Influenza A M2 Channel Clustering at High Protein/Lipid Ratios: Viral Budding Implications.

ABSTRACT: Protein dynamics in crowded environments is important for understanding protein functions in vivo and is especially relevant for membrane proteins because of the roles of protein-protein interactions in membrane protein functions and their regulation. Here, using solid-state NMR spectroscopy in combination with coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, we report that the rotational correlation time for the transmembrane domain of the influenza A M2 proton channel in lipid bilayers increases dramatically at an elevated protein/lipid ratio. This increase is attributable to persistent protein-protein interactions, thus revealing for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, extensive cluster formation of the M2 tetrameric channel. Such clustering appears to have direct biological rel

SUBMITTER: Paulino J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6428927 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature