Cation and anion transport through hydrophilic pores in lipid bilayers

To understand the origin of transmembrane potentials, formation of transient pores, and the movement of anions and cations across lipid membranes, we have performed systematic atomistic molecular dynamics simulations of palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) lipids. A double bilayer setup was employed and different transmembrane potentials were generated by varying the anion (Cl-) and cation (Na+) concentrations in the two water compartments. A transmembrane potential of approximately 350 mV was thereby generated per bilayer for a unit charge imbalance. For transmembrane potential differences of up to approximately 1.4 V, the bilayers were stable, over the time scale of the simulations (10-50 ns). At larger imposed potential differences, one of the two bilayers breaks down through formation of a water pore, leading to both anion and cation translocations through the pore. The anions typically have a short residence time inside the pore, while the cations show a wider range of residence times depending on whether they bind to a lipid molecule or not. Over the time scale of the simulations, we do not observe the discharge of the entire potential difference, nor do we observe pore closing, although we observe that the size of the pore decreases as more ions translocate. We also observed a rare lipid flip-flop, in which a lipid molecule translocated from one bilayer leaflet to the opposite leaflet, assisted by the water pore.     

Cholesterol slows down the lateral mobility of an oxidized phospholipid in a supported lipid bilayer

We investigated the mobility and phase-partitioning of the fluorescent oxidized phospholipid analogue 1-palmitoyl-2-glutaroyl-sn-glycero-3-phospho-N-Alexa647-ethanolamine (PGPE-Alexa647) in supported lipid bilayers. Compared to the conventional phospholipid dihexadecanoylphosphoethanolamine (DHPE)-Bodipy we found consistently higher diffusion constants. The effect became dramatic when immobile obstacles were inserted into the bilayer, which essentially blocked the diffusion of DHPE-Bodipy but hardly influenced the movements of PGPE-Alexa647. In a supported lipid bilayer made of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC), the differences in probe mobility leveled off with increasing cholesterol content. Using coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, we could ascribe this effect to increased interactions between the oxidized phospholipid and the membrane matrix, concomitant with a translation in the headgroup position of the oxidized phospholipid: at zero cholesterol content, its headgroup is shifted to the outside of the DOPC headgroup region, whereas increasing cholesterol concentrations pulls the headgroup into the bilayer plane.     

Penetration and saturation of lysozyme in phospholipid bilayers

We show that the combination of X-ray reflectivity, tryptophan fluorescence spectrum, and fluorescence quenching by bromine provides a useful tool to probe the location of lysozyme in lipid bilayers. To this end, we prepare lamellar complexes composed of phospholipids and lysozyme on solid surfaces using a solution-casting method. The proteins lie spontaneously between adjacent bilayers in the complexes. The results indicate that lysozyme may penetrate into the lipid bilayers. But the penetration depth is very shallow, and the tryptophan residues do not penetrate beyond the interface between the hydrocardon core and the headgroup region of the lipid bilayer. The penetration becomes saturated when more proteins are incorporated into the lamellar complex. The excess proteins stay in the interlamellar aqueous layers.     

Determining the Local Shear Viscosity of a Lipid Bilayer System by Reverse Non‐Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The parallel shear viscosity of a dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayer system is studied by reverse non‐equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations (RNEMD) with two different united‐atom force fields. The results are related to diffusion coefficients and structural distributions obtained by equilibrium molecular simulations. We investigate technical issues of the algorithm in the bilayer setup, namely, the dependence of the velocity profiles on the imposed flux and the influence of the thermostat on the calculated shear viscosity. We introduce the concept of local shear viscosity and investigate its dependence on the slip velocity of the monolayers and the particle density at the headgroup–water interface and the tail–tail interface. With this we demonstrate that the lipid bilayer is more viscous than the surrounding water phase, and that slip takes place near the headgroup region and in the centre of the bilayer where the alkyl tails meet. We also quantify the apparent increase in viscosity of the water molecules entangled at the water–headgroup interface.     

