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Fluorescent membrane probes’ behavior in lipid bilayers: insights from molecular dynamics simulations

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Abstract

Fluorescence spectroscopy and microscopy have been used as tools to study membrane biophysics for decades now. Because phospholipids are non-fluorescent, the use of extrinsic membrane probes in this context is commonplace. Two major points of concern arise regarding this matter, namely the incomplete understanding of the probe behavior inside the bilayer and the perturbation of the latter resulting from probe incorporation. To this effect, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, by providing detailed atomic-scale information, represent a valuable way to characterize the location and dynamics of bilayer-inserted membrane probes, as well as the magnitude of perturbation they induce on the host lipid structure, and several important classes of reporter molecules have been studied in recent years. This article reviews the state of the art of MD simulations of bilayer-inserted fluorescent probes, focusing on the information that has been obtained from previous studies and hinting at future perspectives in this rapidly emerging field.

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Acknowledgement

L.M.S.L. acknowledges financial support from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (Portugal).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Coimbra, Pólo das Ciências da Saúde, Azinhaga de Santa Comba, 3000-548, Coimbra, Portugal

    Luís M. S. Loura

  2. Centro de Química de Évora, Rua Romão Ramalho, 59, 7000-671, Évora, Portugal

    Luís M. S. Loura & J. P. Prates Ramalho

  3. Departamento de Química, Universidade de Évora, Rua Romão Ramalho, 59, 7000-671, Évora, Portugal

    J. P. Prates Ramalho

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  1. Luís M. S. Loura
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  2. J. P. Prates Ramalho
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Correspondence to Luís M. S. Loura.

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Loura, L.M.S., Prates Ramalho, J.P. Fluorescent membrane probes’ behavior in lipid bilayers: insights from molecular dynamics simulations. Biophys Rev 1, 141–148 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12551-009-0016-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12551-009-0016-5

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