Two-color fluorescent probes for imaging the dipole potential of cell plasma membranes

The dipole potential (Ψ_d) constitutes a large and functionally important part of the electrostatic potential of cell plasma membranes. However, its direct measurement is not possible. Herein, new 3-hydroxyflavone fluorescent probes were developed that respond strongly to Ψ_d changes by a variation of the intensity ratio of their two well-separated fluorescence bands. Using fluorescence spectroscopy with cell suspensions and confocal microscopy with adherent cells, we showed, for the first time, two-color fluorescence ratiometric measurement and visualization of Ψ_d in cell plasma membranes. Using this new tool, a heterogeneous distribution of this potential within the membrane was evidenced.     

Advanced functional fluorescent probes for cell plasma membranes

Imaging the plasma membrane (PM) by fluorescence techniques using molecular fluorescent probes enable cell segmentation, studying membrane organization and dynamics, formation, and tracking of vesicles. Rational molecular design brings fluorescent PM probes to a new level, providing PM probes with new functions beyond basic PM staining and imaging. We herein review the latest advances in fluorescent PM probes for chemical and biophysical sensing as well as for super-resolution imaging.     

Modification of beta-lactoglobulin by microbial transglutaminase under high hydrostatic pressure: localization of reactive glutamine residues

Microbial transglutaminase (mTG) mediated modification of bovine beta-lactoglobulin (bLG) at ambient and high hydrostatic pressure was investigated in order to characterize preferred sites of the crosslinking reaction by identifying reactive glutamine residues. bLG was labeled with triglycine (GGG) by incubation with mTG at ambient pressure or at 400 MPa, respectively, and was subjected to an enzymatic digestion with trypsin. The resulting peptides were separated and those containing glutamine residues modified with GGG were unambiguously identified using RP-HPLC with ESI-TOF-MS. For bLG treated with mTG at ambient pressure for 1 h at 40 degrees C, no labeling was observed, thus confirming that the native protein is no substrate for mTG. After incubation of the protein with mTG at 400 MPa for 1 h at 40 degrees C, four out of nine glutamine residues, namely at positions 5, 13, 35, and 59 were identified as accessible for the mTG catalyzed reaction, indicating partial unfolding of bLG under pressure and exposure of previously unaccesible glutamine residues. Thus, only a limited number of glutamine residues were substrates for mTG, which points to a pronounced substrate specificity of mTG toward individual glutamine residues within a protein.     

The significance of the activity of dissolved oxygen, and other gases, enhanced by high hydrostatic pressure

The partial pressure of oxygen and other gases dissolved in water and subjected to high hydrostatic pressure is increased. Although this was established many years ago it remains a problematical phenomenon. The review deals with some of the underlying theoretical difficulties and discusses the kinetic and environmental implications of the pressure-enhanced partial pressures.     

中性体系中超高压－Nisin协同作用下的细菌致死机理

摘要：【目的】为保证超高压中性食品的杀菌强度,可以??????????通过添加Nisin等细菌素协同杀菌以达到商业无菌要求。本文从分子水平和超微结构揭示二者协同作用下的细胞致死机理,为超高压杀菌在中性食品中的应用奠定理论基础。【方法】采用pH7.0的环境体系,100－500 MPa的超高压处理,Nisin浓度为200 IU/mL。通过荧光染色法和紫外吸收法检测细胞膜通透性,傅里叶转换红外光谱法检测细菌细胞壁、蛋白以及核酸的变化,透射电镜观察细菌在协同作用下的形态变化。【结果】结果发现：中性条件下,超高压与     

The effect of temperature on protein refolding at high pressure: Enhanced green fluorescent protein as a model

The application of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) impairs electrostatic and hydrophobic intermolecular interactions, promoting the dissociation of recombinant inclusion bodies (IBs) under mild conditions that favor subsequent protein refolding. We demonstrated that IBs of a mutant version of green fluorescent protein (eGFP F64L/S65T), produced at 37 °C, present native-like secondary and tertiary structures that are progressively lost with an increase in bacterial cultivation temperature. The IBs produced at 37 °C are more efficiently dissociated at 2.4 kbar than those produced at 47 °C, yielding 25 times more soluble, functional eGFP after the lower pressure (0.69 kbar) refolding step. The association of a negative temperature (−9 °C) with HHP enhances the efficiency of solubilization of IBs and of eGFP refolding. The rate of refolding of eGFP as temperature increases from 10 °C to 50 °C is proportional to the temperature, and a higher yield was obtained at 20 °C. High level refolding yield (92%) was obtained by adjusting the temperatures of expression of IBs (37 °C), of their dissociation at HHP (−9 °C) and of eGFP refolding (20 °C). Our data highlight new prospects for the refolding of proteins, a process of fundamental interest in modern biotechnology.     

