The Dynamical Transition of Lipid Multilamellar Bilayers as a Matter of Cooperativity

An experimentally representative in-silico protocol for dynamical studies of lyophilised and weakly hydrated amorphous proteins

Characterization of biopolymers in both dry and weakly hydrated amorphous states has implications for the pharmaceutical industry since it provides understanding of the effect of lyophilisation on stability and biological activity. Atomistic Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations probe structural and dynamical features related to system functionality. However, while simulations in homogenous aqueous environments are routine, dehydrated model assemblies are a challenge with systems investigated in-silico needing careful consideration; simulated systems potentially differing markedly despite seemingly negligible changes in procedure. Here we propose an in-silico protocol to model proteins in lyophilised and weakly hydrated amorphous states that is both more experimentally representative and routinely applicable. Since the outputs from MD align directly with those accessed by neutron scattering, the efficacy of the simulation protocol proposed is shown by validating against experimental neutron data for apoferritin and insulin. This work also highlights that without cooperative experimental and simulative data, development of simulative procedures using MD alone would prove most challenging.

Anomalous lateral diffusion of lipids during the fluid/gel phase transition of a lipid membrane

A lipid membrane undergoes a phase transition from fluid to gel phase upon changing external thermodynamic conditions, such as decreasing temperature and increasing pressure. Extremophilic organisms face the challenge of preventing this deleterious phase transition. The main focus of their adaptive strategy is to facilitate effective temperature sensing through sensor proteins, relying on the drastic changes in packing density and membrane fluidity during the phase transition. Although the changes in packing density parameters due to the fluid/gel phase transition are studied in detail, the impact on membrane fluidity is less explored in the literature. Understanding the lateral diffusive dynamics of lipids in response to temperature, particularly during the fluid/gel phase transition, is albeit crucial. Here we have simulated the phase transition of a single component lipid membrane composed of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) lipids using a coarse-grained (CG) model and studied the changes of the structural and dynamical properties. It is observed that near the phase transition point, both fluid and gel phase domains coexist together. The dynamics remains highly non-Gaussian for a long time even when the mean square displacement reaches the Fickian regime at a much earlier time. This Fickian yet non-Gaussian diffusion (FnGD) is a characteristic of a highly heterogeneous system, previously observed for the lateral diffusion of lipids in raft mimetic membranes having liquid-ordered and liquid-disordered phases co-existing together. We have analyzed the molecular trajectories and calculated the jump-diffusion of the lipids, stemming from sudden jump translations, using a translational jump-diffusion (TJD) approach. An overwhelming contribution of the jump-diffusion of the lipids is observed suggesting anomalous diffusion of lipids during fluid/gel phase transition of the membrane. These results are important in unravelling the intricate nature of lipid diffusion during the phase transition of the membrane and open up a new possibility of investigating the most significant change of membrane properties during phase transition, which can be effectively sensed by proteins.

The dynamical Matryoshka model: 1. Incoherent neutron scattering functions for lipid dynamics in bilayers

Fluid lipid bilayers are the building blocks of biological membranes. Although there is a large amount of experimental data using incoherent quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) techniques to study membranes, very little theoretical works have been developed to study the local dynamics of membranes. The main objective of this work is to build a theoretical framework to study and describe the local dynamics of lipids and derive analytical expressions of intermediate scattering functions (ISF) for QENS. As results, we developed the dynamical Matryoshka model which describes the local dynamics of lipid molecules in membrane layers as a nested hierarchical convolution of three motional processes: (i) individual motions described by the vibrational motions of H-atoms; (ii) internal motions including movements of the lipid backbone, head groups and tails, and (iii) molecule movements of the lipid molecule as a whole. The analytical expressions of the ISF associated with these movements are all derived. For use in analyzing the QENS experimental data, we also derived an analytical expression for the aggregate ISF of the Matryoshka model which involves an elastic term plus three inelastic terms of well-separated time scales and whose amplitudes and rates are functions of the lipid motions. And as an illustrative application, we used the aggregated ISF to analyze the experimental QENS data on a lipid sample of multilamellar bilayers of DMPC (1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine). It is clear from this analysis that the dynamical Matryoshka model describes very well the experimental data and allow extracting the dynamical parameters of the studied system.

