Pradip K. Tarafdar

Synthesis, calorimetric studies, and crystal structures of N, O-diacylethanolamines with matched chains.

Recent studies show that N-, O-diacylethanolamines (DAEs) can be derived by the O-acylation of N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) under physiological conditions. Because the content of NAEs in a variety of organisms increases in response to stress, it is likely that DAEs may also be present in biomembranes. In view of this, a homologous series of DAEs with matched acyl chains (n = 10–20) have been synthesized and characterized. Transition enthalpies and entropies obtained from differential scanning calorimetry show that dry DAEs with even and odd acyl chains independently exhibit linear dependence on the chainlength. Linear least-squares analyses yielded incremental values contributed by each methylene group to the transition enthalpy and entropy and the corresponding end contributions. N-, O-Didecanoylethanolamine (DDEA), N-, O-dilauroylethanolamine (DLEA), and N-, O-dimyristoylethanolamine (DMEA) crystallized in the orthorhombic space group Pbc21 with four symmetry-related molecules in the unit cell. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies show that DDEA, DLEA, and DMEA are isostructural and adopt an L-shaped structure with the N-acyl chain and the central ethanolamine moiety being essentially identical to the structure of N-acylethanolamines, whereas the O-acyl chain is linear with all-trans conformation. In all three DAEs, the lipid molecules are organized in a bilayer fashion wherein the N-acyl and O-acyl chains from adjacent layers oppose each other.

Structure, phase behaviour and membrane interactions of N-acylethanolamines and N-acylphosphatidylethanolamines

N-Acylethanolamines (NAEs) and N-acylphosphatidylethanolamines (NAPEs) are naturally occurring membrane lipids, whose content increases dramatically in a variety of organisms when subjected to stress, suggesting that they may play a role in the stress-combating mechanisms of organisms. In the light of this, it is of great interest to characterize the structure, physical properties, phase transitions and membrane interactions of these two classes of lipids. This review will present the current status of our understanding of the structure and phase behaviour of NAEs and NAPEs and their interaction with major membrane lipids, namely phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and cholesterol. The relevance of such interactions to the putative stress-combating and membrane stabilizing properties of these lipids will also be discussed.

Structure and Thermotropic Phase Behavior of a Homologous Series of Bioactive N‑Acyldopamines

N-Acyldopamines (NADAs), which are present in mammalian nervous tissues, exhibit interesting biological and pharmacological properties. In the present study, a homologous series of NADAs with varying acyl chains (n = 12-20) have been synthesized and characterized. Differential scanning calorimetric studies show that in the dry state the transition temperatures, enthalpies, and entropies of NADAs exhibit odd-even alternation with the values corresponding to the even chain length series being slightly higher. Both even and odd chain length NADAs display a linear dependence of the transition enthalpies and entropies on the chain length. However, odd-even alternation was not observed in the calorimetric properties upon hydration, although the transition enthalpies and entropies exhibit linear dependence. Linear least-squares analyses yielded incremental values contributed by each methylene group to the transition enthalpy and entropy and the corresponding end contributions. N-Lauroyldopamine (NLDA) crystallized in the monoclinic space group C2/c with eight symmetry-related molecules in the unit cell. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies show that NLDA molecules are organized in the bilayer form, with a head-to-head (and tail-to-tail) arrangement of the molecules. Water-mediated hydrogen bonds between the hydroxyl groups of the dopamine moieties of opposing layers and N-H···O hydrogen bonds between the amide groups of adjacent molecules in the same layer stabilize the crystal packing. These results provide a thermodynamic and structural basis for investigating the interaction of NADAs with other membrane lipids, which are expected to provide clues to understand how they function in vivo, e.g., as signaling molecules in the modulation of pain.