Analysis of outer membrane permeability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and bactericidal activity of endolysins KZ144 and EL188 under high hydrostatic pressure

The parameters influencing outer membrane permeability of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 under high hydrostatic pressure were quantified and optimized, using fusion between a specific A1gamma peptidoglycan-binding domain and green fluorescent protein (PBD-GFP). Based on the obtained data, optimal conditions were defined to assess the synergistic bactericidal action between high hydrostatic pressure and peptidoglycan hydrolysis by bacteriophage-encoded endolysins KZ144 and EL188. Under high hydrostatic pressure, both endolysins show similar inactivation of P. aeruginosa as the commonly used hen egg white lysozyme or slightly higher inactivation in the case of EL188 at 150 and 200 MPa. The partial contribution of pressure to the bacterial inactivation increases with higher pressure, while the partial contribution of the enzymes is maximal at the onset pressure of outer membrane permeabilization for the PBD-GFP protein (175 MPa). This study's results demonstrate the usefulness of this approach to determine optimal synergy for hurdle technology applications.     

Effect of high hydrostatic pressure on the formation of radicals in maize starches with different amylose content

Native and high pressure-treated (water suspensions, 650 MPa) waxy maize starch, containing mainly amylopectin, and Hylon VII, rich in amylose, were studied for their ability to generate free radicals upon thermal treatment at 180–230 °C. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy was used to characterize the nature, number and stability of radicals. Various stable and short living (stabilized by N-tert-butyl-α-phenylnitrone (PBN) spin trap) radical species were formed. It was found, that at given conditions the waxy maize starch reveals higher ability to generate radicals, than Hylon VII. The presence of water and high pressure pretreatment of starches, both resulted in the reduction of the amount of thermally generated radicals. The decrease in crystallinity of waxy maize starch and of Hylon VII, occurring upon high pressure treatment, leads to the increase of the relative amount of fast rotating component in the EPR spectrum of both types of starches.     

Hierarchical organization of the plasma membrane: Investigations by single-molecule tracking vs. fluorescence correlation spectroscopy

Single-molecule tracking and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) applied to the plasma membrane in living cells have allowed a number of unprecedented observations, thus fostering a new basic understanding of molecular diffusion, interaction, and signal transduction in the plasma membrane. It is becoming clear that the plasma membrane is a heterogeneous entity, containing diverse structures on nano-meso-scales (2-200 nm) with a variety of lifetimes, where certain membrane molecules stay together for limited durations. Molecular interactions occur in the time-dependent inhomogeneous two-dimensional liquid of the plasma membrane, which might be a key for plasma membrane functions.     

In situ monitoring by quantitative Raman spectroscopy of alcoholic fermentation by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomyces cerevisiae</Emphasis> under high pressure

We monitored alcoholic fermentation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a function of high hydrostatic pressure. Ethanol production from 0.15 M glucose was measured by Raman spectroscopy in situ in a diamond-anvil cell. At 10 MPa, fermentation proceeds three times faster than at ambient pressure and the fermentation yield is enhanced by 5% after 24 h. Above 20 MPa, the reaction kinetics slows down with increasing pressure. The pressure above which no more ethanol is produced is calculated to be 87 ± 7 MPa. These results indicate that the activity of one or several enzymes of the glycolytic pathway is enhanced at low pressure up to 10 MPa. At higher pressures, they become progressively repressed, and they are completely inhibited above 87 MPa. Although fermentation was predicted to stop at ca. 50 MPa, due to the loss of activity of phosphofructokinase, the present study demonstrates that there is still an activity of ca. 30% of that measured at ambient pressure at 65 MPa. This study also validates the use of Raman spectroscopy for monitoring the metabolism of living microorganisms.     

