Organization and dynamics in micellar structural transition monitored by pyrene fluorescence

Structural transitions involving shape changes play an important role in cellular physiology. Such transition can be induced in charged micelles at a given temperature by increasing ionic strength of the medium. We have monitored the change in organization and dynamics associated with sphere-to-rod transition of SDS micelles utilizing pyrene fluorescence. We report here, utilizing changes in the ratio of pyrene vibronic peak intensities (I₁/I₃), the apparent dielectric constant experienced by pyrene in spherical SDS micelles (in absence of salt) to be ∼32. Interestingly, the apparent micellar dielectric constant exhibits a reduction with increasing NaCl concentration. The dielectric constant in rod-shaped micelles of SDS (in presence of 0.5 M NaCl) turns out to be ∼22. To the best of our knowledge, these results constitute one of the early reports on polarity estimates in rod-shaped micelles. In addition, pyrene excimer/monomer ratio shows increase in SDS micelles with increasing NaCl concentration. We interpret this increase due to an increase in average number of pyrene molecules per micelle associated with the sphere-to-rod structural transition. These results could be significant in micellar drug solubilization and delivery, and in membrane morphology changes.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of spherical-to -threadlike micelle transition in a cationic surfactant solution

The effect of sodium salicylate (NaSal) on the spherical-to-threadlike micelle shape transition in 3-hexadecyloxy-2-hydroxy-propyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (R₁₆HTAB) solution was studied using molecular dynamics simulation. The simulations were started from a preassembled infinitely long threadlike micelle of R₁₆HTAB. By analyzing the aggregation morphologies and structural details, we find that the preassembled threadlike micelle in the absence of NaSal was unstable and assembled into a spherical micelle. While in the presence of NaSal, the threadlike micelle exhibited fluctuations but remained the threadlike shape during the long simulation run. The Sal^? ions were found to penetrate inside the micelle, which promoted the junction between the surfactant and salicylate counterion. The aromatic Sal^? ions located in the surfactant headgroup region with their phenyl groups pointing toward the interior core region of the micelle. From another simulation started with two individual spherical micelles, we found that the Sal^? ions can link the two spherical micelles into a long threadlike micelle, in accordance with a mode proposed by experimental studies. Our studies showed that the H-bonds and electrostatic interactions between the Sal^? ions and the surfactants played an important role in micellar growth and stabilising the threadlike micelle.     

Local anesthetic-induced microscopic and mesoscopic effects in micelles. A fluorescence, spin label and SAXS study. Single angle X-ray scattering

The interaction of the local anesthetic tetracaine (TTC) with anionic sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and zwitterionic 3-(N-hexadecyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)propanesulfonate (HPS) micelles was investigated by fluorescence, spin labeling EPR and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Fluorescence pH titrations allowed the choice of adequate pHs for the EPR and SAXS experiments, where either charged or uncharged TTC would be present. The data also indicated that the anesthetic is located in a less polar environment than its charged counterpart in both micellar systems. EPR spectra evidenced that both anesthetic forms increased molecular organization within the SLS micelle, the cationic form exerting a more pronounced effect. The SAXS data showed that protonated TTC causes an increase in the SLS polar shell thickness, hydration number, and aggregation number, whereas the micellar features are not altered upon incorporation of the uncharged drug. The combined results suggest that the electrostatic interaction between charged TTC and SLS, and the intercalation of the drug in the micellar polar region induce a change in molecular packing with a decrease in the mean cross-sectional area, not observed when the neutral drug sinks more deeply into the micellar hydrophobic domain. In the case of HPS micelles, the EPR spectral changes were small for the charged anesthetic and the SAXS data did not evidence any change in micellar structure, suggesting that this species protrudes more into the aqueous phase due to the lack of electrostatic attractive forces in this system.     

