Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Biomembranes

1A-adrenoceptor (1A-AR) is a class A G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) that stimulates smooth muscle contraction in response to adrenaline and noradrenaline. GPCRs exist in a dynamic equilibrium between multiple conformational states. Ligand binding induces structural rearrangements via conserved microswitches, which are thought to shift the equilibrium and trigger signalling. For structural and biochemical studies, GPCRs must be solubilised from the membrane, typically using detergent micelles. However, detergents can disrupt native dynamics of membrane proteins, potentially confounding experimental results. To address this, phospholipid bilayer mimetics such as nanodiscs and saposin nanoparticles (SNPs) have been developed to provide a more native-like environment. Thermostabilised 1A-AR serves as a GPCR prototype and can be expressed and isotopically labelled for NMR purposes. To investigate how membrane mimetics influence the conformational diversity of 1A-AR, we compared 1H 13C3-HMQC NMR experiments of 13CH3-Met labelled 1A-AR incorporated into either DDM, LMNG, or SNPs, in presence of ligands with varying efficacies. Several methionine residues are positioned near key microswitches, including M2035.57, located closed to the G protein binding site. Its resonance has been proposed as a readout of receptor conformational state, shifting with ligand efficacy. Spectra of 13CH3-Met labelled 1A-AR in LMNG closely resembled those in DDM with some temperature-dependent dynamic variation. In contrast, incorporation into SNPs led to a complete loss of M2035.57 signal, consistent with an intermediate exchange rate. These findings demonstrate that the membrane environment can profoundly influence conformational dynamics in GPCR NMR studies. Our results highlight the need to carefully consider membrane environment when interpreting NMR data and underscore the value of benchmarking against biologically relevant controls.

Nanodiscs and bicelles are widely used as membrane mimetics for structural studies of membrane-associated systems. Studies have reported that their magnetic alignment behavior and phase stability are highly sensitive to composition and temperature. In this study, we systematically investigate the effects of cholesterol on bicelle formation and magnetic alignment in DMPC + 0.2 glycyrrhizic acid (GA) systems using a combined 31P and 14N solid-state NMR experimental and simulation-based approach. Temperature dependent 31P NMR spectra reveal a clear transition from vesicle dominant to aligned bicelles/nanodsics phase, while 1N quadrupolar splitting and lineshape analysis provides quantitative insights into heterogeneous lipid bilayer populations, distinguishing large aligned nanodiscs (B(L)), small nanodiscs (B(S)), and isotropic/random components (B(R)). A strong correlation is observed between the 31P derived bicelle fraction and the 14N B(L) population, confirming that macroscopic alignment in the presence of an external magnetic field directly reflects the growth of large, well-ordered nanodiscs. Cholesterol is found to play a critical dual role by modulating membrane order and curvature. At low cholesterol concentration (0 to 5 mole percent), nanodiscs alignment occurs gradually with increasing temperature, while at higher cholesterol concentration (15 to 25 mole percent), the alignment is delayed and accompanied by broader spectral features, indicating structural heterogeneity. Notably, 10 mole percent cholesterol consistently provides the optimal balance, enabling efficient temperature dependent conversion to aligned bicelles while maintaining high B(L) populations (about 70-80 percentage) and minimal isotropic fractions. In contrast, higher cholesterol maintains significant B(S) and B(R) populations, even at elevated temperature. The 14N quadrupolar coupling (Cq is approximately 8.5 to 9.2 kHz for aligned nanodiscs) remains nearly invariant across compositions, showing that cholesterol does not change local headgroup dynamics but instead redistributes lipid populations. These findings establish a combined 31P and 14N solid -state NMR approach provides a valuable platform for quantitatively correlating membrane structure, dynamics, and alignment, offering practical guidelines for optimizing bicelle systems for high resolution solid-state NMR studies of membrane associated biomolecules.

