Investigation of the influence on conformational transition of DNA induced by cationic lipid vesicles

Recent studies have focused on the structural features of DNA-lipid assemblies. In this paper we take nile blue A (NBA) as a probe molecule to study the influence of the conformational transition of DNA induced by didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) cationic vesicles to the interaction between DNA and the probe molecules. We find that upon binding to DNA, a secondary conformational transition of DNA induced by the cationic liposome from the native B-form to the C-form resulted in the change of binding modes of NBA to DNA and different complexes are formed between DNA, DDAB and NBA.

Electrochemical and Raman studies of the biointeraction between Escherichia coli and mannose in polydiacetylene derivative supported on the self-assembled monolayers of octadecanethiol on a gold electrode

Here, we describe a new method to study the biointeraction between Escherichia coli and mannose by using supramolecular assemblies composed of polydiacetylene supported on the self-assembled monolayer of octadecanethiol on a gold electrode. These prepared bilayer materials simply are an excellent protosystem to study a range of important sensor-related issues. The experimental results from UV-vis spectroscopy, resonance Raman spectroscopy, and electrochemistry confirm that the specific interactions between E. coli and mannose can cause conformational changes of the polydiacetylene backbone rather than simple nonspecific adsorption. Moreover, the direct electrochemical detection by polydiacetylene supramolecular assemblies not only opens a new path for the use of these membranes in the area of biosensor development but also offers new possibilities for diagnostic applications and screening for binding ligands.

Conformational transition of DNA induced by cationic lipid vesicle in acidic solution: spectroscopy investigation

The conformational transition of DNA induced by the interaction between DNA and a cationic lipid vesicle, didodecyidimethylammonium bromide (DDAB), had been investigated by circular dichroism (CD) and UV spectroscopy methods. We used singular value decomposition least squares method (SVDLS) to analyze the experimental CD spectra. Although pH value influenced the conformation of DNA in solution, the results showed that upon binding to double helical DNA, positively charged liposomes induced a conformational transition of DNA molecules from the native B-form to more compact conformations. At the same time, no obvious conformational changes occurred at single-strand DNA (ssDNA). While the cationic lipid vesicles and double-strand DNA (dsDNA) were mixed at a high molar ratio of DDAB vesicles to dsDNA, the conformation of dsDNA transformed from the B-form to the C-form resulting in an increase in duplex stability (DeltaT(m) = 8 +/- 0.4 degreesC). An increasing in T-m was also observed while the cationic lipid vesicles interacted with ssDNA.

Voltammetric and spectroscopic studies on methyl green and cationic lipid bound to calf thymus DNA

DNA interaction with cationic lipids promises to be a versatile and effective synthetic transfection agent. This paper presents the study on binding of a simple artifical cationic lipid, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), to calf thymus DNA (CT DNA) prior to the condensation process, taking methyl green (MG) as a probe. The results show that the CTAB binds to DNA through electrostatic interaction forming a hydrophobic complex, thus changing the micro-environment of duplex of DNA, so the binding state of MG and DNA is changed, and a complex CTAB-CT DNA-MG is formed. This fact suggests a new way to mediate the conformation of molecular assemblies of DNA and lipids. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Bilayer lipid membranes and their application in electrochemical biosensors

The preparation and characteristics of bilayer lipid membranes including conventional bilayer membrane, solid supported self-assembling bilayer lipid membrane, solid supported hybrid bilayer membrane are described in this paper, The applications of bilayer lipid membranes in electrochemical biosensors are reviewed and the future development of electrochemical biosensor based on bilayer lipid membranes is discussed.

Double layer capacitance in electrochemical biosensor

The principle and technique of double layer capacitance and its application in electrochemical biosensor are briefly reviewed with 50 references. The future development of double layer capacitance biosensor is expected.

LB multilayers and superlattice films of erbium fatty acid salts

Multilayers of Y-type bilayers of pure and mixed erbium palmitate(EP), nonadecanate(Er) and behenate(EB) on CaF2 substrates were prepared by conventional Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) method. II is demonstrated that two systems composed of alternating bilayer of different fatty acid salts are unidimensional superlattices. These LB films were characterized by means of x-ray photoelectronic Spectrometry (XPS), FTIR and x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements.

Ion channel sensor

The ion channel sensor is reviewed. The concept and sensing principle of this kind of sensor are briefly discussed. The fabrication of the sensing membrane and the application of the ion channel sensor in electroanalytical chemistry are evaluated. The future developing direction is also anticipated.

Self-assembled monolayers of thiols on gold electrodes for bioelectrochemistry and biosensors

Monolayers of biological compounds including redox proteins and enzymes, and phospholipids have been immobilized on a gold electrode surface through self-assembling. These proteins and enzymes, such as cytochrome c, cytochrome c oxidase and horseradish peroxidase (HRP), immobilized covalently to the self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of 3-mercaptopropionic acid on a gold electrode, communicate directly electrons with the electrode surface without mediators and keep their physiological activities. The electron transfer of HRP with the gold electrode can also be mediated by the alkanethiol SAMs with electroactive group viologens on the gold electrode surface. All these direct electrochemistries of proteins and enzymes might offer an opportunity to build a third generation of biosensors without mediators for analytes, such as H2O2, glucose and cholesterol. Monensin and valinomycin have been incorporated into the bilayers on the gold electrode consisting of the SAMs of alkanethiol and a lipid monolayer, which have high selectivity for monovalent ions, and the resulting Na+ or K+ sensor has a wide linear range and high stability. These self-assembly systems provide a good mimetic model for studying the physiological function of a membrane and its associated enzyme. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.

