Effects of monovalent anions of the hofmeister series on DPPC lipid bilayers Part I: swelling and in-plane equations of state

Membrane thickness sensitivity of prestin orthologs: the evolution of a piezoelectric protein

How proteins evolve new functionality is an important question in biology; prestin (SLC26A5) is a case in point. Prestin drives outer hair cell somatic motility and amplifies mechanical vibrations in the mammalian cochlea. The motility of mammalian prestin is analogous to piezoelectricity, in which charge transfer is coupled to changes in membrane area occupied by the protein. Intriguingly, nonmammalian prestin orthologs function as anion exchangers but are apparently nonmotile. We previously found that mammalian prestin is sensitive to membrane thickness, suggesting that prestin's extended conformation has a thinner hydrophobic height in the lipid bilayer. Because prestin-based motility is a mammalian specialization, we initially hypothesized that nonmotile prestin orthologs, while functioning as anion transporters, should be much less sensitive to membrane thickness. We found the exact opposite to be true. Chicken prestin was the most sensitive to thickness changes, displaying the largest shift in voltage dependence. Platypus prestin displayed an intermediate response to membrane thickness and gerbil prestin was the least sensitive. To explain these observations, we present a theory where force production, rather than displacement, was selected for the evolution of prestin as a piezoelectric membrane motor.

The structure of ions and zwitterionic lipids regulates the charge of dipolar membranes

In pure water, zwitterionic lipids form lamellar phases with an equilibrium water gap on the order of 2 to 3 nm as a result of the dominating van der Waals attraction between dipolar bilayers. Monovalent ions can swell those neutral lamellae by a small amount. Divalent ions can adsorb onto dipolar membranes and charge them. Using solution X-ray scattering, we studied how the structure of ions and zwitterionic lipids regulates the charge of dipolar membranes. We found that unlike monovalent ions that weakly interact with all of the examined dipolar membranes, divalent and trivalent ions adsorb onto membranes containing lipids with saturated tails, with an association constant on the order of ∼10 M(-1). One double bond in the lipid tail is sufficient to prevent divalent ion adsorption. We suggest that this behavior is due to the relatively loose packing of lipids with unsaturated tails that increases the area per lipid headgroup, enabling their free rotation. Divalent ion adsorption links two lipids and limits their free rotation. The ion-dipole interaction gained by the adsorption of the ions onto unsaturated membranes is insufficient to compensate for the loss of headgroup free-rotational entropy. The ion-dipole interaction is stronger for cations with a higher valence. Nevertheless, polyamines behave as monovalent ions near dipolar interfaces in the sense that they interact weakly with the membrane surface, whereas in the bulk their behavior is similar to that of multivalent cations. Advanced data analysis and comparison with theory provide insight into the structure and interactions between ion-induced regulated charged interfaces. This study models biologically relevant interactions between cell membranes and various ions and the manner in which the lipid structure governs those interactions. The ability to monitor these interactions creates a tool for probing systems that are more complex and forms the basis for controlling the interactions between dipolar membranes and charged proteins or biopolymers for encapsulation and delivery applications.

Interactions of molecular ions with model phospholipid membranes

The affinities of a series of biologically relevant ions for a hydrated phospholipid membrane were investigated using molecular dynamics simulation. Interactions of molecular ions, such as guanidinium, tetramethylammonium, and thiocyanate with the bilayer were computationally characterized for the first time. Simulations reveal strong ion specificity. On one hand, ions like guanidinium and thiocyanate adsorb relatively strongly to the headgroup region of the membrane. On the other hand, potassium or chloride interact very weakly with the phospholipids and merely act as neutralizing counterions. Calculations also show that these ions affect differently biophysical properties of the membrane, such as lipid diffusion, headgroup hydration and tilt angle.

Ion-specific weak adsorption of salts and water/octanol transfer free energy of a model amphiphilic hexapeptide

An amphiphilic hexapeptide has been used as a model to quantify how specific ion effects induced by addition of four salts tune the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance and induce temperature-dependant coacervate formation from aqueous solution. The hexapeptide chosen is present as a dimer with low transfer energy from water to octanol. Taking sodium chloride as the reference state in the Hofmeister scale, we identify water activity effects and therefore measure the free energy of transfer from water to octanol and separately the free energy associated to the adsorption of chaotropic ions or the desorption of kosmotropic ions for the same amphiphilic peptide. These effects have the same order of magnitude: therefore, both energies of solvation as well as transfer into octanol strongly depend on the nature of the electrolytes used to formulate any buffer. Model peptides could be used on separation processes based on criteria linked to "Hofmeister" but different from volume and valency.

