Biomaterial Database

Pore-forming peptides induce rapid phospholipid flip-flop in membranes. 1994

E Fattal, and S Nir, and R A Parente, and F C Szoka

School of Pharmacy, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0446.

A kinetic model for pore-mediated and perturbation-mediated flip-flop is presented and used to characterize the mechanism of peptide-induced phospholipid flip-flop in bilayers. The model assumes that certain peptides can bind to and aggregate within the membrane. When the aggregate attains a critical size (M peptides), a channel is created that results in a fast flip-flop of phospholipids. In addition, certain peptides induce flip-flop through perturbation of the membrane without forming a pore. Donor phospholipid vesicles with an asymmetrical distribution of the fluorescent phospholipid 1-oleoyl-2-[12-[(7-nitro-1,2,3-benzoxadiazol-4- yl)amino]dodecanoyl]phosphatidylcholine (NBD-PC) were used to measure the extent of flip-flop by quantitating the decrease in fluorescence as the NBD-PC exchanged from the donor vesicles to acceptor vesicles that contained a quencher of the NBD fluorescence. Flip-flop curves generated at lipid/peptide ratios ranging from 30/1 to 300000/1 could be well-simulated by the model. Pore-forming peptides, such as melittin or the synthetic peptide GALA (WEAALAEALAEALAEHLAEALAEALEALAA), induce rapid phospholipid flip-flop with half-times for flip-flop of seconds at low peptide/vesicle ratios. The deduced pore sizes are M = 10 +/- 2 for GALA and M = 2 - 4 for melittin. The synthetic peptide LAGA (WEAALAEAEALALAEHEALALAEAELALAA) can catalyze flip-flop via bilayer perturbation. In contrast, hydrophobic peptides such as gramicidin A and valinomycin intercalate into the membrane, but induce little flip-flop. Modeling of the kinetics of phospholipid translocation supports pore formation as the key factor in accelerating phospholipid flip-flop. Thus, amphipathic segments from membrane proteins may account for non-energy-dependent phospholipid flip-flop in biological membranes.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D008051	Lipid Bilayers	Layers of lipid molecules which are two molecules thick. Bilayer systems are frequently studied as models of biological membranes.	Bilayers, Lipid,Bilayer, Lipid,Lipid Bilayer
D008563	Membrane Lipids	Lipids, predominantly phospholipids, cholesterol and small amounts of glycolipids found in membranes including cellular and intracellular membranes. These lipids may be arranged in bilayers in the membranes with integral proteins between the layers and peripheral proteins attached to the outside. Membrane lipids are required for active transport, several enzymatic activities and membrane formation.	Cell Membrane Lipid,Cell Membrane Lipids,Membrane Lipid,Lipid, Cell Membrane,Lipid, Membrane,Lipids, Cell Membrane,Lipids, Membrane,Membrane Lipid, Cell,Membrane Lipids, Cell
D008962	Models, Theoretical	Theoretical representations that simulate the behavior or activity of systems, processes, or phenomena. They include the use of mathematical equations, computers, and other electronic equipment.	Experimental Model,Experimental Models,Mathematical Model,Model, Experimental,Models (Theoretical),Models, Experimental,Models, Theoretic,Theoretical Study,Mathematical Models,Model (Theoretical),Model, Mathematical,Model, Theoretical,Models, Mathematical,Studies, Theoretical,Study, Theoretical,Theoretical Model,Theoretical Models,Theoretical Studies
D008969	Molecular Sequence Data	Descriptions of specific amino acid, carbohydrate, or nucleotide sequences which have appeared in the published literature and/or are deposited in and maintained by databanks such as GENBANK, European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), National Biomedical Research Foundation (NBRF), or other sequence repositories.	Sequence Data, Molecular,Molecular Sequencing Data,Data, Molecular Sequence,Data, Molecular Sequencing,Sequencing Data, Molecular
D010455	Peptides	Members of the class of compounds composed of AMINO ACIDS joined together by peptide bonds between adjacent amino acids into linear, branched or cyclical structures. OLIGOPEPTIDES are composed of approximately 2-12 amino acids. Polypeptides are composed of approximately 13 or more amino acids. PROTEINS are considered to be larger versions of peptides that can form into complex structures such as ENZYMES and RECEPTORS.	Peptide,Polypeptide,Polypeptides
D010743	Phospholipids	Lipids containing one or more phosphate groups, particularly those derived from either glycerol (phosphoglycerides see GLYCEROPHOSPHOLIPIDS) or sphingosine (SPHINGOLIPIDS). They are polar lipids that are of great importance for the structure and function of cell membranes and are the most abundant of membrane lipids, although not stored in large amounts in the system.	Phosphatides,Phospholipid
D000595	Amino Acid Sequence	The order of amino acids as they occur in a polypeptide chain. This is referred to as the primary structure of proteins. It is of fundamental importance in determining PROTEIN CONFORMATION.	Protein Structure, Primary,Amino Acid Sequences,Sequence, Amino Acid,Sequences, Amino Acid,Primary Protein Structure,Primary Protein Structures,Protein Structures, Primary,Structure, Primary Protein,Structures, Primary Protein