Effect of structural transition of the host assembly on dynamics of an ion channel peptide: a fluorescence approach

Structural transition can be induced in charged micelles by increasing the ionic strength of the medium. We have monitored the organization and dynamics of the functionally important tryptophan residues of gramicidin in spherical and rod-shaped sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles utilizing a combination of wavelength-selective fluorescence and related fluorescence approaches. Our results show that tryptophans in gramicidin, present in the single-stranded beta(6.3) conformation, experience slow solvent relaxation giving rise to red edge excitation shift in spherical and rod-shaped micelles. In addition, changes in fluorescence polarization with increasing excitation or emission wavelength reinforce that the gramicidin tryptophans are localized in motionally restricted regions of these micelles. Fluorescence quenching experiments using acrylamide as a quencher of tryptophan fluorescence show that there is reduced water penetration in rod-shaped micelles. Taken together, we show that gramicidin conformation and dynamics is sensitive to the salt-induced structural transition in charged micelles. In addition, these results demonstrate that deformation of the host assembly could modulate protein conformation and dynamics.     

Acid-labile core cross-linked micelles for pH-triggered release of antitumor drugs

Micelles of a model amphiphilic block copolymer, poly(hydroxyethyl acrylate)-block-poly(n-butyl acrylate) (PHEA-b-PBA), synthesized via the RAFT polymerization were cross-linked by copolymerization of a degradable cross-linker from the living RAFT-end groups of PBA chains, yielding a cross-linked core without affecting significantly the original micelle size. The cross-linker incorporation into the micelles was evidenced via physicochemical analysis of the copolymer unimers formed upon acidic cleavage of the cross-linked micelles. High doxorubicin loading capacities (60 wt %) were obtained. Hydrolysis of less than half of the cross-links in the core was found to be sufficient to release doxorubicin faster at acidic pH compared to neutral pH. The system represents the first example of core-cross-linked micelles that can be destabilized (potentially both above and below CMC) by the pH-dependent cleavage of the cross-links and the subsequent polarity change in the core to enable the release of hydrophobic drugs entrapped inside the micelle.     

Local anesthetic-induced microscopic and mesoscopic effects in micelles. A fluorescence,spin label and SAXS study

The interaction of the local anesthetic tetracaine (TTC) with anionic sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) and zwitterionic 3-(N-hexadecyl-N,N-dimethylammonio)propanesulfonate (HPS) micelles was investigated by fluorescence, spin labeling EPR and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Fluorescence pH titrations allowed the choice of adequate pHs for the EPR and SAXS experiments, where either charged or uncharged TTC would be present. The data also indicated that the anesthetic is located in a less polar environment than its charged counterpart in both micellar systems. EPR spectra evidenced that both anesthetic forms increased molecular organization within the SLS micelle, the cationic form exerting a more pronounced effect. The SAXS data showed that protonated TTC causes an increase in the SLS polar shell thickness, hydration number, and aggregation number, whereas the micellar features are not altered upon incorporation of the uncharged drug. The combined results suggest that the electrostatic interaction between charged TTC and SLS, and the intercalation of the drug in the micellar polar region induce a change in molecular packing with a decrease in the mean cross-sectional area, not observed when the neutral drug sinks more deeply into the micellar hydrophobic domain. In the case of HPS micelles, the EPR spectral changes were small for the charged anesthetic and the SAXS data did not evidence any change in micellar structure, suggesting that this species protrudes more into the aqueous phase due to the lack of electrostatic attractive forces in this system.     

Mechanism of thioflavin T binding to amyloid fibrils

Thioflavin T is a benzothiazole dye that exhibits enhanced fluorescence upon binding to amyloid fibrils and is commonly used to diagnose amyloid fibrils, both ex vivo and in vitro. In aqueous solutions, thioflavin T was found to exist as micelles at concentrations commonly used to monitor fibrils by fluorescence assay ( approximately 10-20 microM). Specific conductivity changes were measured at varying concentration of thioflavin T and the critical micellar concentration was calculated to be 4.0+/-0.5 microM. Interestingly, changes in the fluorescence excitation and emission of thioflavin T were also dependent on the micelle formation. The thioflavin T micelles of 3 nm diameter were directly visualized using atomic force microscopy, and bound thioflavin T micelles were observed along the fibril length for representative fibrils. Increasing concentration of thioflavin T above the critical micellar concentration shows increased numbers of micelles bound along the length of the amyloid fibrils. Thioflavin T micelles were disrupted at low pH as observed by atomic force microscopy and fluorescence enhancement upon binding of thioflavin T to amyloid fibrils also reduced by several-fold upon decreasing the pH to below 3. This suggests that positive charge on the thioflavin T molecule has a role in its micelle formation that then bind the amyloid fibrils. Our data suggests that the micelles of thioflavin T bind amyloid fibrils leading to enhancement of fluorescence emission.     