The dynamical Matryoshka model: 2. Modeling of local lipid dynamics at the sub-nanosecond timescale in phospholipid membranes

Biological membranes are generally formed by lipids and proteins. Often, the membrane properties are studied through model membranes formed by phospholipids only. They are molecules composed by a hydrophilic head group and hydrophobic tails, which can present a panoply of various motions, including small localized movements of a few atoms up to the diffusion of the whole lipid or collective motions of many of them. In the past, efforts were made to measure these motions experimentally by incoherent neutron scattering and to quantify them, but with upcoming modern neutron sources and instruments, such models can now be improved. In the present work, we expose a quantitative and exhaustive study of lipid dynamics on DMPC and DMPG membranes, using the Matryoshka model recently developed by our group. The model is confronted here to experimental data collected on two different membrane samples, at three temperatures and two instruments. Despite such complexity, the model describes reliably the data and permits to extract a series of parameters. The results compare also very well to other values found in the literature.

The dynamical Matryoshka model: 3. Diffusive nature of the atomic motions contained in a new dynamical model for deciphering local lipid dynamics

In accompanying papers [Bicout et al., BioRxiv https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.09.21.461198 (2021); Cissé et al., BioRxiv https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.03.30.486370 (2022)], a new model called Matryoshka model has been proposed to describe the geometry of atomic motions in phospholipid molecules in bilayers and multilamellar vesicles based on their quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) spectra. Here, in order to characterize the relaxational aspects of this model, the energy widths of the QENS spectra of the samples were analyzed first in a model-free way. The spectra were decomposed into three Lorentzian functions, which are classified as slow, intermediate, and fast motions depending on their widths. The analysis provides the diffusion coefficients, residence times, and geometrical parameters for the three classes of motions. The results corroborate the parameter values such as the amplitudes and the mobile fractions of atomic motions obtained by the application of the Matryoshka model to the same samples. Since the current analysis was carried out independently of the development of the Matryoshka model, the present results enhance the validity of the model. The model will serve as a powerful tool to decipher the dynamics of lipid molecules not only in model systems, but also in more complex systems such as mixtures of different kinds of lipids or natural cell membranes.

Low-temperature librations and dynamical transition in proteins at differing hydration levels

Hydration of water affects the dynamics and in turn the activity of biomacromolecules. We investigated the dependence of the librational oscillations and the dynamical transition on the hydrating conditions of two globular proteins with different structure and size, namely β-lactoglobulin (βLG) and human serum albumin (HSA), by spin-label electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in the temperature range of 120–270 K. The proteins were spin-labeled with 5-maleimide spin-label on free cysteins and prepared in the lyophilized state, at low (h = 0.12) and full (h = 2) hydration levels in buffer. The angular amplitudes of librations are small and almost temperature independent for both lyophilized proteins. Therefore, in these samples, the librational dynamics is restricted and the dynamical transition is absent. In the small and compact beta-structured βLG, the angular librational amplitudes increase with temperature and hydrating conditions, whereas hydration-independent librational oscillations whose amplitudes rise with temperature are recorded in the large and flexible alpha-structured HSA. Both βLG and HSA at low and fully hydration levels undergo the dynamical transition at about 230 K. The overall results indicate that protein librational dynamics is activated at the low hydration level h = 0.12 and highlight biophysical properties that are common to other biosamples at cryogenic temperatures.

Influence of hydration on segmental chain librations and dynamical transition in lipid bilayers

Continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of chain-labeled phospholipids is used to investigate the effects of hydration on the librational oscillations and the dynamical transition of phospholipid membranes in the low-temperature range 120-270 K. Bilayers of dipalmitoylphostatidiycholine (DPPC) spin-labeled at the first acyl chain segments and at the methyl ends and prepared at full, low, and very low hydration are considered. The segmental mean-square angular amplitudes of librations, 〈α²〉, are larger in the bilayer interior than at the polar/apolar interface and larger in the fully and low hydrated than in the very low hydrated membranes. For chain segments at the beginning of the hydrocarbon region, 〈α²〉-values are markedly restricted and temperature independent in DPPC with the lowest water content, whereas they increase with temperature in the low and fully hydrated bilayers, particularly at the highest temperatures. For chain segments at the chain termini, the librational amplitudes increase progressively, first slowly and then more rapidly with temperature in bilayers at any level of hydration. From the temperature dependence of the mean-square librational amplitude, the dynamical transition is detected around 240 K at the polar/apolar interface in fully and low hydrated DPPC and at around 225 K at the inner hydrocarbon region for bilayers at any hydration condition. At the dynamical transition the bilayers cross low energy barriers of activation energy in the range 10-20 kJ/mol. The results highlight biophysical properties of DPPC bilayers at low-temperature and provide evidence of the effects of the hydration on the dynamical transition in bilayers.

Probing Small-Angle Molecular Motions with EPR Spectroscopy: Dynamical Transition and Molecular Packing in Disordered Solids

Disordered molecular solids present a rather broad class of substances of different origin—amorphous polymers, materials for photonics and optoelectronics, amorphous pharmaceutics, simple molecular glass formers, and others. Frozen biological media in many respects also may be referred to this class. Theoretical description of dynamics and structure of disordered solids still does not exist, and only some phenomenological models can be developed to explain results of particular experiments. Among different experimental approaches, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) applied to spin probes and labels also can deliver useful information. EPR allows probing small-angle orientational molecular motions (molecular librations), which intrinsically are inherent to all molecular solids. EPR is employed in its conventional continuous wave (CW) and pulsed—electron spin echo (ESE)—versions. CW EPR spectra are sensitive to dynamical librations of molecules while ESE probes stochastic molecular librations. In this review, different manifestations of small-angle motions in EPR of spin probes and labels are discussed. It is shown that CW-EPR-detected dynamical librations provide information on dynamical transition in these media, similar to that explored with neutron scattering, and ESE-detected stochastic librations allow elucidating some features of nanoscale molecular packing. The possible EPR applications are analyzed for gel-phase lipid bilayers, for biological membranes interacting with proteins, peptides and cryoprotectants, for supercooled ionic liquids (ILs) and supercooled deep eutectic solvents (DESs), for globular proteins and intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs), and for some other molecular solids.

Investigation of the Action of Peptides on Lipid Membranes

Calorimetric and incoherent neutron scattering methods were employed to investigate the action of magainin 2 and PGLa peptides on the phase behavior and molecular dynamics of lipids mimicking cytoplasmic membranes of Gram-negative bacteria. The impact of the peptides, tested individually and cooperatively by differential scanning calorimetry, presented a broadened peak, sometimes with a second shoulder, depicting the phase transition temperature around 21 °C. Neutron scattering revealed a small but significant variation of the membrane dynamics due to the peptides in both in-plane and out-of-plane directions. Although we did not find a clear hint for synergy in the interplay of the two peptides, the calorimetric and neutron data give compatible results in terms of a decrease of the enthalpy due to the presence of the peptides, which destabilize the membrane. The dynamics in the two directions was differentiated when the individual peptides were added to the membranes, but the impact was smaller when both peptides were added together.

Lipid chain mobility and packing in DOPC bilayers at cryogenic temperatures

Low-temperature molecular mobility and packing in biological tissues are important for their survival upon cryopreservation. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) in its pulsed version of electron spin echo (ESE) allows studying stochastic librations of spin-labeled molecules, the type of motion which dominates at low temperatures. These librations are characterized by the parameter <α²>τ_c where <α²> is the mean squared angular amplitude and τ_c is the correlation time for the motion. This parameter is known to be larger for higher temperature and for looser intermolecular structure. In this work, ESE data for the bilayers comprised of doubly-unsaturated DOPC (dioleoyl-glycero-phosphocholine) lipids and mono-unsaturated POPC (palmitoyl-oleoyl-glycero-phosphocholine) lipids with spin-labeled stearic acids added were obtained in the temperature range between 80 and 210 K; the results were compared also with the previously obtained data for fully-saturated DPPC (dipalmitoyl-glycero-phosphocholine) lipid bilayers [J. Phys. Chem. B2014, 118, 12,478-12,485; Appl. Magn. Reson. 2018, 49, 1369-1383]. It turned out that for DOPC bilayers the <α²>τ_c values are of intermediate magnitude between those for POPC and DPPC bilayers, which implies an intermediate density of lipid packing. A possible explanation of this result could be rearrangement at cryogenic temperatures of the DOPC lipid tails, with their terminal segments folding cooperatively. This interpretation is also in agreement with the known thermodynamic properties of gel-fluid transition for DOPC bilayer.

