Tilt and Azimuthal Angles of a Transmembrane Peptide: A Comparison between Molecular Dynamics Calculations and Solid-State NMR Data of Sarcolipin in Lipid Membranes

We report molecular dynamics simulations in the explicit membrane environment of a small membrane-embedded protein, sarcolipin, which regulates the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase activity in both cardiac and skeletal muscle. In its monomeric form, we found that sarcolipin adopts a helical conformation, with a computed average tilt angle of 28 ± 6° and azymuthal angles of 66 ± 22°, in reasonable accord with angles determined experimentally (23 ± 2° and 50 ± 4°, respectively) using solid-state NMR with separated-local-field experiments. The effects of time and spatial averaging on both ¹⁵N chemical shift anisotropy and ¹H/¹⁵N dipolar couplings have been analyzed using short-time averages of fast amide out-of-plane motions and following principal component dynamic trajectories. We found that it is possible to reproduce the regular oscillatory patterns observed for the anisotropic NMR parameters (i.e., PISA wheels) employing average amide vectors. This work highlights the role of molecular dynamics simulations as a tool for the analysis and interpretation of solid-state NMR data.     

Probing the Transmembrane Structure and Dynamics of Microsomal NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase by Solid-State NMR

NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CYPOR) is an essential redox partner of the cytochrome P450 (cyt P450) superfamily of metabolic enzymes. In the endoplasmic reticulum of liver cells, such enzymes metabolize ∼75% of the pharmaceuticals in use today. It is known that the transmembrane domain of CYPOR plays a crucial role in aiding the formation of a complex between CYPOR and cyt P450. Here we present the transmembrane structure, topology, and dynamics of the FMN binding domain of CYPOR in a native membrane-like environment. Our solid-state NMR results reveal that the N-terminal transmembrane domain of CYPOR adopts an α-helical conformation in the lipid membrane environment. Most notably, we also show that the transmembrane helix is tilted ∼13° from the lipid bilayer normal, and exhibits motions on a submillisecond timescale including rotational diffusion of the whole helix and fluctuation of the helical director axis. The approaches and the information reported in this study would enable further investigations on the structure and dynamics of the full-length NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase and its interaction with other membrane proteins in a membrane environment.     

Probing the Transmembrane Structure and Dynamics of Microsomal NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase by Solid-State NMR

NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (CYPOR) is an essential redox partner of the cytochrome P450 (cyt P450) superfamily of metabolic enzymes. In the endoplasmic reticulum of liver cells, such enzymes metabolize ∼75% of the pharmaceuticals in use today. It is known that the transmembrane domain of CYPOR plays a crucial role in aiding the formation of a complex between CYPOR and cyt P450. Here we present the transmembrane structure, topology, and dynamics of the FMN binding domain of CYPOR in a native membrane-like environment. Our solid-state NMR results reveal that the N-terminal transmembrane domain of CYPOR adopts an α-helical conformation in the lipid membrane environment. Most notably, we also show that the transmembrane helix is tilted ∼13° from the lipid bilayer normal, and exhibits motions on a submillisecond timescale including rotational diffusion of the whole helix and fluctuation of the helical director axis. The approaches and the information reported in this study would enable further investigations on the structure and dynamics of the full-length NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase and its interaction with other membrane proteins in a membrane environment.     

Structure and Dynamics of the Myristoyl Lipid Modification of Src Peptides Determined by H Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy

Lipid modifications of proteins are widespread in nature and play an important role in numerous biological processes. The nonreceptor tyrosine kinase Src is equipped with an N-terminal myristoyl chain and a cluster of basic amino acids for the stable membrane association of the protein. We used ²H NMR spectroscopy to investigate the structure and dynamics of the myristoyl chain of myr-Src(2-19), and compare them with the hydrocarbon chains of the surrounding phospholipids in bilayers of varying surface potentials and chain lengths. The myristoyl chain of Src was well inserted in all bilayers investigated. In zwitterionic 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine membranes, the myristoyl chain of Src was significantly longer and appears “stiffer” than the phospholipid chains. This can be explained by an equilibrium between the attraction attributable to the insertion of the myristoyl chain and the Born repulsion. In a 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine/1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-L-serine] membrane, where attractive electrostatic interactions come into play, the differences between the peptide and the phospholipid chain lengths were attenuated, and the molecular dynamics of all lipid chains were similar. In a much thicker 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine/1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-[phospho-L-serine]/cholesterol membrane, the length of the myristoyl chain of Src was elongated nearly to its maximum, and the order parameters of the Src chain were comparable to those of the surrounding membrane.     

