scholarly journals Is Spontaneous Translocation of Polar Lipids between Cellular Organelles Negligible?

2015 ◽  
Vol 8s1 ◽  
pp. LPI.S31616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pentti Somerharju
Keyword(s):  
Polar Lipids ◽  
Lipid Transfer ◽  
Organelle Biogenesis ◽  
Single Chain ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Lipid Trafficking ◽  
Acyl Chains ◽  
Highly Hydrophobic ◽  
Cellular Organelles

In most reviews addressing intracellular lipid trafficking, spontaneous diffusion of lipid monomers between the cellular organelles is considered biologically irrelevant because it is thought to be far too slow to significantly contribute to organelle biogenesis. This view is based on intervesicle transfer experiments carried out in vitro with few lipids as well as on the view that lipids are highly hydrophobic and thus cannot undergo spontaneous intermembrane diffusion at a significant rate. However, besides that single-chain lipids can translocate between vesicles in seconds, it has been demonstrated that the rate of spontaneous transfer of two-chain polar lipids can vary even 1000-fold, depending on the number of carbons and double bonds in the acyl chains. In addition, the rate of spontaneous lipid transfer can strongly depend on the experimental conditions such as vesicle composition and concentration. This review examines the studies suggesting that spontaneous lipid transfer is probably more relevant to intracellular trafficking of amphipathic lipids than commonly thought.

scholarly journals Functional analyses of phosphatidylserine/PI(4)P exchangers with diverse lipid species and membrane contexts set unanticipated rules on lipid transfer

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Souade Ikhlef ◽  
Nicolas-Frédéric Lipp ◽  
Vanessa Delfosse ◽  
Nicolas Fuggetta ◽  
William Bourguet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Transfer ◽  
Oxysterol Binding Protein ◽  
Lipid Exchange ◽  
Exchange Processes ◽  
Lipid Species ◽  
Acyl Chains ◽  
Phosphatidylinositol 4 ◽  
Functional Analyses ◽  
Related Proteins

Several members of the oxysterol-binding protein-related proteins (ORPs)/oxysterol-binding homology (Osh) family exchange phosphatidylserine (PS) and phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PI(4)P) at the endoplasmic reticulum/plasma membrane (PM) interface. It is unclear whether they preferentially exchange PS and PI(4)P with specific acyl chains to tune the features of the PM, whether they use phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2) instead of PI(4)P for exchange processes and whether their activity is influenced by the association of PS with sterol in the PM. Here, we measured in vitro how the yeast Osh6p and human ORP8 transported diverse PS and PI(4)P subspecies, including major cellular species, between membranes. We established how their activity is impacted by the length and unsaturation degree of these lipids. Surprisingly, the speed at which they individually transfer these ligands inversely depends on their affinity for them. To be fast, the transfer of high-affinity ligands requires an exchange with a counterligand of equivalent affinity. Besides, we determined that Osh6p and ORP8 cannot use PI(4,5)P2 for intracellular lipid exchange, as they have a low affinity for this lipid compared to PI(4)P, and do not transfer more PS into sterol-rich membranes. This study provides insights into PS/PI(4)P exchangers and sets unanticipated rules on how the activity of lipid transfer proteins relates to their affinity for ligands.

scholarly journals Lipid Metabolism at Membrane Contacts: Dynamics and Functions Beyond Lipid Homeostasis

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiesi Xu ◽  
Xun Huang
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Metabolism ◽  
Intracellular Signaling ◽  
Dynamic Control ◽  
Lipid Synthesis ◽  
Lipid Homeostasis ◽  
Lipid Transfer ◽  
Organelle Biogenesis ◽  
Lipid Trafficking ◽  
Membrane Contact Sites ◽  
Membrane Contacts

