Formation and properties of bacteriorhodopsin monomers in the non-ionic detergents octyl-beta-D-glucoside and Triton X-100

Self-assembly of single integral membrane proteins into soluble nanoscale phospholipid bilayers

One of the biggest challenges in pharmaceutical research is obtaining integral membrane proteins in a functional, solubilized, and monodisperse state that provides a native-like environment that maintains the spectrum of in vivo activities. Many of these integral membrane proteins are receptors, enzymes, or other macromolecular assemblies that are important drug targets. An example is the general class of proteins composed of seven-transmembrane segments (7-TM) as exemplified by the G-protein-coupled receptors. In this article, we describe a simple system for self-assembling bacteriorhodopsin, as a model protein containing 7-TM helices, with phospholipids to form a nanometer-scale soluble bilayer structure encircled by a 200 amino acid scaffold protein. The result is the single molecule incorporation of an integral membrane protein target into a soluble and monodisperse structure that allows the structural and functional tools of solution biochemistry to be applied.

Proton transfer reactions in native and deionized bacteriorhodopsin upon delipidation and monomerization

We have investigated the role of the native lipids on bacteriorhodopsin (bR) proton transfer and their connection with the cation-binding role. We observe that both the efficiency of M formation and the kinetics of M rise and decay depend on the lipids and lattice but, as the lipids are removed, the cation binding is a much less important factor for the proton pumping function. Upon 75% delipidation using 3-[(cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-propanesulfonate (CHAPS), the M formation and decay kinetics are much slower than the native, and the efficiency of M formation is approximately 30%-40% that of the native. Upon monomerization of bR by Trition X-100, the efficiency of M recovers close to that of the native (depending on pH), M formation is approximately 10 times faster, and M decay kinetics are comparable to native at pH 7. The same results on the M intermediate are observed if deionized blue bR (deI bbR) is treated with these detergents (with or without pH buffers present), even though deionized blue bR containing all the lipids has no photocycle. This suggests that the cation(s) has a role in native bR that is different than in delipidated or monomerized bR, even so far as to suggest that the cation(s) becomes unimportant to the function as the lipids are removed.

The role of the native lipids and lattice structure in bacteriorhodopsin protein conformation and stability as studied by temperature-dependent Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy

We report the effect of partial delipidation and monomerization on the protein conformational changes of bacteriorhodopsin (bR) as a function of temperature. Removal of up to 75% of the lipids is known to have the lattice structure of the purple membrane, albeit as a smaller unit cell, whereas treatment by Triton monomerizes bR into micelles. The effects of these modifications on the protein secondary structure is analyzed by monitoring the protein amide I and amide II bands in the Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectra. It is found that removal of the first 75% of the lipids has only a slight effect on the secondary structure at physiological temperature, whereas monomerizing bR into micelles alters the secondary structure considerably. Upon heating, the bR monomer is found to have a very low thermal stability compared with the native bR with its melting point reduced from 97 to 65 degrees C, and the pre-melting transition in which the protein changes conformation in native bR at 80 degrees C could not be observed. Also, the N[bond]H to N[bond]D exchange of the amide II band is effectively complete at room temperature, suggesting that there are no hydrophobic regions that are protected from the aqueous medium, possibly explaining the low thermal stability of the monomer. On the other hand, 75% delipidated bR has its melting temperature close to that of the native bR and does have a pre-melting transition, although the pre-melting transition occurs at significantly higher temperature than that of the native bR (91 degrees C compared with 80 degrees C) and is still reversible. Furthermore, we have also observed that the reversibility of this pre-melting transition of both native and partially delipidated bR is time-dependent and becomes irreversible upon holding at 91 degrees C between 10 and 30 min. These results are discussed in terms of the lipid and lattice contribution to the protein thermal stability of native bR.

Detection of fast light-activated H+ release and M intermediate formation from proteorhodopsin

BACKGROUND

Proteorhodopsin (pR) is a light-activated proton pump homologous to bacteriorhodopsin and recently discovered in oceanic gamma-proteobacteria. One perplexing difference between these two proteins is the absence in pR of homologues of bR residues Glu-194 and Glu-204. These two residues, along with Arg-82, have been implicated in light-activated fast H+ release to the extracellular medium in bR. It is therefore uncertain that pR carries out its physiological activity using a mechanism that is completely homologous to that of bR.

