Cholesterol and phosphatidylethanolamine lipids exert opposite effects on membrane modulations caused by the M2 amphipathic helix.

ABSTRACT: Membrane curvature remodeling induced by amphipathic helices (AHs) is essential in many biological processes. Here we studied a model amphipathic peptide, M2AH, derived from influenza A M2. We are interested in how M2AH may promote membrane curvature by altering membrane physical properties. We used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to examine changes in membrane topographic and mechanical properties. We used electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy to explore changes in lipid chain mobility and chain orientational order. We found that M2AH perturbed lipid bilayers by generating nanoscale pits. The structural data are consistent with lateral expansion of lipid chain packing, resulting in a mechanically weaker bilayer. Our EPR spectroscopy showed that M2AH reduced lipid chain mobility

SUBMITTER: Pan J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6260955 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature