The Nanostructures of Biomembranes Group has traditionally worked with spectroscopic techniques, particularly spectrofluorimetry, NMR, DSC, Langmuir monolayers and Langmuir Blodgett films and more recently, with the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM).
What characterizes the group is the fact that we combine the application of these techniques with molecular biology methods for which we are self-sufficient. Specifically, we obtain the proteins under investigation, lactose permease, NorA or KcsA, from Escherichia coli cultures. These proteins are models of efflux pump proteins related with the drug resistance in bacteria. We can extract the proteins from the cell membrane and after purification, we finally reconstitute them into membrane models of desired compositions. Spectrofluorometric studies of surface potential or FRET tell us about the interactions between proteins and the lipids that surround it. The characterization of the membrane models with the AFM allows the visualization and interaction (Force Spectroscopy) with an individual molecule of protein giving us the idea of the necessary force to take it out of the membrane. This information is important to understand how proteins are inserted in cell membranes and how they perform their function. Altering the membrane lipid composition modifies these force profiles suggesting a possible approach to inhibit the functionality of the protein when inserted in the membrane.
Maria Teresa Montero Barrientos (Associate Professor)
Òscar Domènech Cabrera (Associate Professor) odomenech@ub.edu
Martha Leticia Vázquez González (Adjunct Lecturer)
Adrià Botet Carreras (Adjunct Lecturer)
On the uptake of cationic liposomes by cells: From changes in elasticity to internalization. Botet-Carreras A.; Marimon M.B.; Millan-Solsona R.; Aubets E.; Ciudad C.J.; Noé V.; Montero M.T.; Domènech Ò.; Borrell J.H. 2023, Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 221, 112968. Doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.112968
PLGA Nanoparticles Containing Natural Flavanones for Ocular Inflammation. Bustos-Salgado P.; Domínguez-Villegas V.; Andrade-Carrera B.; Mallandrich M.; Calpena A.; Domènech O.; Martínez-Ruiz S.; Badía J.; Baldomà L.; Gómez de Aranda I.; Blasi J.; Garduño-Ramírez M.L. 2023, Pharmaceutics, 15, 12, 2752. Doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15122752
On the uptake of cationic liposomes by cells: From changes in elasticity to internalization. A. Botet-Carreras, M. Bosch Marimon, R. Millan-Solsona, E. Aubets, C. J. Ciudad, V. Noé, M.T. Montero, Ò. Domènech and J.H. Borrell. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 221, 2022
Studying Lipid Membrane Interactions of a Super-Cationic Peptide in Model Membranes and Living Bacteria. Pérez-Guillén I., Domènech Ò., Botet-Carreras A., Merlos A., Sierra J.M., Albericio F., de la Torre B.G., Montero M.T., Viñas M., Borrell J.H. Pharmaceutics, 14, 10, 2191, 2022
On the uptake of cationic liposomes by cells: From changes in elasticity to internalization. A. Botet-Carreras, M. Bosch Marimon, R. Millan-Solsona, E. Aubets, C. J. Ciudad, V. Noé, M.T. Montero, Ò. Domènech and J.H. Borrell. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 221, 2022
Engineering and development of model lipid membranes mimicking the HeLa cell membrane. Botet-Carreras A., Montero M.T., Sot J., Domènech Ò., Borrell J.H. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects. 2021, 630, 127663.
Characterization of monolayers and liposomes that mimic lipid composition of HeLa cells. Botet-Carreras A., Montero M.T., Sot J., Domènech Ò., Borrell J.H. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces. 2020, 196
Cholesterol effect on the specific capacitance of submicrometric DOPC bilayer patches measured by in-liquid scanning dielectric microscopy. Muzio M.D., Millan-Solsona R., Borrell J.H., Fumagalli L., Gomila G. Langmuir. 2020, 36(43)
Nanobioenginyeria i Nanobioelectrònica, SIC-BIO.SGRC- Ajuts de Suport als Grups de Recerca de Catalunya (SGR) 2017SGR1079. 2018-2021 IP. Josep Samitier Martí
Microscopio de barrido de fuerzas eléctricas para medidas electrofisiológicas a la nanoescala. IP. Gabriel Gomila. TEC2016-79156-P. Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MCOC), 2016-2019
Breaking the Borders of Antimicrobial Resistance. Searching New Antimicrobial Compounds against Multi-Drug Resistant Bacteria: A Study of Policationic AMPS and Lipid Nanoparticles. Fundació La Marató (TV3) (FMTV). 2018-2021. IP. Miquel Viñas Ciordia
Multimode IV Atomic Force Microscope from Bruker controlled by Nanoscope V electronics equipped with a 15 μm scanner.
Two KSV Nima Langmuir troughs equipped with surface pressure balance, surface potential and Brewster Angle Microscope (BAM).
SLM Aminco 8100 Spectrofluorometer equipped with Xenon Lamp and thermostatted cuvette holder.
Ronald H. Kaback. Department of Physiology. University of California, Los Angeles, USA. Physicochemical studies of Lactose permease (Lac Y) protein in model membranes.
Pierre Emmanuel Milhiet. Structural Biochemistry Centre CNRS UMR 5048 – UM – INSERM U 1054, Montpellier, France. Physicochemical studies of Macromolecules – model membrane interactions by AFM.
Marie-Paule Mingeot Leclercq. Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, Catholic University of Louvain, Brussels, Belgium. Macromolecules – model membrane interactions
Manuel Prieto. Molecular Physical Chemistry Centre, Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal. FRET fluorescence studies between membrane proteins and lipids in the annular region.