The rising incidence of invasive fungal diseases emphasizes the need for novel therapeutic strategies, including membrane-targeting antifungal agents, which require representative lipid models for detailed molecular-level studies. In this work, we propose a consensus quinary fungal plasma membrane model based on lipidomic literature data, specifically PC:PE:PI:PA:PS phospholipid model with ratio of 44:29:13:8:6. Using a bottom-up approach, we characterized the biophysical properties of this system - with particular emphasis on mechanical parameters such as bending rigidity and area compressibility - by combining molecular dynamics simulations with experimental flicker-noise and ATR-FTIR spectroscopies. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of two key non-phospholipid components: ergosterol and triacylglycerols. Biophysical analysis revealed that DPPI and its specific interactions with DSPS induced the most substantial deviations in baseline membrane parameters, particularly area per lipid, membrane thickness, and area compressibility, while DSPS influenced bending rigidity change and DLiPA primarily affected lipid packing defects. In addition, ergosterol and TGs were found to influence all of the investigated parameters to different degree. Notably, the overall biophysical profile of the proposed FPMM closely mimicked that of natural vesicles derived from yeast lipid extracts, establishing this model may provide a reliable platform for studying fungal membrane biophysics and lipid-targeting interactions.

Neutron scattering is a powerful technique to investigate atomic structures and molecular dynamics of proteins at the nano-scale. When it comes to dynamics, incoherent and coherent scattering respectively provide information on the single and collective dynamics of nuclei. In proteins, hydrogen has the highest incoherent cross-section, and it is common practice to overlook the contribution of coherent terms stemming from all nuclei. However, the fast collective dynamics of heavier nuclei could also be studied if coherent scattering and incoherent scattering were experimentally separated. The recent advent of polarized neutron spectroscopy with sufficient flux and energy resolution has made it possible, and opens new perspectives to investigate the relative importance of coherent scattering and the information it provides on biological samples. The present study reports on the use of polarized quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) and the application of a minimalistic model adapted to both individual and collective dynamics. Using a perdeuterated green fluorescent protein as a model globular protein, the study provides an interpretation of the dynamical parameters obtained with QENS, and a comparative study of the Elastic Coherent and Incoherent Scattering Factor. Based on both experiments and calculations, we discuss the relative importance of distinct and self components of coherent scattering, which is often wrongly assumed to be representative of collective dynamics only. The results highlight the current impediments rendering complicated a straightforward analysis of fast collective dynamics in hydrated protein samples.

The BCL-2 family proteins are key regulators of apoptosis, functionally divided in pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins, with a third group acting as regulators. Their ability to partition between the cytosol and intra-cellular membranes (essentially the mitochondrial outer membrane) is a primary regulator of their functions. A second contributor is their ability to form homotypic complexes (pro-pro or anti-anti) or heterotypic complexes (pro-anti). If the structures of monomeric cytosolic members have largely been characterized, the functional and structural study of membrane-embedded proteins remains incomplete. Unlocking this knowledge is expected to enable evaluating new therapeutic strategies to either activate pro-apoptotic members, or inactivate anti-apoptotic ones. Lipid bilayer nanodiscs and improved cell-free protein synthesis have provided the technical breakthrough to achieve the description at the atomic level of conformations and higher order assemblies of these proteins in their membrane-associated states. Here we describe detailed and straightforward protocols for generating nanodisc-inserted members of the Bcl-2 family, through the example of anti-apoptotic Bcl-xL, and pro-apoptotic Bax and Bak. Full-length, untagged proteins are expressed from bacterial extracts in the presence of pre-assembled nanodiscs to allow co/post-translational insertion in lipid bilayer, followed by affinity chromatography purification. A more detailed characterization is presented for Bak, to exemplify structural and mechanistic studies enabled by these methods. Graphical abstract O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=139 SRC="FIGDIR/small/745005v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (35K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@5da1d1org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@12aca96org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@5a3e73org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@ba009d_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

