Grégory Durand

Structural insights into biased G protein-coupled receptor signaling revealed by fluorescence spectroscopy

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are seven-transmembrane proteins that mediate most cellular responses to hormones and neurotransmitters, representing the largest group of therapeutic targets. Recent studies show that some GPCRs signal through both G protein and arrestin pathways in a ligand-specific manner. Ligands that direct signaling through a specific pathway are known as biased ligands. The arginine-vasopressin type 2 receptor (V2R), a prototypical peptide-activated GPCR, is an ideal model system to investigate the structural basis of biased signaling. Although the native hormone arginine-vasopressin leads to activation of both the stimulatory G protein (Gs) for the adenylyl cyclase and arrestin pathways, synthetic ligands exhibit highly biased signaling through either Gs alone or arrestin alone. We used purified V2R stabilized in neutral amphipols and developed fluorescence-based assays to investigate the structural basis of biased signaling for the V2R. Our studies demonstrate that the Gs-biased agonist stabilizes a conformation that is distinct from that stabilized by the arrestin-biased agonists. This study provides unique insights into the structural mechanisms of GPCR activation by biased ligands that may be relevant to the design of pathway-biased drugs.

Degradation of edible oil during food processing by ultrasound: Electron paramagnetic resonance, physicochemical, and sensory appreciation

During ultrasound processing of lipid-containing food, some off-flavors can be detected, which can incite depreciation by consumers. The impacts of ultrasound treatment on sunflower oil using two different ultrasound horns (titanium and pyrex) were evaluated. An electron paramagnetic resonance study was performed to identify and quantify the formed radicals, along with the assessment of classical physicochemical parameters such as peroxide value, acid value, anisidine value, conjugated dienes, polar compounds, water content, polymer quantification, fatty acid composition, and volatiles profile. The study shows an increase of formed radicals in sonicated oils, as well as the modification of physicochemical parameters evidencing an oxidation of treated oils.

Nonionic Homopolymeric Amphipols: Application to Membrane Protein Folding, Cell-Free Synthesis, and Solution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

Nonionic amphipols (NAPols) synthesized by homotelomerization of an amphiphatic monomer are able to keep membrane proteins (MPs) stable and functional in the absence of detergent. Some of their biochemical and biophysical properties and applications have been examined, with particular attention being paid to their complementarity with the classical polyacrylate-based amphipol A8-35. Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) from Halobacterium salinarum and the cytochrome b(6)f complex from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii were found to be in their native state and highly stable following complexation with NAPols. NAPol-trapped BR was shown to undergo its complete photocycle. Because of the pH insensitivity of NAPols, solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) two-dimensional (1)H-(15)N heteronuclear single-quantum coherence spectra of NAPol-trapped outer MP X from Escherichia coli (OmpX) could be recorded at pH 6.8. They present a resolution similar to that of the spectra of OmpX/A8-35 complexes recorded at pH 8.0 and give access to signals from solvent-exposed rapidy exchanging amide protons. Like A8-35, NAPols can be used to fold MPs to their native state as demonstrated here with BR and with the ghrelin G protein-coupled receptor GHS-R1a, thus extending the range of accessible folding conditions. Following NAPol-assisted folding, GHS-R1a bound four of its specific ligands, recruited arrestin-2, and activated binding of GTPγS by the G(αq) protein. Finally, cell-free synthesis of MPs, which is inhibited by A8-35 and sulfonated amphipols, was found to be very efficient in the presence of NAPols. These results open broad new perspectives on the use of amphipols for MP studies.

Non-Ionic Amphiphilic Homopolymers: Synthesis, Solution Properties, and Biochemical Validation

A novel type of nonionic amphipols for handling membrane proteins in detergent-free aqueous solutions has been obtained through free-radical homo-telomerization of an acrylamide-based monomer comprising a C(11) alkyl chain and two glucose moieties, using a thiol as transfer reagent. By controlling the thiol/monomer ratio, the number-average molecular weight of the polymers was varied from 8 to 63 kDa. Homopolymeric nonionic amphipols were found to be highly soluble in water and to self-organize, within a large concentration range, into small, compact particles of ~6 nm diameter with a narrow size distribution, regardless of the molecular weight of the polymer. They proved able to trap and stabilize two test membrane proteins, bacteriorhodopsin from Halobium salinarum and the outer membrane protein X of Escherichia coli, under the form of small and well-defined complexes, whose size, composition, and shape were studied by aqueous size-exclusion chromatography, analytical ultracentrifugation, and small-angle neutron scattering. As shown in a companion paper, nonionic amphipols can be used for membrane protein folding, cell-free synthesis, and solution NMR studies (Bazzacco et al. 2012, Biochemistry, DOI: 10.1021/bi201862v).

Micellar and Biochemical Properties of (Hemi)Fluorinated Surfactants Are Controlled by the Size of the Polar Head

Surfactants with fluorinated and hemifluorinated alkyl chains have yielded encouraging results in terms of membrane protein stability; however, the molecules used hitherto have either been chemically heterogeneous or formed heterogeneous micelles. A new series of surfactants whose polar head size is modulated by the presence of one, two, or three glucose moieties has been synthesized. Analytical ultracentrifugation and small-angle neutron scattering show that fluorinated surfactants whose polar head bears a single glucosyl group form very large cylindrical micelles, whereas those with two or three glucose moieties form small, homogeneous, globular micelles. We studied the homogeneity and stability of the complexes formed between membrane proteins and these surfactants by using bacteriorhodopsin and cytochrome b(6)f as models. Homogeneous complexes were obtained only with surfactants that form homogeneous micelles. Surfactants bearing one or two glucose moieties were found to be stabilizing, whereas those with three moieties were destabilizing. Fluorinated and hemifluorinated surfactants with a two-glucose polar head thus appear to be very promising molecules for biochemical applications and structural studies. They were successfully used for cell-free synthesis of the ion channel MscL.