Membrane contact sites (MCSs), regions where the membranes of two organelles are closely apposed, play critical roles in inter-organelle communication, such as lipid trafficking, intracellular signaling, and organelle biogenesis and division. First identified as “fraction X” in the early 90s, MCSs are now widely recognized to facilitate local lipid synthesis and inter-organelle lipid transfer, which are important for maintaining cellular lipid homeostasis. In this review, we discuss lipid metabolism and related cellular and physiological functions in MCSs. We start with the characteristics of lipid synthesis and breakdown at MCSs. Then we focus on proteins involved in lipid synthesis and turnover at these sites. Lastly, we summarize the cellular function of lipid metabolism at MCSs beyond mere lipid homeostasis, including the physiological meaning and relevance of MCSs regarding systemic lipid metabolism. This article is part of an article collection entitled: Coupling and Uncoupling: Dynamic Control of Membrane Contacts.

scholarly journals A model for a partnership of lipid transfer proteins and scramblases in membrane expansion and organelle biogenesis

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (16) ◽  
pp. e2101562118
Author(s):  
Alireza Ghanbarpour ◽  
Diana P. Valverde ◽  
Thomas J. Melia ◽  
Karin M. Reinisch
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Transfer Protein ◽  
Membrane Dynamics ◽  
Lipid Homeostasis ◽  
In Vitro Assays ◽  
Lipid Transfer ◽  
Organelle Biogenesis ◽  
Lipid Transfer Proteins ◽  
Transfer Protein ◽  
Donor And Acceptor

The autophagy protein ATG2, proposed to transfer bulk lipid from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) during autophagosome biogenesis, interacts with ER residents TMEM41B and VMP1 and with ATG9, in Golgi-derived vesicles that initiate autophagosome formation. In vitro assays reveal TMEM41B, VMP1, and ATG9 as scramblases. We propose a model wherein membrane expansion results from the partnership of a lipid transfer protein, moving lipids between the cytosolic leaflets of apposed organelles, and scramblases that reequilibrate the leaflets of donor and acceptor organelle membranes as lipids are depleted or augmented. TMEM41B and VMP1 are implicated broadly in lipid homeostasis and membrane dynamics processes in which their scrambling activities likely are key.

Observations of Frozen-Hydrated Microtubules

1990 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 504-505
Author(s):  
D. Chrétien ◽  
D. Job ◽  
R.H. Wade
Keyword(s):  
Fourier Transforms ◽  
Structural Complexity ◽  
Image Contrast ◽  
Phase Behaviour ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Thin Sections ◽  
Surface Lattice ◽  
Cilia And Flagella ◽  
Outstanding Question

Microtubules are filamentary structures found in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells, where, together with actin and intermediate filaments, they form the components of the cytoskeleton. They have many functions and show various levels of structural complexity as witnessed by the singlet, doublet and triplet structures involved in the architecture of centrioles, basal bodies, cilia and flagella. The accepted microtubule model consists of a 25 nm diameter hollow tube with a wall made up of 13 paraxial protofilaments (pf). Each pf is a string of aligned tubulin dimers. Some results have suggested that the pfs follow a superhelix. To understand how microtubules function in the cell an accurate model of the surface lattice is one of the requirements. For example the 9x2 architecture of the axoneme will depend on the organisation of its component microtubules. We should also note that microtubules with different numbers of pfs have been observed in thin sections of cellular and of in-vitro material. An outstanding question is how does the surface lattice adjust to these different pf numbers?We have been using cryo-electron microscopy of frozen-hydrated samples to study in-vitro assembled microtubules. The experimental conditions are described in detail in this reference. The results obtained in conjunction with thin sections of similar specimens and with axoneme outer doublet fragments have already allowed us to characterise the image contrast of 13, 14 and 15 pf microtubules on the basis of the measured image widths, of the the image contrast symmetry and of the amplitude and phase behaviour along the equator in the computed Fourier transforms. The contrast variations along individual microtubule images can be interpreted in terms of the geometry of the microtubule surface lattice. We can extend these results and make some reasonable predictions about the probable surface lattices in the case of other pf numbers, see Table 1. Figure 1 shows observed images with which these predictions can be compared.

