@article{DahmaniLudwigChiantia2019, author = {Dahmani, Ismail and Ludwig, Kai and Chiantia, Salvatore}, title = {Influenza A matrix protein M1 induces lipid membrane deformation via protein multimerization}, series = {Bioscience Reports}, volume = {39}, journal = {Bioscience Reports}, number = {8}, publisher = {Portland Press}, address = {Colchester}, issn = {0144-8463}, doi = {10.1042/BSR20191024}, pages = {16}, year = {2019}, abstract = {The matrix protein M1 of the Influenza A virus (IAV) is supposed to mediate viral assembly and budding at the plasma membrane (PM) of infected cells. In order for a new viral particle to form, the PM lipid bilayer has to bend into a vesicle toward the extracellular side. Studies in cellular models have proposed that different viral proteins might be responsible for inducing membrane curvature in this context (including M1), but a clear consensus has not been reached. In the present study, we use a combination of fluorescence microscopy, cryogenic transmission electron microscopy (cryo-TEM), cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) and scanning fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (sFCS) to investigate M1-induced membrane deformation in biophysical models of the PM. Our results indicate that M1 is indeed able to cause membrane curvature in lipid bilayers containing negatively charged lipids, in the absence of other viral components. Furthermore, we prove that protein binding is not sufficient to induce membrane restructuring. Rather, it appears that stable M1-M1 interactions and multimer formation are required in order to alter the bilayer three-dimensional structure, through the formation of a protein scaffold. Finally, our results suggest that, in a physiological context,M1-induced membrane deformation might be modulated by the initial bilayer curvature and the lateral organization of membrane components (i.e. the presence of lipid domains).}, language = {en} } @article{MertensHilschHaralampievetal.2018, author = {Mertens, Monique and Hilsch, Malte and Haralampiev, Ivan and Volkmer, Rudolf and Wessig, Pablo and M{\"u}ller, Peter}, title = {Synthesis and characterization of a new Bifunctionalized, Fluorescent, and Amphiphilic molecule for recruiting SH-Containing molecules to membranes}, series = {ChemBioChem}, volume = {19}, journal = {ChemBioChem}, number = {15}, publisher = {Wiley-VCH}, address = {Weinheim}, issn = {1439-4227}, doi = {10.1002/cbic.201800268}, pages = {1643 -- 1647}, year = {2018}, abstract = {This study describes the synthesis and characterization of an amphiphilic construct intended to recruit SH-containing molecules to membranes. The construct consists of 1)an aliphatic chain to enable anchoring within membranes, 2)a maleimide moiety to react with the sulfhydryl group of a soluble (bio)molecule, and 3)a fluorescence moiety to allow the construct to be followed by fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy. It is shown that the construct can be incorporated into preformed membranes, thus allowing application of the approach with biological membranes. The close proximity between the fluorophore and the maleimide moiety within the construct causes fluorescence quenching. This allows monitoring of the reaction with SH-containing molecules by measurement of increases in fluorescence intensity and lifetime. Notably, the construct distributes into laterally ordered membrane domains of lipid vesicles, which is probably triggered by the length of its membrane anchor. The advantages of the new construct can be employed for several biological, biotechnological, and medicinal applications.}, language = {en} } @article{HaralampievMertensSchwarzeretal.2015, author = {Haralampiev, Ivan and Mertens, Monique and Schwarzer, Roland and Herrmann, Andreas and Volkmer, Rudolf and Wessig, Pablo and Mueller, Peter}, title = {Recruitment of SH-Containing peptides to lipid and biological membranes through the use of a palmitic acid functionalized with a Maleimide Group}, series = {Angewandte Chemie : a journal of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker ; International edition}, volume = {54}, journal = {Angewandte Chemie : a journal of the Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker ; International edition}, number = {1}, publisher = {Wiley-VCH}, address = {Weinheim}, issn = {1433-7851}, doi = {10.1002/anie.201408089}, pages = {323 -- 326}, year = {2015}, abstract = {This study presents a novel and easily applicable approach to recruit sulfhydryl-containing biomolecules to membranes by using a palmitic acid which is functionalized with a maleimide group. Notably, this strategy can also be employed with preformed (biological) membranes. The applicability of the assay is demonstrated by characterizing the binding of a Rhodamine-labeled peptide to lipid and cellular membranes using methods of fluorescence spectroscopy, lifetime measurement, and microscopy. Our approach offers new possibilities for preparing biologically active liposomes and manipulating living cells.}, language = {en} } @article{WessigGerngrossPapeetal.2014, author = {Wessig, Pablo and Gerngroß, Maik and Pape, Simon and Bruhns, Philipp and Weber, Jens}, title = {Novel porous materials based on oligospiroketals (OSK)}, series = {RSC Advances : an international journal to further the chemical sciences}, volume = {2014}, journal = {RSC Advances : an international journal to further the chemical sciences}, number = {4}, issn = {2046-2069}, doi = {10.1039/c4ra04437a}, pages = {31123 -- 31129}, year = {2014}, abstract = {New porous materials based on covalently connected monomers are presented. The key step of the synthesis is an acetalisation reaction. In previous years we used acetalisation reactions extensively to build up various molecular rods. Based on this approach, investigations towards porous polymeric materials were conducted by us. Here we wish to present the results of these studies in the synthesis of 1D polyacetals and porous 3D polyacetals. By scrambling experiments with 1D acetals we could prove that exchange reactions occur between different building blocks (evidenced by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry). Based on these results we synthesized porous 3D polyacetals under the same mild conditions.}, language = {en} } @article{GrimmMeyerCzaplaetal.2013, author = {Grimm, Christiane and Meyer, Thomas and Czapla, Sylvia and Nikolaus, J{\"o}rg and Scheidt, Holger A. and Vogel, Alexander and Herrmann, Andreas and Wessig, Pablo and Huster, Daniel and M{\"u}ller, Peter}, title = {Structure and dynamics of molecular rods in membranes application of a Spin-Labeled rod}, series = {Chemistry - a European journal}, volume = {19}, journal = {Chemistry - a European journal}, number = {8}, publisher = {Wiley-VCH}, address = {Weinheim}, issn = {0947-6539}, doi = {10.1002/chem.201202500}, pages = {2703 -- 2710}, year = {2013}, abstract = {Molecular rods consisting of a hydrophobic backbone and terminally varying functional groups have been synthesized for applications for the functionalization of membranes. In the present study, we employ a spin-labeled analogue of a recently described new class of molecular rods to characterize their dynamic interactions with membranes. By using the different approaches of ESR and NMR spectroscopy, we show that the spin moiety of the membrane-embedded spin-labeled rod is localized in the upper chain/glycerol region of membranes of different compositions. The rod is embedded within the membrane in a tilted orientation to adjust for the varying hydrophobic thicknesses of these bilayers. This orientation does not perturb the membrane structure. The water solubility of the rod is increased significantly in the presence of certain cyclodextrins. These cyclodextrins also allow the rods to be extracted from the membrane and incorporated into preformed membranes. The latter will improve the future applications of these rods in cellular systems as stable membrane-associated anchors for the functionalization of membrane surfaces.}, language = {en} }