Small angle neutron scattering for the study of solubilised membrane proteins.

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) is a powerful technique for investigating association states and conformational changes of biological macromolecules in solution. SANS is of particular interest for the study of the multi-component systems, as membrane protein complexes, for which in vitro characterisation and structure determination are often difficult. This article details the important physical properties of surfactants in view of small angle neutron scattering studies and the interest to deuterate membrane proteins for contrast variation studies. We present strategies for the production of deuterated membrane proteins and methods for quality control. We then review some studies on membrane proteins, and focus on the strategies to overcome the intrinsic difficulty to eliminate homogeneously the detergent or surfactant signal for solubilised membrane proteins, or that of lipids for membrane proteins inserted in liposomes.Graphical abstract

Trapping and stabilization of integral membrane proteins by hydrophobically grafted glucose-based telomers.

Amphipols (APols) are short amphipathic polymers designed to adsorb onto the transmembrane surface of membrane proteins, keeping them water-soluble in the absence of detergent. Current APols carry charged groups, which is a limitation for certain types of applications. This has prompted the development of totally nonionic amphiphols (NAPols). In a previous work, glucose-based NAPols synthesized by free-radical cotelomerization of hydrophilic and amphiphilic monomers proved to be able to keep membrane proteins soluble (Sharma et al. Langmuir 2008, 24, 13581-13590). This provided a proof of principle, but the cumbersome synthesis prevented large-scale production and any detailed biochemical studies. In the present work, we describe a new synthesis route for NAPols based on grafting alkyl chains onto a glucosylated homotelomer. The NAPols thus prepared are highly water soluble. In aqueous solutions, they assemble into small, homogeneous particles similar to those formed by ionic APols. Two model membrane proteins, bacteriorhodopsin and the transmembrane domain of OmpA, form with NAPols small, well-defined water-soluble complexes whose size is comparable to that observed with ionic APols. Complexation by NAPols strongly stabilizes bacteriorhodopsin against denaturation. Glucosylated NAPols thus appear as a promising alternative to ionic APols for such applications as ion-exchange chromatography, isoelectrofocusing, and, possibly, structural approaches such as NMR and crystallography.

The Use of Amphipols for Solution NMR Studies of Membrane Proteins: Advantages and Constraints as Compared to Other Solubilizing Media

Solution-state nuclear magnetic resonance studies of membrane proteins are facilitated by the increased stability that trapping with amphipols confers to most of them as compared to detergent solutions. They have yielded information on the state of folding of the proteins, their areas of contact with the polymer, their dynamics, water accessibility, and the structure of protein-bound ligands. They benefit from the diversification of amphipol chemical structures and the availability of deuterated amphipols. The advantages and constraints of working with amphipols are discussed and compared to those associated with other non-conventional environments, such as bicelles and nanodiscs.

A Fluorinated Detergent for Membrane-Protein Applications†

Surfactants carrying fluorocarbon chains hold great promise as gentle alternatives to conventional hydrocarbon-based detergents for the solubilization and handling of integral membrane proteins. However, their inertness towards lipid bilayer membranes has limited the usefulness of fluorinated surfactants in situations where detergent-like activity is required. We demonstrate that fluorination does not necessarily preclude detergency, as exemplified by a fluorinated octyl maltoside derivative termed F6 OM. This nonionic compound readily interacts with and completely solubilizes phospholipid vesicles in a manner reminiscent of conventional detergents without, however, compromising membrane order at subsolubilizing concentrations. Owing to this mild and unusual mode of detergency, F6 OM outperforms a lipophobic fluorinated surfactant in chaperoning the functional refolding of an integral membrane enzyme by promoting bilayer insertion in the absence of micelles.

Lipophilic β-cyclodextrin cyclic-nitrone conjugate: Synthesis and spin trapping studies

Nitrone spin traps are commonly employed as probes for the identification of transient radicals in chemical and biological systems using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Nitrones have also found applications as therapeutic agent in the treatment of radical-mediated diseases. Therefore, a spin trap that incorporates high reactivity to superoxide radical anion (O2(*-)), more persistent superoxide adduct, enhanced bioavailability, and selective targeting in one molecular design is desirable. In this work, the synthesis of a nitrone spin trap, 4, that is tethered via amide bonds to a beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD) and a dodecyl chain was achieved with the expectation that the beta-cyclodextrin would lead to increased reactivity to O2(*-) and persistent O2(*-) adduct while the lipophilic chain would impart membrane targeting property. The two constitutional racemic isomers, 4a and 4b, were separated using preparative HPLC, and structural analysis and self-aggregation properties were carried out using NMR, induced circular dichroism, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and computational approach. EPR spin trapping of O2(*-) by 4a and 4b was only successful in DMSO and not in an aqueous system, due most likely to the amphiphilic character of 4 that can favor conformations (or aggregation) hindering radical addition to nitrone. Kinetics of formation and decay of the 4a-O2H adduct in polar aprotic solvents show faster reactivity to O2(*-) and more persistent O2(*-) adduct compared to nitrones not conjugated to beta-CD. Computational analysis of 4a and 4b as well as 4a-OOH and 4b-OOH adducts were carried out, and results show that isomerism, both constitutional and stereochemical, affects the orientations of aminoxyl-NO and/or hydroperoxyl groups relative to the beta-CD annulus for optimal H-bond interaction and stability.