Erdinc Sezgin

Elucidating membrane structure and protein behavior using giant plasma membrane vesicles

The observation of phase separation in intact plasma membranes isolated from live cells is a breakthrough for research into eukaryotic membrane lateral heterogeneity, specifically in the context of membrane rafts. These observations are made in giant plasma membrane vesicles (GPMVs), which can be isolated by chemical vesiculants from a variety of cell types and microscopically observed using basic reagents and equipment available in any cell biology laboratory. Microscopic phase separation is detectable by fluorescent labeling, followed by cooling of the membranes below their miscibility phase transition temperature. This protocol describes the methods to prepare and isolate the vesicles, equipment to observe them under temperature-controlled conditions and three examples of fluorescence analysis: (i) fluorescence spectroscopy with an environment-sensitive dye (laurdan); (ii) two-photon microscopy of the same dye; and (iii) quantitative confocal microscopy to determine component partitioning between raft and nonraft phases. GPMV preparation and isolation, including fluorescent labeling and observation, can be accomplished within 4 h.

Functional convergence of hopanoids and sterols in membrane ordering

Liquid-ordered phases are one of two biochemically active membrane states, which until now were thought to be a unique consequence of the interactions between eukaryotic membrane lipids. The formation of a liquid-ordered phase depends crucially on the ordering properties of sterols. However, it is not known whether this capacity exists in organisms that lack sterols, such as bacteria. We show that diplopterol, the simplest bacterial hopanoid, has similar properties and that hopanoids are bacterial “sterol surrogates” with the ability to order saturated lipids and to form a liquid-ordered phase in model membranes. These observations suggest that the evolution of an ordered biochemically active liquid membrane could have evolved before the oxygenation of Earth’s surface and the emergence of sterols.

Penetration of Amphiphilic Quantum Dots through Model and Cellular Plasma Membranes

In this work we demonstrate progress in the colloidal synthesis of amphiphilic CdTe nanocrystals stabilized by thiolated PEG oligomers with the aim of facilitating cellular uptake of the particles. High-boiling, good coordinating solvents such as dimethylacetamide and dimethylformamide accelerate the growth of the nanoparticles yielding stable colloids of which photoluminescence maxima can be tuned to cover the region of 540-640 nm with quantum yields of up to 30%. The CdTe nanocrystals capped by thiolated methoxypolyethylene glycol are shown to penetrate through the lipid bilayer of giant unilamellar vesicles and giant plasma membrane vesicles which constitute basic endocytosis-free model membrane systems. Moreover, the penetration of amphiphilic particles through live cell plasma membranes and their ability to escape the endocytic pathway have been demonstrated.

Lypd6 Enhances Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling by Promoting Lrp6 Phosphorylation in Raft Plasma Membrane Domains

Wnt/β-catenin signaling plays critical roles during embryogenesis, tissue homeostasis, and regeneration. How Wnt-receptor complex activity is regulated is not yet fully understood. Here, we identify the Ly6 family protein LY6/PLAUR domain-containing 6 (Lypd6) as a positive feedback regulator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. lypd6 enhances Wnt signaling in zebrafish and Xenopus embryos and in mammalian cells, and it is required for wnt8-mediated patterning of the mesoderm and neuroectoderm during zebrafish gastrulation. Lypd6 is GPI anchored to the plasma membrane and physically interacts with the Wnt receptor Frizzled8 and the coreceptor Lrp6. Biophysical and biochemical evidence indicates that Lypd6 preferentially localizes to raft membrane domains, where Lrp6 is phosphorylated upon Wnt stimulation. lypd6 knockdown or mislocalization of the Lypd6 protein to nonraft membrane domains shifts Lrp6 phosphorylation to these domains and inhibits Wnt signaling. Thus, Lypd6 appears to control Lrp6 activation specifically in membrane rafts, which is essential for downstream signaling.

Fluorescence Techniques to Study Lipid Dynamics

Biological research has always tremendously benefited from the development of key methodology. In fact, it was the advent of microscopy that shaped our understanding of cells as the fundamental units of life. Microscopic techniques are still central to the elucidation of biological units and processes, but equally important are methods that allow access to the dimension of time, to investigate the dynamics of molecular functions and interactions. Here, fluorescence spectroscopy with its sensitivity to access the single-molecule level, and its large temporal resolution, has been opening up fully new perspectives for cell biology. Here we summarize the key fluorescent techniques used to study cellular dynamics, with the focus on lipid and membrane systems.

Measuring lipid packing of model and cellular membranes with environment sensitive probes.

The extent of lipid packing is one of the key physicochemical features of biological membranes and is involved in many membrane processes. Polarity sensitive fluorescent probes are commonly used tools to measure membrane lipid packing in both artificial and biological membranes. In this paper, we have systematically compared eight different probes to measure membrane lipid ordering. We investigated how these probes behave in small unilamellar liposomes, phase-separated giant unilamellar vesicles, cell-derived giant plasma membrane vesicles, and live cells. We have tested the order sensitivity of a variety of measurable parameters, including generalized polarization, peak shift, or intensity shift. We also investigated internalization and photostability of the probes to assess probe potential for time-lapse live cell imaging. These results provide a catalogue of properties to facilitate the choice of probe according to need.

Model membrane platforms to study protein-membrane interactions

Abstract Constituting functional interactions between proteins and lipid membranes is one of the essential features of cellular membranes. The major challenge of quantitatively studying these interactions in living cells is the multitude of involved components that are difficult, if not impossible, to simultaneously control. Therefore, there is great need for simplified but still sufficiently detailed model systems to investigate the key constituents of biological processes. To specifically focus on interactions between membrane proteins and lipids, several membrane models have been introduced which recapitulate to varying degrees the complexity and physicochemical nature of biological membranes. Here, we summarize the presently most widely used minimal model membrane systems, namely Supported Lipid Bilayers (SLBs), Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUVs) and Giant Plasma Membrane Vesicles (GPMVs) and their applications for protein-membrane interactions.

Photoconversion of bodipy-labeled lipid analogues.

MOVING COLORS: Bodipy-labeled lipid analogues can change their photophysical properties and/or localization in the membrane upon light illumination. These changes are highly influenced by the lipid environment. This phenomenon can lead to lipid-environment-specific false positive signals in experimental techniques where spectral identity/separation is important.

Nanoclusters of the resting T cell antigen receptor (TCR) localize to non-raft domains☆

In the last decade an increasing number of plasma membrane (PM) proteins have been shown to be non-randomly distributed but instead forming submicron-sized oligomers called nanoclusters. Nanoclusters exist independently of the ligand-bound state of the receptors and their existence implies a high degree of lateral organisation of the PM and its proteins. The mechanisms that drive receptor nanoclustering are largely unknown. One well-defined example of a transmembrane receptor that forms nanoclusters is the T cell antigen receptor (TCR), a multisubunit protein complex whose nanoclustering influences its activity. Membrane lipids, namely cholesterol and sphingomyelin, have been shown to contribute to TCR nanoclustering. However, the identity of the membrane microdomain in which the TCR resides remains controversial. Using a GFP-labeled TCR we show here that the resting TCR localized in the disordered domain of giant PM vesicles (GPMVs) and PM spheres (PMSs) and that single and nanoclustered TCRs are found in the high-density fractions in sucrose gradients. Both findings are indicative of non-raft localization. We discuss possible mechanisms of TCR nanoclustering in T cells. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Nanoscale membrane organisation and signalling.