Interaction of the cationic peptide bactenecin with mixed phospholipid monolayers at the air-water interface

The initial mechanism by which antimicrobial peptides target microbes occurs via electrostatic interactions; however, the mechanism is not well understood. We investigate the interaction of the antimicrobial peptide bactenecin with a 50:50 w:w% 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-(1'-rac-glycerol) (DMPG) phospholipid mixture at the air-water interface with different NaCl concentrations (0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5 M) in the subphase. A larger shift of DPPC:DMPG isotherms was obtained for 0.1 M salt concentration at lower and higher pressures, demonstrating the influence of the negative charge of DMPG molecules and the screening of the electrostatic interaction by the salt concentration. Raman spectroscopy of monolayers demonstrated the presence of cysteine-cysteine bridges in bactenecin loops. The peptide adsorption in DPPC:DMPG monolayers observed by AFM images suggests a self-assembled aggregation process, starting with filament-like networks. Domains similar to carpets were formed and pore structures were obtained after a critical peptide concentration, according to the carpet model.

Mechanism of action of anions on the electron transport chain in thylakoid membranes of higher plants

With an aim to improve our understanding of the mechanisms behind specific anion effects in biological membranes, we have studied the effects of sodium salts of anions of varying valency in thylakoid membranes. Rates of electron transport of PS II and PS I, 77K fluorescence emission and excitation spectra, cyclic electron flow around PS I and circular dichroism (CD) spectra were measured in thylakoid membranes in order to elucidate a general mechanism of action of inorganic anions on photosynthetic electron transport chain. Re-distribution of absorbed excitation energy has been observed as a signature effect of inorganic anions. In the presence of anions, such as nitrite, sulphate and phosphate, distribution of absorbed excitation energy was found to be more in favor of Photosystem I (PS I). The amount of energy distributed towards PS I depended on the valency of the anion. In this paper, we propose for the first time that energy re-distribution and its valence dependence may not be the effect of anions per se. The entry of negative charge (anion) is accompanied by influx of positive charge (protons) to maintain a balance of charge across the thylakoid membranes. As reflected by the CD spectra, the observed energy re-distribution could be a result of structural rearrangements of the protein complexes of PS II caused by changes in the ionic environment of the thylakoid lumen.

Using tryptophan fluorescence to measure the stability of membrane proteins folded in liposomes

Accurate measurements of the thermodynamic stability of folded membrane proteins require methods for monitoring their conformation that are free of experimental artifacts. For tryptophan fluorescence emission experiments with membrane proteins folded into liposomes, there are two significant sources of artifacts: the first is light scattering by the liposomes; the second is the nonlinear relationship of some tryptophan spectral parameters with changes in protein conformation. Both of these sources of error can interfere with the method of determining the reversible equilibrium thermodynamic stability of proteins using titrations of chemical denaturants. Here, we present methods to manage light scattering by liposomes for tryptophan emission experiments and to properly monitor tryptophan spectra as a function of protein conformation. Our methods are tailored to the titrations of membrane proteins using common chemical denaturants. One of our recommendations is to collect and analyze the right-angle light scattering peak that occurs around the excitation wavelength in a fluorescence experiment. Another recommendation is to use only those tryptophan spectral parameters that are linearly proportional to the protein conformational population. We show that other commonly used spectral parameters lead to errors in protein stability measurements.

Chemistry of Hofmeister anions and osmolytes

The study of the interactions of salts and osmolytes with macromolecules in aqueous solution originated with experiments concerning protein precipitation more than 100 years ago. Today, these solutes are known to display recurring behavior for myriad biological and chemical processes. Such behavior depends both on the nature and concentration of the species in solution. Despite the generality of these effects, our understanding of the molecular-level details of ion and osmolyte specificity is still quite limited. Here, we review recent studies of the interactions between anions and urea with model macromolecular systems. A mechanism for specific ion effects is elucidated for aqueous systems containing charged and uncharged polymers, polypeptides, and proteins. The results clearly show that the effects of the anions are local and involve direct interactions with macromolecules and their first hydration shell. Also, a hydrogen-bonding mechanism is tested for the urea denaturation of proteins with some of these same systems. In that case, direct hydrogen bonding can be largely discounted as the key mechanism for urea stabilization of uncollapsed and/or unfolded structures.