Conformation, orientation and dynamics of dodecylphosphocholine in micellar aggregate: a 3.2 ns molecular dynamics simulation study

A dodecylphosphocholine micelle of 86 monomers with 5776 water molecules has been simulated under NPT conditions for 3.2 ns using GROMACS2.0. The micelle was found to be very dynamic. Some of the C-C bonds, independent of their position in the DPC monomer, adopt gauche conformation and the trans <--> gauche transitions are quite frequent. An average of about 11% of the C-C bonds in the micelle are observed to be in the gauche conformation (i.e., |dihedral angle|< 120 degrees). The terminal methyl groups are randomly distributed all over the micelle whereas the nitrogen atom of phosphocholine headgroup atoms is restricted to the interface region. Some of the monomers were found to lie on the surface. The shape of micelle, influenced by the packing considerations, shows deviations from spherical shape. The phosphocholine headgroup is well solvated and there is no water penetration into the micelle core. The overall features of the micelle of 86 DPC monomers conforms to the lattice model of micelle proposed by Dill and Flory [Dill K A, Flory P J (1981) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 78, 676-680] and is similar to DPC micelles of smaller aggregate sizes except for the positional preference of the C-C bonds for the gauche conformation and the trans<-->gauche transition times [Tieleman D P, van der Spoel D, Berendsen H J C (2000) J Phys Chem B 104, 6380-6388; Wymore T, Gao X F, Wong T C (1999) J Mol Struct (Theochem) 485-486, 195-210]. It appears that packing considerations play a predominant role in determining the shape and dynamics of the micelle.     

Protein extration from an aqueous phase into a reversed micellar phase: Effect of water content and reversed micellar composition

In the system composed of the cationic surfactant TOMAC (10 mM), the nonionic (co)surfactant Rewopal HV5 (2 mM), and octanol (0.1% v/v) in isooctane, reversed micelles are formed upon contact with an aqueous phase containing 50 mM ethylene diamine. alpha-Amylase can be transferred from the aqueous phase into reversed micelles in the pH range 9.5 to 10.5 and re-extracted into a second aqueous phase of different composition. The size of the reversed micelles (as reflected in the water content of the organic phase) can be varied by changes in percentage of octanol, type of counterion in the aqueous phase, or in the number of ethoxylate head groups of the nonionic surfactant. An increase in size results in transfer at lower pH values. Experiments in which the charge density in the reversed micellar interface was changed by incorporation of charged derivatives of the nonionic surfactant, without influencing the water content, revealed that an increased charge density facilitated transfer, resulting in a broader transfer profile. Replacement of TOMAC by other quaternary ammonium surfactants differing in number and length of tails revealed that, of the 14 surfactants tested, only 2 gave appreciable amounts of transfer. The amount of transfer is related to the dynamics of phase separation of the surfactants: those giving a poor phase separation inactivate the enzyme. This inactivation is caused by electrostatic interactions between the charged surfactant head groups and charged groups on the enzyme. Electrostatic interactions are the first step of transfer, and can result in either incorporation in a reversed micelle, or, if reversed micelle formation is slow, in enzyme inactivation. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

High pressure EPR studies of protein mobility in reversed micelles

We have investigated the effect of pressure on structural properties of subtilisin solubilized in reversed micelles of Tween-85/isopropanol in hexane. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of spin-labeled enzyme indicate a reduction in spin-label mobility when the enzyme is transferred from aqueous solution to the microemulsion. One explanation for the spectral broadening is a change in the protein's active-site conformation and/or dynamics. However, over a W(0) range of 80 to 180, EPR spectroscopy could detect no change in the enzyme's environment, conformation, or molecular dynamics. The EPR spectra also contained a contribution from free spin label located in an environment with a polarity roughly between that of propanol and bulk water. No changes in the polarity surrounding the free spin label nor in the enzyme's structural properties were evident at pressures up to 10,000 psi. Previous work has demonstrated that pressure can be used to manipulate the size of some reversed micelles, and the EPR data indicated that for this system such pressure tuning of micellar properties will not adversely affect the structure of solubilized enzyme. (c) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Effect of graded hydration on the dynamics of an ion channel peptide: a fluorescence approach

Water plays an important role in determining the folding, structure, dynamics, and, in turn, the function of proteins. We have utilized a combination of fluorescence approaches such as the wavelength-selective fluorescence approach to monitor the effect of varying degrees of hydration on the organization and dynamics of the functionally important tryptophan residues of gramicidin in reverse micelles formed by sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate. Our results show that tryptophans in gramicidin, present in the single-stranded beta6.3 conformation, experience slow solvent relaxation giving rise to red-edge excitation shift (REES). In addition, changes in fluorescence polarization with increasing excitation or emission wavelength reinforce that the gramicidin tryptophans are localized in motionally restricted regions of the reverse micelle. Interestingly, the extent of REES is found to be independent of the [water]/[surfactant] molar ratio (w(o)). We attribute this to heterogeneity in gramicidin tryptophan localization. Fluorescence intensity and mean fluorescence lifetime of the gramicidin tryptophans show significant reductions with increasing w(o) indicating sensitivity to increased polarity. Since the dynamics of hydration is related to folding, structure, and eventually function of proteins, we conclude that REES could prove to be a potentially sensitive tool to explore the dynamics of proteins under conditions of changing hydration.     

Spectral properties of adrenaline in micellar environment

An absorption and fluorescence spectral and temporal studies on the solubilzation properties of adrenaline in micellar environment in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and in tetradodecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (TTABr) has been carried out. Observed Stokes shifts have been correlated with polarity parameters which allowed an estimate of the dielectric constant of the adrenaline environment in SDS and TTABr micelles at 44 and 58, respectively. Experiments with methanol-water mixtures indicate that the hydrogen bonding formation with solvent and the hydrophilic nature of adrenaline influence its solubilization in micelles. Fluorescence and anisotropy decay analysis has shown that neutral adrenaline in SDS micelle is partitioned between aqueous phase (70%) and less polar, micellar phase (30%) and the interactions are limited to the Guy-Chapman layer without deeper penetration into micellar hydrophobic core.     

Spin-label electron spin resonance studies of micellar dispersions of PEGs-PEs polymer-lipids

Conventional electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy of different positional isomers of phosphatidylcholine spin labels (n-PCSL; n=5, 7, 10, 12, 14, and 16) has been used to study micellar dispersions made of poly(ethylene glycol)s-phosphatidylethanolamines (PEGs-PEs) polymer-lipids. Such aggregates are currently used as long circulating drug delivery systems "in vivo." We varied both the hydrocarbon chain length and the polymer size of the polymer-lipids. The dependence of the lipid-chain packing density on temperature and on label position as well as the flexibility and polarity profiles with position of chain labeling have been established for the PEGs-PEs micellar dispersions. The results show both similarity and differences either with common micellar dispersions of single chained lyso-palmitoylphosphatidylcholine (C(16)Lyso-PC) or with lamellar dispersions of double chained dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC). Well defined chain flexibility gradients of the same overall shape are obtained in the considered dispersions. However, the mobility of the first acyl chain segments is appreciable higher in micelles of polymer-lipids than in bilayers of DPPC and it becomes indistinguishable at the chain termini. A trend of decreasing polarity on moving toward the bilayer interior is seen in DPPC bilayers, whereas biphasic polarity profiles are obtained in micelles of polymer-lipids and C(16)Lyso-PC. Moreover, the properties of the PEGs-PEs micelles do not depend on the length of the hydrocarbon chain of the polymer-lipids but are slightly influenced by the size of the polymer.     

Synthesis and characterization of mPEG-PLA prodrug micelles

Polymeric prodrugs of mPEG-PLA-haloperidol (methoxypoly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(lactic acid)) can self-assemble into nanoscale micelle-like structures in aqueous solutions. mPEG-PLA-haloperidol was prepared and characterized using 1H and 13C NMR. The conjugation efficiency was found to be 64.8 +/- 21%. Micelles that form spontaneously upon solubilization of the mPEG-PLA and the polymeric prodrugs in water were characterized using a variety of techniques. The mPEG-PLA and prodrug micelles were found to have diameters of 28.73 +/- 1.45 and 49.67 +/- 4.29 nm, respectively, using dynamic light scattering (DLS). The micelle size and polydispersity were also evaluated with cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM) and were consistent with the DLS results. Cryo-TEM and proton NMR confirmed that the micelles were spherical in shape. DLS was also used to determine the aggregation numbers of the micelles. The aggregation numbers ranged from 351 to 603. The change in aggregation number was dependent on the total drug incorporation into the micelle core. Critical micelle concentrations were determined for the various micelle/drug formulations and found to range from 3 to 14 microg/mL. Finally, drug was incorporated into the micelle core using the conjugate, free drug with a saturated aqueous phase during production, or a combination of both techniques. Drug incorporation could be increased from 3% to 20% (w/w) using the different formulations.     

Enzymes incorporated into reversed micelles of surfactants in organic solvents. Study of the protein-aerosol OT-H2O-octane system by sedimentation analysis

Using ultracentrifugation, the systems of reversed micelles of aerosol OT in octane containing solubilized protein (alpha-chymotrypsin, lysozyme, trypsin, egg albumin, alcohol dehydrogenase from horse liver and gamma-globulin) were studied. The changes in the sedimentation coefficients of reversed micelles during incorporation of the protein are correlated (within a wide range of experimental conditions, e. g. degree of surfactant hydration or protein concentration) exclusively with the molecular weight of the solubilized protein. The simplest solubilization model, according to which the protein molecule is incorporated into the inner cavity of the reversed micelle at the stoichiometric ratio of 1 : 1, which does not affect the external sizes of the reversed micelle, has been proposed. Using alpha-chymotrypsin as an example, the conditions, under which the sedimentation properties of the systems deviate from this model, have been found. These deviations occurred at sufficiently low degrees of the surfactant hydration, when the inner cavity of the reversed micelle is smaller than the effective size of the solubilized protein molecule. In the latter case the protein forms a new micelle of necessary (i. e. larger) size. Since the hydrated micelle can be regarded as an elementary (30-100 A) fragment of biomembranes, the results obtained should be taken into consideration when analyzing the structural organization and functioning of the latter.     

Effect of structural transition of the host assembly on dynamics of a membrane-bound tryptophan analogue

Tryptophan octyl ester (TOE) represents an important model for membrane-bound tryptophan residues. In this article, we have explored the effect of sphere-to-rod transition of sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles on the dynamics of the membrane-bound tryptophan analogue, TOE, utilizing a combination of fluorescence spectroscopic approaches which include red edge excitation shift (REES). Our results show that REES and fluorescence spectroscopic parameters such as lifetime, anisotropy and acrylamide quenching of micelle-bound TOE are sensitive to the change in micellar organization accompanied by the sphere-to-rod transition.     

Multiscale Characterization of Casein Micelles Under NaCl Range Conditions

Micellar casein (MC) dispersions were studied at a constant protein concentration of 5 wt % in high NaCl environment. The micellar edifices were characterized as to their morphology, size, and content of proteins in the supernatant after ultracentrifugation. Additionally, changes in secondary structures of the protein upon salt increase were followed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR). For the first time, the estimations of secondary structural elements (irregular, ß-sheet, ??-helix and turn) from Amide III assignments were correlated with results from Amide I. Casein micelles dispersions in water were characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) by a spherical shape and a size between 100 and 200 nm. A salt increase resulted to a destabilization of the micelle and the formation of mini-micelles more or less aggregated. The size of the new edifice was almost similar to the native micelle. These TEM observations were confirmed by a constant casein micelle hydrodynamic diameter determined by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and ranging between 150 and 180 nm. Upon salt increase, FTIR revealed an increase in irregular structures and a concurrent decrease in ß-sheet structures. Secondary structural elements percentages were almost similar from Amide I and Amide III. The use of these multiscale techniques led to a better understanding of the micellar edifice under high salt environment. Around 3% NaCl addition, a good correlation was observed between destabilization of the micellar edifice, modifications of the caseins secondary structure and repartition of caseins between supernatant and pellet after ultracentrifugation.     