Improved sampling for simulations of interfacial membrane proteins: application of generalized shadow hybrid Monte Carlo to a peptide toxin/bilayer system

The computational costs associated with performing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are still somewhat prohibitive and therefore limit the time and length scales that can be currently achieved. One approach to overcoming the limited size and duration of a simulation is to reduce the amount of detail when representing a system of interest, generally termed "coarse-graining". An alternative approach is via more efficient sampling methods that offer an enhanced search of a complex multidimensional energy landscape. One could also combine enhanced sampling methods with a coarse-grained (CG) force field. Here, we apply generalized shadow hybrid Monte Carlo (GSHMC), a recently proposed simulation protocol, to a biomolecular system of moderate size and show that GSHMC offers improved sampling compared to standard MD simulation. Our test system is a CG representation of a small peptide toxin interacting with a phospholipid bilayer. Specifically, we show that GSHMC allows for a quicker localization of the toxin to its equilibrium location of interaction at the headgroup/water interface of the bilayer. GSHMC therefore potentially allows for future exploration of larger and more complex systems over longer periods, which would otherwise be impractical to perform using conventional simulation methodology.     

Spectroscopic studies of anion complexes and clusters: a microscopic approach to understanding anion solvation

Recent infrared spectroscopic studies of negatively charged clusters in the gas phase have furnished new information on non-covalent bonds between anions and neutral molecules, and provided fresh perspectives on the microscopic details of anion solvation. We describe the central spectroscopic techniques employed for obtaining infrared spectra of mass-selected solvated anions in the gas phase, and illustrate recent progress by describing studies of simple halide-H2 dimers, and larger clusters in which up to 9 C2H2 molecules are attached to a Cl- anion.     

A molecular oyster: a neutral anion receptor containing two cyclopeptide subunits with a remarkable sulfate affinity in aqueous solution

An artificial anion receptor is presented, in which two cyclohexapeptide subunits containing l-proline and 6-aminopicolinic acid subunits in an alternating sequence are connected via an adipinic acid spacer. This compound was devised to stabilize the 2:1 sandwich-type anion complexes that are observed when the two cyclopeptide moieties are not covalently connected and to obtain a 1:1 stoichiometry for these aggregates. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopic investigations showed that the bridged bis(cyclopeptide) does indeed form defined 1:1 complexes with halides, sulfate, and nitrate. ROESY NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling allowed a structural assignment of the sulfate complex in solution. The stabilities of various anion complexes were determined by means of NMR titrations and isothermal titration microcalorimetry in 50% water/methanol. Both methods gave essentially the same quantitative results, namely stability constants that varied in the range 105-102 M-1 and decreased in the order SO42- > I- > Br- > Cl- > NO3-. This order was rationalized in terms of the size of the anions with the larger anions forming the more stable complexes because they better fit into the cavity of the host. The ability of sulfate to form stronger hydrogen bonds to the NH groups of the receptor, in addition to its slightly larger ionic radius with respect to iodide, causes the higher stability of the sulfate complex. No significant effect of the countercation on complex stability was observed. Furthermore, complex stability is enthalpically as well as entropically favored. A comparison of the iodide and sulfate complex stabilities of the ditopic receptor with those of a cyclopeptide that forms 1:1 anion complexes in solution showed that the presence of a second binding site increases complex stability by a factor of 100-350.     

Thermal phase behavior of DMPG bilayers in aqueous dispersions as revealed by 2H- and 31P-NMR

The synthetic lipid 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-3-phosphoglycerol (DMPG), when dispersed in water/NaCl exhibits a complex phase behavior caused by its almost unlimited swelling in excess water. Using deuterium ((2)H)- and phosphorus ((31)P)-NMR we have studied the molecular properties of DMPG/water/NaCl dispersions as a function of lipid and NaCl concentration. We have measured the order profile of the hydrophobic part of the lipid bilayer with deuterated DMPG while the orientation of the phosphoglycerol headgroup was deduced from the (31)P NMR chemical shielding anisotropy. At temperatures >30 °C we observe well-resolved (2)H- and (31)P NMR spectra not much different from other liquid crystalline bilayers. From the order profiles it is possible to deduce the average length of the flexible fatty acyl chain. Unusual spectra are obtained in the temperature interval of 20-25 °C, indicating one or several phase transitions. The most dramatic changes are seen at low lipid concentration and low ionic strength. Under these conditions and at 25 °C, the phosphoglycerol headgroup rotates into the hydrocarbon layer and the hydrocarbon chains show larger flexing motions than at higher temperatures. The orientation of the phosphoglycerol headgroup depends on the bilayer surface charge and correlates with the degree of dissociation of DMPG-Na(+). The larger the negative surface charge, the more the headgroup rotates toward the nonpolar region.     

Mechanism of unassisted ion transport across membrane bilayers

To establish how charged species move from water to the nonpolar membrane interior and to determine the energetic and structural effects accompanying this process, we performed molecular dynamics simulations of the transport of Na+ and Cl- across a lipid bilayer located between two water lamellae. The total length of molecular dynamics trajectories generated for each ion was 10 ns. Our simulations demonstrate that permeation of ions into the membrane is accompanied by the formation of deep, asymmetric thinning defects in the bilayer, whereby polar lipid head groups and water penetrate the nonpolar membrane interior. Once the ion crosses the midplane of the bilayer the deformation "switches sides"; the initial defect slowly relaxes, and a defect forms in the outgoing side of the bilayer. As a result, the ion remains well solvated during the process; the total number of oxygen atoms from water and lipid head groups in the first solvation shell remains constant. A similar membrane deformation is formed when the ion is instantaneously inserted into the interior of the bilayer. The formation of defects considerably lowers the free energy barrier to transfer of the ion across the bilayer and, consequently, increases the permeabilities of the membrane to ions, compared to the rigid, planar structure, by approximately 14 orders of magnitude. Our results have implications for drug delivery using liposomes and peptide insertion into membranes.     

Interaction of propyl paraben with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine bilayer: a differential scanning calorimetry and nuclear magnetic resonance study

The influence of the preservative, propyl paraben (PPB) on the biophysical properties of dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl choline (DPPC) vesicles, both in multilamellar vesicle (MLV) and unilamellar vesicle (ULV) forms, has been studied using DSC and (¹H and ³¹P) NMR. The mechanism by which PPB interacts with DPPC bilayers was found to be independent of the morphological organization of the lipid bilayer. Incorporation of PPB in DPPC vesicles causes a significant depression in the transition temperature and enthalpy of both the pre-transition (PT) and the gel to liquid crystalline transition. The presence of the PPB also reduces the co-operativity of these transitions. However, at high PPB concentration the PT disappears. DSC and NMR findings indicate that: (i) PPB is bound strongly to the lipid bilayer leading to increased headgroup fluidity due to reduced headgroup–headgroup interaction and (ii) the PPB molecules are intercalated between the DPPC polar headgroups with its alkyl chain penetrate into the co-operative region. MLV incorporated with high PPB concentration shows additional transitions whose intensity increases with increasing PPB concentration. This phase segregation observed could probably be due to co-existence of PPB-rich and PPB-poor phospholipid domains within the bilayers. The effect of inclusion of cholesterol in the PPB-free and PPB-doped DPPC dispersion was also studied. Equilibration studies suggest that PPB molecules are very strongly bound and remain intercalated between the polar headgroup for prolonged time.     

Ionic liquids from Car-Parrinello simulations. 2. Structural diffusion leading to large anions in chloraluminate ionic liquids

We present Car-Parrinello molecular dynamics simulations of the liquid imidazolium chloride/AlCl3 by inserting one pair of [C2C1im]Cl into liquid AlCl3, forming an acidic mixture. Two different starting conditions lead to two trajectories from which we harvest structural data. For both simulations, we find large anions within the equilibrium phase: In both trajectories at longer simulation time, the anion size converges to four monomer units, i.e., to Al4Cl13-. The cluster size fluctuations indicate that Grotthus diffusion must play a role. We discuss one possible mechanism of such a reaction changing the anionic species. This process involves many steps of chlorine rattling, bond breaking, and bond forming. With the aid of the electron localization function, a probable rationale for the formation of larger anions is determined: Large anionic species are formed simply to account for the "lack of electrons" present in the acidic melt.     

