Light-induced transformations in biomembranes

Cellular membranes constantly experience remodeling, as exemplified by morphological changes during endo- and exocytosis. Regulation of membrane morphology is essential for these processes. In this work, we attempt to establish a regulation path based on the use of photoswitches exhibiting conformational changes in model membranes, namely, giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs). The mechanism of the changes in the GUVs’ morphology caused by isomerization of the photosensitive molecules has been previously explored but still remains elusive. We examine the morphological reshaping of GUVs in the presence of the photoswitch o-tetrafluoroazobenzene (F-azo) and show that the mechanism behind the resulting morphological changes involves both an increase in the membrane area and generation of a positive spontaneous curvature. First, we characterize the partitioning of F-azo in a single-component membrane using both experimental and computational approaches. The partition coefficient calculated from molecular dynamic simulations agrees with experimental data obtained with size-exclusion chromatography. Then, we implement the approach of vesicle electrodeformation in order to assess the increase in the membrane area, which is observed as a result of the conformational change of F-azo. Finally, the local and the effective membrane spontaneous curvatures were estimated from the observed shapes of vesicles exhibiting outward budding. We then extend the application of the F-azo to multicomponent lipid membranes, which exhibit a coexistence of domains in different liquid phases due to a miscibility gap between the lipids. We perform initial experiments to investigate whether F-azo can be employed to modulate the lateral lipid packing and organization. We observe either complete mixing of the domains or the appearing of disordered domains within the domains of more ordered phase. The type of behavior observed in response to the photoisomerization of F-azo was dependent on the used lipid composition. We believe that the findings introduced here will have an impact in understanding and controlling both lipid phase modulation and regulation of the membrane morphology in membrane systems.

Level thesis:degree_level

thesis.doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher

Universität Potsdam

Year

2017

Author dc:creator

• Georgiev, Vasil

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dimova, Rumiana

• giant unilamellar vesicles
• morphological changes
• light
• photoswitches
• riesen unilamellare Vesikel
• morphologischen Veränderungen
• Licht
• Fotoschalter

Statement dc:rights

• Keine öffentliche Lizenz: Unter Urheberrechtsschutz

Repository record source_url

https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/39530

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:kobv.de-opus4-uni-potsdam:39530