Single-molecule visualization of dynamic transitions of pore-forming peptides among multiple transmembrane positions

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms12906
• Publication Date: 2016-09-30T11:02:10Z
• Authors: Ying Li; Zhenyu Qian; Li Ma; Shuxin Hu; Daguan Nong; Chunhua Xu; Fangfu Ye; Ying Lu; Guanghong Wei; Ming Li
• Keywords: Protein–lipid interaction

Abstract Research on the dynamics of single-membrane proteins remains underdeveloped due to lack proper approaches that can probe in real time protein’s insertion depth lipid bilayers. Here we report a single-molecule visualization method track both vertical and lateral diffusion membrane supported bilayers by exploiting surface-induced fluorescence attenuation (SIFA) fluorophores. The follows d −4 dependency, where is fluorophore-to-surface distance. validated observing antimicrobial peptide LL-37 transfer among five transmembrane positions: surface, upper leaflet, centre, lower leaflet bottom bilayer. These results demonstrate power SIFA study protein-membrane interactions provide unprecedented in-depth understanding molecular mechanisms translocation proteins.