RESULTS

A pR purification procedure is described that utilizes Phenylsepharose and hydroxylapatite columns and yields 85% (w/w) purity. Through SDS-PAGE of the pure protein, the molecular weight of E.-coli-produced pR was determined to be 36,000, approximately 9,000 more than the 27,000 predicted by the DNA sequence. Post-translational modification of one or more of the cysteine residues accounts for 5 kDa of the weight difference as measured on a cys-less pR mutant. At pH 9.5 and in the presence of octylglucoside and diheptanoylphosphotidylcholine, flash photolysis results in fast H+ release and a 400-nm absorbing (M-like) photoproduct. Both of these occur with a similar rise time (4-10 micros) as reported for monomeric bR in detergent.

CONCLUSIONS

The presence of fast H+ release in pR indicates that either different groups are responsible for fast H+ release in pR and bR (i.e. that the H+ release group is not highly conserved); or, that the H+ release group is conserved and is therefore likely Arg-94 itself in pR (and Arg-82 in bR, correspondingly).

Thermodynamic stability of the bacteriorhodopsin lattice as measured by lipid dilution

To determine the strength of noncovalent interactions that stabilize a membrane protein complex, we have developed an in vitro method for quantifying the dissociation of the bacteriorhodopsin (BR) lattice, a naturally occurring two-dimensional crystal. A lattice suspension was titrated with a short- and long-chain phosphatidylcholine mixture to dilute BR within the lipid bilayer. The fraction of BR in the lattice form as a function of added lipid was determined by visible circular dichroism spectroscopy and fit with a cooperative self-assembly model to obtain a critical concentration for lattice assembly. Critical concentration values of wild-type and mutant proteins were used to calculate the change in lattice stability upon mutation (DeltaDeltaG). By using this method, a series of mutant proteins was examined in which residues at the BR-BR interface were replaced with smaller amino acids, either Ala or Gly. Most of the mutant lattices were destabilized, with DeltaDeltaG values of 0.2-1.1 kcal/mol at 30 degrees C, consistent with favorable packing of apolar residues in the membrane. One mutant, I45A, was stabilized by approximately 1.0 kcal/mol, possibly due to increased lipid entropy. The DeltaDeltaG values agreed well with previous in vivo measurements, except in the case of I45A. The ability to measure the change in stability of mutant protein complexes in a lipid bilayer may provide a means of determining the contributions of specific protein-protein and protein-lipid interactions to membrane protein structure.

An improved tripod amphiphile for membrane protein solubilization

Intrinsic membrane proteins represent a large fraction of the proteins produced by living organisms and perform many crucial functions. Structural and functional characterization of membrane proteins generally requires that they be extracted from the native lipid bilayer and solubilized with a small synthetic amphiphile, for example, a detergent. We describe the development of a small molecule with a distinctive amphiphilic architecture, a "tripod amphiphile," that solubilizes both bacteriorhodopsin (BR) and bovine rhodopsin (Rho). The polar portion of this amphiphile contains an amide and an amine-oxide; small variations in this polar segment are found to have profound effects on protein solubilization properties. The optimal tripod amphiphile extracts both BR and Rho from the native membrane environments and maintains each protein in a monomeric native-like form for several weeks after delipidation. Tripod amphiphiles are designed to display greater conformational rigidity than conventional detergents, with the long-range goal of promoting membrane protein crystallization. The results reported here represent an important step toward that ultimate goal.

Interaction of membrane proteins and lipids with solubilizing detergents

Detergents are indispensable in the isolation of integral membrane proteins from biological membranes to study their intrinsic structural and functional properties. Solubilization involves a number of intermediary states that can be studied by a variety of physicochemical and kinetic methods; it usually starts by destabilization of the lipid component of the membranes, a process that is accompanied by a transition of detergent binding by the membrane from a noncooperative to a cooperative interaction already below the critical micellar concentration (CMC). This leads to the formation of membrane fragments of proteins and lipids with detergent-shielded edges. In the final stage of solubilization membrane proteins are present as protomers, with the membrane inserted sectors covered by detergent. We consider in detail the nature of this interaction and conclude that in general binding as a monolayer ring, rather than as a micelle, is the most probable mechanism. This mode of interaction is supported by neutron diffraction investigations on the disposition of detergent in 3-D crystals of membrane proteins. Finally, we briefly discuss the use of techniques such as analytical ultracentrifugation, size exclusion chromatography, and mass spectrometry relevant for the structural investigation of detergent solubilized membrane proteins.

