophobically modified poly(acrylic acid) amphiphilic copolymers with light-responsive azobenzene hydrophobic moieties. We present evidence for light triggered membrane permeabilization in the presence azobenzene-modified polymers (AMPs). Exposure to UV or blue light reversibly switches the polarity of the azobenzene (cis-trans isomerization) in AMPs, hence controlling AMP-loaded lipid vesicles permeabilization via in situ activation. Release of encapsulated probes was studied by microscopy on isolated AMP-loaded giant unilamellar vesicles (pol-GUVs). We show that in pH and ionic strength conditions that are biologically relevant pol-GUVs are kept impermeable when they contain predominantly cis-AMPs but become leaky with no membrane breakage upon exposure to blue light due to AMPs switch to a trans-apolar state. In addition, we show that AMPs induce destabilization of plasma membranes when added to mammal cells in their trans-apolar state, with no loss of cell viability. These features make AMPs promising tools for remote control of cell membrane permeabilization in mild conditions.

In the cauldron of cell-free synthesis of membrane proteins: playing with new surfactants

Cell-free protein synthesis is a well-known technique for the roles it has played in deciphering the genetic code and in the beginnings of signal sequence studies. Since then, many efforts have been made to optimise this technique and, recently, to adapt it to membrane protein production with yields compatible with structural investigations. The versatility of the method allows membrane proteins to be obtained directly stabilised in surfactant micelles or inserted in a lipidic environment (proteoliposome, bicelle, and nanodisc) at the end of synthesis. Among the surfactants used, non-detergent ones such as fluorinated surfactants proved to be a good alternative in terms of colloidal stability and preservation of the integrity of membrane proteins, as shown for Escherichia coli homo-pentameric channel, MscL (Park et al., Biochem. J., 403: 183-187). Here we report cell-free expression of Escherichia coli leader peptidase (a transmembrane protease), Halobacterium salinarium bacteriorhodopsin (a transmembrane protein binding a hydrophobic cofactor) and E. coli MscL in the presence of non-detergent surfactants, amphipols and fluorinated surfactants in comparison to their expression in classical detergents. The results confirm the potentialities of fluorinated surfactants and, although pointing to limitations in using the first generations amphipols, results are discussed in the light of membrane protein refolding, especially in the case of bacteriorhodopsin. Preliminary experiments using new generations of amphipols supports choices made in developing new molecules.

Tripod Amphiphiles for Membrane Protein Manipulation

Integral membrane proteins (IMPs) are crucial biological components, mediating the transfer of material and information between cells and their environment. Many IMPs have proven to be difficult to isolate and study. High-resolution structural information on this class of proteins is limited, largely because of difficulties in generating soluble forms of such proteins that retain native folding and activity, and difficulties in generating high-quality crystals from such preparations. Isolated IMPs typically do not dissolve in aqueous solution, a property that arises from the large patches of hydrophobic surface necessary for favorable interactions with the core of a lipid bilayer. Detergents are generally required for IMP solubilization: hydrophobic segments of detergent molecules cluster around and shield from water the hydrophobic protein surfaces. The critical role played by detergents in membrane protein manipulation, and the fact that many IMPs are recalcitrant to solubilization and/or crystallization with currently available detergents, suggest that it should be valuable to explore new types of amphiphiles for these purposes. This review constitutes a progress report on our long-term effort to develop a new class of organic molecules, collectively designated "tripod amphiphiles," that are intended as alternatives to conventional detergents for membrane protein manipulation. One long-range goal of this research is to identify new types of amphiphiles that facilitate IMP crystallization. This review should help introduce an important biochemical need to organic chemists, and perhaps inspire new approaches to the problem.

Amphipols and fluorinated surfactants: Two alternatives to detergents for studying membrane proteins in vitro

Handling integral membrane proteins in aqueous solutions traditionally relies on the use of detergents, which are surfactants capable of dispersing the components of biological membranes into mixed micelles. The dissociating character of detergents, however, most often causes solubilized membrane proteins to be unstable. This has prompted the development of alternative, less-aggressive surfactants designed to keep membrane proteins soluble, after they have been solubilized, under milder conditions. A short overview is presented of the structure, properties, and uses of two families of such surfactants: amphiphilic polymers ("amphipols") and fluorinated surfactants.

Thermodynamic characterization of the exchange of detergents and amphipols at the surfaces of integral membrane proteins

The aggregation of integral membrane proteins (IMPs) in aqueous media is a significant concern for mechanistic investigations and pharmaceutical applications of this important class of proteins. Complexation of IMPs with amphiphiles, either detergents or short amphiphilic polymers known as amphipols (APols), renders IMPs water-soluble. It is common knowledge that IMP-detergent complexes are labile, while IMP-APol complexes are exceptionally stable and do not dissociate even under conditions of extreme dilution. To understand the thermodynamic origin of this difference in stability and to guide the design of new APols, we have studied by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) the heat exchanges during two reciprocal processes, the "trapping" of detergent-solubilized IMPs in APols and the "stripping" of IMP-APol complexes by detergents, using two IMPs (the transmembrane domain of porin OmpA from Escherichia coli and bacteriorhodopsin from Halobium salinarium), two APols [an anionic polymer derived from acrylic acid (A8-35) and a cationic phosphorylcholine-based polymer (C22-43)], and two neutral detergents [n-octyl thioglucoside (OTG) and n-octyltetraethylene glycol (C(8)E(4))]. In the presence of detergent, free APols and IMP-APol complexes form mixed particles, APol-detergent and IMP-APol-detergent, respectively, according to the regular mixing model. Diluting IMP-APol-detergent complexes below the critical micellar concentration (CMC) of the detergent triggers the dispersion of detergent molecules as monomers, a process characterized by an enthalpy of demicellization. The enthalpy of APol <--> detergent exchange on the hydrophobic surface of IMPs is negligibly small, an indication of the similarity of the molecular interactions of IMPs with the two types of amphiphiles. The enhanced stability against dilution of IMP-APol complexes, compared to IMP-detergent ones, originates from the difference in entropy gain achieved upon release in water of a few APol molecules (in the case of IMP-APol complexes) or several hundred detergent molecules (in the case of IMP-detergent complexes). The data account both for the stability of IMP-APols complexes in the absence of detergent and for the ease with which detergents displace APols from the surface of proteins.