Extraction of flexibly structured protein in AOT reverse micelles: the flexible structure of protein is the dominant factor for its incorporation into reverse micelles

The extraction of flexibly-structured protein in Aerosol-OT (AOT)/isooctane reverse micelles was investigated. A flexibly-structured lysozyme was prepared by reduction and carboxymethylation of the disulfide bonds in the lysozyme molecule. For a comparison, lysozymes whose surface hydrophobicity was modified by monoacylation of the amino groups were also used. The extraction rate of the flexibly-structured lysozyme into the micellar phase was greater than that of the native and monoacylated lysozymes, although the free energy change of the lysozyme prepared by breaking the disulfide bonds was smaller than that of the lysozymes whose surfaces were monoacylated. Viscosity measurement of the micellar organic phase containing the modified lysozymes indicated that extraction of the flexibly-structured lysozyme changed the micelle–micelle interaction, while measurement of the interfacial tension between the AOT/isooctane and protein aqueous systems showed the flexibly-structured lysozyme to be the most amphiphilic in character. These results indicated that the flexible structure of a protein was more dominant than its surface hydrophobicity for its incorporation into reverse micelles, and that it leads to greater micelle–micelle interaction.     

Size and shape of charged micelles of ionic surfactants in aqueous salt solutions

Light-scattering has been measured on aqueous NaCl solutions of dodecyldimethylammonium chloride and sodium dodecyl sulfate. From molecular weight determination it is confirmed that spherical micelles are formed at low NaCl concentrations, but at high NaCl concentrations the small micelles formed at the critical micelle concentration further associate to form large rod-like micelles with increasing micelle concentration. The reduction of repulsion between charged groups induces the sphere-rod transition of micelle shape. The dependence of molecular weight on ionic strength can be expressed by double logarithmic relations, which are dependent on the micelle shape. While dodecyldimethylammonium chloride dissolves even in 4.00 M NaCl, sodium dodecyl sulfate solutions exhibit some XXX in angular dissymmetry at NaCl concentrations higher than 0.50 M at low temperatures.     

Using micellar mole fractions to assess membrane protein stability in mixed micelles

The increased focus on the structural and physical properties of membrane proteins has made it critical to develop methods that provide a reliable estimate of membrane protein stability. A simple approach is to monitor the protein's conformational changes in mixed detergent systems, typically consisting of an anionic (denaturing) and non-ionic (non-denaturing) component. Linear correlations between, e.g., the melting temperature and the bulk mole fraction of the anionic component have been observed. However, a potential complication is that the bulk mole fraction is not identical to the mole fraction in the mixed micelle, which is the local environment experienced by the membrane protein. Here, we present an extensive analysis of the thermal stability of the membrane-integrated domain of the outer membrane protein AIDA in the presence of different mixed micelles. In the micelle system SDS-octyl-polyoxyethylene, the melting temperature in the absence of SDS extrapolates to 113 °C using bulk mole fractions. However, for mixed micelles involving short-chain detergents or phospholipids, the melting temperature calculated using bulk mole fractions reaches values up to several hundred degrees higher than 113 °C and can only be obtained by extrapolation over a narrow mole fraction interval. Furthermore, there is a non-linear relationship between the melting temperature and bulk mole fractions for mixed micelle systems involving cationic detergents (also denaturing). We show that if we instead use the micellar mole fraction as a parameter for denaturing detergent strength, we obtain linear correlations which extrapolate to more or less the same value of the melting temperature. There remains some scatter in the extrapolated values of the melting temperature in different binary systems, which suggest that additional micellar interactions may play a role. Nevertheless, in general terms, the mixed micellar composition is a good parameter to describe the membrane protein's microenvironment. Note, however, that for the mixed micelle system involving SDS and dodecyl maltoside, which has been used by several research groups to determine membrane protein stability, the estimate provided by bulk mole fraction leads to similar values as that of micellar mole fractions.