Spectroscopic techniques in the study of membrane solubilization, reconstitution and permeabilization by detergents

This review focuses on the use of spectroscopic techniques for the study of membrane solubilization, reconstitution, and permeabilization by detergents. Turbidity and light scattering, visible and infrared spectroscopic methods, fluorescence, nuclear magnetic resonance, electron spin resonance and X-ray diffraction are examined from the point of view of their applicability to the above detergent-mediated phenomena. A short introduction is provided about each of the techniques, and references are given for further study.

Site-directed spin-labeling reveals the orientation of the amino acid side-chains in the E-F loop of bacteriorhodopsin

Due to high temperature factors and the lack of considerable electron density, electron microscopy and X-ray experiments on the cytoplasmic E-F loop of bacteriorhodopsin result in a variety of structural models. As the experimental conditions regarding ionic strength, temperature and the presence of detergents may affect the structure of the E-F loop, we employ electron paramagnetic resonance and site-directed spin-labeling to study the structure of this loop under physiological conditions. The amino acid residues at positions 154 to 171 were replaced by cysteine residues and derivatized with a sulfhydryl-specific nitroxide spin label one by one. The conventional and power saturation electron paramagnetic spectroscopy provide the mobility of the nitroxide and its accessibility to dissolved molecular oxygen and membrane-impermeable chromium oxalate in the respective site. The results show that K159 and A168 are located at the water-lipid interface of helices E and F, respectively. The orientation of the amino acid side-chains in the helical regions from positions 154 to 159 and 166 to 171 were found to agree with published structural data for bacteriorhodopsin. In the residue sequence from positions 160 to 165 the EPR data yield evidence for a turned loop structure with the side-chains of M163 and S162 oriented towards the proton channel and the water phase, respectively.

Aggregation Behavior of Sugar Surfactants in Aqueous Solutions: Effects of Temperature and the Addition of Nonionic Polymers

The aggregation behavior, critical micelle concentration (cmc) and micelle aggregation number (N), of dodecyl maltoside (DM), octyl glucoside (OG), and Hecameg has been investigated in water and in water plus one of the three water-soluble polymers, polyoxyethylene (POE), polyoxypropylene (POP), and polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), by means of florescence probing and time-resolved fluorescence quenching. The cmc of DM in water increased with temperature and showed a slight increase in the presence of POE. The aggregation number N of DM micelles was nearly independent of concentration (0.25-1 wt %) and temperature (16-60 degreesC). It remained invariant upon addition of 2 wt % POE or PVP but decreased slightly upon addition of the more hydrophobic POP. With increasing temperature, the cmc of OG decreased, went through a shallow minimum at around 35 degreesC, and increased. Addition of POE slightly increased the cmc in the whole temperature range. The aggregation number of OG micelles showed a fairly flat maximum at around 30 degreesC, and was unaffected by the presence of 2 wt % POE or PVP. However, N showed a complex dependence on temperature in the presence of POP, with lower values than in pure water below 15 degreesC, and rapidly increasing quencher-dependent values above this temperature. Hecameg was characterized by N-values nearly independent of temperature and concentration. Intermicellar exchanges of probe and/or quencher were observed with OG and Hecameg, but not with DM. The above results are compared to those for the nonionic ethoxylated surfactants. The effect of various parameters on the micelle aggregation number, the micelle polydispersity, the occurrence of sugar surfactant/nonionic polymer interactions, and the mechanisms responsible for the observed intermicellar exchanges are discussed. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Cholesterol and sphingolipid enhance the Triton X-100 insolubility of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins by promoting the formation of detergent-insoluble ordered membrane domains

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins can be isolated from both cells and sphingolipid and cholesterol-rich liposomes (SCRLs) in association with detergent-insoluble membranes. We found previously that detergent insolubility of lipids was characteristic of phases in which lipid acyl chains are ordered. We presented evidence that GPI-anchored proteins are insoluble because they associate with cholesterol and sphingolipid-rich lipid domains with properties similar to the liquid-ordered phase. Here, this model was tested by a variety of approaches. First, we demonstrated that saponin, which removes cholesterol from cell membranes and allows solubilization of GPI-anchored proteins by Triton X-100, had the same effect on the GPI-anchored protein alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) in SCRLs of appropriate lipid composition. The similarity of saponin action in cells and simple liposomes suggests that the compound disrupts protein-lipid interactions. However, direct interactions between PLAP and cholesterol were not needed for insolubility, because the protein was also insoluble in cholesterol-free liposomes containing lipid in an ordered phase. Instead, cholesterol acted by greatly enhancing the formation of a detergent-insoluble phase by sphingolipids, which have a tendency to form ordered phases. We propose that saponin solubilizes GPI-anchored proteins because the lipid composition of cell membranes (and the SCRLs used above) supports ordered phase formation in the presence but not the absence of cholesterol. Supporting this model, saponin did not promote Triton X-100 solubilization of PLAP in SCRLs with sphingolipid levels high enough to allow ordered phase formation in the absence of cholesterol. We also showed that two additional GPI-anchored proteins are detergent-insoluble in SCRLs and that detergent does not artifactually create ordered domains or cause components of solubilized membranes to associate with detergent-resistant membranes present in separate bilayers in the same lysate. We conclude that the ordered domain model explains the behavior of detergent-resistant membranes in liposomes and cells.