Biophysical investigations on the aggregation and thermal unfolding of harpinPss and identification of leucine-zipper-like motifs in harpins

Harpins are heat-stable, glycine-rich proteins secreted by Gram-negative bacteria, which induce hypersensitive response (HR) in non-host plants. In this study, the thermal unfolding and aggregation of harpin(Pss) from Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae have been investigated by biophysical approaches. Differential scanning calorimetric studies indicate that thermal unfolding of harpin(Pss) is a complex process involving three distinct transitions. CD spectroscopy revealed that the secondary structure of the protein, which is predominantly alpha-helical, remains unchanged until the onset of transition 2, above which the alpha-helical content decreases while the beta-sheet content increases. Dynamic light scattering measurements yielded the hydrodynamic radius (R(h)) of harpin(Pss) as room temperature as 20.54 + or - 6.19 nm, which decreases to 9.35 nm at 61 degrees C. These results could be explained in terms of the following thermal unfolding pathway for harpin(Pss): oligomer-->dimer-->partially unfolded dimer-->unfolded monomer. Sequence analysis indicated the presence of at least two leucine-zipper-like motifs in harpin(Pss) and several other harpins, whereas computational modelling studies suggest that most of them are located on helices present on protein surfaces, suggesting that they can take part in the formation of oligomeric aggregates, which may be responsible for HR elicitation by harpins and their high thermal stability.

Effect of Hofmeister Series Anions on the Thermotropic Phase Behavior of Bioactive O -Acylcholines

O-Acylcholines (OACs), which are true cationic lipids due to the quaternary ammonium functionality in the headgroup, exhibit interesting biological activities and medicinal properties. In the present study, a homologous series of OACs with even chain lengths (n = 12-20) have been synthesized, and their thermotropic and chaotropic phase transitions have been characterized. The role of various anions (Cl(-), Br(-), I(-), NO3(-), SO4(2-), ClO3(-), ClO4(-)) on the phase behavior of O-stearoylcholine was investigated by calorimetric, spectroscopic, and turbidimetric approaches. The results obtained revealed that in aqueous dispersion O-stearoylcholine undergoes a cooperative phase transition from a gel phase to a micellar structure and that the transition temperature increases when the counterions are changed in the Hofmeister series. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies showed that O-stearoylcholine iodide forms an interdigitated bilayer structure, with the polymethylene chain adopting an all-trans conformation. The Hofmeister effect and phase behavior were explained using the concepts of matching water affinities, water penetration into the bilayer, and electrostatic repulsion. It was also observed that one counterion per molecule is sufficient to strongly modulate the phase properties of the lipid/surfactant.

A base-triggerable catanionic mixed lipid system: isothermal titration calorimetric and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies.

Lipid-based, base-triggerable systems will be useful for colon specific targeted delivery of drugs and pharmaceuticals. In light of this, a catanionic surfactant system, composed of O-lauroylethanolamine hydrochloride (OLEA·HCl) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), has been designed. The aggregates formed by near equimolar mixtures of OLEA·HCl-SDS have shown lability at basic pH, indicating that the system may be useful for developing colon specific drug delivery system(s). Turbidimetric and isothermal titration calorimetric studies revealed that OLEA·HCl forms a 1:1 (mol/mol) complex with SDS. The three-dimensional structure of the equimolar OLEA-SDS complex has been solved by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Analysis of the molecular packing and intermolecular interactions in the crystal lattice revealed a hydrogen bonding belt in the headgroup region of the complex and dispersion interactions among the acyl chains as the main factors stabilizing the complex. These observations will be useful in understanding specific interactions between lipids in more complex systems, e.g., biomembranes.

Organization and Dynamics of Hippocampal Membranes in a Depth- Dependent Manner: An Electron Spin Resonance Study

Organization and dynamics of neuronal membranes represent crucial determinants for the function of neuronal receptors and signal transduction. Previous work from our laboratory has established hippocampal membranes as a convenient natural source for studying neuronal receptors. In this work, we have monitored the organization and dynamics of hippocampal membranes and their modulation by cholesterol and protein content utilizing location (depth)-specific spin-labeled phospholipids by ESR spectroscopy. The choice of ESR spectroscopy is appropriate due to slow diffusion encountered in crowded environments of neuronal membranes. Analysis of ESR spectra shows that cholesterol increases hippocampal membrane order while membrane proteins increase lipid dynamics resulting in disordered membranes. These results are relevant in understanding the complex organization and dynamics of hippocampal membranes. Our results are significant in the overall context of membrane organization under low cholesterol conditions and could have implications in neuronal diseases characterized by low cholesterol conditions due to defective cholesterol metabolism.

