Molecular mechanism of Ca(2+)-catalyzed fusion of phospholipid micelles.

Although membrane fusion plays key roles in intracellular trafficking, neurotransmitter release, and viral infection, its underlying molecular mechanism and its energy landscape are not well understood. In this study, we employed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the fusion mechanism, catalyzed by Ca(2+) ions, of two highly hydrated 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-3-phosphoethanolamine (POPE) micelles. This simulation system mimics the small contact zone between two large vesicles at which the fusion is initiated. Our simulations revealed that Ca(2+) ions are capable of catalyzing the fusion of POPE micelles; in contrast, we did not observe close contact of the two micelles in the presence of only Na(+) or Mg(2+) ions. Determining the free energy landscape of fusion allowed us to characterize the underlying molecular mechanism. The Ca(2+) ions play a key role in catalyzing the micelle fusion in three aspects: creating a more-hydrophobic surface on the micelles, binding two micelles together, and enhancing the formation of the pre-stalk state. In contrast, Na(+) or Mg(2+) ions have relatively limited effects. Effective fusion proceeds through sequential formation of pre-stalk, stalk, hemifused-like, and fused states. The pre-stalk state is the state featuring lipid tails exposed to the inter-micellar space; its formation is the rate-limiting step. The stalk state is the state where a localized hydrophobic core is formed connecting two micelles; its formation occurs in conjunction with water expulsion from the inter-micellar space. This study provides insight into the molecular mechanism of fusion from the points of view of energetics, structure, and dynamics.

Molecular dynamics simulation of cation-phospholipid clustering in phospholipid bilayers: possible role in stalk formation during membrane fusion.

In this study, we performed all-atom long-timescale molecular dynamics simulations of phospholipid bilayers incorporating three different proportions of negatively charged lipids in the presence of K(+), Mg(2+), and Ca(2+) ions to systemically determine how membrane properties are affected by cations and lipid compositions. Our simulations revealed that the binding affinity of Ca(2+) ions with lipids is significantly stronger than that of K(+) and Mg(2+) ions, regardless of the composition of the lipid bilayer. The binding of Ca(2+) ions to the lipids resulted in bilayers having smaller lateral areas, greater thicknesses, greater order, and slower rotation of their lipid head groups, relative to those of corresponding K(+)- and Mg(2+)-containing systems. The Ca(2+) ions bind preferentially to the phosphate groups of the lipids. The complexes formed between the cations and the lipids further assembled to form various multiple-cation-centered clusters in the presence of anionic lipids and at higher ionic strength-most notably for Ca(2+). The formation of cation-lipid complexes and clusters dehydrated and neutralized the anionic lipids, creating a more-hydrophobic environment suitable for membrane aggregation. We propose that the formation of Ca(2+)-phospholipid clusters across apposed lipid bilayers can work as a "cation glue" to adhere apposed membranes together, providing an adequate configuration for stalk formation during membrane fusion.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of ether bridged bicyclic iminosugar derivatives.

Bicyclic iminosugar derivatives with an ether bridge bearing different substituents on C-2 and the nitrogen atom have been synthesized from a C-glycoside bearing an isopropylidene acetal. The activities of these compounds were investigated against several glycosidase enzymes and showed moderate inhibition and activation.