Unsaturated lipid bilayers at cryogenic temperature: librational dynamics of chain-labeled lipids from pulsed and CW-EPR

Fully hydrated bilayers of monounsaturated palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) and diunsaturated dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) lipids have low main phase transition temperatures (271 K for POPC and 253 K for DOPC). Two-pulse echo detected spectra, combined with continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, are employed to study the low-temperature lamellar phases of the POPC and DOPC unsaturated bilayers that are usually studied in the fluid state. Phosphatidylcholine spin-labeled at C-5 and C-16 carbon atom positions along the acyl chain were used and the temperature varied over the range 77-270 K. Segmental chain librational oscillations of small amplitude and with correlation time in the subnanosecond to nanosecond range are found in both membranes. The mean-square angular amplitude, α2, of librations increases with temperature, is larger close to the bilayer midplane than close to the first acyl chain segments, and is larger in diunsaturated than in monounsaturated bilayers. In the inner hydrocarbon region of both lipid matrices, α2 increases first slowly and linearly with temperature and then more rapidly, and a dynamical transition is detected in the range 190-210 K. Compared to dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine bilayers of fully saturated symmetric chain lipids, the presence of double bonds in the acyl chain enhances the intensity of librational motion which is characterized by larger angular variations at the terminal methyl ends. These findings highlight biophysical properties of unsaturated bilayers in the frozen state, including a detailed characterization of segmental chain dynamics and the evidence of a dynamical transition that appears to be a generic feature in hydrated macromolecular systems. These results can also be relevant in regulating membrane physical properties and function at higher physiological temperatures.

Water-Polymer Coupling Induces a Dynamical Transition in Microgels

The long debated protein dynamical transition was recently found also in nonbiological macromolecules, such as poly- N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) microgels. Here, by using atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, we report a description of the molecular origin of the dynamical transition in these systems. We show that PNIPAM and water dynamics below the dynamical transition temperature T _d are dominated by methyl group rotations and hydrogen bonding, respectively. By comparing with bulk water, we unambiguously identify PNIPAM-water hydrogen bonding as mainly responsible for the occurrence of the transition. The observed phenomenology thus crucially depends on the water-macromolecule coupling, being relevant to a wide class of hydrated systems, independently from the biological function.

Evidence of a low-temperature dynamical transition in concentrated microgels

A low-temperature dynamical transition has been reported in several proteins. We provide the first observation of a "protein-like" dynamical transition in nonbiological aqueous environments. To this aim, we exploit the popular colloidal system of poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) microgels, extending their investigation to unprecedentedly high concentrations. Owing to the heterogeneous architecture of the microgels, water crystallization is avoided in concentrated samples, allowing us to monitor atomic dynamics at low temperatures. By elastic incoherent neutron scattering and molecular dynamics simulations, we find that a dynamical transition occurs at a temperature T _d ~ 250 K, independently from PNIPAM mass fraction. However, the transition is smeared out on approaching dry conditions. The quantitative agreement between experiments and simulations provides evidence that the transition occurs simultaneously for PNIPAM and water dynamics. The similarity of these results with hydrated protein powders suggests that the dynamical transition is a generic feature in complex macromolecular systems, independently from their biological function.

Low-Temperature Dynamics of Chain-Labeled Lipids in Ester- and Ether-Linked Phosphatidylcholine Membranes

Continuous wave electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and two-pulse echo detected spectra of chain-labeled lipids are used to study the dynamics of frozen lipid membranes over the temperature range 77-260 K. Bilayers of ester-linked dihexadecanoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) with noninterdigitated chains and ether-linked dihexadecyl phosphatidylcholine (DHPC) with interdigitated chains are considered. Rapid stochastic librations of small angular amplitude are found in both lipid matrices. In noninterdigitated DPPC bilayers, the mean-square angular amplitude, [Formula: see text], of the motion increases with temperature and it is larger close to the chain termini than close to the polar/apolar interface. In contrast, in interdigitated DHPC lamellae, [Formula: see text] is small and temperature and label-position independent at low temperature and increases steeply at high temperature. The rotational correlation time, τ_c, of librations lies in the subnanosecond range for DPPC and in the nanosecond range for DHPC. In all membrane samples, the temperature dependence of [Formula: see text] resembles that of the mean-square atomic displacement revealed by neutron scattering and a dynamical transition is detected in the range 210-240 K. The results highlight the librational oscillations and the glass-like behavior in bilayer and interdigitated lipid membranes.