Fibrin-specificity of a Plasminogen Activator Affects the Efficiency of Fibrinolysis and Responsiveness to Ultrasound: Comparison of Nine Plasminogen Activators In Vitro

1999 ◽  
Vol 81 (04) ◽  
pp. 605-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dmitry V. Sakharov ◽  
Marrie Barrett-Bergshoeff ◽  
Rob T. Hekkenberg ◽  
Dingeman C. Rijken
Keyword(s):  
Thrombolytic Therapy ◽  
Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Tissue Type ◽  
Bolus Administration ◽  
High Frequency Ultrasound ◽  
Single Chain ◽  
Response Curves ◽  
Maximal Speed ◽  
Frequency Ultrasound

SummaryIn a number of cases, thrombolytic therapy fails to re-open occluded blood vessels, possibly due to the occurrence of thrombi resistant to lysis. We investigated in vitro how the lysis of hardly lysable model thrombi depends on the choice of the plasminogen activator (PA) and is accelerated by ultrasonic irradiation. Lysis of compacted crosslinked human plasma clots was measured after addition of nine different PAs to the surrounding plasma and the effect of 3 MHz ultrasound on the speed of lysis was assessed.Fibrin-specific PAs showed bell-shaped dose-response curves of varying width and height. PAs with improved fibrin-specificity (staphylokinase, the TNK variant of tissue-type PA [tPA], and the PA from the saliva of the Desmodus rotundus bat) induced rapid lysis in concentration ranges (80-, 260-, and 3,500-fold ranges, respectively) much wider than that for tPA (a 35-fold range). However, in terms of speed of lysis, these three PAs exceeded tPA only slightly. Reteplase and single-chain urokinase were comparable to tPA, whereas two-chain urokinase, anistreplase, and streptokinase were inferior to tPA. In the case of fibrin-specific PAs, ultrasonic treatment accelerated lysis about 1.5-fold. For streptokinase no acceleration was observed. The effect of ultrasound correlated with the presence of plasminogen in the outer plasma, suggesting that it was mediated by facilitating the transport of plasminogen to the surface of the clot.In conclusion, PAs with improved fibrin-specificity induce rapid lysis of plasminogen-poor compacted plasma clots in much wider concentration ranges than tPA. This offers a possibility of using single-or double-bolus administration regimens for such PAs. However, it is not likely that administration of these PAs will directly cause a dramatic increase in the rate of re-opening of the occluded arteries since they are only moderately superior to tPA in terms of maximal speed of lysis. Application of high-frequency ultrasound as an adjunct to thrombolytic therapy may increase the treatment efficiency, particularly in conjunction with fibrin-specific PAs.

In Vitro Stability of a Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator Mutant, BM 06.022, in Human Plasma

1994 ◽  
Vol 72 (06) ◽  
pp. 906-911 ◽  
Author(s):  
D C Rijken ◽  
E Groeneveld ◽  
M M Barrett-Bergshoeff
Keyword(s):  
Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Half Life ◽  
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Tissue Type ◽  
Single Chain ◽  
Tissue Type Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Type Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Sds Page ◽  
Chain Form

SummaryBM 06.022 is a non-glycosylated mutant of human tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) comprising only the kringle-2 and proteinase domains. The in vivo half-life of BM 06.022 antigen is 4- to 5-fold longer than that of t-PA antigen. The in vitro half-life of the activity of BM 06.022 at therapeutic concentrations in plasma is shorter than that of t-PA. In this study the inactivation of BM 06.022 in plasma was further investigated.Varying concentrations of BM 06.022 were incubated in plasma for 0-150 min. Activity assays on serial samples showed a dose-dependent decline of BM 06.022 activity with a half-life from 72 min at 0.3 μg/ml to 38 min at 10 μg/ml. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) followed by fibrin autography showed the generation of several BM 06.022-complexes. These complexes could be completely precipitated with antibodies against Cl-inactivator, α2-antiplasmin and α1-antitrypsin.During the incubation of BM 06.022 in plasma, plasmin was generated dose-dependently as revealed by varying degrees of a2-anti-plasmin consumption and fibrinogen degradation. SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting showed that single-chain BM 06.022 was rapidly (i. e. within 45 min) converted into its two-chain form at concentrations of 5 μg/ml BM 06.022 and higher.In conclusion, BM 06.022 at therapeutic concentrations in plasma was inactivated by Cl-inactivator, a2-antiplasmin and a j-antitrypsin. The half-life of the activity decreased at increasing BM 06.022 concentrations, probably as a result of the generation of two-chain BM 06.022 which may be inactivated faster than the single-chain form.

Superoxide, Xanthine Oxidase and Platelet Reactions: Further Studies on Mechanisms by which Oxidants Influence Platelets

1981 ◽  
Vol 45 (03) ◽  
pp. 290-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter H Levine ◽  
Danielle G Sladdin ◽  
Norman I Krinsky
Keyword(s):  
Superoxide Dismutase ◽  
Cytochrome C ◽  
Xanthine Oxidase ◽  
Direct Effect ◽  
Platelet Function ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Release Reaction

SummaryIn the course of studying the effects on platelets of the oxidant species superoxide (O- 2), Of was generated by the interaction of xanthine oxidase plus xanthine. Surprisingly, gel-filtered platelets, when exposed to xanthine oxidase in the absence of xanthine substrate, were found to generate superoxide (O- 2), as determined by the reduction of added cytochrome c and by the inhibition of this reduction in the presence of superoxide dismutase.In addition to generating Of, the xanthine oxidase-treated platelets display both aggregation and evidence of the release reaction. This xanthine oxidase induced aggreagtion is not inhibited by the addition of either superoxide dismutase or cytochrome c, suggesting that it is due to either a further metabolite of O- 2, or that O- 2 itself exerts no important direct effect on platelet function under these experimental conditions. The ability of Of to modulate platelet reactions in vivo or in vitro remains in doubt, and xanthine oxidase is an unsuitable source of O- 2 in platelet studies because of its own effects on platelets.

Desmopressin (DDAVP) Enhances Platelet Adhesion to the Extracellular Matrix of Cultured Human Endothelial Cells through Increased Expression of Tissue Factor

1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (05) ◽  
pp. 0975-0980 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angel Gálvez ◽  
Goretti Gómez-Ortiz ◽  
Maribel Díaz-Ricart ◽  
Ginés Escolar ◽  
Rogelio González-Sarmiento ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Endothelial Cells ◽  
Tissue Factor ◽  
Platelet Adhesion ◽  
Umbilical Vein ◽  
Procoagulant Activity ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Chromogenic Assay

SummaryThe effect of desmopressin (DDAVP) on thrombogenicity, expression of tissue factor and procoagulant activity (PCA) of extracellular matrix (ECM) generated by human umbilical vein endothelial cells cultures (HUVEC), was studied under different experimental conditions. HUVEC were incubated with DDAVP (1, 5 and 30 ng/ml) and then detached from their ECM. The reactivity towards platelets of this ECM was tested in a perfusion system. Coverslips covered with DD A VP-treated ECMs were inserted in a parallel-plate chamber and exposed to normal blood anticoagulated with low molecular weight heparin (Fragmin®, 20 U/ml). Perfusions were run for 5 min at a shear rate of 800 s1. Deposition of platelets on ECMs was significantly increased with respect to control ECMs when DDAVP was used at 5 and 30 ng/ml (p <0.05 and p <0.01 respectively). The increase in platelet deposition was prevented by incubation of ECMs with an antibody against human tissue factor prior to perfusion. Immunofluorescence studies positively detected tissue factor antigen on DDAVP derived ECMs. A chromogenic assay performed under standardized conditions revealed a statistically significant increase in the procoagulant activity of the ECMs produced by ECs incubated with 30 ng/ml DDAVP (p <0.01 vs. control samples). Northern blot analysis revealed increased levels of tissue factor mRNA in extracts from ECs exposed to DDAVP. Our data indicate that DDAVP in vitro enhances platelet adhesion to the ECMs through increased expression of tissue factor. A similar increase in the expression of tissue factor might contribute to the in vivo hemostatic effect of DDAVP.

