Permeability coefficients of the egg-case membrane of Scyliorhinus canicula L

The cleidoic egg-case of the dogfish appears to have a highly porous and permeable outer membrane, the pore radius being computed to be 13.6 A. It does not present any physiological barrier to small molecules and therefore constitutes an open ionic and osmotic system for the embryo. Being a porous protein membrane it may be of value as a model for molecular transport mechanisms.     

Über die Beziehungen zwischen der Lipidlöslichkeit von Pharmaka und ihrem pharmakokinetischen Verhalten

Summary Some correlations between the physicochemical properties of drugs and their pharmacokinetic behaviour are outlined. Based on the permeability characteristics of simple model membranes (porous membrane, lipid membrane) permeation and distribution of drugs in the animal body can be described and understood on simple physico-chemical terms. Some clinically important aspects — the absorption of drugs from the intestinal tract, the passage through the blood-brain-barrier and the renal excretion as governed by passive tubular reabsorption — are discussed in more detail. Thereby it appears that the solubility of a drug in lipid material, which may be suitably expressed as partition coefficient between an organic solvent and a buffer solution of pH 7.4, is a major factor in determining its pharmacokinetic behaviour.     

Effect of olfactory ensheathing cells on reactive astrocytes <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

Olfactory ensheathing cells have been used in several studies to promote repair in the injured spinal cord. However, cellular interaction between olfactory ensheathing cells and glial cells induced to be reactive in the aftermath of injury site has not been investigated. Using an in vitro model of astrogliosis, we show that reactive astrocytes expressed significantly less glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) when cultured both in direct contact with olfactory ensheathing cells and when the two cell types were separated by a porous membrane. Immunofluorescence staining also suggested that reactive astrocytes showed decreased chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans in the presence of olfactory ensheathing cells, although the reduction was not statistically significant. No down-regulation of GFAP was observed when reactive astrocytes were similarly cultured with Schwann cells. Cell viability assay and bromodeoxyuridine uptake showed that proliferation of reactive astrocytes was significantly increased in the presence of olfactory ensheathing cells and Schwann cells. Received 27 February 2007; received after revision 30 March 2007; accepted 3 April 2007     

多孔Cu2O／SnO2复合薄膜的制备及其可见光催化降解罗丹明B的性能

采用浸渍-沉积方法在电沉积的多孔Cu薄膜上修饰一层纳米SnO2,经低温热氧化处理制备出多孔Cu2O／SnO2复合多层薄膜。运用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、透射电子显微镜（TEM）、X-射线粉末衍射仪（XRD）、紫外可见漫反射光谱（UV—vis DRS）和荧光光谱（FS）技术表征了薄膜的结构、形貌和光学性质。测试了薄膜在可见光下降解罗丹明B（RhB）的性能。结果表明,在30℃的0．2mol／LCuSO4＋1．5mol／L H2SO4镀液中,以1.5A／cm^2电流沉积20s得蓟的多孔Cu薄膜,在SnO2溶胶中浸渍10s并重复5次,再经空气气氛下100℃焙烧30min,锻得的多孔复夸薄膜显示良好的可见光催化降解RhB的性铯。     

多孔硅发光中的极化子效应

多孔硅体现了许多新光学性质，本文通过温度依赖的发光，傅立叶红外谱，时间分辨红外谱的观察。发现了些有规律的信息。众所周知，多孔硅在空气中陈化氧化，导致内部纳米尺寸减小。界面层由氢变为氧，我们发现同时伴随着电子态从本征态向极化子态的变化，前者随尺寸减小能量升高，表现为正常的量子限域效应。而后者却随尺寸减小能量降低。表现为量子限域极化子效应。温度依赖的发光谱型和强度变化也清楚地反映了尺寸依赖的极化子行为。因此，我们提出了个基本的物理模型来描述多孔硅中增强的极化子尺寸效应及其光学行为。     

Fluorescence spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations in studies on the mechanism of membrane destabilization by antimicrobial peptides

Since their initial discovery, 30 years ago, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been intensely investigated as a possible solution to the increasing problem of drug-resistant bacteria. The interaction of antimicrobial peptides with the cellular membrane of bacteria is the key step of their mechanism of action. Fluorescence spectroscopy can provide several structural details on peptide–membrane systems, such as partition free energy, aggregation state, peptide position and orientation in the bilayer, and the effects of the peptides on the membrane order. However, these “low-resolution” structural data are hardly sufficient to define the structural requirements for the pore formation process. Molecular dynamics simulations, on the other hand, provide atomic-level information on the structure and dynamics of the peptide–membrane system, but they need to be validated experimentally. In this review we summarize the information that can be obtained by both approaches, highlighting their versatility and complementarity, suggesting that their synergistic application could lead to a new level of insight into the mechanism of membrane destabilization by AMPs.     

