Evidence for boundary lipid in membranes

Erythrocyte membranes undergo cooperative, pH-sensitive state transitions in the physiological temperature range: evidence from Raman spectroscopy

We have examined the Raman scattering from erythrocyte ghosts at 2700 to 3000 cm-1 (CH-stretching region). Plots of the intensity (I) of the 2930 cm-1 band relative to the intensity of the thermally stable 2850 cm-1 band, i.e., the [I2930/I2850] ratio, as a function of temperature reveal a sharp discontinuity, which at pH 7.4 has a lower limit of 38 degrees and is irreversible above 42 degrees. [I2930/I2850] is stable between pH 7.0 and pH 7.4, but increases or decreases sharply below pH 7.0 or above pH 7.5, respectively. Reduction of pH to 6.5 lowers the transition temperature by about 16 degrees, and a shift to pH 6.0 drops the transition range to 0 to 7 degrees. The above effects of temperature and pH on Raman scattering closely correspond to those detected by studies on the interaction of membrane protein fluorophores and lipid-soluble fluorescence quenchers [Bieri, V. and Wallach, D.F.H. (1975) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 406, 415-423]. Taken together, these results suggest that the transitions represent concerted process, involving hydrophobic amino acid residues and lipid chains at apolar protein-lipid boundaries.

Annular lipids determine the ATPase activity of a calcium transport protein complexed with dipalmitoyllecithin

Pure complexes of dipalmitoyllecithin (DPL, 16:0) which Ca2+, Mg2+ dependent ATPase from sarcoplasmic reticulum are unusual in retaining significant ATPase activity down to about 30 degrees C, well below the transition temperature of the pure lipid at 41 degrees C. A minimum of about 35 lipid molecules per ATPase is required to maintain maximal ATPase activity, but the complexes are progressively and irreversibly inactivated at lower lipid to protein ratios. Complexes containing more than the minimum lipid requirement show very similar temperature profiles of activity about 30 degrees C over a wide range of lipid to protein ratios, up to 1500:1. Spin-label studies indicate that, at lipid to protein ratios of less than about 30 lipids per ATPase, no DPL phase transition can be detected, but at all higher ratios, a phase transition occurs at about 41 degrees C. In all of these complexes there are breaks in the Arrhenius plots of ATPase activity at 27--32 degrees C and at 37.5--38.5 degrees C. Experiments with perturbing agents, such as cholesterol and benzyl alcohol which have well-defined effects on the DPL phase transition, indicate that these breaks in the Arrhenius plots of ATPase activity cannot be attributed to a depressed and broadened phase transition in the lipids near the protein molecules. These results are interpreted as evidence for a phospholipid annulus of at least 30 lipid molecules with interact directly with the ATPase and cannot undergo a phase transition at 41 degrees C. This structural interaction of the ATPase with the annular DPL molecules has a predominant effect in determining the form of the temperature-activity profiles. However, the perturbation of the DPL phase transition does not extend significantly beyond the annulus since a phase transition which starts at 41 degrees C can be detected as soon as extraannular lipid is present in the complexes. We suggest that it may be a general feature of membrane structure that penetrant membrane proteins interact with their immediate lipid environment so as to cause only a minimal perturbation of the lipid bilayer.

Model for action of local anaesthetics

Sodium channels in nerve membranes are postulated to be surrounded by lipid molecules in the gel (or crystalline) phase. Addition of local anasethetics triggers a change in the surrounding lipids to the fluid, liquid crystalline phase, allowing the sodium channel to close with resulting local anaesthesia. The experimental evidence for this model is discussed.

Microviscosity of the hydrocarbon region of the bovine retinal rod outer segment disk membrane determined by fluorescent probe measurements

The microviscosity of the hydrocarbon region of the bovine retinal rod outer segment disk membrane was determined by measuring the anisotropy of fluorescence from the probe 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene. The microviscosity ranged from 1.4 P at 40 degreeC to 15 P at O degree C, and no phase transition was observed in this temperature range. Bleaching of rhodopsin in the disk membrane produced no change in the microviscosity within the limits of error of our measurement (not equal to 5%). The presence of retinal in the disk membrane caused string quenching of the probe fluorescence. Removal of retinal from bleached disks produced a threefold increase in total fluorescence intensity and only a 10% drop in fluorescnece anisotropy, suggesting that large lateral gradients in microviscosity do not exist in the disk membrane. Bilayers prepared from extracted disk lipids had a microviscosity which was about one-fourth that of the intact disk membrane, demonstrating that rhodopsin hinders the mobility of the hydrocarbon chains of the disk phospholipids or egg phosphatidylcholine had identical microviscosities despite the much higher degree of unsaturation of the disk phospholipids.