Absence of Synergism Between Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator (t-PA), Single-Chain UrokinaseType Plasminogen Activator (scu-PA) and Urokinase on Clot Lysis in a Plasma Milieu In Vitro

1986 ◽  
Vol 56 (01) ◽  
pp. 035-039 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Collen ◽  
F De Cock ◽  
E Demarsin ◽  
H R Lijnen ◽  
D C Stump
Keyword(s):  
Human Plasma ◽  
Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Dose Response ◽  
Fibrinolytic System ◽  
Tissue Type ◽  
Clot Lysis ◽  
Single Chain ◽  
Tissue Type Plasminogen Activator ◽  
Type Plasminogen Activator

SummaryA potential synergic effect of tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), single-chain urokinase-type plasminogen activator (scuPA) or urokinase on clot lysis was investigated in a whole human plasma system in vitro. The system consisted of a human plasma clot labeled with 125I-fibrinogen, immersed in titrated whole human plasma, to which the thrombolytic agents were added. Clot lysis was quantitated by measurement of released 125I, and activation of the fibrinolytic system in the surrounding plasma by measurements of fibrinogen and α2-antiplasmin.t-PA, scu-PA and urokinase induced a dose-dependent and time-dependent clot lysis; 50 percent lysis after 2 h was obtained with 5 nM t-PA, 20 nM scu-PA and 12 nM urokinase. At these concentrations no significant activation of the fibrinolytic system in the plasma was observed with t-PA and scu-PA, whereas urokinase caused significant α2-antiplasmin consumption and concomitant fibrinogen degradation. The shape of the dose-response curves was different; t-PA and urokinase showed a log linear dose-response whereas that of scu-PA was sigmoidal.

Applicability of Instability Index for In vitro Protein Stability Prediction

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 339-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dilani G. Gamage ◽  
Ajith Gunaratne ◽  
Gopal R. Periyannan ◽  
Timothy G. Russell
Keyword(s):  
Protein Stability ◽  
Caulobacter Crescentus ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Instability Index ◽  
Dipeptide Composition ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Vitro Protein

Background: The dipeptide composition-based Instability Index (II) is one of the protein primary structure-dependent methods available for in vivo protein stability predictions. As per this method, proteins with II value below 40 are stable proteins. Intracellular protein stability principles guided the original development of the II method. However, the use of the II method for in vitro protein stability predictions raises questions about the validity of applying the II method under experimental conditions that are different from the in vivo setting. Objective: The aim of this study is to experimentally test the validity of the use of II as an in vitro protein stability predictor. Methods: A representative protein CCM (CCM - Caulobacter crescentus metalloprotein) that rapidly degrades under in vitro conditions was used to probe the dipeptide sequence-dependent degradation properties of CCM by generating CCM mutants to represent stable and unstable II values. A comparative degradation analysis was carried out under in vitro conditions using wildtype CCM, CCM mutants and two other candidate proteins: metallo-β-lactamase L1 and α -S1- casein representing stable, borderline stable/unstable, and unstable proteins as per the II predictions. The effect of temperature and a protein stabilizing agent on CCM degradation was also tested. Results: Data support the dipeptide composition-dependent protein stability/instability in wt-CCM and mutants as predicted by the II method under in vitro conditions. However, the II failed to accurately represent the stability of other tested proteins. Data indicate the influence of protein environmental factors on the autoproteolysis of proteins. Conclusion: Broader application of the II method for the prediction of protein stability under in vitro conditions is questionable as the stability of the protein may be dependent not only on the intrinsic nature of the protein but also on the conditions of the protein milieu.

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