Langmuir-Blodgett films of photosensitive proteins

The striking properties of monolayers and multilayers of photosensitive proteins obtained by using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique are described. The close packing of the protein molecules, which preserve most of the properties found in solution, seems to be the main cause for their thermal stability, which in some cases reached a temperature of 200 degrees C without the loss of the protein secondary structure. The review is focused on three of the most intensively studied photosensitive proteins, namely photosynthetic reaction centres, bacteriorhodopsin and bovine rhodopsin, and on their possible applications as molecular optical devices.

Correlation between surfactant/micelle structure and the stability of bacteriorhodopsin in solution

The rate of solubilization and isothermal bleaching of bacteriorhodopsin (bR) in a series of nine alkylammonium surfactants is studied by using time-resolved optical spectroscopy. The surfactant series RN(+)R'(3) covers a range in tail length (R = C(12)H(25), C(14)H(29), or C(16)H(33)) and headgroup size and hydrophobicity (R' = CH(3); C(2)H(5), or C(3)H(7)). The rate of bleaching increases initially with increasing surfactant concentration but decreases at higher concentrations. Possible explanations for this behavior are discussed. The kinetic data are consistent with the penetration of the surfactant into the protein interior. Interaction of the surfactants with the protein is a complicated, multistep process, and the rate curves are a function of at least four variables: 1) the micellar environment, 2) the length of the surfactant tail, 3) the size of the headgroup, and 4) the hydrophobicity of the headgroup. Our data provide new insights into the molecular characteristics that help define the performance of surfactants in the solubilization and denaturation of membrane-bound proteins.

The Ca2+ binding to deionized monomerized and to retinal removed bacteriorhodopsin

In our continuing effort to characterize the metal cation binding in bacteriorhodopsin (bR) using Ca(2+)-specific electrodes, potentiometric titration was carried out on deionized solubilized bR (containing monomeric units) and deionized bacterioopsin (bR with its retinal removed). Scatchard plots were analyzed. The monomer was found to have plots similar to those of the trimer, suggesting that the binding sites in bR are localized within the protein monomer unit and not between the molecules within the trimer structure. This also supports the previous assumption that the curvature in the Scatchard plot of regenerated bR is not due to cooperativity of metal cation within the trimer, but rather due to multiple sites. Recent studies further support the finding that the curved Scatchard plot is not due to the cooperativity between the metal ions in the two high affinity sites, wherever they are. The results of the analysis of the Scatchard plot for deionized bacterioopsin have shown a change in the binding characteristics of the high affinity but not the low affinity sites from that observed in bR. This result supports previous conclusions that metal cations in the high affinity sites are not far from the retinal cavity.

M-decay in the bacteriorhodopsin photocycle: effect of cooperativity and pH

The dependence of the bacteriorhodopsin (bR) photocycle on the intensity of the exciting flash was investigated in purple membranes. The dependence was most pronounced at slightly alkaline pH values. A comparison study of the kinetics of the photocycle and proton uptake at different intensities of the flash suggested that there exist two parallel photocycles in purple membranes at a high intensity of the flash. The photocycle of excited bR in a trimer with the two other bR molecules nonexcited is characterized by an almost irreversible M --> N transition. Excitation of two or three bR in a trimer induces the N --> M back reaction and accelerates the N --> bR transition. Based on the qualitative similarity of the pH dependencies of the photocycles of solubilized bR and excited dimers and trimers we proposed that the interaction of nonexcited bR in trimers alters the photocycle of the excited monomer as compared to solubilized bR and the changes in the photocycles in excited dimers and trimers are the result of decoupling of this interaction.