Effects of temperature, salt, and deuterium oxide on the self-aggregation of alkylglycosides in dilute solution. 1. n-nonyl-beta-D-glucoside

The influence of salt, temperature, and deuterium oxide on the self-aggregation of n-nonyl-beta-D-glucoside (beta-C9G1) in dilute solution has been investigated by static and dynamic light scattering, neutron scattering, and tensiometry. Scattering data show that the micelles can be described as relatively stiff, elongated structures with a circular cross section. With a decrease of temperature, the micelles grow in one dimension, which makes it surprising that the critical micelle concentration (cmc) shows a concomitant increase. On the other hand, substitution of D2O for H2O causes a large increase in micelle size at low temperatures, without any appreciable effect on cmc. With increasing temperature, the deuterium effect on the micelle size diminishes. The effects of salt on the micelle size and cmc were found to follow the Hofmeister series. Thus, at constant salt concentration, the micelle size decreased according to the sequence SO4(2-) > Cl- > Br- > NO3- > I- > SCN-, whereas the effect on cmc displays the opposite trend. Here, I- and SCN are salting-in anions. Similarly, the effects of cations decrease with increasing polarizability in the sequence Li+ > Na+ > K+ > Cs+. At high ionic strength, the systems separate into two micellar phases. The results imply that the size of beta-C9G1 micelles is extremely sensitive to changes in the headgroup size. More specifically, temperature and salt effects on effective headgroup size, including intermolecular interactions and water ofhydration, are suggested to be more decisive for the micelle morphology than the corresponding effects on unimer solubility.     

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of the liquid/vapor interface of sulfuric acid solutions

Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations of the liquid-vapor interface are presented for thin slabs of 72 water molecules containing a single molecule of sulfuric acid. Trajectories in the 306-330 K range are calculated for two functionals with double- and triple-ζ quality basis sets. Comparisons are made between BLYP and HCTH/120 results for the slab simulations and for bulk simulations of one H(2)SO(4) in a periodic box with 63 waters. Good agreement is found with the available experimental data and the results of other relevant AIMD studies with respect to ionization of the acid, size of the coordination shells, partitioning of the ions with the hydronium exhibiting a surface preference and the anions in the interior, and the orientational distributions for the hydronium ions and for the surface/subsurface water molecules. The major differences in the performance of the two functionals are attributable to the greater basicity of the anion oxygen atoms with the HCTH functional and the more structured aqueous solution with BLYP. The enhanced basicity results in larger aqueous coordination shells for the anion oxygens. The structuring of the BLYP aqueous solution is observed in the corrugation of the water density profile, the higher first peak in g(OO)(r), and a smaller water self-diffusion constant. This structuring with the BLYP functional yields anion hydrogen bonds that endure longer and where the dissociated ions more rapidly and directly segregate in the slab. The simulations indicate that aqueous surfaces containing ionizable diprotic acids can be modeled with rather modest sized systems and be informative.     

Gas-phase carbene radical anions: new mechanistic insights

The gas-phase reactivity of the CHCl*- anion has been investigated with a series of halomethanes (CCl4, CHCl3, CH2Cl2, and CH3Cl) using a FA-SIFT instrument. Results show that this anion primarily reacts via substitution and by proton transfer. In addition, the reactions of CHCl*- with CHCl3 and CH2Cl2 form minor amounts of Cl2*- and Cl-. The isotopic distribution of these two products is consistent with an insertion-elimination mechanism, where the anion inserts into a C-Cl bond to form an unstable intermediate, which eliminates either Cl2*- or Cl- and Cl*. Neutral and cationic carbenes are known to insert into single bonds; however, this is the first observation of such reactivity for carbene anions.     

Effects of lipid chain unsaturation and headgroup type on molecular interactions between paclitaxel and phospholipid within model biomembrane