Structure and phase behavior of O-stearoylethanolamine: a combined calorimetric, spectroscopic and X-ray diffraction study.

Recent studies show that O-acylethanolamines (OAEs), structural isomers of the putative stress-fighting lipids, namely N-acylethanolamines (NAEs), can be derived from NAEs and are present in biological membranes under physiological conditions. In view of this, we have synthesized O-stearoylethanolamine (OSEA) as a representative OAE and investigated its phase behavior and crystal structure. The thermotropic phase transitions of OSEA dispersed in water and in 150mM NaCl were characterized using calorimetric, spectroscopic, turbidimetric and X-ray diffraction studies. These studies have revealed that when dispersed in water OSEA undergoes a cooperative phase transition centered at 53.8 degrees C from an ordered gel phase to a micellar structure whereas in presence of 150mM NaCl the transition temperature increases to 55.8 degrees C and most likely the bilayer structure is retained above the phase transition. O-Stearoylethanolamine crystallized in the orthorhombic space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with four symmetry-related molecules in the unit cell. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies show that OSEA molecules adopt a linear structure with all-trans conformation in the acyl chain region. The molecules are organized in a tail-to-tail fashion, similar to the arrangement in a bilayer membrane. These studies are relevant to understanding the role of salt on the phase properties of this new class of lipids.

Thermally stable harpin, HrpZPss is sensitive to chemical denaturants: Probing tryptophan environment, chemical and thermal unfolding by fluorescence spectroscopy

Harpins - a group of proteins that elicit hypersensitive response (HR) in non-host plants - are secreted by certain Gram-negative plant pathogenic bacteria upon interaction with the plant. In the present study, the microenvironment and solvent accessibility of the sole tryptophan residue (Trp-167) in harpin HrpZPss, secreted by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, have been characterized by fluorescence spectroscopic studies. Emission λmax of the native protein at 328 nm indicates that Trp-167 is buried in a hydrophobic region in the interior of the protein matrix. Significant quenching (53%) was seen with the neutral quencher, acrylamide at 0.5 M concentration, whereas quenching by ionic quenchers, I(-) (~10%) and Cs(+) (negligible) was considerably lower. In the presence of 6.0 M guanidine hydrochloride (GdnHCl) the emission λmax shifted to 350.5 nm, and quenching by both neutral and ionic quenchers increased significantly, suggesting complete exposure of the indole side chain to the aqueous medium. Fluorescence studies on the thermal unfolding of HrpZPss are fully consistent with a complex thermal unfolding process and high thermal stability of this protein, inferred from previous differential scanning calorimetric and dynamic light scattering studies. However, the protein exhibits low resistance to chemical denaturants, with 50% unfolding seen in the presence of 1.77 M GdnHCl or 3.59 M urea. The ratio of m value, determined from linear extrapolation model, for GdnHCl and urea-induced unfolding was 1.8 and suggests the presence of hydrophobic interactions, which could possibly involve leucine zipper-like helical regions on the surface of the protein.

Equimolar mixtures of lysophosphatidylcholine and O-stearoylethanolamine form bilayers

Lysophosphatidylcholine, a product of phospholipase A2-mediated hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine, exhibits membranolytic activity. Therefore, its intracellular levels are under rigid control in normal cells, but accumulate in tissues under stress, e.g., ischemic myocardium. O-Stearoylethanolamine, a structural isomer of N-stearoylethanolamine, a single-chain lipid with putative stress fighting ability, forms bilayer structure at 1 : 1 (mol/mol) mixture with lysophosphatidylcholine. This suggests that O-stearoylethanolamine can buffer the membranolytic effect of lysophosphatidylcholine, which may play a role in the stress-combating responses of organisms.