Structure and Orientation of Bovine Lactoferrampin in the Mimetic Bacterial Membrane as Revealed by Solid-State NMR and Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Bovine lactoferrampin (LFampinB) is a newly discovered antimicrobial peptide found in the N1-domain of bovine lactoferrin (268–284), and consists of 17 amino-acid residues. It is important to determine the orientation and structure of LFampinB in bacterial membranes to reveal the antimicrobial mechanism. We therefore performed ¹³C and ³¹P NMR, ¹³C-³¹P rotational echo double resonance (REDOR), potassium ion-selective electrode, and quartz-crystal microbalance measurements for LFampinB with mimetic bacterial membrane and molecular-dynamics simulation in acidic membrane. ³¹P NMR results indicated that LFampinB caused a defect in mimetic bacterial membranes. Ion-selective electrode measurements showed that ion leakage occurred for the mimetic bacterial membrane containing cardiolipin. Quartz-crystal microbalance measurements revealed that LFampinB had greater affinity to acidic phospholipids than that to neutral phospholipids. ¹³C DD-MAS and static NMR spectra showed that LFampinB formed an α-helix in the N-terminus region and tilted 45° to the bilayer normal. REDOR dephasing patterns between carbonyl carbon nucleus in LFampinB and phosphorus nuclei in lipid phosphate groups were measured by ¹³C-³¹P REDOR and the results revealed that LFampinB is located in the interfacial region of the membrane. Molecular-dynamics simulation showed the tilt angle to be 42° and the rotation angle to be 92.5° for Leu³, which are in excellent agreement with the experimental values.     

Structure and Membrane Interactions of the Antibiotic Peptide Dermadistinctin K by Multidimensional Solution and Oriented N and P Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy

DD K, a peptide first isolated from the skin secretion of the Phyllomedusa distincta frog, has been prepared by solid-phase chemical peptide synthesis and its conformation was studied in trifluoroethanol/water as well as in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate and dodecylphosphocholine micelles or small unilamellar vesicles. Multidimensional solution NMR spectroscopy indicates an α-helical conformation in membrane environments starting at residue 7 and extending to the C-terminal carboxyamide. Furthermore, DD K has been labeled with ¹⁵N at a single alanine position that is located within the helical core region of the sequence. When reconstituted into oriented phosphatidylcholine membranes the resulting ¹⁵N solid-state NMR spectrum shows a well-defined helix alignment parallel to the membrane surface in excellent agreement with the amphipathic character of DD K. Proton-decoupled ³¹P solid-state NMR spectroscopy indicates that the peptide creates a high level of disorder at the level of the phospholipid headgroup suggesting that DD K partitions into the bilayer where it severely disrupts membrane packing.     

Effects of Peptide Charge,Orientation, and Concentration on Melittin Transmembrane Pores

Melittin is a short cationic peptide that exerts cytolytic effects on bacterial and eukaryotic cells. Experiments suggest that in zwitterionic membranes, melittin forms transmembrane toroidal pores supported by four to eight peptides. A recently constructed melittin variant with a reduced cationic charge, MelP5, is active at 10-fold lower concentrations. In previous work, we performed molecular dynamics simulations on the microsecond timescale to examine the supramolecular pore structure of a melittin tetramer in zwitterionic and partially anionic membranes. We now extend that study to include the effects of peptide charge, initial orientation, and number of monomers on the pore formation and stabilization processes. Our results show that parallel transmembrane orientations of melittin and MelP5 are more consistent with experimental data. Whereas a MelP5 parallel hexamer forms a large stable pore during the 5-μs simulation time, a melittin hexamer and an octamer are not fully stable, with several monomers dissociating during the simulation time. Interaction-energy analysis shows that this difference in behavior between melittin and MelP5 is not due to stronger electrostatic repulsion between neighboring melittin peptides but to peptide-lipid interactions that disfavor the isolated MelP5 transmembrane monomer. The ability of melittin monomers to diffuse freely in the 1,2-dimyristoyl-SN-glycero-3-phosphocholine membrane leads to dynamic pores with varying molecularity.     

