Investigation of toroidal pore and oligomerization by melittin using transmission electron microscopy

Journal Article · Fri Apr 28 00:00:00 EDT 2006 · Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.02.090· OSTI ID:20798922

Park, Seong-Cheol ^[1]; Kim, Jin-Young ^[1]; Shin, Sun-Oh ^[1]; Jeong, Chan-Young ^[1]; Kim, Mi-Hyun ^[1]; Shin, Song Yub ^[1]; Cheong, Gang-Won ^[2]; Park, Yoonkyung ^[3]; Hahm, Kyung-Soo ^[4]

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1. Research Center for Proteineous Materials (RCPM), Chosun University, Kwangju 501-759 (Korea, Republic of)
2. Division of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Chinju 660-701 (Korea, Republic of)
3. Research Center for Proteineous Materials (RCPM), Chosun University, Kwangju 501-759 (Korea, Republic of) and Department of Biotechnology, Chosun University, Kwangju 501-759 (Korea, Republic of)
4. Research Center for Proteineous Materials (RCPM), Chosun University, Kwangju 501-759 (Korea, Republic of) and Department of Medicine, Chosun University, Kwangju 501-759 (Korea, Republic of)

We studied the effects of melittin on various cell wall components and vesicles of various lipid compositions. To interact with the cytoplasmic membrane, melittin must traverse the cell wall, which is composed of oligosaccharides. Here, we found that melittin had a strong affinity for chitin, peptidoglycan, and lipopolysaccharide. We further examined the influence of lipid compositions on the lysis of the membranes by melittin. The result showed that melittin bound better to negatively charged than to zwitterionic lipid vesicles but was more potent at inducing leakage from zwitterionic lipid vesicles. Our studies further indicated that the oligomeric state of melittin varied between tetramers and octamers during the formation of toroidal pores. Dextran leakage experiments confirmed the formation and dimension of these toroidal pores. Finally, transmission electron microscopy revealed that melittin formed pores via peptide oligomerization by the toroidal pore-forming mechanism. The toroidal pores composed of 7-8 nm diameter rings that encircled 3.5-4.5 nm diameter cavities on zwitterionic lipid vesicles.

• OSTI ID: 20798922
• Journal Information: Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, Vol. 343, Issue 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2006.02.090; PII: S0006-291X(06)00392-5; Copyright (c) 2006 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0006-291X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
CELL MEMBRANES
CELL WALL
CHITIN
DEXTRAN
LIPIDS
LYSIS
OLIGOSACCHARIDES
PEPTIDES
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY