Role of electrostatics in the binding of charged metallophthalocyanines to neutral and charged phospholipid membranes

Binding of the cationic tetra(tributylammoniomethyl)-substituted hydroxoaluminum phthalocyanine (AlPcN₄) to bilayer lipid membranes was studied by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) and intramembrane field compensation (IFC) methods. With neutral phosphatidylcholine membranes, AlPcN₄ appeared to bind more effectively than the negatively charged tetrasulfonated aluminum phthalocyanine (AlPcS₄), which was attributed to the enhancement of the coordination interaction of aluminum with the phosphate moiety of phosphatidylcholine by the electric field created by positively charged groups of AlPcN₄. The inhibitory effect of fluoride ions on the membrane binding of both AlPcN₄ and AlPcS₄ supported the essential role of aluminum-phosphate coordination in the interaction of these phthalocyanines with phospholipids. The presence of negative or positive charges on the surface of lipid membranes modulated the binding of AlPcN₄ and AlPcS₄ in accord with the character (attraction or repulsion) of the electrostatic interaction, thus showing the significant contribution of the latter to the phthalocyanine adsorption on lipid bilayers. The data on the photodynamic activity of AlPcN₄ and AlPcS₄ as measured by sensitized photoinactivation of gramicidin channels in bilayer lipid membranes correlated well with the binding data obtained by FCS and IFC techniques. The reduced photodynamic activity of AlPcN₄ with neutral membranes violating this correlation was attributed to the concentration quenching of singlet excited states as proved by the data on the AlPcN₄ fluorescence quenching.     

Dissecting the Conformational Dynamics of the Bile Acid Transporter Homologue ASBTNM

Apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT) catalyses uphill transport of bile acids using the electrochemical gradient of Na⁺ as the driving force. The crystal structures of two bacterial homologues ASBT_NM and ASBT_Yf have previously been determined, with the former showing an inward-facing conformation, and the latter adopting an outward-facing conformation accomplished by the substitution of the critical Na⁺-binding residue glutamate-254 with an alanine residue. While the two crystal structures suggested an elevator-like movement to afford alternating access to the substrate binding site, the mechanistic role of Na⁺ and substrate in the conformational isomerization remains unclear. In this study, we utilized site-directed alkylation monitored by in-gel fluorescence (SDAF) to probe the solvent accessibility of the residues lining the substrate permeation pathway of ASBT_NM under different Na⁺ and substrate conditions, and interpreted the conformational states inferred from the crystal structures. Unexpectedly, the crosslinking experiments demonstrated that ASBT_NM is a monomer protein, unlike the other elevator-type transporters, usually forming a homodimer or a homotrimer. The conformational dynamics observed by the biochemical experiments were further validated using DEER measuring the distance between the spin-labelled pairs. Our results revealed that Na⁺ ions shift the conformational equilibrium of ASBT_NM toward the inward-facing state thereby facilitating cytoplasmic uptake of substrate. The current findings provide a novel perspective on the conformational equilibrium of secondary active transporters.     

Microsecond Dynamics During the Binding-induced Folding of an Intrinsically Disordered Protein

Tau is an intrinsically disordered protein implicated in many neurodegenerative diseases. The repeat domain fragment of tau, tau-K18, is known to undergo a disorder to order transition in the presence of lipid micelles and vesicles, in which helices form in each of the repeat domains. Here, the mechanism of helical structure formation, induced by a phospholipid mimetic, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) at sub-micellar concentrations, has been studied using multiple biophysical probes. A study of the conformational dynamics of the disordered state, using photoinduced electron transfer coupled to fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (PET-FCS) has indicated the presence of an intermediate state, I, in equilibrium with the unfolded state, U. The cooperative binding of the ligand (L), SDS, to I has been shown to induce the formation of a compact, helical intermediate (IL₅) within the dead time (∼37 µs) of a continuous flow mixer. Quantitative analysis of the PET-FCS data and the ensemble microsecond kinetic data, suggests that the mechanism of induction of helical structure can be described by a U ↔ I ↔ IL₅ ↔ FL₅ mechanism, in which the final helical state, FL₅, forms from IL₅ with a time constant of 50–200 µs. Finally, it has been shown that the helical conformation is an aggregation-competent state that can directly form amyloid fibrils.     

Determination of trace levels of fatty acid metal salts by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence prelabeling

A simple method is described for picomole determinations of fatty acid metal salts. Fatty acid salts are directly labeled with 4-bromomethyl-7-methoxycoumarin in the presence of excess ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tripotassium salt without any solvent extractions. The fluorescence derivatives of fatty acids are separated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography followed by fluorometric detection. The response of each fatty acid (C8-C18) calcium salt is linear from 1 to 50 micrograms/ml of samples. The detection limit is about 7 pmol. Good recoveries are obtained for the calcium salts of myrystic acid and soap (C8-C18, C18:1,2). The new method is successfully applied to the study on biodegradation of fatty acids in river water.     

Expression of pH-sensitive green fluorescent protein in Arabidopsis thaliana

This is the first report on using green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a pH reporter in plants. Proton fluxes and pH regulation play important roles in plant cellular activity and therefore, it would be extremely helpful to have a plant gene reporter system for rapid, non‐invasive visualization of intracellular pH changes. In order to develop such a system, we constructed three vectors for transient and stable transformation of plant cells with a pH‐sensitive derivative of green fluorescent protein. Using these vectors, transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana and tobacco plants were produced. Here the application of pH‐sensitive GFP technology in plants is described and, for the first time, the visualization of pH gradients between different developmental compartments in intact whole‐root tissues of A. thaliana is reported. The utility of pH‐sensitive GFP in revealing rapid, environmentally induced changes in cytoplasmic pH in roots is also demonstrated.     