Cytochrome c induced lateral phase separation in a diphosphatidylglycerol-steroid spin-label model membrane

The extrinsic membrane protein cytochrome c binds to lipid mixtures containing negatively charged phospholipids such as diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG). In this study the effect of cytochrome c on the lipid distribution in a DPG-steroid spin-label (3-doxyl-5alpha-cholestane) model membrane system is examined. The electron spin resonance (ESR) line-shape changes indicate that cytochrome c induces lateral phase separation at room temperature. The resulting two-dimensional lipid distribution is nonrandom, consisting of clusters of phospholipids bound to cytochrome c and patches of steroid spin-label molecules. Phase separations are also observed in the three-component system: DPG, phosphatidylcholine, and 3-doxyl-5alpha-cholestane.

Transbilayer phospholipid asymmetry and its maintenance in the membrane of influenza virus

Two phospholipid exchange proteins and two phospholipases C have been employed to determine the phospholipid composition of the outer surface of the membrane of influenza virus. These four protein probes have defined the same accessible and inaccessible pool for each viral phospholipid. Phospholipids which are exchangeable or hydrolyzable are located on the outer surface, whereas the inaccessible pool is located at the inner surface of the viral bilayer. The two pools are unequal in size, with ca. 30% of the total phospholipid accessible to the four proteins, and ca. 70% inaccessible. The membrane is thus highly asymmetric with regard to the amount of phospholipid on each side of the membrane. There is also a marked asymmetry of phospholipid composition. Phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol are enriched in the outer surface, and sphingomyelim is enriched in the inner surface, whereas phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine are present in similar proportions in each surface. This distribution is qualitatively different from that previously reported for the human erythrocyte. The close agreement between results obtained with excahnge proteins and phospholipases C demonstrates that the hydrolytic action of these enzymes does not alter phospholipid asymmetry. The nonperturbing nature of the exchange proteins has permitted the rate of transmembrane movement of phospholipids (flip-flop) in the intact virion to be studied. This process could not be detected after 2 days at 37 degrees C. It was estimated that the half-time for flip-flop is indeterminately in excess of 30 days for sphingomyelin and 10 days for phosphatidylcholine at 37 degrees C. These extremely long times provide a simple explanation for the maintenance of transbilayer asymmetry in influenza virions and possibly, other membranes. Since the viral membrane is acquired by budding through the host cell plasma membrane, the transbilayer distribution of phospholipids observed in the virions presumably reflects a similar asymmetric distribution of phospholipids in the host cell surface membrane. Because animal cells in culture do not incorporate extracellular phospholipid, our results demonstrate that individual cells have the capacity to generate asymmetric membranes.

Fluidity in mitochondrial membranes: thermotropic lateral translational motion of intramembrane particles

The fracture faces of frozen rat liver mitochondria reveal that intramembrane particles can be induced to under go long-range lateral translational motion and aggregation, which parallel the appearance of large, particle-free smooth patches in the hydrophobic interior of the two mitochondrial membranes. These lateral separations were observed under conditions that induce thermotropic lipid-lipid phase separations. Low temperature-induced lateral separation occurred between the intramembrane particles (integral proteins) and smooth patches (bilayer lipid) at temperatures between about 10 and -12 degrees in the outer membrane and between about -4 and -12 degrees in the inner, energy transducing membrane.

Interaction of digitoxigenin with lecithin membranes

The binding of digitoxigenin to lecithin model membranes was investigated by application of electron spin- and nuclear magnetic resonance methods. A digitoxigenin spin-label derivative was found to bind specifically to the pseudohexagonal rigid lattice of lecithin membranes. The binding is accomplished by some of the structural features which are required for the biological activity of cardiac glycosides. Digitoxigenin has a procooperative effect on dipalmitoyl-lecithin membranes. The induction of lipid phase separation is discussed as a hypothetic molecular mechanism of action of cardiac glycosides on biological membranes.

Bilayer structure in phospholipid-cytochrome c model membranes

Lipid protein interactions in biological membranes differ markedly depending on whether the protein is intrinsic or extrinsic. These interactions are studied using lipid spin labels diffused into model systems consisting of phospholipid bilayers and a specific protein. Recently, an intrinsic protein complex, cytochrome oxidase, was examined and the data suggest there is a boundary layer of immobilized lipid between the hydrophobic protein surfaces and adjacent fluid bilayer regions. In the present study, a typical extrinsic protein, cytochrome c, was complexed with a cardiolipin/lecithin (1:4 by weight) mixture. The phospholipids in the presence and absence of cytochrome c exhibit typical bilayer behavior as jedged by four spin-labeling criteria: fluidity gradient, spectral anisotropy of oriented bilayers, response to hydration and the polarity profile. Any effects of cytochrome c on the ESR spectra of lipid spin labels are small, in contrast to the effects of intrinsic proteins. These data are consistent with electrostatic binding of cytochrome c to the charged groups of the phospholipids, and indicate that the presence of extrinsic proteins will not interfere with measurements of boundary lipid in intact biological membranes.