The perilipins generally represent the most abundant lipid droplet (LD) surface proteins in mammalian cells and can target LD subpopulations within the same cell. They are characterized by a conserved organization of disordered and folded regions, as well as a number of divergent features, which contribute to differences in perilipin function and LD targeting. Here, we focus on the C-terminal 4-helix bundle (4HB) domain that is present in all perilipins except for PLIN1. Using biochemical and in silico approaches, we show that the 4HB of PLIN3 is a stably folded domain and interacts with lipid surfaces in vitro and with LDs in model cells. The {beta}-subdomain at the bottom of the helical bundle is required for the binding to LDs, but not for the 4HB stability, suggesting that this region may promote direct interaction with the LD surface. In agreement, the 4HB of PLIN4, which does not contain an {beta}- subdomain, does not bind to LDs. Overall, our work shows that small differences in perilipin structural features impact their differential targeting to LDs.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-delimited nanoparticles, secreted by virtually all tested cell types to mediate intercellular and interorgan communication by transporting biomolecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, to recipient cells. Many EV isolation techniques have been developed for mammalian EVs and exploit specific EV properties, such as size, density, and solubility. Although Drosophila has emerged as a simple yet robust animal model for studying fundamental EV biology in its native context, it remains unclear whether commonly used EV isolation techniques can be applied to hemolymph (Drosophila blood). In this study, we first provide an in-depth characterization of particles in hemolymph using two complementary particle analysis techniques: dynamic light scattering (DLS) and nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). We then evaluate the performance of three commonly used small EV isolation methods--solvent precipitation, ultracentrifugation, and size-exclusion chromatography--for their ability to isolate small EVs from Drosophila larval hemolymph. All three methods can enrich small EVs from hemolymph to varying degrees, but none completely remove circulating proteins and lipoproteins. In particular, size-exclusion chromatography yields the purest small EV fractions, as evidenced by the enrichment of Drosophila orthologs of human small EV markers, including Tetraspanin 42Ee (Tsp42Ee), Tetraspanin 42Ed (Tsp42Ed), Tetraspanin 96F (Tsp96F), and Annexin B11 (AnxB11), although it produces the lowest protein yield. Altogether, our study provides practical guidance on both selecting an appropriate small EV isolation method and rigorously characterizing isolated small EV fractions according to specific research needs. More broadly, the knowledge gained from this study provides a framework for the isolation and characterization of small EVs in other insects, thereby facilitating future EV research across diverse insect species.

Abstract textMembrane protein function depends critically on the surrounding lipid bilayer, which supports specific lipid-protein interactions and imposes constraints through its ensemble properties. Ion-transporting ATPases undergo large conformational changes that perturb these interactions, and the high chemical potential of water can further drive conformational transitions through changes in internal hydration. Here, we investigated the relationship between membrane environment, internal hydration, and catalytic activity in the P1B-type copper ATPase LpCopA from Legionella pneumophila. BADAN-labeled LpCopA mutants revealed distinct basal hydration states near the conserved canonical binding site (CBS) cysteines C382 and C384, with C382 residing in a more hydrated environment than C384. Using the osmolyte PEG-1500, the spectral response of BADAN indicated an average internal hydration volume of about 800 [A]3 for LpCopA in E. coli lipid-doped mixed micelles (MMs), corresponding to approximately 25 water molecules. In nanodiscs (NDs), less than half of this volume responded to osmotic pressure, consistent with compaction of the transmembrane helical bundle under membrane lateral pressure. Remarkably, ATPase activity measured in different lipid reconstitution systems scaled with the extent of internal hydration, with diisobutylene/maleic acid lipid particles (DIBMALPs) imposing the tightest transmembrane compaction and lowest basal activity. These data indicate that the packing density and internal hydration of the transmembrane domain of LpCopA are strongly modulated by the membrane environment. The energetic estimates further support a model in which hydration-dependent expansion of the transmembrane domain against membrane lateral pressure contributes to the free-energy barrier of ATP hydrolysis.