Orientation and Order of the Amide Group of Sphingomyelin in Bilayers Determined by Solid-State NMR

Sphingomyelin (SM) and cholesterol (Chol) are considered essential for the formation of lipid rafts; however, the types of molecular interactions involved in this process, such as intermolecular hydrogen bonding, are not well understood. Since, unlike other phospholipids, SM is characterized by the presence of an amide group, it is essential to determine the orientation of the amide and its order in the lipid bilayers to understand the nature of the hydrogen bonds in lipid rafts. For this study, 1′-¹³C-2-¹⁵N-labeled and 2′-¹³C-2-¹⁵N-labeled SMs were prepared, and the rotational-axis direction and order parameters of the SM amide in bilayers were determined based on ¹³C and ¹⁵N chemical-shift anisotropies and intramolecular ¹³C-¹⁵N dipole coupling constants. Results revealed that the amide orientation was minimally affected by Chol, whereas the order was enhanced significantly in its presence. Thus, Chol likely promotes the formation of an intermolecular hydrogen-bond network involving the SM amide without significantly changing its orientation, providing a higher order to the SM amide. To our knowledge, this study offers new insight into the significance of the SM amide orientation with regard to molecular recognition in lipid rafts, and therefore provides a deeper understanding of the mechanism of their formation.     

Structural Model of the Bilitranslocase Transmembrane Domain Supported by NMR and FRET Data

We present a 3D model of the four transmembrane (TM) helical regions of bilitranslocase (BTL), a structurally uncharacterized protein that transports organic anions across the cell membrane. The model was computed by considering helix-helix interactions as primary constraints, using Monte Carlo simulations. The interactions between the TM2 and TM3 segments have been confirmed by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, increasing our confidence in the model. Several insights into the BTL transport mechanism were obtained by analyzing the model. For example, the observed cis-trans Leu-Pro peptide bond isomerization in the TM3 fragment may indicate a key conformational change during anion transport by BTL. Our structural model of BTL may facilitate further studies, including drug discovery.     

Integrating Solid-State NMR and Computational Modeling to Investigate the Structure and Dynamics of Membrane-Associated Ghrelin

The peptide hormone ghrelin activates the growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a, also known as the ghrelin receptor. This 28-residue peptide is acylated at Ser3 and is the only peptide hormone in the human body that is lipid-modified by an octanoyl group. Little is known about the structure and dynamics of membrane-associated ghrelin. We carried out solid-state NMR studies of ghrelin in lipid vesicles, followed by computational modeling of the peptide using Rosetta. Isotropic chemical shift data of isotopically labeled ghrelin provide information about the peptide’s secondary structure. Spin diffusion experiments indicate that ghrelin binds to membranes via its lipidated Ser3. Further, Phe4, as well as electrostatics involving the peptide’s positively charged residues and lipid polar headgroups, contribute to the binding energy. Other than the lipid anchor, ghrelin is highly flexible and mobile at the membrane surface. This observation is supported by our predicted model ensemble, which is in good agreement with experimentally determined chemical shifts. In the final ensemble of models, residues 8–17 form an α-helix, while residues 21–23 and 26–27 often adopt a polyproline II helical conformation. These helices appear to assist the peptide in forming an amphipathic conformation so that it can bind to the membrane.     

Structure of Amantadine-Bound M2 Transmembrane Peptide of Influenza A in Lipid Bilayers from Magic-Angle-Spinning Solid-State NMR: The Role of Ser31 in Amantadine Binding

The M2 proton channel of influenza A is the target of the antiviral drugs amantadine and rimantadine, whose effectiveness has been abolished by a single-site mutation of Ser31 to Asn in the transmembrane domain of the protein. Recent high-resolution structures of the M2 transmembrane domain obtained from detergent-solubilized protein in solution and crystal environments gave conflicting drug binding sites. We present magic-angle-spinning solid-state NMR results of Ser31 and a number of other residues in the M2 transmembrane peptide (M2TMP) bound to lipid bilayers. Comparison of the spectra of the membrane-bound apo and complexed M2TMP indicates that Ser31 is the site of the largest chemical shift perturbation by amantadine. The chemical shift constraints lead to a monomer structure with a small kink of the helical axis at Gly34. A tetramer model is then constructed using the helix tilt angle and several interhelical distances previously measured on unoriented bilayer samples. This tetramer model differs from the solution and crystal structures in terms of the openness of the N-terminus of the channel, the constriction at Ser31, and the side-chain conformations of Trp41, a residue important for channel gating. Moreover, the tetramer model suggests that Ser31 may interact with amantadine amine via hydrogen bonding. While the apo and drug-bound M2TMP have similar average structures, the complexed peptide has much narrower linewidths at physiological temperature, indicating drug-induced changes of the protein dynamics in the membrane. Further, at low temperature, several residues show narrower lines in the complexed peptide than the apo peptide, indicating that amantadine binding reduces the conformational heterogeneity of specific residues. The differences of the current solid-state NMR structure of the bilayer-bound M2TMP from the detergent-based M2 structures suggest that the M2 conformation is sensitive to the environment, and care must be taken when interpreting structural findings from non-bilayer samples.     

