Name: measuring peptide translocation into large unilamellar vesicles
Uploaded: 2012-01-27T13:00:00
Description: Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Measuring Peptide Translocation into Large Unilamellar Vesicles at JoVE.com

The authors would like to thank Eleanor Fleming and Jessica Chen for helpful discussions. Funding was provided by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIH-NIAID) Award R15AI079685 and a Research Corporation Cottrell College Science Award. Additional student support was provided by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Staley fund.

1. Preparation of Large Unilamellar Lipid Vesicles (LUVs)
<ol>
 <li>Prepare LUVs to serve as cell membrane mimics for the assay19.</li>
 <li>Mix phosphatidylcholine (POPC, 760.10 g/mol), phosphatidylglycerol (POPG. 770.99 g/mol), 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DNS-POPE, 994.350 g/mol) (Avanti Polar Lipids) dissolved in chloroform in a 50:45:5 ratio. As every assay requires the separate preparation of both experimental and control LUVs, two lipid cake vials should be prepared....

<ol>
	<li>Henriques, S. T., Melo, M. N., Castanho, M. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Cell-penetrating+peptides+and+antimicrobial+peptides:+how+different+are+they?.">Cell-penetrating peptides and antimicrobial peptides: how different are they?.</a> Biochem. J. 399 (1), 1-1 (2006).</li><li>Trehin, R., Merkle, H. P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chances+and+pitfalls+of+cell+penetrating+peptides+for+cellular+drug+delivery.">Chances and pitfalls of cell penetrating peptides for cellular drug delivery.</a> Eur. J. Pharm. Biopharm. 58 (2), 209-209 (2004).</li><li>Temsamani, J., Vidal, P. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+use+of+cell-penetrating+peptides+for+drug+delivery.">The use of cell-penetrating peptides for drug delivery.</a> Drug Discov. Today. 9 (23), 1012-1012 (2004).</li><li>Hale, J. D., Hancock, R. E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Alternative+mechanisms+of+action+of+cationic+antimicrobial+peptides+on+bacteria.">Alternative mechanisms of action of cationic antimicrobial peptides on bacteria.</a> Expert Review of Anti-Infective Therapy. 5 (6), 951-951 (2007).</li><li>Nicolas, P., Rosenstein, Y. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Multifunctional+host+defense+peptides.">Multifunctional host defense peptides.</a> FEBS J. 276 (22), 6464-6464 (2009).</li><li>Boman, H. G., Agerberth, B., Boman, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mechanisms+of+Action+on+Escherichia-Coli+of+Cecropin-P1+and+Pr-39,+2+Antibacterial+Peptides+from+Pig+Intestine.">Mechanisms of Action on Escherichia-Coli of Cecropin-P1 and Pr-39, 2 Antibacterial Peptides from Pig Intestine.</a> Infection and Immunity. 61 (7), 2978-2978 (1993).</li><li>Park, C. B., Kim, H. S., Kim, S. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mechanism+of+action+of+the+antimicrobial+peptide+buforin+II:+Buforin+II+kills+microorganisms+by+penetrating+the+cell+membrane+and+inhibiting+cellular+functions.">Mechanism of action of the antimicrobial peptide buforin II: Buforin II kills microorganisms by penetrating the cell membrane and inhibiting cellular functions.</a> Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications. 244 (1), 253-253 (1998).</li><li>Bobone, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=The+thin+line+between+cell-penetrating+and+antimicrobial+peptides:+the+case+of+Pep-1+and+Pep-1-K.">The thin line between cell-penetrating and antimicrobial peptides: the case of Pep-1 and Pep-1-K.</a> J. Pept. Sci. 17 (5), 335-335 (2011).</li><li>Marks, J. R., Placone, J., Hristova, K., Wimley, W. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Spontaneous+Membrane-Translocating+Peptides+by+Orthogonal+High-throughput+Screening.">Spontaneous Membrane-Translocating Peptides by Orthogonal High-throughput Screening.</a> J. Am. Chem. Soc.. , (2011).</li><li>Rosenbluh, J. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Translocation+of+histone+proteins+across+lipid+bilayers+and+Mycoplasma+membranes.">Translocation of histone proteins across lipid bilayers and Mycoplasma membranes.</a> J. Mol. Biol. 345 (2), 387-387 (2005).</li><li>Bárány-Wallje, E. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+critical+reassessment+of+penetratin+translocation+across+lipid+membranes.">A critical reassessment of penetratin translocation across lipid membranes.</a> Biophys. J. 89 (4), 2513-2513 (2005).</li><li>Henriques, S. T., Costa, J., Castanho, M. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Translocation+of+beta-galactosidase+mediated+by+the+cell-penetrating+peptide+pep-1+into+lipid+vesicles+and+human+HeLa+cells+is+driven+by+membrane+electrostatic+potential.">Translocation of beta-galactosidase mediated by the cell-penetrating peptide pep-1 into lipid vesicles and human HeLa cells is driven by membrane electrostatic potential.</a> Biochemistry. 44 (30), 10189-10189 (2005).</li><li>Orioni, B. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Membrane+perturbation+by+the+antimicrobial+peptide+PMAP-23:+a+fluorescence+and+molecular+dynamics+study.">Membrane perturbation by the antimicrobial peptide PMAP-23: a fluorescence and molecular dynamics study.</a> Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1788 (7), 1523-1523 (2009).</li><li>Ladokhin, A. S., Jayasinghe, S., White, S. H. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=How+to+measure+and+analyze+tryptophan+fluorescence+in+membranes+properly,+and+why+bother?.">How to measure and analyze tryptophan fluorescence in membranes properly, and why bother?.</a> Anal. Biochem. 285 (2), 235-235 (2000).</li><li>Epand, R. M., Epand, R. F. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Liposomes+as+models+for+antimicrobial+peptides.">Liposomes as models for antimicrobial peptides.</a> Methods Enzymol. 372, 124-124 (2003).</li><li>Kobayashi, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Interactions+of+the+novel+antimicrobial+peptide+buforin+2+with+lipid+bilayers:+Proline+as+a+translocation+promoting+factor.">Interactions of the novel antimicrobial peptide buforin 2 with lipid bilayers: Proline as a translocation promoting factor.</a> Biochemistry. 39 (29), 8648-8648 (2000).</li><li>Matsuzaki, K., Murase, O., Fujii, N., Miyajima, K. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Translocation+of+a+channel-forming+antimicrobial+peptide,+magainin+2,+across+lipid+bilayers+by+forming+a+pore.">Translocation of a channel-forming antimicrobial peptide, magainin 2, across lipid bilayers by forming a pore.</a> Biochemistry. 34 (19), 6521-6521 (1995).</li><li>Henriques, S. T., Costa, J., Castanho, M. A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Re-evaluating+the+role+of+strongly+charged+sequences+in+amphipathic+cell-penetrating+peptides:+a+fluorescence+study+using+Pep-1.">Re-evaluating the role of strongly charged sequences in amphipathic cell-penetrating peptides: a fluorescence study using Pep-1.</a> FEBS Lett. 579 (20), 4498-4498 (2005).</li><li>Torchilin, V. P., Weissig, V. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=.">.</a> Liposomes. , (2003).</li><li>Almeida, P. F., Pokorny, A. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Avanti+Polar+Lipids,+Determination+of+Total+Phosphorus.">Avanti Polar Lipids, Determination of Total Phosphorus.</a> Biochemistry. 1686 (34), 8083-8083 (2009).</li><li>Kobayashi, S. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Membrane+translocation+mechanism+of+the+antimicrobial+peptide+buforin+2.">Membrane translocation mechanism of the antimicrobial peptide buforin 2.</a> Biochemistry. 43 (49), 15610-15610 (2004).</li></ol>

