Conformational distributions and hydrogen bonding in gel and frozen lipid bilayers: a high frequency spin-label ESR study

Quantifying Membrane Alterations with Tailored Fluorescent Dyes: A Rapid Antibiotic Resistance Profiling Methodology

Accurate detection of bacterial antibiotic sensitivity is crucial for theranostics and the containment of antibiotic-resistant infections. However, the intricate task of detecting and quantifying the antibiotic-induced changes in the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane, and their correlation with other metabolic pathways leading to antibiotic resistance, poses significant challenges. Using a novel class of 4-aminophthalimide (4AP)-based fluorescent dyes with precisely tailored alkyl chains, namely 4AP-C9 and 4AP-C13, we quantify stress-mediated alterations in E. coli membranes. Leveraging the unique depth-dependent positioning and environment-sensitive fluorescence properties of these dyes, we detect antibiotic-induced membrane damage through single-cell imaging and monitoring the fluorescence peak maxima difference ratio (PMDR) of the dyes within the bacterial membrane, complemented by other methods. The correlation between the ROS-induced cytoplasmic membrane damage and the PMDR of dyes quantifies sensitivity against bactericidal antibiotics, which correlates to antibiotic-induced lipid peroxidation. Significantly, our findings largely extend to clinical isolates of E. coli and other ESKAPE pathogens like K. pneumoniae and Enterobacter subspecies. Our data reveal that 4AP-Cn probes can potentially act as precise scales to detect antibiotic-induced membrane damage ("thinning") occurring at a subnanometer scale through the quantification of dyes' PMDR, making them promising membrane dyes for rapid detection of bacterial antibiotic resistance, distinguishing sensitive and resistant infections with high specificity in a clinical setup.

Probing the Hydrophobic Region of a Lipid Bilayer at Specific Depths Using Vibrational Spectroscopy

A novel spectroscopic approach for studying the flexibility and mobility in the hydrophobic interior of lipid bilayers at specific depths is proposed. A set of test compounds featuring an azido moiety and a cyano or carboxylic acid moiety, connected by an alkyl chain of different lengths, was synthesized. FTIR data and molecular dynamics calculations indicated that the test compounds in a bilayer are oriented so that the cyano or carboxylic acid moiety is located in the lipid head-group region, while the azido group stays inside the bilayer at the depth determined by its alkyl chain length. We found that the asymmetric stretching mode of the azido group (νN3) can serve as a reporter of the membrane interior dynamics. FTIR and two-dimensional infrared (2DIR) studies were performed at different temperatures, ranging from 22 to 45 °C, covering the Lβ-Lα phase transition temperature of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (∼41 °C). The width of the νN3 peak was found to be very sensitive to the phase transition and to the temperature in general. We introduced an order parameter, SN3, which characterizes restrictions to motion inside the bilayer. 2DIR spectra of νN3 showed different extents of inhomogeneity at different depths in the bilayer, with the smallest inhomogeneity in the middle of the leaflet. The spectral diffusion dynamics of the N3 peak was found to be dependent on the depth of the N3 group location in the bilayer. The obtained results enhance our understanding of the bilayer dynamics and can be extended to investigate membranes with more complex compositions.

Time-Frequency Analysis of Two-Dimensional Electron Spin Resonance Signals

Two-dimensional electron spin resonance (2D ESR) spectroscopy is a unique experimental technique for probing protein structure and dynamics, including processes that occur at the microsecond time scale. While it provides significant resolution enhancement over the one-dimensional experimental setup, spectral broadening and noise make extraction of spectral information highly challenging. Traditionally, two-dimensional Fourier transform (2D FT) is applied for the analysis of 2D ESR signals, although its efficiency is limited to stationary signals. In addition, it often fails to resolve overlapping peaks in 2D ESR. In this work, we propose a time-frequency analysis of 2D time-domain signals, which identifies all frequency peaks by decoupling a signal into its distinct constituent components via projection on the time-frequency plane. The method utilizes 2D undecimated discrete wavelet transform (2D UDWT) as an intermediate step in the analysis, followed by signal reconstruction and 2D FT. We have applied the method to a simulated 2D double quantum coherence (DQC) signal for validation and a set of experimental 2D ESR signals, demonstrating its efficiency in resolving overlapping peaks in the frequency domain, while displaying frequency evolution with time in case of non-stationary data.

