Interaction of melittin and phospholipase A2 with azobenzene-containing phospholipid.

Interactions of melittin and/or phospholipase A2 (PLA2) with circular dichroism (CD)-active phospholipid, bis(4'-n-octanoxyazobenzene-4-carboxyl)-L-alpha-phosphatidylcholin e (CDPC), were studied. In the presence of melittin at a lipid-to-melittin molar ratio (Ri) of 5, multilamellar dispersion, composed of CDPC and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine with a molar ratio of 1, underwent morphological change to form small melittin-lipid particles. When PLA2 was added to the melittin-lipid particles at 37 degrees C, the CD band at 222 nm exhibited a remarkable enhancement depending on Ri, indicating the formation of melittin-PLA2-lipid complex. After a 30 min incubation of melittin-PLA2-lipid complex at 45 degrees C in the presence of Ca2+, the CD band at 222 nm was still enhanced and a new positive band at 356 nm was observed. On the other hand, in the absence of Ca2+, the CD enhancement characteristic of melittin-PLA2-lipid complex disappeared after the incubation at 45 degrees C. These results suggest that the melittin-PLA2-lipid complex did not undergo any drastic morphological change upon PLA2-catalyzed hydrolysis of lipid, and that Ca2+ is indispensable in order that the melittin-PLA2-lipid complex remains intact and PLA2 exerts efficient hydrolytic activity in the melittin-PLA2-lipid complex.