P-glycoprotein and ‘lipid rafts’: some ambiguous mutual relationships (floating on them, building them or meeting them by chance?)

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is an active membrane transporter responsible for cell detoxification against numerous amphiphilic compounds, leading to multidrug resistance in tumor cells. It displays entangled connections with its membrane environment since it recognizes its substrates within the cytosolic leaflet and it also translocates some endogenous lipids to the exoplasmic leaflet. Regarding its relationships with membrane microdomains, ‘lipid rafts’, a literature analysis concludes that (i) P-gp also exists in rafts and non-raft membrane domains, depending on the cell considered, the experimental conditions and the method used to test it; (ii) cholesterol has a positive influence on P-gp function, and this may be a direct effect of the free cholesterol present in membrane or an indirect effect mediated by the cholesterol-enriched microdomains; (iii) when present in rafts, P-gp interacts with protein partners regulating its activity; (iv) P-gp is a lipid translocase that handles the raft-constituting lipids with particular efficiency, and it also influences membrane trafficking in the cell. Received 18 November 2005; received after revision 23 December 2005; accepted 12 January 2006     

The biogenesis and function of eukaryotic porins

Summary Like most other mitochondrial proteins porin is synthesized in the cytosol and imported posttranslationally into the outer mitochondrial membrane. This transport follows the general rules for mitochondrial, protein import with a few aberrations: a) porin contains an,uncleaved NH₂-terminal signal sequence, b) also its carboxyterminus might be involved in the import process, and c) this transport does not seem to require a membrane potential , although it is ATP-dependent. Most likely the actual import step occurs at contact sites between the outer and the inner mitochondrial membrane and involved at least one receptor protein.Although porin is known to be the major gate through the outer mitochondrial membrane, its absence only causes transient respiratory problems in yeast cells. This could mean a) that there is a bypass for some mitochondrial functions in the cytosol and/or b) that there are alternative channel proteins in the outer membrane. The first idea is supported by the overexpression of cytosolic virus-like particles in yeast cells lacking porin and the second by the occurrence of residual pore activity in mitochondrial outer membrane purified from porinless mutant cells.     

Malignant hyperthermia: Molecular defects in membrane permeability

Summary Malignant hyperthermia (MH), a genetically inherited disorder of skeletal muscle, is due to molecular defect in membrane permeability. The alteration in membrane permeability is suggested to be due to enhanced phospholipase A₂ activity which is responsible for the increased level in sarcoplasmic Ca²⁺. The excess Ca²⁺ is responsible for muscle hyper-rigidity and enhanced rate of glycolysis, resulting in a rapid rate of lactic acid production and a low pH in MH muscle.     

Translational control of endogenous and recoded nuclear genes in yeast mitochondria: Regulation and membrane targeting

Mitochondrial gene expression in yeast,Saccharomyces cerevisiae, depends on translational activation of individual mRNAs by distinct proteins encoded in the nucleus. These nuclearly coded mRNA-specific translational activators are bound to the inner membrane and function to mediate the interaction between mRNAs and mitochondrial ribosomes. This complex system, found to date only in organelles, appears to be an adaptation for targeting the synthesis of mitochondrially coded integral membrane proteins to the membrane. In addition, mRNA-specific translational activation is a rate-limiting step used to modulate expression of at least one mitochondrial gene in response to environmental conditions. Direct study of mitochondrial gene regulation and the targeting of mitochondrially coded proteins in vivo will now be possible using synthetic genes inserted into mtDNA that encode soluble reporter/passenger proteins.     

Thiamine-binding activity ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae plasma membrane

Summary The specific binding activity to [¹⁴C]thiamine was found to be located in the plasma membrane ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae. The activity was inhibited by several thiamine analogs and it was hardly detectable in the plasma membrane from a thiamine transport mutant ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae. Some properties of the thiamine-binding activity of yeast plasma membrane are discussed in connection with those of the thiamine transport system.     

Protein localization in the plant Golgi apparatus and the <Emphasis Type="Italic">trans</Emphasis>-Golgi network

This review presents plant-specific characteristics of the Golgi apparatus and discusses their impact on retention of membrane proteins in the Golgi or the trans-Golgi network (TGN). The plant Golgi consists of distinct stacks of cisternae that actively move throughout the cytoplasm. The Golgi apparatus is a very dynamic compartment and the site for maturation of N-linked glycans. It is also a factory for complex carbohydrates that are part of the cell wall. The TGN is believed to be the site from where vacuolar proteins are sorted by receptors towards each type of vacuole. To maintain the structure and specific features of the Golgi, resident proteins ought to be maintained in the proper Golgi cisternae or in the TGN. Two families of membrane proteins will be taken as examples for Golgi/TGN retention: (i) the enzymes involved in N-glycosylation processes and (ii) a vacuolar sorting receptor. Although the number of available plant proteins localized in Golgi/TGN is low, the basis of retention appears to be shared over all kingdoms and may result from pure retention and recycling mechanisms. In this review, we will summarize the characteristics of a plant Golgi and will discuss especially their consequences on on the study of this highly dynamic structure. We then choose membrane proteins with a single transmembrane domain to illustrate the signals and mechanisms involved in plants to localize and maintain proteins in the Golgi and the TGN.     

Association of DNA replication with nuclear membrane in larvae ofChironomus thummi

Summary In the larvae ofChironomus thummi, the newly replicating DNA has been found to be associated with the nuclear membrane, as evidenced by the isolation of DNA nuclear membrane complexes (M-band) of³H-thymidine labelled larvae.Acknowledgment. The authors thank Dr D. S. Pradhan for discussions and encouragement.     

One lipid, multiple functions: how various pools of PI(4,5)P2 are created in the plasma membrane

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate [PI(4,5)P₂] is a minor lipid of the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane that controls the activity of numerous proteins and serves as a source of second messengers. This multifunctionality of PI(4,5)P₂ relies on mechanisms ensuring transient appearance of PI(4,5)P₂ clusters in the plasma membrane. One such mechanism involves phosphorylation of PI(4)P to PI(4,5)P₂ by the type I phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5-kinases (PIP5KI) at discrete membrane locations coupled with PI(4)P delivery/synthesis at the plasma membrane. Simultaneously, both PI(4)P and PI(4,5)P₂ participate in anchoring PIP5KI at the plasma membrane via electrostatic bonds. PIP5KI isoforms are also selectively recruited and activated at the plasma membrane by Rac1, talin, or AP-2 to generate PI(4,5)P₂ in ruffles and lamellipodia, focal contacts, and clathrin-coated pits. In addition, PI(4,5)P₂ can accumulate at sphingolipid/cholesterol-based rafts following activation of distinct membrane receptors or be sequestered in a reversible manner due to electrostatic constrains posed by proteins like MARCKS.     

Crystal structure and biochemical characterization of the transmembrane PAP2 type phosphatidylglycerol phosphate phosphatase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis>

Type 2 phosphatidic acid phosphatases (PAP2s) can be either soluble or integral membrane enzymes. In bacteria, integral membrane PAP2s play major roles in the metabolisms of glycerophospholipids, undecaprenyl-phosphate (C₅₅-P) lipid carrier and lipopolysaccharides. By in vivo functional experiments and biochemical characterization we show that the membrane PAP2 coded by the Bacillus subtilis yodM gene is the principal phosphatidylglycerol phosphate (PGP) phosphatase of B. subtilis. We also confirm that this enzyme, renamed bsPgpB, has a weaker activity on C₅₅-PP. Moreover, we solved the crystal structure of bsPgpB at 2.25 Å resolution, with tungstate (a phosphate analog) in the active site. The structure reveals two lipid chains in the active site vicinity, allowing for PGP substrate modeling and molecular dynamic simulation. Site-directed mutagenesis confirmed the residues important for substrate specificity, providing a basis for predicting the lipids preferentially dephosphorylated by membrane PAP2s.     

Helix insertion into bilayers and the evolution of membrane proteins

Polytopic α-helical membrane proteins cannot spontaneously insert into lipid bilayers without assistance from polytopic α-helical membrane proteins that already reside in the membrane. This raises the question of how these proteins evolved. Our current knowledge of the insertion of α-helices into natural and model membranes is reviewed with the goal of gaining insight into the evolution of membrane proteins. Topics include: translocon-dependent membrane protein insertion, antibiotic peptides and proteins, in vitro insertion of membrane proteins, chaperone-mediated insertion of transmembrane helices, and C-terminal tail-anchored (TA) proteins. Analysis of the E. coli genome reveals several predicted C-terminal TA proteins that may be descendents of proteins involved in pre-cellular membrane protein insertion. Mechanisms of pre-translocon polytopic α-helical membrane protein insertion are discussed.     

