Fluidizing the membrane by a local anesthetic: phenylethanol affects membrane protein oligomerization.
The exact mechanism of action of anesthetics is still an open question. While some observations suggest specific anesthetic-protein interactions, nonspecific perturbation of the lipid bilayer has also been suggested. Perturbations of bilayer properties could subsequently affect the structure and function of membrane proteins. Addition of the local anesthetic phenylethanol (PEtOH) to model membranes and intact Escherichia coli cells not only affected membrane fluidity but also severely altered the defined helix-helix interaction within the membrane. This experimental observation suggests that certain anesthetics modulate membrane physical properties and thereby indirectly affect transmembrane (TM) helix-helix interactions, which are not only involved in membrane protein folding and assembly but also important for TM signaling.
Institut für Pharmazie und Biochemie, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 30, 55128 Mainz, Germany.
Veerappan
V
Anbazhagan
Carmen
C
Munz
Lydia
L
Tome
Dirk
D
Schneider
D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000187:drug effects*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D008560:Membrane Fluidity / Q000187:drug effects*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D054730:Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs; D055503:Protein Multimerization / Q000187:drug effects*; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D010626:Phenylethyl Alcohol