Single-molecule phospholipase A becomes processive on melittin-induced membrane deformations.

While it is established that the topology of lipid membranes plays an important role in biochemical processes, few direct observations exist regarding how the membranes are actively restructured and its consequences on subsequent reactions. In this work, we investigated how the two major components of bee venom, melittin and phospholipase A (PLA), achieve activation by such membrane remodeling. Their membrane-disrupting functions have been reported to increase when both are present, but the mechanism of this synergism had not been established. Using membrane reconstitution, we found that melittin can form large-scale membrane deformities upon which PLA activity is 25-fold higher. Tracking of single-molecule PLA revealed that its processive behavior on these deformities underlies the enhanced activity. These results show how melittin and PLA work synergistically to enhance the lytic effects of the bee venom. More broadly, they also demonstrate how the membrane topology may be actively altered to modulate cellular membrane-bound reactions.