Membrane Peptide Interactions

This volume contains a comprehensive overview of peptide-lipid interactions by leading researchers. The first part covers theoretical concepts, experimental considerations, and thermodynamics. The second part presents new results obtained through site-directed EPR, electron microscopy, NMR, isothermal calorimetry, and fluorescence quenching. The final part covers problems of biological interest, including signal transduction, membrane transport, fusion, and adhesion. Key Features * world-renowned experts * state-of-the-art experimental methods * monolayers, bilayers, biological membranes * theoretical aspects and computer simulations * rafts * synaptic transmission * membrane fusion * signal transduction

This volume contains a comprehensive overview of peptide-lipid interactions by leading researchers. The first part covers theoretical concepts, experimental considerations, and thermodynamics. The second part presents new results obtained through site-directed EPR, electron microscopy, NMR, isothermal calorimetry, and fluorescence quenching. The final part covers problems of biological interest, including signal transduction, membrane transport, fusion, and adhesion. Key Features * world-renowned experts * state-of-the-art experimental methods * monolayers, bilayers, biological membranes * theoretical aspects and computer simulations * rafts * synaptic transmission * membrane fusion * signal transduction

This book summarizes the importance of peptide-membrane interactions, mostly aiming at developing new therapeutic approaches. The experimental and computational methodologies used to investigate such interactions reveal the evolution of existing biophysical methodologies, shedding some light on potential applications of peptides, as well as on the improvement of their design. Understanding the determinants for peptide-membrane interactions may also improve the knowledge of membrane functions such as the membrane transport, fusion, and signaling processes, contributing to the development of new agents for highly relevant applications ranging from disease treatment to food technology.

This book summarizes the importance of peptide-membrane interactions, mostly aiming at developing new therapeutic approaches. The experimental and computational methodologies used to investigate such interactions reveal the evolution of existing biophysical methodologies, shedding some light on potential applications of peptides, as well as on the improvement of their design. Understanding the determinants for peptide-membrane interactions may also improve the knowledge of membrane functions such as the membrane transport, fusion, and signaling processes, contributing to the development of new agents for highly relevant applications ranging from disease treatment to food technology.

In her thesis, Sara Bobone outlines spectroscopic studies of antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) which are promising lead compounds for drugs used to fight multidrug resistant bacteria. Bobone shows that AMPs interact with liposomes and she clarifies the structure of pores formed by one of these molecules. These results help us to understand how AMPs are selective for bacterial membranes and how their activity can be finely tuned by modifying their sequence. Findings which solve several conundrums debated in the literature for years. In addition, Bobone uses liposomes as nanotemplates for the photopolymerization of hydrogels - exploiting the self- assembly properties of phospholipids. Bobone was able to trap an enzyme using nanometeric particles, while still allowing its activity by the diffusion of substrates and products through the network of the polymer. The innovative nano devices described in this thesis could solve many of the hurdles still hampering the therapeutic application of protein-based drugs.

This book has been conceives as a brief introduction to biomembranes physical chemistry for undergraduate students of sciences, and it is particularly dedicated to the lipid-protein membrane interactions. A general introduction is presented in Chapters 1 and 2. The following Chapters, 3 and 4, describe the most accepted theories on lipid-membrane protein interactions as well as the new experimental approaches, in particular, these arose from nano sciences as atomic for microscopy and single molecule force spectroscopy. The book emphasizes the relevance of physical parameters as the lateral surface pressure and the lipid curvature as actors for understanding the physicochemical properties of the biomembranes.