Theory and Least Squares Fitting of CW ESR Saturation Spectra Using the MOMD Model

CW saturation experiments are widely used in ESR studies of relaxation processes in proteins and lipids. We develop the theory of saturation in ESR spectra in terms of its close relation with that of 2D-ELDOR. Our treatment of saturation is then based on the microscopic order macroscopic disorder (MOMD) model and can be used to fit the full CW saturation spectrum, rather than fitting just the peak-peak amplitude as a function of microwave field B ₁ as is commonly done. This requires fewer experiments to yield effects on T ₁, as well as provides a more extensive dynamic structural picture, for example, for scanning experiments on different protein sites. The code is released as a publicly available software package in Python that can be used to fit CW saturation spectra from biological samples of interest.

Studies of transmembrane peptides by pulse dipolar spectroscopy with semi-rigid TOPP spin labels

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR)-based pulsed dipolar spectroscopy measures the dipolar interaction between paramagnetic centers that are separated by distances in the range of about 1.5-10 nm. Its application to transmembrane (TM) peptides in combination with modern spin labelling techniques provides a valuable tool to study peptide-to-lipid interactions at a molecular level, which permits access to key parameters characterizing the structural adaptation of model peptides incorporated in natural membranes. In this mini-review, we summarize our approach for distance and orientation measurements in lipid environment using novel semi-rigid TOPP [4-(3,3,5,5-tetramethyl-2,6-dioxo-4-oxylpiperazin-1-yl)-L-phenylglycine] labels specifically designed for incorporation in TM peptides. TOPP labels can report single peak distance distributions with sub-angstrom resolution, thus offering new capabilities for a variety of TM peptide investigations, such as monitoring of various helix conformations or measuring of tilt angles in membranes.

Microsecond Exchange Processes Studied by Two-Dimensional ESR at 95 GHz

Exchange processes which include conformational change, protonation/deprotonation, and binding equilibria are routinely studied by 2D exchange NMR techniques, where information about the exchange of nuclei between environments with different NMR shifts is obtained from the development of cross-peaks. Whereas 2D NMR enables the real time study of millisecond and slower exchange processes, 2D ESR in the form of 2D-ELDOR (two-dimensional electron-electron double resonance) has the potential for such studies over the nanosecond to microsecond real time scales. Cross-peak development due to chemical exchange has been seen previously for semiquinones in ESR, but this is not possible for most common ESR probes, such as nitroxides, studied at typical ESR frequencies because, unlike NMR, the exchanging states yield ESR signals that are not resolved from each other within their respective line widths. But at 95 GHz, it becomes possible to resolve them in many cases because of the increased g-factor resolution. The 95 GHz instrumental developments occurring at ACERT now enable such studies. We demonstrate these new capabilities in two studies: (A) the protonation/deprotonation process for a pH-sensitive imidazoline spin label in aqueous solution where the exchange rate and the population ratio of the exchanging states are controlled by the concentration and pH of the buffer solution, respectively, and (B) a nitroxide radical partitioning between polar (aqueous) and nonpolar (phospholipid) environments in multilamellar lipid vesicles, where the cross-peak development arises from the exchange of the nitroxide between the two phases. This work represents the first example of the observation and analysis of cross-peaks arising from chemical exchange processes involving nitroxide spin labels.

Microsecond dynamics in proteins by two-dimensional ESR: Predictions

Two-dimensional electron-electron double resonance (2D-ELDOR) provides extensive insight into molecular motions. Recent developments permitting experiments at higher frequencies (95 GHz) provide molecular orientational resolution, enabling a clearer description of the nature of the motions. In this work, simulations are provided for the example of domain motions within proteins that are themselves slowly tumbling in solution. These show the nature of the exchange cross-peaks that are predicted to develop in real time from such domain motions. However, we find that the existing theoretical methods for computing 2D-ELDOR experiments over a wide motional range begin to fail seriously when applied to very slow motions characteristic of proteins in solution. One reason is the failure to obtain accurate eigenvectors and eigenvalues of the complex symmetric stochastic Liouville matrices describing the experiment when computed by the efficient Lanczos algorithm in the range of very slow motion. Another, perhaps more serious, issue is that these matrices are "non-normal," such that for the very slow motional range even rigorous diagonalization algorithms do not yield the correct eigenvalues and eigenvectors. We have employed algorithms that overcome both these issues and lead to valid 2D-ELDOR predictions even for motions approaching the rigid limit. They are utilized to describe the development of cross-peaks in 2D-ELDOR at 95 GHz for a particular case of domain motion.