Early and delayed stages in the solubilization of purple membrane by a polyoxyethylenic surfactant

The purpose of this paper is to explore the reasons by which purple membrane solubilization by detergents takes hours, or even days, to reach equilibrium, while most biomembranes are solubilized in a matter of seconds, or minutes. With that aim, changes in the purple membrane absorption spectrum produced by hydrogenated Triton X-100 under equilibrium conditions (24 h) have been compared to those caused by the same surfactant in the minute, second and sub-second time scale. It is found that the various processes that accompany, or lead to, solubilization are already detected, and even reach an apparent equilibrium, in the 10 s that follow detergent addition. No new phenomena are detected in the following minutes, or hours, that are relevant to the process under study. This leads to the conclusion that the long solubilization process consists of the repeated operation of simple phenomena that are relatively fast in themselves. A hypothesis is proposed according to which the tight crystalline organization of the purple membrane prevents the insertion of detergent monomers in the lipid bilayer; instead, the surfactant would bind the periphery of the patches, i.e., the hydrocarbon-water contact region, and solubilization would take place gradually, from the periphery towards the core of the membrane patches, at a progressively lower rate as the amounts of free detergent and detergent-binding sites are decreased by the previous solubilization steps.

Electric depolarization of photosensitized cells: lipid vs. protein alterations

We have monitored several photosensitized reactions in proteins, liposomes and cells under similar conditions. We found that the depolarization of K(+)-diffusion potential of liposomes or the leakage of an entrapped molecule, calcein, progress at a much slower rate than the photosensitized damage to proteins and the photosensitized killing of bacterial and leukemic cells. X-ray microanalysis revealed that upon light exposure of HP-treated leukemic cells and bacteria, they totally lost their cellular potassium. We deduce that the direct photosensitized oxidation of lipid components cannot cause the depolarization of cells, which in turn could be responsible for their death. A photosensitized damage to protein sites in the cell, probably in the membrane, is a more likely reason for the depolarization, the loss of potassium ions and cell death that is caused in light-activated photodynamic processes.

Differentiation between transmembrane helices and peripheral helices by the deconvolution of circular dichroism spectra of membrane proteins

The interpretation of the circular dichroism (CD) spectra of proteins to date requires additional secondary structural information of the proteins to be analyzed, such as X-ray or NMR data. Therefore, these methods are inappropriate for a CD database whose secondary structures are unknown, as in the case of the membrane proteins. The convex constraint analysis algorithm (Perczel, A., Hollósi, M., Tusnády, G., & Fasman, G. D., 1991, Protein Eng. 4, 669-679), on the other hand, operates only on a collection of spectral data to extract the common spectral components with their spectral weights. The linear combinations of these derived "pure" CD curves can reconstruct the original data set with great accuracy. For a membrane protein data set, the five-component spectra so obtained from the deconvolution consisted of two different types of alpha helices (the alpha helix in the soluble domain and the alpha T helix, for the transmembrane alpha helix), a beta-pleated sheet, a class C-like spectrum related to beta turns, and a spectrum correlated with the unordered conformation. The deconvoluted CD spectrum for the alpha T helix was characterized by a positive red-shifted band in the range 195-200 nm (+95,000 deg cm2 dmol-1), with the intensity of the negative band at 208 nm being slightly less negative than that of the 222-nm band (-50,000 and -60,000 deg cm2 dmol-1, respectively) in comparison with the regular alpha helix, with a positive band at 190 nm and two negative bands at 208 and 222 nm with magnitudes of +70,000, -30,000, and -30,000 deg cm2 dmol-1, respectively.

A residue substitution near the beta-ionone ring of the retinal affects the M substates of bacteriorhodopsin

The switch in the bacteriorhodopsin photocycle, which reorients access of the retinal Schiff base from the extracellular to the cytoplasmic side, was suggested to be an M1----M2 reaction (Váró and Lanyi. 1991. Biochemistry. 30:5008-5015, 5016-5022). Thus, in this light-driven proton pump it is the interconversion of proposed M substates that gives direction to the transport. We find that in monomeric, although not purple membrane-lattice immobilized, D115N bacteriorhodopsin, the absorption maximum of M changes during the photocycle: in the time domain between its rise and decay it shifts 15 nm to the blue relative to the spectrum at earlier times. This large shift strongly supports the existence of two M substates. Since D115 is located near the beta-ionone ring of the retinal, the result raises questions about the possible involvement of the retinal chain or protein residues as far away as 10 A from the Schiff base in the mechanism of the switching reaction.

