Spontaneous membrane fusion induced by chemical formation of ceramides in a lipid bilayer.
Mere chemical generation of ceramide and related double-chain lipids in the membrane of small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) induces fusion of the vesicles. The lipids can be successfully prepared by dehydrocondensation between single-chain lipids (fatty acids and sphingosine or its analogues) in a lipid bilayer of the SUV by using a combination of 2-chloro-4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazine and amphiphilic tertiary amine catalysts, a process that can be compared to a successive enzyme model system for a fatty acyl-CoA synthetase followed by acyltransferase. The SUV spontaneously undergoes membrane fusion upon this internal chemical stimulation by the artificial enzyme system.
Kunishima
Munetaka
M
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kobe Gakuin University, JST, Nishi-ku, Kobe 651-2180, Japan. kunisima@pharm.kobegakuin.ac.jp
Tokaji
Masafumi
M
Matsuoka
Keisuke
K
Nishida
Jin
J
Kanamori
Masanori
M
Hioki
Kazuhito
K
Tani
Shohei
S
D002518:Ceramides / Q000138:chemical synthesis*; D008027:Light; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008561:Membrane Fusion; D012542:Scattering, Radiation
D002518:Ceramides; D008051:Lipid Bilayers