Involvement of 14-3-3 proteins in the osmotic regulation of H+-ATPase in plant plasma membranes

 Taking the binding of fusicoccin to plasma membranes as an indicator of complex formation between the 14-3-3 dimer and H⁺-ATPase, we assessed the effect of osmotic stress on the interaction of these proteins in suspension-cultured cells of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.). An increase in osmolarity of the cell incubation medium, accompanied by a decrease in turgor, was found to activate the H⁺ efflux 5-fold. The same increment was observed in the number of high-affinity fusicoccin-binding sites in isolated plasma membranes; the 14-3-3 content in the membranes increased 2- to 3-fold, while the H⁺-ATPase activity changed only slightly. The data obtained indicate that osmotic regulation of H⁺-ATPase in the plant plasma membrane is achieved via modulation of the coupling between H⁺ transport and ATP hydrolysis, and that such regulation involves 14-3-3 proteins. Received: 10 February 2000 / Accepted: 31 March 2000     

Osmotic water permeability of plasma and vacuolar membranes in protoplasts I. High osmotic water permeability in radish ( Raphanus sativus ) root cells as measured by a new method

Intra- and transcellular water movements in plants are regulated by the water permeability of the plasma membrane (PM) and vacuolar membrane (VM) in plant cells. In the present study, we investigated the osmotic water permeability of both PM (P _f1) and VM (P _f2), as well as the bulk osmotic water permeability of a protoplast (P _f(bulk)) isolated from radish (Raphanus sativus) roots. The values of P _f(bulk) and P _f2 were determined from the swelling/shrinking rate of protoplasts and isolated vacuoles under hypo- or hypertonic conditions. In order to minimize the effect of unstirred layer, we monitored dropping or rising protoplasts (vacuoles) in sorbitol solutions as they swelled or shrunk. P _f1 was calculated from P _f(bulk) and P _f2 by using the ‘three-compartment model’, which describes the theoretical relationship between P _f1, P _f2 and P _f(bulk) (Kuwagata and Murai-Hatano in J Plant Res, 2007). The time-dependent changes in the volume of protoplasts and isolated vacuoles fitted well to the theoretical curves, and solute permeation of PM and VM was able to be neglected for measuring the osmotic water permeability. High osmotic water permeability of more than 500 μm s⁻¹, indicating high activity of aquaporins (water channels), was observed in both PM and VM in radish root cells. This method has the advantage that P _f1 and P _f2 can be measured accurately in individual higher plant cells. Electronic supplementary material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at and is accessible for authorized users. It includes four appendices, four tables and two figures. Mari Murai-Hatano and Tsuneo Kuwagata contributed equally to the paper. An erratum to this article is available at .     

Osmotic water permeability of plasma and vacuolar membranes in protoplasts I. High osmotic water permeability in radish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Raphanus sativus</Emphasis>) root cells as measured by a new method

Intra- and transcellular water movements in plants are regulated by the water permeability of the plasma membrane (PM) and vacuolar membrane (VM) in plant cells. In the present study, we investigated the osmotic water permeability of both PM (P ( f1)) and VM (P ( f2)), as well as the bulk osmotic water permeability of a protoplast (P ( f(bulk))) isolated from radish (Raphanus sativus) roots. The values of P ( f(bulk)) and P ( f2) were determined from the swelling/shrinking rate of protoplasts and isolated vacuoles under hypo- or hypertonic conditions. In order to minimize the effect of unstirred layer, we monitored dropping or rising protoplasts (vacuoles) in sorbitol solutions as they swelled or shrunk. P ( f1) was calculated from P ( f(bulk)) and P ( f2) by using the 'three-compartment model', which describes the theoretical relationship between P ( f1), P ( f2) and P ( f(bulk)) (Kuwagata and Murai-Hatano in J Plant Res, 2007). The time-dependent changes in the volume of protoplasts and isolated vacuoles fitted well to the theoretical curves, and solute permeation of PM and VM was able to be neglected for measuring the osmotic water permeability. High osmotic water permeability of more than 500 mum s(-1), indicating high activity of aquaporins (water channels), was observed in both PM and VM in radish root cells. This method has the advantage that P ( f1) and P ( f2) can be measured accurately in individual higher plant cells.