On the mechanism of bacteriorhodopsin solubilization by surfactants

Purple membrane bacteriorhodopsin can be easily solubilized by Triton X-100 and other detergents, but not by deoxycholate. In order to understand this behavior, we have examined the effects of a variety of surfactants. We show that detergents containing the cholane ring (cholate, taurocholate, 3[(3-cholamidopropyl)diethyl-ammonio]propanesulfonic acid...) are virtually unable to solubilize native bacteriorhodopsin. However, when the protein is reconstituted in dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine and solubilization is assayed at a temperature such that bacteriorhodopsin is in the form of monomers, solubilization by cholane detergents does occur. We propose that steric factors prevent access of the rigid planar surfactant molecules to the hydrophobic protein regions. These are perhaps located in the monomer-monomer interface, whose solvation by surfactants is essential for solubilization to occur. We note that the capacity of some detergents to solubilize bacteriorhodopsin is always associated within the same range of surfactant concentrations with bleaching (partial or total) of the protein chromophore. The detergent-induced bleaching is at least partially reversible, suggesting that free retinal remains associated to some membrane components. While some surfactant molecules remain tightly bound to the membrane protein, cholane detergents can be completely removed from bacteriorhodopsin. Our results indicate that a structure-function relationship exists for detergents applied to the solubilization of bacteriorhodopsin.

Dramatic in situ conformational dynamics of the transmembrane protein bacteriorhodopsin

The conformational dynamic capabilities of the in situ bacteriorhodopsin (bR) can be studied by determination of the changes of the bR net helical segmental tilt angle (the angle between the polypeptide segments and the membrane normal) induced by various perturbations of the purple membrane (PM). The analysis of the far-UV oriented circular dichroism (CD) of the PM provides one means of achieving this. Previous CD studies have indicated that the tilt angle can change from approximately 10 degrees to 39 degrees depending on the perturbants used with no changes in the secondary structure of the bR. A recent study has indicated that the bleaching-induced tilt angle can be enhanced from approximately 24 degrees to 39 degrees by cross-linkage and papain-digestion perturbations which by themselves do not alter the tilt angle. To add further credence, this study has been repeated using midinfrared (IR) linear dichroic spectral analysis. In contrast to the CD method, analysis by the IR method depends on the orientation of the amide plane of the helix assumed. Excellent consistency is achieved between the two methods only when it is assumed that the structural characteristics of the alpha-helices of the bR are equally alpha I and alpha II in nature. Furthermore, the analysis of the IR data becomes essentially independent of the three amide transitions utilized. The net tilt angle of segments completely randomized relative to the incident light must be 54.736 in view of helix symmetry. A value of 54.735 degrees +/- 0.001 degree was achieved by the IR method for the ethanol-treated PM film, establishing this kind of film as an ideal random state standard and demonstrating the accuracy potential of the IR method.

Effects of detergent environments on the photocycle of purified monomeric bacteriorhodopsin

Time-resolved difference spectra have been obtained for the photocycle of delipidated bacteriorhodopsin monomers (d-BR) in six different detergent micelle environments that were prepared by two new detergent-exchange techniques. A global kinetic analysis of the photocycle spectra for d-BR in each detergent environment was performed. Comparison of these results with those obtained for the photocycle of bacteriorhodopsin in purple membrane (PM) shows that there is one fewer kinetically distinguishable process for monomeric BR between the decay of the K intermediate and the rise of the M intermediate. Assuming a sequential pathway occurs in the photocycle, it appears that the equilibrium between the L and M intermediates is reached much more rapidly in the detergent micelles. This is attributed to a more direct interaction between Asp-85 and the proton on the nitrogen of the Schiff base of retinal for BR in the detergents. Equilibrium concentrations of late photocycle intermediates are also altered in detergents. The later steps of the photocycle, including the decay of the M intermediate, are slowed in detergents with rings in their hydrocarbon region. This is attributed to effects on conformational changes occurring during the decay of M and/or other later photocycle intermediates. The lifetime of dark adaptation of light-adapted d-BR in different detergent environments increases in environments where the lifetime of the M intermediate increases. These results suggest that the high percentage of either unsaturated or methyl-branched lipids in PM and the membranes of other retinal proteins may be important for their effective functioning.

