Pore formation by complement in the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria studied with asymmetric planar lipopolysaccharide/phospholipid bilayers.

The interaction of complement with an asymmetric planar lipopolysaccharide/phospholipid bilayer system as a model for the lipid matrix of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria has been studied. The addition of whole human serum to the aqueous solution at the lipopolysaccharide side of the asymmetric membrane resulted in a rapid increase of the bilayer conductance in discrete steps, indicating the formation of transmembrane pores, which were not observed in the case of pure phospholipid membranes. The amplitudes of the discrete conductance steps varied over a range of more than one order of magnitude. The mean single step conductance was (0.39 +/- 0.24) nS for a subphase containing (in mM): 100 KCl, 5 MgCl2 and 5 HEPES buffer. The steps were grouped into bursts of typically 9 +/- 3 events per burst and the conductance change within one burst was (8.25 +/- 4.00) nS. The pore-forming activity of serum at the asymmetric membrane system was independent of the presence of specific antibodies against the lipopolysaccharide but was dependent on calcium ions. Furthermore, the pore-forming activity required complement component C9. A model for the mode of pore formation by complement is proposed: The complement pore is generated in discrete steps by insertion of C9 monomers into the membrane and their irreversible aggregation to water-filled channels with a diameter of approximately 7 nm assuming a circular geometry.