EFFECTS OF METAL-IONS ON THE CONFORMATION OF POLAR HEADGROUP OF SPHINGOMYELIN BILAYER

With the wide application of rare earth in agriculture, medicament, especially the application of Gd-DTPA as nuclear magnetic resonance image reagent in clinical practice([1]), the studies on the toxicology in biological body, as well as the study on the use as informative probes instead of divalent calcium ion in biological and biochemical research have attracted intensive concern([2]). Phospholipids bilayers have served as a model of biomembrane in the last two decades. The effects of metal ions on the conformation of polar headgroup of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) bilayers have been reported([3]). Sphingomyelin is major component of several biological tissues such as brain and nerve cells and has identical polar headgroup to DPPC. The interaction of metal ions with sphingomyelin bilayer remains nonrevealed. This note presents the results of the study on this aspect.

A NMR-STUDY OF THE INTERACTION OF SILICA WITH DIPALMITOYLPHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE LIPOSOMES

The interaction of silica with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes has been studied by detecting H-1 and 2D NOESY NMR spectra and measuring proton spin-lattice relaxation time (T-1). The antagonistic effect of aluminium citrate on silica has also been studied by measuring the proton T-1 values, The results show that silica particles mainly bind to the phosphate moiety of the polar headgroup of DPPC bilayers through hydrogen bonds between Si-OH and O-P groups, but they have no significant effect on the conformation of the choline group of the polar headgroup, The addition of silica particles decreases the mobilities of the hydrocarbon chains slightly, Proton T-1 data also indicate that aluminium citrate reduces the effect of silica, A possible mechanism for the toxicity of silica and the antagonistic effect of aluminium titrate on silica is suggested. (C) 1995 Academic Press Inc.

Study of FT-Raman Spectroscopy on the Effects of Lanthanide Ions and Their Complexes on the Fluidity of Dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine Bilayer

The effects of lanthanide ions and their complexes of citrate and DTPA ligands on the fluidity of dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE) bilayers have been studied by FT-Raman spectroscopy. the results show that lanthanide ions of lower concentrationn decrease the fluidity of acyl chains of DPPE bilayers and change the conformation of C C-C backbone from gauche to the trans lanthanide ions of higher concentration, however, increase the fluidity of acyl chains and increase the gauche population of C-C-C backbone. Lanthanide complex of citrate have no effect on the fluidity of acyl chains of DPPE bilayers in the region of experimental concentration, but La-DTPA complex increase slightly the fluidity of acyl chains. the results also indicated that lanthanide ion of lower concentration changed the lattice packing of hydrocarbon chains from hexagonal form to orthorhombic form, but it is still in hexagonal or distorted hexagonal lattice cell in the gel state in the presence of metal ions and lanthanide complexes of higher concentration

EFFECT OF LANTHANIDE IONS ON THE PHASE-BEHAVIOR OF DIPALMITOYLPHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE MULTILAMELLAR LIPOSOMES

The effect of lanthanide ions (Ln(3+)) and their coordination compounds of diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) on the phase behavior of dipalmitoylphosphatidycholine (DPPC) multilamellar liposomes has been studied by differential scanning calorimet

Effect of alginic acid decomposing bacterium on the growth of Laminaria japonica (Phaeophyceae)

We collected the diseased blades of Laminaria japonica from Yantai Sea Farm from October to December 2002, and the alginic acid decomposing bacterium on the diseased blade was isolated and purified, and was identified as Alterornonas espejiana. This bacterium was applied as the causative pathogen to infect the blades of L. japonica under laboratory conditions. The aim of the present study was to identify the effects of the bacterium on the growth of L. japonica, and to find the possibly effective mechanism. Results showed that: (1) The blades of L. japonica exhibited symptoms of lesion, bleaching and deterioration when infected by the bacterium, and their growth and photosynthesis were dramatically suppressed. At the same time, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation enhanced obviously, and the relative membrane permeability increased significantly. The contents of malonaldehyde (MDA) and free fatty acid in the microsomol membrane greatly elevated, but the phospholipid content decreased. Result suggested an obvious peroxidation and deesterrification in the blades of L. japonica when infected by the bacterium. (2) The simultaneous assay on the antioxidant enzyme activities demonstrated that superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) increased greatly when infected by the bacterium, but glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) did not exhibit active responses to the bacterium throughout the experiment. (3) The histomorphological observations gave a distinctive evidence of the severity of the lesions as well as the relative abundance in the bacterial population on the blades after infection. The bacterium firstly invaded into the endodermis of L. japonica and gathered around there, and then resulted in the membrane damage, cells corruption and ultimately, the death of L. japonica.