Probing Membrane Hydration at the Interface of Self-Assembled Peptide Amphiphiles Using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

The relative hydrophilicity at the interface of a nanoparticle was measured utilizing electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The supramolecular structure was assembled from spin-labeled peptide amphiphiles (PA) derived from N-carboxy anhydrides (NCA). Cyanuric chloride, or 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine (TCT), was used as a modular platform to synthesize the spin-labeled, lipid-mimetic macroinitiator used for the ring-opening polymerization of γ-benzyl-l-glutamic acid NCA to produce polyglutamate-b-dodecanethiol₂. Through static and dynamic light scattering, as well as transmission electron microscopy, PAs with DP of 50 and 17 were shown to assemble into stable nanoparticles with an average hydrodynamic radius of 117 and 84 nm, respectively. Continuous wave EPR spectroscopy revealed that the mobility parameter (h_-1/h₀) and 2A_iso of the nitroxide radical increased with increasing pH, in concert with the deprotonation of the PE side chains and associated helix-coil transition. These results are consistent with an increase in the relative hydration and polarity at the nanoparticle interface, which would be dependent on the secondary structure of the polypeptide. This research suggests that a pH stimulus could be used to facilitate water diffusion through the membrane.

Water accessibility in a membrane-inserting peptide comparing Overhauser DNP and pulse EPR methods

Water accessibility is a key parameter for the understanding of the structure of biomolecules, especially membrane proteins. Several experimental techniques based on the combination of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy with site-directed spin labeling are currently available. Among those, we compare relaxation time measurements and electron spin echo envelope modulation (ESEEM) experiments using pulse EPR with Overhauser dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) at X-band frequency and a magnetic field of 0.33 T. Overhauser DNP transfers the electron spin polarization to nuclear spins via cross-relaxation. The change in the intensity of the (1)H NMR spectrum of H2O at a Larmor frequency of 14 MHz under a continuous-wave microwave irradiation of the nitroxide spin label contains information on the water accessibility of the labeled site. As a model system for a membrane protein, we use the hydrophobic α-helical peptide WALP23 in unilamellar liposomes of DOPC. Water accessibility measurements with all techniques are conducted for eight peptides with different spin label positions and low radical concentrations (10-20 μM). Consistently in all experiments, the water accessibility appears to be very low, even for labels positioned near the end of the helix. The best profile is obtained by Overhauser DNP, which is the only technique that succeeds in discriminating neighboring positions in WALP23. Since the concentration of the spin-labeled peptides varied, we normalized the DNP parameter ϵ, being the relative change of the NMR intensity, by the electron spin concentration, which was determined from a continuous-wave EPR spectrum.

Probe-location dependent resonance energy transfer at lipid/water interfaces: comparison between the gel- and fluid-phase of lipid bilayer

Effect of dielectric environment and lipid fluidity/rigidity in multi-chromophoric FRET from a series of donors to acceptors at lipid/water interfaces are monitored by tailored donor–acceptor pairs.

Pulse EPR Measurements of Intramolecular Distances in a TOPP-Labeled Transmembrane Peptide in Lipids

We present the performance of nanometer-range pulse electron paramagnetic resonance distance measurements (pulsed electron-electron double resonance/double electron-electron resonance, PELDOR/DEER) on a transmembrane WALP24 peptide labeled with the semirigid unnatural amino acid 4-(3,3,5,5-tetra-methyl-2,6-dioxo-4-oxylpiperazin-1-yl)-l-phenylglycine (TOPP). Distances reported by the TOPP label are compared to the ones reported by the more standard MTSSL spin label, commonly employed in protein studies. Using high-power pulse electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy at Q-band frequencies (34 GHz), we show that in contrast to MTSSL, our label reports one-peak, sharp (Δr ≤ 0.4 nm) intramolecular distances. Orientational selectivity is not observed. When spin-labeled WALP24 was inserted in two representative lipid bilayers with different bilayer thickness, i.e., DMPC and POPC, the intramolecular distance reported by TOPP did not change with the bilayer environment. In contrast, the distance measured with MTSSL was strongly affected by the hydrophobic thickness of the lipid. The results demonstrate that the TOPP label is well suited to study the intrinsic structure of peptides immersed in lipids.