The TMEM16 family of calcium-activated phospholipid scramblases (CaPLSs) and chloride channels (CaCCs) performs diverse physiological functions that include regulation of blood coagulation and apoptotic signaling, through a shared ten-transmembrane-helix (TM) architecture organized around a hydrophilic lipid-translocating groove. Mechanistic studies of TMEM16 family members have been hampered by the absence of a unified positional reference framework that would permit direct comparison of structurally equivalent residues across paralogs with different sequence numbering systems. Here we introduce a generic numbering scheme for TMEM16 scramblases (GNS-TMEM16), modeled on the Ballesteros & Weinstein system established for class A G protein-coupled receptors. A reference alignment (TMEM16-RA) was constructed from twelve human and mouse TMEM16 scramblases (TMEM16C/D/E/F/G/J) using structure-based ClustalW alignment of the ten TM helices. From this alignment, a TM-specific reference residue (TsRR) was identified for each helix by hierarchical application of three criteria: (1) 100% conservation in the core TMEM16-RA; (2) conservation in an augmented reference alignment (TMEM16-ARA) incorporating a group of phylogenetically more distant homologs composed of nhTMEM16, afTMEM16, TMEM16K, TMEM16A, and TMEM16B; and (3) structural and functional considerations, including helix-perturbing character, groove localization, conserved motif membership, and central TM position. The resulting ten TsRRs are Y1.50, W2.50, R3.50, E4.50, F5.50, P6.50, E7.50, D8.50, W9.50, and E10.50, and are illustrated in mTMEM16F. Each residue is assigned the identifier N.m(k), where N is the TM number, m is the position relative to the TsRR (for which m = 50), and k is the absolute sequence number. Loop residues receive dual identifiers referenced to the TsRRs of both flanking helices. Application of the GNS-TMEM16 is illustrated with the comparisons of the groove-opening measurements using pairwise distances between residues identified by their N.m indices to be corresponding across mTMEM16F, afTMEM16, and nhTMEM16. The results bring to light the advantages of corresponding residues identification in different TMEM16 proteins and show that the mammalian scramblase undergoes substantially larger separation at the extracellular groove entrance than either fungal homolog. Comparison of mutagenesis data guided by N.m correspondence shows at the conserved (E3.55,R6.26) salt-bridge locus, Ala substitution reduces activity more than 100-fold in nhTMEM16 but less than 2-fold in afTMEM16, illustrating that the GNS identifies structural equivalence of position without implying functional equivalence of the residue, which is a distinct advantage of GNS in providing mechanistic interpretation across paralogs. Also described is a protocol for extending the GNS-TMEM16 to uncharacterized protein sequences, including AlphaFold-predicted models, using structural superposition to mTMEM16F. Thus, the presented GNS-TMEM16 provides a stable positional reference for the integration and comparative analysis of structural, computational, and functional data across the TMEM16 family, utilizing a construction strategy applicable to yet other polytopic membrane protein families sharing a common transmembrane fold.

Lipid packing defects expose hydrophobic regions of membranes and influence protein-membrane recognition, membrane remodeling, and lipid sensing. Quantitative analysis of these defects remains challenging for heterogeneous membranes with strong curvature, mixed bilayer and monolayer organization, and substantial neutral-lipid content. Here, we present Lipid Defect Analyzer (LipiDeA), an open-source Python framework for quantitative analysis of lipid packing defects in complex membrane systems. LipiDeA reconstructs membrane surfaces using triangulated meshes that adapt to local membrane geometry and identifies packing defects from lipid coverage of the reconstructed surface. The framework further classifies bilayer and monolayer regions, resolves defect properties according to local membrane curvature, and distinguishes defects associated with phospholipid tails and neutral lipids. Validation using planar and buckled DPPC bilayers reproduced previously reported packing defect constants and showed that defects preferentially occur in positively curved membrane regions. Application to lipid-droplet-like membranes revealed composition- and topology-dependent defect formation, with the largest defects occurring during the transition from bilayer-dominated to monolayer-containing membranes and distinct defect properties for DAG- and TAG-containing systems. These results highlight the importance of local membrane geometry and composition in determining lipid packing defects.