Kinetics of purple membrane dark-adaptation in the presence of Triton X-100

The kinetics of purple membrane dark adaptation were studied at pH 5 and 7, in the presence and absence of the nonionic detergent Triton X-100. The effect of both sublytic and lytic surfactant concentrations has been considered. Our results show that: (a) dark adaptation is faster at pH 5 than at pH 7, (b) dark adaptation is slower, and of smaller amplitude, in the presence than in the absence of Triton X-100. The data may be interpreted in terms of a simple first-order kinetic model, according to which light-dark adaptation would depend basically on the equilibrium between the 13-cis- and the all-trans-isomers. The experiments also suggest that at pH 5, but not at pH 7, solubilizing surfactant concentrations produce a considerable increase in the velocity of the dark adaptation reaction, perhaps through changes in the microenvironment of a protonable group.

The interaction of Triton X-100 with purple membranes. Detergent binding, spectral changes and membrane solubilization

The interaction of the non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100 with Halobacterium purple membranes has been examined at sublytic and lytic surfactant concentrations. These membranes present a number of important peculiarities in their behaviour towards the surfactant. Although solubilization is a very slow process, with a half-time of the order of hours, detergent binding appears to occur at the same fast rate as that found in other membranes. Lipids are solubilized more easily than proteins, so that hardly any protein is solubilized at surfactant concentrations at which about 75% of the lipid is in the form of detergent-mixed micelles; once started, protein solubilization takes place within a narrow range of surfactant concentrations. Retinal provides a built-in probe to monitor detergent-induced conformational changes by spectroscopy in the visible range. No spectral variation is detected at the prelytic stage, i.e. when detergent is incorporated into the membrane in monomeric form. Membrane disruption is accompanied by a blue shift in the absorption maximum, retinal isomerization (from all-trans to 13-cis), and a decrease in specific absorbance (bleaching). Increasing detergent concentrations after solubilization is completed do not produce further shifts in the spectral maximum, but the specific absorbance is progressively decreased. It is shown that Triton X-100 has a complex effect on the retinal chromophore, modifying its configuration and microenvironment (changes in maximum wavelength) and promoting hydrolysis of the retinal-bacteriorhopsin Schiff's base (bleaching).

Pathways of the rise and decay of the M photointermediate(s) of bacteriorhodopsin

The photocycle of bacteriorhodopsin (BR) was studied at alkaline pH with a gated multichannel analyzer, in order to understand the origins of kinetic complexities in the rise and decay of the M intermediate. The results indicate that the biphasic rise and decay kinetics are unrelated to a photoreaction of the N intermediate of the BR photocycle, proposed earlier by others [Kouyama et al. (1988) Biochemistry 27, 5855-5863]. Rather, under conditions where N did not accumulate in appreciable amounts (high pH, low salt concentration), they were accounted for by conventional kinetic schemes. These contained reversible interconversions, either M in equilibrium with N in one of two parallel photocycles or L in equilibrium with as well as M in equilibrium with N in a single photocycle. Monomeric BR also showed these kinetic complications. Conditions were then created where N accumulated in a photo steady state (high pH, high salt concentration, background illumination). The apparent increase in the proportion of the slow M decay component by the background illumination could be quantitatively accounted for with the single photocycle model, by the mixing of the relaxation of the background light induced photo steady state with the inherent kinetics of the photocycle. Postulating a new M intermediate which is produced by the photoreaction of N was neither necessary nor warranted by the data. The difference spectra suggested instead that absorption of light by N generates only one intermediate, observable between 100 ns and 1 ms, which absorbs near 610 nm. Thus, the photoreaction of N resembles in some respects that of BR containing 13-cis-retinal.

Synthesis and characterization of 6-O-(N-heptylcarbamoyl)-methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside, a new surfactant for membrane studies

A new surfactant, 6-O-(N-heptylcarbamoyl)-methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside (HECAMEG, molar mass 335.38 g), was synthesized by a simple and low cost procedure from methyl-alpha-D-glucopyranoside. This surfactant is characterized by a high solubility in water (even at 0 degree C), ultraviolet light transparency in the region useful for protein detection, and a high critical micellar concentration (CMC = 19.5 mM), permitting fast elimination by dialysis. Furthermore, the surfactant is colorimetrically titratable by the anthrone technique and its weak interference in protein titration by the Lowry et al. procedure and the bicinchoninic method is easy to overcome. Two membrane proteins (NADH oxidase and succinate dehydrogenase) and a soluble enzyme (lactoperoxidase) retained full activity in the presence of HECAMEG below or above its CMC. The partial inhibition of beta-lactamase (soluble form) by HECAMEG above the CMC was probably only apparent and due to an interference of the surfactant with the substrate rather than a direct effect on the enzyme. HECAMEG was capable of extracting up to 75% of bacteriorhodopsin from the purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium in a nondenatured form as indicated by the spectral properties of the protein. It also solubilized spiralin from the Spiroplasma melliferum membrane with a great selectivity and efficiency, without detectable loss of antigenic properties. These data show that HECAMEG is a very mild surfactant, useful for membrane protein studies.