Toward increased concentration sensitivity for continuous wave EPR investigations of spin-labeled biological macromolecules at high fields

High-field, high-frequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy at W-(∼94 GHz) and D-band (∼140 GHz) is important for investigating the conformational dynamics of flexible biological macromolecules because this frequency range has increased spectral sensitivity to nitroxide motion over the 100 ps to 2 ns regime. However, low concentration sensitivity remains a roadblock for studying aqueous samples at high magnetic fields. Here, we examine the sensitivity of a non-resonant thin-layer cylindrical sample holder, coupled to a quasi-optical induction-mode W-band EPR spectrometer (HiPER), for continuous wave (CW) EPR analyses of: (i) the aqueous nitroxide standard, TEMPO; (ii) the unstructured to α-helical transition of a model IDP protein; and (iii) the base-stacking transition in a kink-turn motif of a large 232 nt RNA. For sample volumes of ∼50 μL, concentration sensitivities of 2-20 μM were achieved, representing a ∼10-fold enhancement compared to a cylindrical TE011 resonator on a commercial Bruker W-band spectrometer. These results therefore highlight the sensitivity of the thin-layer sample holders employed in HiPER for spin-labeling studies of biological macromolecules at high fields, where applications can extend to other systems that are facilitated by the modest sample volumes and ease of sample loading and geometry.

New insight into probe-location dependent polarity and hydration at lipid/water interfaces: comparison between gel- and fluid-phases of lipid bilayers

Location dependent polarity and hydration probed by a new series of 4-aminophthalimide-based fluorescent molecules (4AP-Cn;n= 2–10, 12) show different behaviour at gel- and fluid-phase lipid/water interfaces.

Interaction of Spin-Labeled Lipid Membranes with Transition Metal Ions

The large values of spin relaxation enhancement (RE) for PC spin-labels in the phospholipid membrane induced by paramagnetic metal salts dissolved in the aqueous phase can be explained by Heisenberg spin exchange due to conformational fluctuations of the nitroxide group as a result of membrane fluidity, flexibility of lipid chains, and, possibly, amphiphilic nature of the nitroxide label. Whether the magnetic interaction occurs predominantly via Heisenberg spin exchange (Ni) or by the dipole–dipole (Gd) mechanism, it is essential for the paramagnetic ion to get into close proximity to the nitroxide moiety for efficient RE. For different salts of Ni the RE in phosphatidylcholine membranes follows the anionic Hofmeister series and reflects anion adsorption followed by anion-driven attraction of paramagnetic cations on the choline groups. This adsorption is higher for chaotropic ions, e.g., perchlorate. (A chaotropic agent is a molecule in water solution that can disrupt the hydrogen bonding network between water molecules.) However, there is no anionic dependence of RE for model membranes made from negatively charged lipids devoid of choline groups. We used Ni-induced RE to study the thermodynamics and electrostatics of ion/membrane interactions. We also studied the effect of membrane composition and the phase state on the RE values. In membranes with cholesterol a significant difference is observed between PC labels with nitroxide tethers long enough vs not long enough to reach deep into the membrane hydrophobic core behind the area of fused cholesterol rings. This study indicates one must be cautious in interpreting data obtained by PC labels in fluid membranes in terms of probing membrane properties at different immersion depths when it can be affected by paramagnetic species at the membrane surface.

