Membrane-selective nanoscale pores in liposomes by a synthetically evolved peptide: implications for triggered release.

ABSTRACT: Peptides that form nanoscale pores in lipid bilayers have potential applications in triggered release, but only if their selectivity for target synthetic membranes over bystander biomembranes can be optimized. Previously, we identified a novel family of α-helical pore-forming peptides called "macrolittins", which release macromolecular cargoes from phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes at concentrations as low as 1 peptide per 1000 lipids. In this work, we show that macrolittins have no measurable cytolytic activity against multiple human cell types even at high peptide concentration. This unprecedented selectivity for PC liposomes over cell plasma membranes is explained, in part, by the sensitivity of macrolittin activity to physical chemical properties of the bilayer hydrocarbon core. In th

SUBMITTER: Sun L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9265991 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature