Capability of ganglioside GM1 in modulating interactions, structure, location and dynamics of peptides/proteins: biophysical approaches: interaction of ganglioside GM1 with peptides/proteins.

Gangliosides, are glycosphingolipids, present in all vertebrate plasma membranes with particular abundance in nerve cell membrane. Gangliosides can act as portals for antimicrobial peptides, hormones, viruses, lectins, toxins and pathogens. They are strategically positioned on the outer membrane and hence can participate in a large number of recognition processes. Their abundance in nerve cell membrane makes them "likely" receptor candidates for neuropeptides. In this review we outline our work in the area of GM1-peptide/protein interaction. We have explored the effect of GM1 containing micelles/bicelles on structures of peptides, proteins as well as on denatured proteins. It has been observed that the peptides that are disordered or having random coil structure in aqueous solution, attained an ordered three-dimensional structure when interact with GM1. It is also observed that denatured proteins undergo refolding in presence of ganglioside. Peptides/proteins show stronger interaction with membrane lipid bilayer in presence of ganglioside than that without ganglioside. This review mainly focuses on capability of ganglioside GM1 in modulating interaction, structural, location and dynamics of peptides/proteins using a number of biophysical techniques-solution NMR, DOSY, CD, fluorescence etc.