Solubilization and characterization of a ouabain-sensitive protein from transverse tubule membranejunctional sarcoplasmic reticulum complexes (TTM-JSR) in cat cardiac muscle

Summary A new glycoprotein of 31,500 dalton, which has a high affinity for ouabain, and is independent of (Na⁺–K⁺)-ATPase, was solubilized from transverse tubule membrane and junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum complexes (TTM-JSR) of cat cardiac muscle. This protein could be extracted only in small amounts from sarcolemmaplasma membrane (SLM-PL) fragments, suggesting that it indeed originates from the TTM-JSR.     

Ca<Superscript>2+</Superscript> signals,cell membrane disintegration,and activation of TMEM16F during necroptosis

Activated receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) and mixed lineage kinase domain like (MLKL) are essential components of the necroptotic pathway. Phosphorylated MLKL (pMLKL) is thought to induce membrane leakage, leading to cell swelling and disintegration of the cell membrane. However, the molecular identity of the necroptotic membrane pore remains unclear, and the role of pMLKL for membrane permeabilization is currently disputed. We observed earlier that the phospholipid scramblase and ion channel TMEM16F/anoctamin 6 cause large membrane currents, cell swelling, and cell death when activated by a strong increase in intracellular Ca²⁺. We, therefore, asked whether TMEM16F is also central to necroptotic cell death and other cellular events during necroptosis. Necroptosis was induced by TNFα, smac mimetic, and Z-VAD (TSZ) in NIH3T3 fibroblasts and the four additional cell lines HT₂₉, 16HBE, H441, and L929. Time-dependent changes in intracellular Ca²⁺, cell morphology, and membrane currents were recorded. TSZ induced a small and only transient oscillatory rise in intracellular Ca²⁺, which was paralleled by the activation of outwardly rectifying Cl^? currents, which were typical for TMEM16F/ANO6. Ca²⁺ oscillations were due to Ca²⁺ release from endoplasmic reticulum, and were independent of extracellular Ca²⁺. The initial TSZ-induced cell swelling was followed by cell shrinkage. Using typical channel blockers and siRNA-knockdown, the Cl^? currents were shown to be due to the activation of ANO6. However, the knockdown of ANO6 or inhibitors of ANO6 did not inhibit necroptotic cell death. The present data demonstrate the activation of ANO6 during necroptosis, which, however, is not essential for cell death.     

Intracellular trafficking of AMPA receptors in synaptic plasticity

Modification of ligand-gated receptor function at the postsynaptic domain is one of the most important mechanisms by which the efficacy of synaptic transmission in the nervous system is regulated. Traditionally, these types of modifications have been thought to be achieved mainly by altering the channel-gating properties or conductance of the receptors. However, recent evidence suggests that AMPA (α-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxayolepropionic acid)-type ligand-gated glutamate receptors are continuously recycling between the plasma membrane and the intracellular compartments via vesicle-mediated plasma membrane insertion and clathrin-dependent endocytosis. Regulation of either receptor insertion or endocytosis results in a rapid change in the number of these receptors expressed on the plasma membrane surface and in the receptor-mediated responses, thereby playing an important role in mediating certain forms of synaptic plasticity. Thus, controlling the number of postsynaptic receptors by regulating the intracellular trafficking and plasma membrane expression of the postsynaptic receptors may be a common and important mechanism of synaptic plasticity in the mammalian central nervous system.     

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate-binding sites in plasma membrane from human uterine cervical fibroblasts

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHA-S) plays a critical role in cervical dilation at labor. Incubation of cervical fibroblasts with [³H]DHA-S caused a rapid and saturable increase in cellular radioactivity: an apparent equilibrium was reached by 2 min. There was no detectable conversion of DHA-S into DHA or oestradiol. When the fibroblasts loaded with [³H]DHA-S were homogenized and fractionated, the specific radioactivity in the plasma membrane fraction was enriched approximately 8- to 9-fold compared with the whole homogenate; only low amounts of radioactivity were observed in the other subcellular fractions. The binding of DHA-S to plasma membrane preparations showed saturation kinetics with an apparent equilibrium dissociation constant (K _d) of 12 nM, and the binding capacity (B _max) was calculated to be 1.25 fmol/mg protein. Neither DHA nor oestrone sulfate affected [³H]DHA-S binding to the plasma membrane. The plasma membranes of skin fibroblasts did not show specific binding sites for DHA-S. These findings demonstrate the presence of specific binding sites for DHA-S in the plasma membrane of cervical stroma cells. The fetal adrenal steroid may exert its action on cervical ripening at least in part through membrane-associated binding sites, or receptors.