Evaluating effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal consortia and Azotobacter chroococcum in improving biomass yield of Jatropha curcas

This study was conducted to study the long-term impact of bioinoculants, Azotobacter chroococcum and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on growth and biomass yield of Jatropha curcas grown in nursery and in field conditions. The experiment was set up in a randomized block design, and the following treatments was designed (T₁ = control, T₂ = Azotobacter, T₃ = inoculation with AMF, and T₄ = inoculation with Azotobacter + AMF). Data on various growth attributes (shoot height and shoot diameter) and biochemical parameters [leaf relative water content (LRWC), sugars, protein, and photosynthetic pigments] were recorded up to 6 months in the nursery and in the field (18 months). Results pertaining to morpho-physiological traits showed Azotobacter and AMF consortia increase shoot height, shoot diameter, LRWC, sugars, proteins, and photosynthetic pigments over control under nursery conditions. Besides enhancing the plant growth, these bioinoculants helped in better establishment of Jatropha plants under field conditions. A significant improvement in the shoot height, shoot diameter, fruit yield/plant, and seed yield (g)/plant was evident in 18-month-old Jatropha plants under field conditions when Azotobacter and AMF were co-inoculated. This work supports the application of bioinoculants for establishment of Jatropha curcas in semi-arid regions.     

Increase in lipid microviscosity of unilamellar vesicles upon the creation of transmembrane potential

Summary Diffusion potential of potassium ions was formed in unilamellar vesicles of phosphatidyl choline. The vesicles, which included potassium sulfate buffered with potassium phosphate, were diluted into an analogous salt solution made of sodium sulfate and sodium phosphate. The diffusion potential was created by the addition of the potassium-ionophore, valinomycin. The change in lipid microviscosity, ensuing the formation of membrane potential, was measured by the conventional method of fluorescence depolarization with 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene as a probe. Lipid microviscosity was found to increase with membrane potential in a nonlinear manner, irrespective of the potential direction. Two tentative interpretations are proposed for this observation. The first assumes that the membrane potential imposes an energy barrier on the lipid flow which can be treated in terms of Boltzmann-distribution. The other interpretation assumes a decrease in lipid-free volume due to the pressure induced by the electrical potential. Since increase in lipid viscosity can reduce lateral and rotational motions, as well as increase exposure of functional membrane proteins, physiological effects induced by transmembrane potential could be associated with such dynamic changes.     

LiGAPS-Beef,a mechanistic model to explore potential and feed-limited beef production 1: model description and illustration

The expected increase in the global demand for livestock products calls for insight in the scope to increase actual production levels across the world. This insight can be obtained by using theoretical concepts of production ecology. These concepts distinguish three production levels for livestock: potential (i.e. theoretical maximum) production, which is defined by genotype and climate only; feed-limited production, which is limited by feed quantity and quality; and actual production. The difference between the potential or limited production and the actual production is the yield gap. The objective of this paper, the first in a series of three, is to present a mechanistic, dynamic model simulating potential and feed-limited production for beef cattle, which can be used to assess yield gaps. A novelty of this model, named LiGAPS-Beef (Livestock simulator for Generic analysis of Animal Production Systems – Beef cattle), is the identification of the defining factors (genotype and climate) and limiting factors (feed quality and available feed quantity) for cattle growth by integrating sub-models on thermoregulation, feed intake and digestion, and energy and protein utilisation. Growth of beef cattle is simulated at the animal and herd level. The model is designed to be applicable to different beef production systems across the world. Main model inputs are breed-specific parameters, daily weather data, information about housing, and data on feed quality and quantity. Main model outputs are live weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency (FE) at the animal and herd level. Here, the model is presented, and its use is illustrated for Charolais and Brahman × Shorthorn cattle in France and Australia. Potential and feed-limited production were assessed successfully, and we show that FE of herds is highest for breeds most adapted to the local climate conditions. LiGAPS-Beef also identified the factors that define and limit growth and production of cattle. Hence, we argue the model has scope to be used as a tool for the assessment and analysis of yield gaps in beef production systems.     

Fairy wrasses perceive and respond to their deep red fluorescent coloration

Fluorescence enables the display of wavelengths that are absent in the natural environment, offering the potential to generate conspicuous colour contrasts. The marine fairy wrasse Cirrhilabrus solorensis displays prominent fluorescence in the deep red range (650–700 nm). This is remarkable because marine fishes are generally assumed to have poor sensitivity in this part of the visual spectrum. Here, we investigated whether C. solorensis males can perceive the fluorescence featured in this species by testing whether the presence or absence of red fluorescence affects male–male interactions under exclusive blue illumination. Given that males respond aggressively towards mirror-image stimuli, we quantified agonistic behaviour against mirrors covered with filters that did or did not absorb long (i.e. red) wavelengths. Males showed significantly fewer agonistic responses when their fluorescent signal was masked, independent of brightness differences. Our results unequivocally show that C. solorensis can see its deep red fluorescent coloration and that this pattern affects male–male interactions. This is the first study to demonstrate that deep red fluorescent body coloration can be perceived and has behavioural significance in a reef fish.