Isoelectric focusing studies of bacteriorhodopsin

Purified bacteriorhodopsin (BR) samples show a minimum of four isoelectric forms in immobilized pH gradient isoelectric focusing gels. The bands occur as doublets with isoelectric points (pI) centered at 5.20 (principal species) and 5.60. In typical preparations additional bands may be observed at 4.90, 5.07 and 5.50. Purple membrane (PM) was proteolyzed with papain to calibrate the pI shift produced by changing the number of charges on the protein. Asp-242 is removed during the first cleavage between residues 239 and 240 resulting in the loss of a single negative charge and a shift of the principal doublet by +0.35 pH units to pI 5.55. The second papain cleavage occurs between residues 231 and 232 which removes Glu-232, -234 and -237 and shifts the pI by +0.60 pH units to pI 6.10. The +0.60 pH shift upon the second papain cleavage is consistent with the loss of two negative charges and is supported by prior evidence that at least one of the three glutamate residues lost during the second proteolysis step is protonated and neutral in the intact protein. The native and proteolyzed products of BR retain the characteristic 550 nm absorption maxima for solubilized BR. A model for the structural origin of the pI heterogeneity of BR species in proteolyzed PM is presented.

Size exclusion chromatography and universal calibration of gel columns

We have tested the proposal (M. Potschka (1987) Anal. Biochem. 162, 47-64) that the elution position of macromolecules by gel chromatography is better correlated with the viscosity-based Stokes radius (R eta) than with the Stokes radius (RS) calculated from the frictional coefficient. By the use of different gel matrices (agarose, Sephadex, TSK silica gel columns) we found that the elution of dextran fractions and reduced proteins, denatured with guanidinium hydrochloride, agreed with their R eta, using water-soluble, globular proteins for gel calibration. However, the elution of large sodium dodecyl sulfate-protein complexes and other elongated macromolecules (fibrinogen, tropomyosin) was systematically retarded while polyethylene glycol and polyethylene glycol detergents eluted earlier than water-soluble, globular protein as a function of R eta. The same was the case for bacteriorhodopsin, solubilized by C12E8 or Triton X-100. It is concluded that for steric reasons size exclusion chromatography is more sensitive than hydrodynamic measurements to the detailed conformation of macromolecules (rods and random coils) and that for this reason gels with inert pores cannot be universally calibrated for all kinds of macromolecules.

Structure and thermal stability of monomeric bacteriorhodopsin in mixed phospholipid/detergent micelles

Thermal unfolding experiments on bacteriorhodopsin in mixed phospholipid/detergent micelles were performed. Bacteriorhodopsin was extracted from the purple membrane in a denatured state and then renatured in the micellar system. The purpose of this study was to compare the changes, if any, in the structure and stability of a membrane protein that has folded in a nonnative environment with results obtained on the native system, i.e., the purple membrane. The purple membrane crystalline lattice is an added factor that may influence the structural stability of bacteriorhodopsin. Micelles containing bacteriorhodopsin are uniformly sized disks 105 +/- 13 A in diameter (by electron microscopy) and have an estimated molecular mass of 210 kDa (by gel filtration HPLC). The near-UV CD spectra (which is indicative of tertiary structure) for micellar bacteriorhodopsin and the purple membrane are very similar. In the visible CD region of retinal absorption, the double band seen in the spectrum of the purple membrane is replaced with a broad positive band for micellar bacteriorhodopsin, indicating that in micelles, bacteriorhodopsin is monomeric. The plot of denaturational temperature vs. pH for micellar bacteriorhodopsin is displaced downward on the temperature axis, illustrating the lower thermal stability of micellar bacteriorhodopsin when compared to the purple membrane at the same pH. Even though micellar bacteriorhodopsin is less stable, similar changes in response to pH and temperature are seen in the visible absorption spectra of micellar bacteriorhodopsin and the purple membrane. This demonstrates that changes in the protonation state or temperature have a similar affect on the local environment of the chromophore and the protein conformation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)