Cholesterol enhances surface water diffusion of phospholipid bilayers

Elucidating the physical effect of cholesterol (Chol) on biological membranes is necessary towards rationalizing their structural and functional role in cell membranes. One of the debated questions is the role of hydration water in Chol-embedding lipid membranes, for which only little direct experimental data are available. Here, we study the hydration dynamics in a series of Chol-rich and depleted bilayer systems using an approach termed (1)H Overhauser dynamic nuclear polarization (ODNP) NMR relaxometry that enables the sensitive and selective determination of water diffusion within 5-10 Å of a nitroxide-based spin label, positioned off the surface of the polar headgroups or within the nonpolar core of lipid membranes. The Chol-rich membrane systems were prepared from mixtures of Chol, dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine and/or dioctadecyl phosphatidylcholine lipid that are known to form liquid-ordered, raft-like, domains. Our data reveal that the translational diffusion of local water on the surface and within the hydrocarbon volume of the bilayer is significantly altered, but in opposite directions: accelerated on the membrane surface and dramatically slowed in the bilayer interior with increasing Chol content. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) lineshape analysis shows looser packing of lipid headgroups and concurrently tighter packing in the bilayer core with increasing Chol content, with the effects peaking at lipid compositions reported to form lipid rafts. The complementary capability of ODNP and EPR to site-specifically probe the hydration dynamics and lipid ordering in lipid membrane systems extends the current understanding of how Chol may regulate biological processes. One possible role of Chol is the facilitation of interactions between biological constituents and the lipid membrane through the weakening or disruption of strong hydrogen-bond networks of the surface hydration layers that otherwise exert stronger repulsive forces, as reflected in faster surface water diffusivity. Another is the concurrent tightening of lipid packing that reduces passive, possibly unwanted, diffusion of ions and water across the bilayer.

A method for dynamic nuclear polarization enhancement of membrane proteins

Dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) magic-angle spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR (ssNMR) spectroscopy has the potential to enhance NMR signals by orders of magnitude and to enable NMR characterization of proteins which are inherently dilute, such as membrane proteins. In this work spin-labeled lipid molecules (SL-lipids), when used as polarizing agents, lead to large and relatively homogeneous DNP enhancements throughout the lipid bilayer and to an embedded lung surfactant mimetic peptide, KL4 . Specifically, DNP MAS ssNMR experiments at 600 MHz/395 GHz on KL4 reconstituted in liposomes containing SL-lipids reveal DNP enhancement values over two times larger for KL4 compared to liposome suspensions containing the biradical TOTAPOL. These findings suggest an alternative sample preparation strategy for DNP MAS ssNMR studies of lipid membranes and integral membrane proteins.

High-field ELDOR-detected NMR study of a nitroxide radical in disordered solids: towards characterization of heterogeneity of microenvironments in spin-labeled systems

The combination of high-field EPR with site-directed spin-labeling (SDSL) techniques employing nitroxide radicals has turned out to be particularly powerful in probing the polarity and proticity characteristics of protein/matrix systems. This information is concluded from the principal components of the nitroxide Zeeman (g), nitrogen hyperfine (A) and quadrupole (P) tensors of the spin labels attached to specific sites. Recent multi-frequency high-field EPR studies underlined the complexity of the problem to treat the nitroxide microenvironment in proteins adequately due to inherent heterogeneities which result in several principal x-components of the nitroxide g-tensor. Concomitant, but distinctly different nitrogen hyperfine components could, however, not be determined from high-field cw EPR experiments owing to the large intrinsic EPR linewidth in fully protonated guest/host systems. It is shown in this work that, using the W-band (95GHz) ELDOR- (electron-electron double resonance) detected NMR (EDNMR) method, different principal nitrogen hyperfine, Azz, and quadrupole, Pzz, tensor values of a nitroxide radical in glassy 2-propanol matrix can be measured with high accuracy. They belong to nitroxides with different hydrogen-bond situations. The satisfactory resolution and superior sensitivity of EDNMR as compared to the standard ENDOR (electron-nuclear double resonance) method are demonstrated.