Vibrational sum frequency generation spectroscopic investigation of the interaction of thiocyanate ions with zwitterionic phospholipid monolayers at the air-water interface

Thiocyanate (SCN(-)) is a highly chaotropic anion of considerable biological significance, which interacts quite strongly with lipid interfaces. In most cases it is not exactly known if this interaction involves direct binding to lipid groups, or some type of indirect association or partitioning. Since thiocyanate is a linear ion, with a considerable dipole moment and nonspherical polarizability tensor, one should also consider its capability to adopt different or preferential orientations at lipid interfaces. In the present work, the interaction of thiocyanate anions with zwitterionic phospholipid monolayers in the liquid expanded (LE) phase is examined using surface pressure-area per molecule (pi-A(L)) isotherms and vibrational sum frequency generation (VSFG) spectroscopy. Both dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and dimyristoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DMPE) lipids, which form stable monolayers, have been used in this investigation, since their headgroups may be expected to interact with the electrolyte solution in different ways. The pi-A(L) isotherms of both lipids indicate a strong expansion of the monolayers when in contact with SCN(-) solutions. From the C-H stretch region of the VSFG spectra it can be deduced that the presence of the anion perturbs the conformation of the lipid chains significantly. The interfacial water structure is also perturbed in a complex way. Two distinct thiocyanate populations are detected in the CN stretch spectral region, proving that SCN(-) associates with zwitterionic phospholipids. Although this is a preliminary investigation of this complex system and more work is necessary to clarify certain points made in the discussion, a potential identification of the two SCN(-) populations and a molecular-level explanation for the observed effects of the SCN(-) on the VSFG spectra of the lipids is provided.

Controlled ionic condensation at the surface of a native extremophile membrane

At the nanoscale level biological membranes present a complex interface with the solvent. The functional dynamics and relative flexibility of membrane components together with the presence of specific ionic effects can combine to create exciting new phenomena that challenge traditional theories such as the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory or models interpreting the role of ions in terms of their ability to structure water (structure making/breaking). Here we investigate ionic effects at the surface of a highly charged extremophile membrane composed of a proton pump (bacteriorhodopsin) and archaeal lipids naturally assembled into a 2D crystal. Using amplitude-modulation atomic force microscopy (AM-AFM) in solution, we obtained sub-molecular resolution images of ion-induced surface restructuring of the membrane. We demonstrate the presence of a stiff cationic layer condensed at its extracellular surface. This layer cannot be explained by traditional continuum theories. Dynamic force spectroscopy experiments suggest that it is produced by electrostatic correlation mediated by a Manning-type condensation of ions. In contrast, the cytoplasmic surface is dominated by short-range repulsive hydration forces. These findings are relevant to archaeal bioenergetics and halophilic adaptation. Importantly, they present experimental evidence of a natural system that locally controls its interactions with the surrounding medium and challenges our current understanding of biological interfaces.

Lamellar phase coexistence induced by electrostatic interactions

Membranes containing highly charged biomolecules can have a minimal free-energy state at small separations that originates in the strongly correlated electrostatic interactions mediated by counterions. This phenomenon can lead to a condensed, lamellar phase of charged membranes that coexists in thermodynamic equilibrium with a very dilute membrane phase. Although the dilute phase is mostly water, entropy dictates that this phase must contain some membranes and counterions. Thus, electrostatics alone can give rise to the coexistence of a condensed and an unbound lamellar phase. We use numerical simulations to predict the nature of this coexistence when the charge density of the membrane is large, for the case of multivalent counterions and for a membrane charge that is characteristic of biomolecules. We also investigate the effects of counterion size and salt on the two coexisting phases. With increasing salt concentration, we predict that electrostatic screening by salt can destroy the phase separation.

