MARCKS-ED peptide as a curvature and lipid sensor

ACS Chem Biol. 2013 Jan 18;8(1):218-25. doi: 10.1021/cb300429e. Epub 2012 Oct 29.

Abstract

Membrane curvature and lipid composition regulates important biological processes within a cell. Currently, several proteins have been reported to sense and/or induce membrane curvatures, e.g., Synaptotagmin-1 and Amphiphysin. However, the large protein scaffold of these curvature sensors limits their applications in complex biological systems. Our interest focuses on identifying and designing peptides that can sense membrane curvature based on established elements observed in natural curvature-sensing proteins. Membrane curvature remodeling also depends on their lipid composition, suggesting strategies to specifically target membrane shape and lipid components simultaneously. We have successfully identified a 25-mer peptide, MARCKS-ED, based on the effector domain sequence of the intracellular membrane protein myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate that can recognize PS with preferences for highly curved vesicles in a sequence-specific manner. These studies further contribute to the understanding of how proteins and peptides sense membrane curvature, as well as provide potential probes for membrane shape and lipid composition.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Biosensing Techniques*
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Fluorescent Dyes / chemistry
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / chemistry*
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / genetics
  • Lipids / analysis
  • Lipids / chemistry*
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry*
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Myristoylated Alanine-Rich C Kinase Substrate
  • Peptides / chemistry*
  • Peptides / genetics
  • Rats
  • Unilamellar Liposomes / chemistry

Substances

  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Lipids
  • Marcks protein, rat
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Peptides
  • Unilamellar Liposomes
  • Myristoylated Alanine-Rich C Kinase Substrate