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Thermodynamics of the alpha-helix-coil transition of amphipathic peptides in a membrane environment : implications for the peptide-membrane binding equilibrium

Wieprecht, T. and Apostolov, O. and Beyermann, M. and Seelig, J.. (1999) Thermodynamics of the alpha-helix-coil transition of amphipathic peptides in a membrane environment : implications for the peptide-membrane binding equilibrium. Journal of molecular biology, Vol. 294, H. 3. pp. 785-794.

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Official URL: http://edoc.unibas.ch/dok/A5257419

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Abstract

Amphipathic alpha-helices are the membrane binding motif in many proteins. The corresponding peptides are often random coil in solution but are folded into an alpha-helix upon interaction with the membrane. The energetics of this ubiquitous folding process are still a matter of conjecture. Here, we present a new method to quantitatively analyze the thermodynamics of peptide folding at the membrane interface. We have systematically varied the helix content of a given amphipathic peptide when bound to the membrane and have correlated the thermodynamic binding parameters determined by isothermal titration calorimetry with the alpha-helix content obtained by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The peptides investigated were the antibiotic magainin 2 amide and three analogs in which two adjacent amino acid residues were substituted by their d-enantiomers. The thermodynamic parameters controlling the alpha-helix formation were found to be linearly related to the helicity of the membrane-bound peptides. Helix formation at the membrane surface is characterized by an enthalpy change of DeltaH(helix) approximately -0.7 kcal/mol per residue, an entropy change of DeltaS(helix) approximately -1.9 cal/molK residue and a free energy change of DeltaG(helix)=-0.14 kcal/mol residue. Helix formation is a strong driving force of peptide insertion into the membrane and accounts for about 50 % of the free energy of binding. An increase in temperature entails an unfolding of the membrane-bound helix. The temperature dependence can be described with the Zimm-Bragg theory and the enthalpy of unfolding agrees with that deduced from isothermal titration calorimetry.
Faculties and Departments:05 Faculty of Science > Departement Biozentrum > Former Organization Units Biozentrum > Biophysical Chemistry (Seelig J)
UniBasel Contributors:Seelig, Joachim
Item Type:Article, refereed
Article Subtype:Research Article
Publisher:Elsevier
ISSN:0022-2836
Note:Publication type according to Uni Basel Research Database: Journal article
Last Modified:22 Mar 2012 14:19
Deposited On:22 Mar 2012 13:18

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