Modulation of the Specific Interaction of Cardiolipin with Cytochrome c by Zwitterionic Phospholipids in Binary Mixed Bilayers: A $^2H$-and $^{31}P$-NMR Study

The interaction of cytochrome c with binary phospholipid mixtures was investigated by solid-state $^2H$- and $^{31}P$-NMR. To examine the effect of the interaction on the glycerol backbones, the glycerol moieties of phosphatidylcholine (PC), and cardioliph (CL) were specifically deuterated. On the binding of cytochrome c to the binary mixed bilayers, no changes in the quadrupole splittings of each of the components were observed for the PC/PG, PE/CL and PE/PG liposomes. In contrast, the splittings of CL decreased on binging of protein to the PC/CL liposomes, although those of PC did not change at all. This showed that cytochrome c specifically interacts with CL in PC/CL bilayers, and penetrates into the lipid bilayer to some extent so as to perturb the dynamic structure of the glycerol backbone. This is distinctly different from the mode of interaction of cytochrome c with other binary mixed bilayers. In the $^{31}P$-NMR spectra, line broadening and a decrease of the chemical shift anisotropy were observed on the binding of cytochrome c for all binary mixed bilayers that were examined. These changes were more significant for the PC/CL bilayers. Furthermore, the line broadening is more significant for PC than for CL in PC/CL bilayers. Therefore, it can be concluded that with the polar head groups, not only CL but also PC are involved in the interaction with cytochrome c.