Synthesis and membrane binding properties of a lipopeptide fragment from influenza virus a hemagglutinin

Hemagglutinin from influenza virus A is a S-palmitoylated lipoglycoprotein in which the lipid groups are thought to influence the interaction between cell membrane and capsid during budding of viral offspring as well as fusion processes of the viral membrane with the endosome after entry of the viral particle into the cell. The paper describes the development of a method for the synthesis of characteristic lipidated hemagglutinin derived peptides which additionally carry the fluorescent 7-nitrobenz-2oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD) group. To achieve this goal the enzyme-sensitive para-phenylacetoxybenzyloxycarbonyl (PAOB) ester was developed. It is cleaved from the peptides and lipidated peptides under very mild conditions and with complete selectivity by treatment with the enzyme penicillin G acylase; this results in the formation of a phenolate. This intermediate spontaneously undergoes fragmentation thereby releasing the desired carboxylates. The combined use of this enzyme-labile fragmenting ester with the acid-labile Boc group, the Pd(0)-sensitive allyl ester and the corresponding Aloc urethane gave access to a mono-S-palmitoylated and a doubly S-palmitoylated NBD-labelled hemagglutinin peptide. The binding of these lipopeptides to model membranes was analyzed in a biophysical setup monitoring the transfer of fluorescent-labelled lipopeptide from vesicles containing the non-exchangeable fluorescence quencher Rho-DHPE to quencher-free vesicles. The experiments demonstrate that one lipid group is not sufficient for quasi-irreversible membrane insertion of lipidated peptides. This is, however, achieved by introduction of the bis-palmitoyl anchor. The intervesicle transfer always implies release of peptides localized at the outer face of the vesicles into solution followed by diffusion to and insertion into acceptor vesicles. For peptides bound at the inner face of the vesicle membrane, however, an additional flip-flop diffusion to the outer face has to occur beforehand. The kinetics of these processes were estimated by fast chemical quench of the outside fluorophores by sodium dithionite.