NMR Dynamics of Transmembrane and Intracellular Domains of p75NTR in Lipid-Protein Nanodiscs

P75NTR is a type I integral membrane protein that plays a key role in neurotrophin signaling. However, structural data for the receptor in various functional states are sparse and controversial. In this work, we studied the spatial structure and mobility of the transmembrane and intracellular parts of p75NTR, incorporated into lipid-protein nanodiscs of various sizes and compositions, by solution NMR spectroscopy. Our data reveal a high level of flexibility and disorder in the juxtamembrane chopper domain of p75NTR, which results in the motions of the receptor death domain being uncoupled from the motions of the transmembrane helix. Moreover, none of the intracellular domains of p75NTR demonstrated a propensity to interact with the membrane or to self-associate under the experimental conditions. The obtained data are discussed in the context of the receptor activation mechanism.     

High-level 2H/13C/15N labeling of proteins for NMR studies

Summary The protein human carbonic anhydrase II (HCA II) has been isotopically labeled with ²H, ¹³C and ¹⁵N for high-resolution NMR assignment studies and pulse sequence development. To increase the sensitivity of several key ¹H/¹³C/¹⁵N triple-resonance correlation experiments, ²H has been incorporated into HCA II in order to decrease the rates of ¹³C and ¹H_N T₂ relaxation. NMR quantities of protein with essentially complete aliphatic ²H incorporation have been obtained by growth of E. coli in defined media containing D₂O, [1,2-¹³C₂, 99%] sodium acetate, and [¹⁵N, 99%] ammonium chloride. Complete aliphatic deuterium enrichment is optimal for ¹³C and ¹⁵N backbone NMR assignment studies, since the ¹³C and ¹H_N T₂ relaxation times and, therefore, sensitivity are maximized. In addition, complete aliphatic deuteration increases both resolution and sensitivity by eliminating the differential ²H isotopic shift observed for partially deuterated CH_nD_m moieties.     

Solid-State H NMR Shows Equivalence of Dehydration and Osmotic Pressures in Lipid Membrane Deformation

Lipid bilayers represent a fascinating class of biomaterials whose properties are altered by changes in pressure or temperature. Functions of cellular membranes can be affected by nonspecific lipid-protein interactions that depend on bilayer material properties. Here we address the changes in lipid bilayer structure induced by external pressure. Solid-state ²H NMR spectroscopy of phospholipid bilayers under osmotic stress allows structural fluctuations and deformation of membranes to be investigated. We highlight the results from NMR experiments utilizing pressure-based force techniques that control membrane structure and tension. Our ²H NMR results using both dehydration pressure (low water activity) and osmotic pressure (poly(ethylene glycol) as osmolyte) show that the segmental order parameters (S_CD) of DMPC approach very large values of ≈0.35 in the liquid-crystalline state. The two stresses are thermodynamically equivalent, because the change in chemical potential when transferring water from the interlamellar space to the bulk water phase corresponds to the induced pressure. This theoretical equivalence is experimentally revealed by considering the solid-state ²H NMR spectrometer as a virtual osmometer. Moreover, we extend this approach to include the correspondence between osmotic pressure and hydrostatic pressure. Our results establish the magnitude of the pressures that lead to significant bilayer deformation including changes in area per lipid and volumetric bilayer thickness. We find that appreciable bilayer structural changes occur with osmotic pressures in the range of 10−100 atm or lower. This research demonstrates the applicability of solid-state ²H NMR spectroscopy together with bilayer stress techniques for investigating the mechanism of pressure sensitivity of membrane proteins.     

Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy of Membrane-Associated Myelin Basic Protein—Conformation and Dynamics of an Immunodominant Epitope

Myelin basic protein (MBP) maintains the tight multilamellar compaction of the myelin sheath in the central nervous system through peripheral binding of adjacent lipid bilayers of oligodendrocytes. Myelin instability in multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with the loss of positive charge in MBP as a result of posttranslational enzymatic deimination. A highly-conserved central membrane-binding fragment (murine N81-PVVHFFKNIVTPRTPPP-S99, identical to human N83-S101) represents a primary immunodominant epitope in MS. Previous low-resolution electron paramagnetic resonance measurements on the V83-T92 fragment, with Cys-mutations and spin-labeling that scanned the epitope, were consistent with it being a membrane-associated amphipathic α-helix. Pseudodeimination at several sites throughout the protein, all distal to the central segment, disrupted the α-helix at its amino-terminus and exposed it to proteases, representing a potential mechanism in the autoimmune pathogenesis of MS. Here, we have used magic-angle spinning solid-state NMR spectroscopy to characterize more precisely the molecular conformation and dynamics of this central immunodominant epitope of MBP in a lipid milieu, without Cys-substitution. Our solid-state NMR measurements have revealed that the α-helix present within the immunodominant epitope is shorter than originally modeled, and is independent of the pseudodeimination, highlighting the importance of the local hydrophobic effects in helix formation and stability. The main effect of pseudodeimination is to cause the cytoplasmic exposure of the fragment, potentially making it more accessible to proteolysis. These results are the first, to our knowledge, to provide atomic-level detail of a membrane-anchoring segment of MBP, and direct evidence of decreased MBP-membrane interaction after posttranslational modification.     

DHA Modifies the Size and Composition of Raftlike Domains: A Solid-State 2H NMR Study

Docosahexaenoic acid is an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid that relieves the symptoms of a wide variety of chronic inflammatory disorders. The structural mechanism is not yet completely understood. Our focus here is on the plasma membrane as a site of action. We examined the molecular organization of [²H₃₁]-N-palmitoylsphingomyelin (PSM-d₃₁) mixed with 1-palmitoyl-2-docosahexaenoylphosphatylcholine (PDPC) or 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC), as a monounsaturated control, and cholesterol (chol) (1:1:1 mol) in a model membrane by solid-state ²H NMR. The spectra were analyzed in terms of segregation into ordered SM-rich/chol-rich (raftlike) and disordered PC-rich/chol-poor (nonraft) domains that are nanoscale in size. An increase in the size of domains is revealed when POPC was replaced by PDPC. Spectra that are single-component, attributed to fast exchange between domains (<45 nm), for PSM-d₃₁ mixed with POPC and chol become two-component, attributed to slow exchange between domains (r > 30 nm), for PSM-d₃₁ mixed with PDPC and chol. The resolution of separate signals from PSM-d₃₁, and correspondingly from [3α-²H₁]cholesterol (chol-d₁) and 1-[²H₃₁]palmitoyl-2-docosahexaenoylphosphatidylcholine (PDPC-d₃₁), in raftlike and nonraft domains enabled us to determine the composition of the domains in the PDPC-containing membrane. Most of the lipid (28% SM, 29% chol, and 23% PDPC with respect to total lipid at 30°C) was found in the raftlike domain. Despite substantial infiltration of PDPC into raftlike domains, there appears to be minimal effect on the order of SM, implying the existence of internal structure that limits contact between SM and PDPC. Our results suggest a significant refinement to the model by which DHA regulates the architecture of ordered, sphingolipid-chol-enriched domains (rafts) in membranes.     

Structural Dynamics and Conformational Equilibria of SERCA Regulatory Proteins in Membranes by Solid-State NMR Restrained Simulations

Solid-state NMR spectroscopy is emerging as a powerful approach to determine structure, topology, and conformational dynamics of membrane proteins at the atomic level. Conformational dynamics are often inferred and quantified from the motional averaging of the NMR parameters. However, the nature of these motions is difficult to envision based only on spectroscopic data. Here, we utilized restrained molecular dynamics simulations to probe the structural dynamics, topology and conformational transitions of regulatory membrane proteins of the calcium ATPase SERCA, namely sarcolipin and phospholamban, in explicit lipid bilayers. Specifically, we employed oriented solid-state NMR data, such as dipolar couplings and chemical shift anisotropy measured in lipid bicelles, to refine the conformational ensemble of these proteins in lipid membranes. The samplings accurately reproduced the orientations of transmembrane helices and showed a significant degree of convergence with all of the NMR parameters. Unlike the unrestrained simulations, the resulting sarcolipin structures are in agreement with distances and angles for hydrogen bonds in ideal helices. In the case of phospholamban, the restrained ensemble sampled the conformational interconversion between T (helical) and R (unfolded) states for the cytoplasmic region that could not be observed using standard structural refinements with the same experimental data set. This study underscores the importance of implementing NMR data in molecular dynamics protocols to better describe the conformational landscapes of membrane proteins embedded in realistic lipid membranes.     