Ion dynamics in cationic lipid bilayer systems in saline solutions

Positively charged lipid bilayer systems are a promising class of nonviral vectors for safe and efficient gene and drug delivery. Detailed understanding of these systems is therefore not only of fundamental but also of practical biomedical interest. Here, we study bilayers comprising a binary mixture of cationic dimyristoyltrimethylammoniumpropane (DMTAP) and zwitterionic (neutral) dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) lipids. Using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we address the effects of bilayer composition (cationic to zwitterionic lipid fraction) and of NaCl electrolyte concentration on the dynamical properties of these cationic lipid bilayer systems. We find that, despite the fact that DMPCs form complexes via Na(+) ions that bind to the lipid carbonyl oxygens, NaCl concentration has a rather minute effect on lipid diffusion. We also find the dynamics of Cl(-) and Na(+) ions at the water-membrane interface to differ qualitatively. Cl(-) ions have well-defined characteristic residence times of nanosecond scale. In contrast, the binding of Na(+) ions to the carbonyl region appears to lack a characteristic time scale, as the residence time distributions displayed power-law features. As to lateral dynamics, the diffusion of Na(+) ions within the water-membrane interface consists of two qualitatively different modes of motion: very slow diffusion when ions are bound to DMPC, punctuated by fast rapid jumps when detached from the lipids. Overall, the prolonged dynamics of the Na(+) ions are concluded to be interesting for the physics of the whole membrane, especially considering its interaction dynamics with charged macromolecular surfaces.

Molecular model of a cell plasma membrane with an asymmetric multicomponent composition: water permeation and ion effects

We present molecular dynamics simulations of a multicomponent, asymmetric bilayer in mixed aqueous solutions of sodium and potassium chloride. Because of the geometry of the system, there are two aqueous solution regions in our simulations: one mimics the intracellular region, and one mimics the extracellular region. Ion-specific effects are evident at the membrane/aqueous solution interface. Namely, at equal concentrations of sodium and potassium, sodium ions are more strongly adsorbed to carbonyl groups of the lipid headgroups. A significant concentration excess of potassium is needed for this ion to overwhelm the sodium abundance at the membrane. Ion-membrane interactions also lead to concentration-dependent and cation-specific behavior of the electrostatic potential in the intracellular region because of the negative charge on the inner leaflet. In addition, water permeation across the membrane was observed on a timescale of approximately 100 ns. This study represents a step toward the modeling of realistic biological membranes at physiological conditions in intracellular and extracellular environments.

Correspondence between curvature, packing parameter, and hydrophilic-lipophilic deviation scales around the phase-inversion temperature

We show in this paper that three ways of characterizing "spontaneous" lateral packing of amphiphiles are equivalent: the spontaneous curvature, the molecular packing parameter, and the refined hydrophilic-lipophilic balance known as HLD (hydrophilic-lipophilic deviation). Recognition of this equivalence, with its underlying hypothesis of incompressible fluid with lowest surface energy, reinforces the single parameter bending energy expression implicit in the classical papers by Ninham and Israelachvili, as well as all the predictive models of solubilization developed as yet.

Effects of monovalent anions of the hofmeister series on DPPC lipid bilayers Part II: modeling the perpendicular and lateral equation-of-state

The effects of Hofmeister anions on the perpendicular and lateral equation-of-state (EOS) of the dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine lamellar phase discussed in the companion article are here examined using appropriate free energy models for the intra- and interbilayer interactions. Minimizing the free energy with respect to the two basic geometrical parameters of the lamellar phase, which are the interbilayer water thickness, d(w), and the lipid headgroup area, a(L), provides the perpendicular (osmotic pressure balance) and lateral EOS. Standard models were used for the hydration, undulation, and Van der Waals attractive force between the bilayers in the presence of electrolytes whereas two alternative treatments of electrostatic interactions were used to obtain "binding" or "partitioning" constants of anions to the lipid bilayers both in the absence and in the presence of sodium binding. The computed binding constants depend on anion type and follow the Hofmeister series, but were found to increase with electrolyte concentration, implying that the local binding approximation cannot fit bilayer repulsion data. The partitioning model was also found inadequate at high electrolyte concentrations. The fitting attempts revealed two additional features worthy of future investigation. First, at maximum swelling in the presence of electrolytes the osmotic pressure of the bilayer system cannot be set equal to zero. Second, at high salt concentrations an additional repulsion appears to come into effect in the presence of strongly adsorbing anions such as I(-) or SCN(-). Both these phenomena may reflect an inconsistent treatment of the ion-surface interactions, which have an impact on the osmotic pressure. Alternatively, they may arise from bulk solution nonidealities that cannot be handled by the classical Poisson-Boltzmann formalism. The inability of current models to explain the "lateral" EOS by fitting the area per lipid headgroup as a function of salt type and concentration shows that current understanding of phospholipid-ion interactions is still very incomplete.