Cardiolipin (CL) is a phospholipid found in the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) where it increases the efficiency of ATP regeneration. We have investigated the hypothesis that this increase may result in part from CL concentrating H+ at the IMM surface through electrostatic interactions as the CL polar head is a dianion at physiological pH. To this aim, we compared the concentrations and movements of H+ at the surface of giant planar phosphatidylcholine (PC) membranes and 20% CL enriched PC membranes by recording their surface pH with the membrane-grafted pH probe fluorescein DHPE. CL enrichment of the membranes increased their surface H+ activity by a ~4 factor. Moreover, we observed non-gaussian spatial H+ concentration profiles with distance from a point H+ source with both PC and CL membranes suggesting that both lipids also induce interactions between probe molecules. A whole bath pH variation revealed that these interactions allow the traveling of reversible acidification fronts with constant speed over the membrane between high and low pH states. A reaction-diffusion model of these observations suggests that membranes support these fronts through a mechanism of autocatalytic (de)protonation of the membrane surface. In mitochondria, these fronts would result in transitions between high and low pH states, the low one having a larger H+ concentration in CL-enriched regions of the IMM. Such an increase at the inner leaflet of the IMM may increase efficiency of the respiratory chain whereas the increase at the outer leaflet may boost the ATP synthase rate.

This paper presents and critically reviews the results of original and some literature based experimental studies conducted by the authors last years on the structural organization of DNA in dormant (starvation stress), anabiotic dormant (4 HR treatment) E. coli cells, as well as the K12 {Delta}dps strain, which lacks the Dps protein (Dps null E. coli). The experimental data includes small-angle synchrotron radiation diffraction (SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) data. Synchrotron radiation diffraction experiments on K12{Delta}dps cells allowed us to conclude that peaks at 44.3, 22.1, and 14.8 angstrom resolutions are associated exclusively with ordered DNA organization. Peaks at 44.3, 22.1, and 14.8 angstrom resolutions are also observed for samples of dormant (starvation stress) cells and anabiotically dormant cells. Therefore, this ordered DNA organization also applies to samples of dormant and anabiotically dormant cells. A model is proposed that considers the ordered DNA organization in the cell as a cholesteric liquid crystal. The powder diffraction pattern calculated based on this model is compared with experimental small angle X ray scattering (SAXS) data obtained on Dps-null cell samples. The model completely reproduces the key features of the experimental diffraction pattern from Dps-null cell samples. Accordingly, the cholesteric liquid crystal model corresponds to DNA packaging in dormant and anabiotically dormant cells. Cholesteric liquid crystal ordering should be further considered in all models of cellular DNA packaging. To address the question of which structural organization of DNA predominates in the cell: the cholesteric liquid crystal or nanocrystalline or whether they coexist and fully manifest themselves under different external conditions, it is necessary to utilize the latest methodological advances in structural analysis.

The High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) protein performs multiple essential functions in the body, ranging from DNA regulation to the activation and mediation of immune responses. However, HMGB1 has been also implicated in several pathological conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, sepsis, autoimmune diseases, tumors, and Alzheimer's disease. As a result, HMGB1 is of increasing interest as a therapeutic target. Binding to heparin has been reported to inhibit HMGB1's pathological activity during sepsis in clinical settings. In this work, we compare the interactions of HMGB1 with heparin and its' synthetic analog linear polyglycerol sulfate (lPGS) from the viewpoint of stability and changes to association behavior. This analysis focuses on thermal stability, secondary-structure changes, and particle-size evolution using nano-differential scanning fluorimetry (nanoDSF), circular dichroism spectroscopy (CD), and dynamic light scattering (DLS).