High-field EPR on membrane proteins - crossing the gap to NMR

In this review on advanced EPR spectroscopy, which addresses both the EPR and NMR communities, considerable emphasis is put on delineating the complementarity of NMR and EPR concerning the measurement of molecular interactions in large biomolecules. From these interactions, detailed information can be revealed on structure and dynamics of macromolecules embedded in solution- or solid-state environments. New developments in pulsed microwave and sweepable cryomagnet technology as well as ultrafast electronics for signal data handling and processing have pushed to new horizons the limits of EPR spectroscopy and its multifrequency extensions concerning the sensitivity of detection, the selectivity with respect to interactions, and the resolution in frequency and time domains. One of the most important advances has been the extension of EPR to high magnetic fields and microwave frequencies, very much in analogy to what happens in NMR. This is exemplified by referring to ongoing efforts for signal enhancement in both NMR and EPR double-resonance techniques by exploiting dynamic nuclear or electron spin polarization via unpaired electron spins and their electron-nuclear or electron-electron interactions. Signal and resolution enhancements are particularly spectacular for double-resonance techniques such as ENDOR and PELDOR at high magnetic fields. They provide greatly improved orientational selection for disordered samples that approaches single-crystal resolution at canonical g-tensor orientations - even for molecules with small g-anisotropies. Exchange of experience between the EPR and NMR communities allows for handling polarization and resolution improvement strategies in an optimal manner. Consequently, a dramatic improvement of EPR detection sensitivity could be achieved, even for short-lived paramagnetic reaction intermediates. Unique structural and dynamic information is thus revealed that can hardly be obtained by any other analytical techniques. Micromolar quantities of sample molecules have become sufficient to characterize stable and transient reaction intermediates of complex molecular systems - offering highly interesting applications for chemists, biochemists and molecular biologists. In three case studies, representative examples of advanced EPR spectroscopy are reviewed: (I) High-field PELDOR and ENDOR structure determination of cation-anion radical pairs in reaction centers from photosynthetic purple bacteria and cyanobacteria (Photosystem I); (II) High-field ENDOR and ELDOR-detected NMR spectroscopy on the oxygen-evolving complex of Photosystem II; and (III) High-field electron dipolar spectroscopy on nitroxide spin-labelled bacteriorhodopsin for structure-function studies. An extended conclusion with an outlook to further developments and applications is also presented.

Topology of the trans-membrane peptide WALP23 in model membranes under negative mismatch conditions

The organization and orientation of membrane-inserted helices is important for better understanding the mode of action of membrane-active peptides and of protein-membrane interactions. Here we report on the application of ESEEM (electron spin-echo envelope modulation) and DEER (double electron-electron resonance) techniques to probe the orientation and oligomeric state of an α-helical trans-membrane model peptide, WALP23, under conditions of negative mismatch between the hydrophobic cores of the model membrane and the peptide. Using ESEEM, we measured weak dipolar interactions between spin-labeled WALP23 and (2)H nuclei of either the solvent (D2O) or of lipids specifically deuterated at the choline group. The ESEEM data obtained from the deuterated lipids were fitted using a model that provided the spin label average distance from a layer of (2)H nuclei in the hydrophilic region of the membrane and the density of the (2)H nuclei in the layer. DEER was used to probe oligomerization through the dipolar interaction between two spin-labels on different peptides. We observed that the center of WALP23 does not coincide with the bilayer midplane and its N-terminus is more buried than the C-terminus. In addition, the ESEEM data fitting yielded a (2)H layer density that was much lower than expected. The DEER experiments revealed the presence of oligomers, the presence of which was attributable to the negative mismatch and the electrostatic dipole of the peptide. A discussion of a possible arrangement of the individual helices in the oligomers that is consistent with the ESEEM and DEER data is presented.

Using spin-label W-band EPR to study membrane fluidity profiles in samples of small volume