Molecular interactions between paclitaxel, an anticancer drug, and phospholipids of various chain unsaturations and headgroup types were investigated in the present study by Langmuir film balance and differential scanning calorimetry. Both the lipid monolayer at the air-water interface and the lipid bilayer vesicles (liposomes) were employed as model cell membranes. It was found that, regardless of the difference in molecular structure of the lipid chains and headgroup, the drug can form nonideal, miscible systems with the lipids at the air-water interface over a wide range of paclitaxel mole fractions. The interaction between paclitaxel and phospholipid within the monolayer was dependent on the molecular area of the lipids at the interface and can be explained by intermolecular forces or geometric accommodation. Paclitaxel is more likely to form thermodynamically stable systems with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and 1,2-dielaidoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DEPC) than with 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DPPE) and 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DSPC). Investigation of the drug penetration into the lipid monolayer showed that DPPC and DEPC have higher incorporation abilities for the drug than DPPE and DSPC. A similar trend was also evidenced by DSC investigation with liposomes. While little change of DSC profiles was observed for the DPPE/paclitaxel and DSPC/paclitaxel liposomes, paclitaxel caused noticeable changes in the thermographs of DPPC and DEPC liposomes. Paclitaxel was found to cause broadening of the main phase transition without significant change in the peak melting temperature of the DPPC bilayers, which demonstrates that paclitaxel was localized in the outer hydrophobic cooperative zone of the bilayer, i.e., in the region of the C1-C8 carbon atoms of the acyl chain or binding at the polar headgroup site of the lipids. However, it may penetrate into the deeper hydrophobic zone of the DEPC bilayers. These findings provide useful information for liposomal formulation of anticancer drugs as well as for understanding drug-cell membrane interactions.     

Structure of ionic liquids of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cations: a systematic computer simulation study

Molecular dynamics simulations of room temperature molten salts (ionic liquids) containing imidazolium cations have been performed. Ten different systems were simulated at 323 K by using united atom force fields, in which the anion size (F-, Cl-, Br-, and PF6-) and the length of the alkyl chain of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium cations (1-methyl-, 1-ethyl-, 1-butyl-, and 1-octyl-) were systematically varied. It is shown that the resulting equilibrium structures account for the observed features of experimental static structure factors when available. A detailed analysis of the simultaneous effect of changing the anion and the alkyl chain on the preferential location of nearest-neighbor anions around the cations is provided. It is shown that regions above and below the imidazolium ring are the preferential ones in case of large anions. By increasing the length of the alkyl chain, nearest-neighbor anions are pushed away from the volume occupied by the flexible alkyl chain. Partial structure factors of 1-butyl- and 1-octyl- derivatives display a peak at a wave vector smaller than the main peak, indicating the occurrence of an intermediate range order in these ionic liquids due to the presence of long alkyl chains.     

不纯流动相对离子法分析无机阴离子的影响(英文)

 采用离子模拟研究了流动相不纯对样品中无机阴离子测定造成的干扰。结果表明 ,在流动相中加入Cl-,使得其他 6种阴离子响应值增加。这主要是由于Cl-加入的同时也带来了相应的阳离子 ,在通过抑制器时可带来等量的H+ ,H+ 伴随着各个阴离子样品一起通过检测器 ,使总的样品离子响应值增加。在 6种阴离子中 ,F-和NO-2 对AS14柱的亲和力和Cl-相近 ,其响应值随Cl-加入量的变化趋势相似 ;Br-,NO-3 ,PO3 -4及SO2 -4因其对柱的亲和力大于Cl-,它们的响应值随Cl-加入量的变化趋势也相同。     

微孔晶体材料C12A7-Cl-的表面氯负离子发射性能和机理

利用飞行时间质谱(TOF-MS)观测到氯负离子从合成的微孔晶体材料C12A7-Cl-(11CaO·7Al2O3·CaCl2)表面发射出来, 详细研究了C12A7-Cl-的发射特性, 包括发射强度分支比、温度效应、电场效应和表观活化能. 在我们的检测范围内从C12A7-Cl-表面发射的离子中绝大部分是氯负离子(最大强度分支比为98%), 此外还有弱的氧负离子和电子发射. 各种离子的绝对发射电流强度都随着表面温度升高或引出电场强度的增加而显著增强, 随着引出电场强度从200增加到1200 V·cm-1, 氯负离子发射的表观活化能从180.9 kJ·mol-1减小到110.0 kJ·mol-1. 氯负离子和C12A7-Cl-表面之间的结合能大约是228 kJ·mol-1. 研究了氯负离子的发射稳定性, 并且应用一种电化学注入法, 以获得持续的氯负离子发射. 基于上述实验还讨论了氯负离子的形成和发射机理. 目前的方法可望被用于发展氯负离子储存/发生器.