Amyloid {beta}-protein (A{beta}), which is known for its role in Alzheimer's disease (AD), is also involved in several physiological functions. Of the two predominant isoforms, A{beta}40 and A{beta}42, the latter is more aggregation-prone and more active in health and disease. In the brain, A{beta} interacts with free lipids, which may affect its assembly pathways. Here, thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence spectroscopy is combined with molecular dynamics (MD) to investigate A{beta}40 and A{beta}42 co-assembly with free dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and DMPC/cholesterol (CHOL) lipids. ThT measurements at several protein-to-lipid (PL) ratios show isoform- and lipid composition-dependent kinetics of A{beta} fibril formation with clear isoform-dependent lipid effects at a PL ratio of 1:5. Early co-assembly stages of six A{beta}40/A{beta}42 with DMPC and DMPC/CHOL lipids at this PL ratio are then examined by MD. MD results indicate that lipids alter the secondary structure more and interact more avidly with A{beta}40 than with A{beta}42. In turn, A{beta}40 increases the planar order of lipid bicelles more than A{beta}42. Unlike A{beta}40, A{beta}42 decreases the nematic order of CHOL. In DMPC/CHOL lipids, A{beta}42 but not A{beta}40 exhibits two A{beta}-lipid interaction modes associated with mutually exclusive A{beta}42-lipid and A{beta}42-A{beta}42 interactions. Our MD findings provide a plausible explanation for an experimentally observed increase in the lag time for A{beta}40 fibril formation in DMPC lipids and even more so in DMPC/CHOL lipids that contrasts with much smaller effects of lipids on A{beta}42 fibril formation and offer additional atomistic-level insights into A{beta} co-assembly with lipids amenable to experimental testing.

Maintenance of membrane homeostasis is essential for bacterial viability, yet the molecular functions of many membrane proteins involved in this process remain poorly understood. The widely distributed DedA superfamily of integral membrane proteins has been implicated in membrane homeostasis, with deletion of DedA genes resulting in sensitivities to temperature, pH and a range of antimicrobial compounds. Several bacterial DedA proteins have been linked to lipid transport, providing a potential connection between function and phenotype. However, a lack of direct functional and structural data means that the precise role of DedA proteins in bacterial membrane homeostasis remains unclear. Here, using analytical ultracentrifugation (AUC), we show that the Escherichia coli DedA protein YqjA exists predominantly as a dimer and, by combining structural modelling with site-specific cysteine crosslinking, we have identified the most likely dimer interface. Modelling of dimeric YqjA in the presence of lipids predicts an interfacial lipid-binding site located in close proximity to several conserved, functionally important residues. Consistent with lipid binding, addition of lipid substantially increased the thermal stability of YqjA. Furthermore, mutation of residues associated with the predicted binding site impaired YqjA function. Together, these findings provide new structural and functional insights into the DedA family and support a role for lipid binding in the activity of YqjA.

Inefficient endosomal escape is a crucial barrier to intracellular delivery of nucleic acid therapeutics using lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). The use of ionizable lipids (ILs) has significantly improved cargo delivery efficiency, yet the physical basis of their interaction with endosomal membranes and their role in endosomal escape remain unclear. It has been suggested that, as ILs become cationic during endosomal acidification, electrostatic affinity promotes fusion of the LNPs with the endosome. In this paper, we propose an additional mechanism in which ILs are redistributed from LNPs to host membranes, modulating the elastic properties and curvature of the membrane, lowering the energetic threshold for endosome disruption. To test this, we quantified the spontaneous curvature of clinically relevant ILs and ATP-binding lipids and measured the membrane mechanics of giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) with an endosome-relevant composition at endosome-relevant pH. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements reveal that the incorporation of ILs and ATP lipids into endosome-mimetic membranes shifts the spontaneous curvature towards more negative values. Micropipette aspiration experiments indicated a decrease in the apparent area compressibility modulus of membranes doped with ILs and ATP lipids. In addition, membranes showed enhanced fluctuation amplitudes and altered relaxation behavior, consistent with membrane perturbations associated with lipid insertion and pH- or ATP-driven destabilization. Under conditions promoting the partitioning of ILs or ATP-binding lipids, we further observed reduced bending rigidity and increased heterogeneity in membrane tension. Together, these results support a model in which ILs (as well as newly developed ATP-binding lipids) partition into endosomal membranes, softening the membrane and generating local curvature frustration that facilitates endosomal disruption during the natural acidification process. By quantitatively linking lipid composition with changes in membrane elasticity and fluctuation dynamics, this work provides a biophysical framework for understanding how lipid redistribution may contribute to endosomal escape and improve delivery efficiency.