Structural Dynamics and Conformational Equilibria of SERCA Regulatory Proteins in Membranes by Solid-State NMR Restrained Simulations

Solid-state NMR spectroscopy is emerging as a powerful approach to determine structure, topology, and conformational dynamics of membrane proteins at the atomic level. Conformational dynamics are often inferred and quantified from the motional averaging of the NMR parameters. However, the nature of these motions is difficult to envision based only on spectroscopic data. Here, we utilized restrained molecular dynamics simulations to probe the structural dynamics, topology and conformational transitions of regulatory membrane proteins of the calcium ATPase SERCA, namely sarcolipin and phospholamban, in explicit lipid bilayers. Specifically, we employed oriented solid-state NMR data, such as dipolar couplings and chemical shift anisotropy measured in lipid bicelles, to refine the conformational ensemble of these proteins in lipid membranes. The samplings accurately reproduced the orientations of transmembrane helices and showed a significant degree of convergence with all of the NMR parameters. Unlike the unrestrained simulations, the resulting sarcolipin structures are in agreement with distances and angles for hydrogen bonds in ideal helices. In the case of phospholamban, the restrained ensemble sampled the conformational interconversion between T (helical) and R (unfolded) states for the cytoplasmic region that could not be observed using standard structural refinements with the same experimental data set. This study underscores the importance of implementing NMR data in molecular dynamics protocols to better describe the conformational landscapes of membrane proteins embedded in realistic lipid membranes.     

Fluid Mechanical Matching of H-ATP Synthase Subunit c-Ring with Lipid Membranes Revealed by H Solid-State NMR

The F₁F_o-ATP synthase utilizes the transmembrane H⁺ gradient for the synthesis of ATP. F_o subunit c-ring plays a key role in transporting H⁺ through F_o in the membrane. We investigated the interactions of Escherichia coli subunit c with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC-d₅₄) at lipid/protein ratios of 50:1 and 20:1 by means of ²H-solid-state NMR. In the liquid-crystalline state of DMPC, the ²H-NMR moment values and the order parameter (S_CD) profile were little affected by the presence of subunit c, suggesting that the bilayer thickness in the liquid-crystalline state is matched to the transmembrane hydrophobic surface of subunit c. On the other hand, hydrophobic mismatch of subunit c with the lipid bilayer was observed in the gel state of DMPC. Moreover, the viscoelasticity represented by a square-law function of the ²H-NMR relaxation was also little influenced by subunit c in the fluid phase, in contrast with flexible nonionic detergents or rigid additives. Thus, the hydrophobic matching of the lipid bilayer to subunit c involves at least two factors, the hydrophobic length and the fluid mechanical property. These findings may be important for the torque generation in the rotary catalytic mechanism of the F₁F_o-ATPse molecular motor.     

Orientation and Dynamics of Peptides in Membranes Calculated from H-NMR Data

Solid-state ²H-NMR is routinely used to determine the alignment of membrane-bound peptides. Here we demonstrate that it can also provide a quantitative measure of the fluctuations around the distinct molecular axes. Using several dynamic models with increasing complexity, we reanalyzed published ²H-NMR data on two representative α-helical peptides: 1), the amphiphilic antimicrobial peptide PGLa, which permeabilizes membranes by going from a monomeric surface-bound to a dimeric tilted state and finally inserting as an oligomeric pore; and 2), the hydrophobic WALP23, which is a typical transmembrane segment, although previous analysis had yielded helix tilt angles much smaller than expected from hydrophobic mismatch and molecular dynamics simulations. Their ²H-NMR data were deconvoluted in terms of the two main helix orientation angles (representing the time-averaged peptide tilt and azimuthal rotation), as well as the amplitudes of fluctuation about the corresponding molecular axes (providing the dynamic picture). The mobility of PGLa is found to be moderate and to correlate well with the respective oligomeric states. WALP23 fluctuates more vigorously, now in better agreement with the molecular dynamics simulations and mismatch predictions. The analysis demonstrates that when ²H-NMR data are fitted to extract peptide orientation angles, an explicit representation of the peptide rigid-body angular fluctuations should be included.