The protocol presented here can be used to assess the relative change in the concentration of peptides inside and outside of lipid vesicles. These changes are related to translocation ability. This protocol can be used to identify cell-penetrating peptides with potential as drug delivery vectors. As interest in cell-penetrating peptides grows, it will be interesting to see how methods that directly measure the translocation event are developed and used in a quantitative manner.
In our lab, we...

<table border="1">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Name of the reagent</td>
<td>Company</td>
<td>Catalogue number</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>16:0-18:1 PG</td>
<td>Avanti Polar Lipids</td>
<td>840457C</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1:18 Dansyl PE</td>
<td>Avanti Polar Lipids</td>
<td>810330C</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>16:0-18:1 PC</td>
<td>Avanti Polar Lipids</td>
<td>850457C </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Porcine trypsin</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>T-0303</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bowman-Birk trypsin/chymotrypsin inhibitor</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>T-9777</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mini-extruder</td>
<td>Avanti Polar Lipids</td>
<td>610000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ammonium molybdate (para)</td>
<td>Alfa Aesar</td>
<td>10811</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>L-ascorbic acid</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>A1417</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hydrogen Peroxide, 30% solution</td>
<td>Mallinckrodt chemicals</td>
<td>5240-05</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HEPES</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>H-3375</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NaCl</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>S-9625</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>EDTA</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>E5134</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NaH2PO4</td>
<td>Sigma</td>
<td>S-0751</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

measuring peptide translocation into large unilamellar vesicles

There is an active interest in peptides that readily cross cell membranes without the assistance of cell membrane receptors1. Many of these are referred to as cell-penetrating peptides, which are frequently noted for their potential as drug delivery vectors1-3. Moreover, there is increasing interest in antimicrobial peptides that operate via non-membrane lytic mechanisms4,5, particularly those that cross bacterial membranes without causing cell lysis and kill cells by interfering with intracellular processes6,7. In fact, authors have increasingly pointed out the relationship between cell-penetrating and antimicrobial peptides1,8. A firm understanding of the process of membrane translocation and the relationship between peptide structure and its ability to translocate requires effective, reproducible assays for translocation. Several groups have proposed methods to measure translocation into large unilamellar lipid vesicles (LUVs)9-13. LUVs serve as useful models for bacterial and eukaryotic cell membranes and are frequently used in peptide fluorescent studies14,15. Here, we describe our application of the method first developed by Matsuzaki and co-workers to consider antimicrobial peptides, such as magainin and buforin II16,17. In addition to providing our protocol for this method, we also present a straightforward approach to data analysis that quantifies translocation ability using this assay. The advantages of this translocation assay compared to others are that it has the potential to provide information about the rate of membrane translocation and does not require the addition of a fluorescent label, which can alter peptide properties18, to tryptophan-containing peptides. Briefly, translocation ability into lipid vesicles is measured as a function of the Foster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) between native tryptophan residues and dansyl phosphatidylethanolamine when proteins are associated with the external LUV membrane (Figure 1). Cell-penetrating peptides are cleaved as they encounter uninhibited trypsin encapsulated with the LUVs, leading to disassociation from the LUV membrane and a drop in FRET signal. The drop in FRET signal observed for a translocating peptide is significantly greater than that observed for the same peptide when the LUVs contain both trypsin and trypsin inhibitor, or when a peptide that does not spontaneously cross lipid membranes is exposed to trypsin-containing LUVs. This change in fluorescence provides a direct quantification of peptide translocation over time.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Measuring Peptide Translocation into Large Unilamellar Vesicles at JoVE.com

Measuring Peptide Translocation into Large Unilamellar Vesicles

This protocol details a method for the quantitative measure of peptide translocation into large unilamellar lipid vesicles. This method also provides information about the rate of membrane translocation and can be used to identify peptides that efficiently and spontaneously cross lipid bilayers.

There is an active interest in peptides that readily cross cell membranes without the assistance of cell membrane receptors1.  Many of these are referred ...

Research

JoVE Journal

Biology

Large-Scale Screens of Metagenomic Libraries

Metagenomic libraries archive large fragments of contiguous genomic sequences from microorganisms without requiring prior cultivation.  Generating a ...

Large Insert Environmental Genomic Library Production

The vast majority of microbes in nature currently remain inaccessible to traditional cultivation methods. Over the past decade, culture-independent ...

Mutagenesis and Functional Analysis of Ion Channels Heterologously Expressed in Mammalian Cells

We will demonstrate how to study the functional effects of introducing a point mutation in an ion channel. We study G protein-gated inwardly rectifying ...

Quantitative Measurement of GLUT4 Translocation to the Plasma Membrane by Flow Cytometry

Glucose is the main source of energy for the body, requiring constant regulation of its blood concentration. Insulin release by the pancreas induces ...

Polarized Translocation of Fluorescent Proteins in Xenopus Ectoderm in Response to Wnt Signaling

Polarized Translocation of Fluorescent Proteins in Xenopus Ectoderm in Response to Wnt Signaling

Cell polarity is a fundamental property of eukaryotic cells that is dynamically regulated by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors during embryonic ...

Examining BCL-2 Family Function with Large Unilamellar Vesicles

The BCL-2 (B cell CLL/Lymphoma) family is comprised of approximately twenty proteins that collaborate to either maintain cell survival or initiate ...

Reconstitution of a Transmembrane Protein, the Voltage-gated Ion Channel, KvAP, into Giant Unilamellar Vesicles for Microscopy and Patch Clamp Studies

Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUVs) are a popular biomimetic system for studying membrane associated phenomena. However, commonly used protocols to grow ...

Visualization of Surface-tethered Large DNA Molecules with a Fluorescent Protein DNA Binding Peptide

Large DNA molecules tethered on the functionalized glass surface have been utilized in polymer physics and biochemistry particularly for investigating ...

Pulling Membrane Nanotubes from Giant Unilamellar Vesicles

The reshaping of the cell membrane is an integral part of many cellular phenomena, such as endocytosis, trafficking, the formation of filopodia, etc. Many ...

Subretinal Transplantation of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Derived-retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells into a Large-eyed Model of Geographic Atrophy

Geographic atrophy (GA), the late stage of dry age-related macular degeneration is characterized by loss of the retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) layer, ...