Small multifunctional viral membrane proteins called viroporins are attractive drug targets but are difficult to structurally characterize in a lipid-bilayer environment. We have successfully reconstituted the full-length Envelope (E) protein from SARS-CoV-2 in a lipid-bilayer, co-assembled with a native host factor that binds to E, the PDZ domain 2 of ZO1. We have leveraged the enhancement afforded by dynamic nuclear polarization NMR to determine that the ensemble-averaged oligomer state of E is a pentamer. Complexing the protein with a host PDZ domain did not impact the oligomer state, but resulted in structuring of the last four residues of E, and immobilization of the PDZ domain near the lipid surface. Combined with secondary structure information derived from the chemical shifts, these data were used to model an E protein pentamer together with the PDZ protein dimer. Inclusion of a relevant host factor, as well as a complex lipid bilayer that mimics conditions in the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment, approaches native conditions, and addresses the ongoing controversy regarding the functional oligomer state in an infected cell.

Apicomplexan parasites, including Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum, reside within a specialized compartment known as the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) during their intracellular life cycle. The PV membrane (PVM), which derives from the host plasma membrane upon invasion, serves as a selective barrier that permits nutrient acquisition while shielding the parasite from host defense mechanisms. Although the protein composition of the PVM has been studied extensively, its lipid organization remains poorly understood. Using the quick-freeze, freeze-fracture replica labeling (QF-FRL) method, we quantitatively analyzed the transbilayer distribution of phosphatidylserine (PtdSer), phosphatidylethanolamine (PtdEtn), and GM3 ganglioside in the PVM of T. gondii and P. falciparum. Unlike host cell plasma membranes, where these lipids exhibit strict asymmetry--PtdSer and PtdEtn confined to the cytoplasmic leaflet and GM3 to the exoplasmic leaflet--we found that all three lipids were symmetrically distributed across both leaflets of the PVM. This striking loss of lipid asymmetry suggests that the PVM undergoes profound remodeling during infection. The presence of PtdSer and PtdEtn in the luminal leaflet may facilitate the binding of perforin-like proteins (PLP1s) during egress. These findings reveal a unique feature of the PVM that redefines our understanding of host-parasite membrane biology.

Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) are a leading drug delivery platform for mRNA or other nucleic acid-based therapeutics. LNP platforms are typically composed of ionizable aminolipids, phospholipids, sterols, and lipids tagged with polyethylene glycol. The ionizable aminolipids are typically cationic at low pH, allowing them to encapsulate negatively charged mRNA. The pH at which the ionizable head groups change charge states, the apparent pKa, is crucial to understand the characteristics and formulation of LNP. However, this is difficult to measure as the apparent pKa differs from the pKa of the aminolipids in bulk solution due to the complex chemical and charge environment. In this study, we use molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with alchemical free energy perturbation to calculate the pKa shift as a function of lipid composition, treating LNP-like and vesicle-like environments. Our results show that the pH-dependent structure of the systems affects the trends in pKa shifts in complex ways, driven by factors including surface electrostatics and lipid internalization. Our all-atom simulation protocol allows us to efficiently estimate the apparent pKa of LNP-like models formed with novel ionizable aminolipids and estimate how it will change with composition.

Amylose contributes to starch crystallinity, but the stability of packed amylose double helices in water at elevated temperature remains insufficiently characterized. Here, we used molecular dynamics simulations to test whether chain length affects the short-timescale stability of A-type amylose oligomers in water. Six systems differing in chain length (6, 12, or 24 glucose units per chain) and oligomer size (isolated double strand or dodecamer of six double strands) were simulated, and five independent 1-s production runs were analyzed for each simulated condition. Oligomers with six glucose units showed structural collapse accompanied by increased water penetration. By contrast, dodecamers with 12 or 24 glucose units largely retained packed double-helical organization over the simulated timescale, although fraying was observed at their ends. These results indicate that chain length and lateral packing strongly affect the early structural response of amylose-like crystalline segments in hot water. The present simulations do not establish the ultimate fate of longer oligomers at longer timescales, but they identify a relative stability difference that is relevant to molecular interpretations of hydration-driven disordering in starch.