Conventional and saturation-recovery (SR) EPR at W-band (94GHz) using phosphatidylcholine spin labels (labeled at the alkyl chain [n-PC] and headgroup [T-PC]) to obtain profiles of membrane fluidity has been demonstrated. Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) membranes with and without 50 mol% cholesterol have been studied, and the results have been compared with similar studies at X-band (9.4 GHz) (L. Mainali, J.B. Feix, J.S. Hyde, W.K. Subczynski, J. Magn. Reson. 212 (2011) 418-425). Profiles of the spin-lattice relaxation rate (T(1)(-1)) obtained from SR EPR measurements for n-PCs and T-PC were used as a convenient quantitative measure of membrane fluidity. Additionally, spectral analysis using Freed's MOMD (microscopic-order macroscopic-disorder) model (E. Meirovitch, J.H. Freed J. Phys. Chem. 88 (1984) 4995-5004) provided rotational diffusion coefficients (R(perpendicular) and R(||)) and order parameters (S(0)). Spectral analysis at X-band provided one rotational diffusion coefficient, R(perpendicular). T(1)(-1), R(perpendicular), and R(||) profiles reflect local membrane dynamics of the lipid alkyl chain, while the order parameter shows only the amplitude of the wobbling motion of the lipid alkyl chain. Using these dynamic parameters, namely T(1)(-1), R(perpendicular), and R(||), one can discriminate the different effects of cholesterol at different depths, showing that cholesterol has a rigidifying effect on alkyl chains to the depth occupied by the rigid steroid ring structure and a fluidizing effect at deeper locations. The nondynamic parameter, S(0), shows that cholesterol has an ordering effect on alkyl chains at all depths. Conventional and SR EPR measurements with T-PC indicate that cholesterol has a fluidizing effect on phospholipid headgroups. EPR at W-band provides more detailed information about the depth-dependent dynamic organization of the membrane compared with information obtained at X-band. EPR at W-band has the potential to be a powerful tool for studying membrane fluidity in samples of small volume, ~30 nL, compared with a representative sample volume of ~3 μL at X-band.

Dynamical Line-Shifts in High-Field Electron Spin Resonance: Applications to Polymer Physics

High-field high-frequency Electron Paramagnetic Resonance spectroscopy (HF 2 -EPR) is a powerful tool to investigate, with ultra-high angular resolution, the rotational dynamics of complex systems like polymers, viscous fluids and glasses. Usually, information is drawn by detailed numerical analysis of the overall lineshape. Here, we present a simplified analytical model of the line shifts due to the rotational dynamics of the paramagnetic centre. The model captures the basic features of the reorientation process (time scale and size of the angular jump). It is compared with experimental results concerning the reorientation of a paramagnetic guest molecule dissolved in polystyrene. We find that, if the rotational model to describe the reorientation of the radical is consistent, the best-fit parameters yield equally acceptable best-fits of the overall spectrum by numerical simulations and dynamical line shifts by independent analytic expressions.

Lipid peroxidation and water penetration in lipid bilayers: a W-band EPR study

Lipid peroxidation plays a key role in the alteration of cell membrane's properties. Here we used as model systems multilamellar vesicles (MLVs) made of the first two products in the oxidative cascade of linoleoyl lecithin, namely 1-palmitoyl-2-(13-hydroperoxy-9,11-octadecanedienoyl)-lecithin (HpPLPC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-(13-hydroxy-9,11-octadecanedienoyl)-lecithin (OHPLPC), exhibiting a hydroperoxide or a hydroxy group at position 13, respectively. The two oxidized lipids were used either pure or in a 1:1 molar ratio mixture with untreated 1-palmitoyl-2-linoleoyl-lecithin (PLPC). The model membranes were doped with spin-labeled lipids to study bilayer alterations by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Two different spin-labeled lipids were used, bearing the doxyl ring at position (n) 5 or 16: γ-palmitoyl-β-(n-doxylstearoyl)-lecithin (n-DSPPC) and n-doxylstearic acid (n-DSA). Small changes in the acyl chain order in the sub-polar region and at the methyl-terminal induced by lipid peroxidation were detected by X-band EPR. Concomitantly, the polarity and proticity of the membrane bilayer in those regions were investigated at W band in frozen samples. Analysis of the g(xx) and A(zz) parameters revealed that OHPLPC, but mostly HpPLPC, induced a measurable increase in polarity and H-bonding propensity in the central region of the bilayer. Molecular dynamics simulation performed on 16-DSA in the PLPC-HpPLPC bilayer revealed that water molecules are statistically favored with respect to the hydroperoxide groups to interact with the nitroxide at the methyl-terminal, confirming that the H-bonds experimentally observed are due to increased water penetration in the bilayer. The EPR and MD data on model membranes demonstrate that cell membrane damage by oxidative stress cause alteration of water penetration in the bilayer.