title: The lantibiotic nisin induces transmembrane movement of a fluorescent phospholipid.
abstract: Nisin is a pore-forming antimicrobial peptide. The capacity of nisin to induce transmembrane movement of a fluorescent phospholipid in lipid vesicles was investigated. Unilamellar phospholipid vesicles that contained a fluorescent phospholipid (1-acyl-2-(6-[(7-nitro-2-1, 3-benzoxadiazol-4-yl)amino]caproyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) in the inner leaflet of the bilayer were used. Nisin-induced movement of the fluorescent phospholipid from the inner leaflet to the outer leaflet of the membrane reached stable levels, which were dependent on the concentration of nisin added. The rate constant k of this nisin-induced transmembrane movement increased with the nisin concentration but was not dependent on temperature within the range of 5 to 30 degrees C. In contrast, the rate constant of movement of fluorescent phospholipid from vesicle to vesicle strongly depended on temperature. The data indicate that nisin transiently disturbs the phospholipid organization of the target membrane.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, Kerklaan 30, 9751 NN Haren, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G N
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Moll
authors.forename: W N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Konings
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Driessen
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000378:metabolism; D009561:Nisin / Q000378:metabolism*; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D010743:Phospholipids; D009561:Nisin