Fusion of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine vesicle membranes induced by concanavalin A

The temperature dependence of fatty acid spin label resonance spectra and freeze fracture micrographs of sonicated dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles in the absence and presence of concanavalin A demonstrate a strong interaction of concanavalin A with these lipid membranes, which results in fusion of the vesicles. The rate of this reaction as followed with use of magnetic resonance exhibits a pronounced maximum at 36 degrees, the midpoint of the phase transition range of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine vesicles. This maximum is discussed in terms of structural fluctuations, which are maximal in the phase transition range of the membranes.

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of promitochondrial membranes from yeast grown under different regimes of lipid supplementation

Promitochondrial membranes, prepared from Saccharomyces cerevisiae grown anaerobically under different conditions of lipid supplementation, have been examined by PMR spectroscopy. Promitochondria from cells cultured anaerobically in media containing both unsaturated fatty acid and sterol supplements, or containing unsaturated fatty acid alone, yield high resolution spectra similar to those which are characteristic of aerobic mitochondria. By contrast, promitochondrial membranes from cells grown only with sterol supplementation in order to deplete unsaturated fatty acid and total phospholipid content of the organelles, yielded PMR spectra which were very substantially broadened. These spectra are similar to those obtained with rat liver mitochondria. PMR spectra of promitochondria from each cell type dispersed in trifluoroacetic acid, or of extracted lipids or residual proteins similarly dispersed, were different only in detail. It appears, therefore, that in the native state membranes of unsaturated fatty acid-depleted promitochondria are structurally different from promitochondria of the other two cell types. The difference may be a consequence of altered lipid-to-protein ratios, and thus of changes in the extent of lipid domain formation in the membranes of these organelles.

Comparison of membrane organization in mitochondria from yeast and rat liver by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Proton magnetic resonance (PMR) and carbon-13 magnetic resonance (CMR) spectra of intact, unsonicated yeast and rat liver motochondria show differences which may be correlated with the composition of the membranes. High resolution PMR and CMR signals in intact yeast mitochondria have been assigned to regions of fluid lipid-lipid interaction on the basis of spectra of extracted lipid and protein, and the temperature dependence of NMR signals from the intact membrane. PMR spectra suggest that about 20% of total yeast phospholipid is in regions where both intramolecular fatty acid chain mobility and lateral diffusion of entire phospholipid molecules are possible. No such regions apear to exist in rat liver mitochondria. For both yeast and rat liver mitochondria, comparison of PMR and CMR spectra suggests that about 50% of phospholipid appears to be in regions where intramolecular fatty acid chain motion is considerable, but lateral diffusion is restricted. The remaining phospholipid appears to have little inter- or intramolecular mobility. Since NMR observation of lipid extracts from membranes indicates that phospholipid-sterol interactions do not account for the spectra of intact mitochondria, these effects are interpreted in terms of extensive lipid-protein interactions.

The isolation and characterization of nuclear ghosts from cultured HeLa cells

Macromolecular complexes, which appear as ghosts when viewed by phase contrast microscopy, have been isolated from the nuclei of HeLa cells grown in culture. The preparation of these ghosts involves a detergent wash which removes the unit membranes of the nuclear envelop structure but leaves intact both the nuclear pores and the dense structure conferring nuclear margins (possibly the dense lamella). Detergent-washed nuclei are subsequently treated with 0.5 M MgCl2 and fractionated on continuous sucrose gradients containing 0.5 M MgCl2. The ghosts are recovered as a sharp band at an apparent sucrose density of 47-52% and consist of 72% protein, 10% phospholipid, 14% DNA, And 4% RNA. The release of the majority of intranuclear components is indicated by the large loss of nuclear DNA (95%), RNA (71%), and protein (87%) contrasted to the small loss of phospholipid (27%) druing the conversion of detergent washed nuclei to isolated ghosts. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel patterns of the ghost proteins consist of two major bands with approximate molecular weights of 20,000 and 35,000. The isolation of ghosts with a similar density and protein composition from nondetergent-washed nuclei indicates that the ghost is not an artifact induced by the detergent treatment. The absence of cytoplasmic contamination in the preparations of detergent washed nuclei and nuclear ghosts was demonstrated by chemical, enzymatic, and electron microscope studies. We suggest that the isolated ghosts represent a structural macromolecular complex which underlies and is probably attached to the inner nuclear membrane of intact nuclei. The possible additional presence of intranuclear network proteins has not been excluded.

The distribution of anionic sites on the surfaces of mitochondrial membranes. Visual probing with polycationic ferritin

Polycationic ferritin, a multivalent ligand, was used as a visual probe to determine the distribution and density of anionic sites on the surfaces of rat liver mitochondrial membranes. Both the distribution of bound polycationic ferritin and the topography of the outer surface of the inner mitochondrial membrane were studied in depth by utilizing thin sections and critical-point dried, whole mount preparations for transmission electron microscopy and by scanning electron microscopy. Based on its relative affinity for polycationic ferritin, the surface of the inner membrane contains discrete regions of high density and low density anionic sites. Whereas the surface of the cristal membrane contains a low density of anionic sites, the surface of the inner boundary membrane contains patches of high density anionic sites. The high density anionic sites on the inner boundary membrane were found to persist as stable patches and did not dissociate or randomize freely when the membrane was converted osmotically to a spherical configuration. The observations suggest that the inner mitochondrial membrane is composed of two major regions of anionic macromolecular distinction. It is well-known that an intermembrane space exists between the two membranes of the intact mitochondrion; however, a number of contact sites occur between the two membranes. We determined that the outer membrane, partially disrupted by treatment with digitonin, remains attached to the inner membrane at these contact sites as inverted vesicles. Such attached vesicles show that the inner surface of the outer membrane contains anionic sites, but of decreased density, surrounding the contact sites. Thus, the intermembrane space in the intact mitochondrion may be maintained by electronegative surfaces of the two mitochondrial membranes. The distribution of anionic sites on the outer surface of the outer membrane is random. The nature and function of fixed anionic surface charges and membrane contact sites are discussed with regard to recent reports relating to calcium transport, protein assembly into mitochondrial membranes, and membrane fluidity.

Paired moving charge model of energy coupling. III. Intrinsic ionophores in energy coupling systems

The experimental basis for the postulated role of intrinsic ionophores in mitochondrial ion transport and energy coupling is summarized. Intrinsic ionophores appear to be linked to, or contained within, specific ionophoroproteins localized in the inner membrane, and the isolation of these ionophores requires their release from the ionophoroproteins. At least ten different species of ionophores have been isolated from the mitochondrion, five of which have been wholly or in part chemically identified. Intrinsic ionophores have been implicated in the activation of inorganic phosphate in ATP synthesis and hydrolysis, and in the contol of the coupling modes. The presence of ionophores in soluble proteins such as troponin and in ATP-energized kinases has been demonstrated.

Concanavalin A receptors on normal rat liver cells, on rat liver cells in vivo transformed by diethylnitrosamine and on Zajdela ascites hepatoma cells of the rat: morphokinetic analysis of cell surface dynamics

Comparative electron microscopic investigations were performed in living cultures of normal rat liver cells, of rat liver cells in vivo transformed by diethylnitrosamine and on Zajdela ascites hepatoma cells of the rat concerning the mobility of the Concanavalin A cell surface receptors. The cells were incubated in Concanavalin A and peroxidase and subsequently washed. They were then reincubated for various periods at +37 degrees C in PBS prior to fixation. In the case of the Zajdela ascites hepatoma cells the cells were reincubated after Concanavalin A incubation followed by fixation and peroxidase incubation. The cytochemical procedure allowed us to show differences in the mobility of Concanavalin A surface receptors between normal and transformed rat liver cells. The cell surface label disappeared completely within 15 min of reincubation in the transformed cells, whereas in normal cells the same degree of loss in surface label was visible after 120 min reincubation. In both cases an internalization of labelled plasma membrane areas occurred. After complete disappearance of cell surface label in diethylnitrosamine transformed cells a complete relabelling of the cell surface occurred after 60 min reincubation caused by an exocytosis.

Lipid binding to the amphipathic membrane protein cytochrome b5

The lipid binding properties of the membrane protein cytochrome b(5) (detergent-extracted from calf liver microsomal preparations) were characterized by studying the interaction of spin-labeled lipids (5-, 12-, and 16-doxylstearic acid and 5- and 16-doxylphosphatidyl-choline, where doxyl refers to the nitroxide moiety) with cytochrome b(5), using electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The intact cytochrome b(5) molecule immobilizes all of the lipid spin labels, while the segment of cytochrome b(5) released by trypsin does not affect lipid mobility. The immobilization of lipid spin labels on the hydrophobic surface of intact cytochrome b(5) is not appreciably altered by associating the protein with liposomes. Differences in polarity of the lipid binding sites between cytochrome b(5) and phospholipid vesicles were also observed. The lipid binding sites on cytochrome b(5) are hydrophobic by conventional criteria, but are more polar than the interior of fluid phospholipid bilayers.

Reconstitution of a calcium pump using defined membrane components

A (Mg(2+) + Ca(2+))ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3) has been purified from sarcoplasmic reticulum using a single step centrifugation procedure. The preparation is >95% pure by weight and contains only 25-30% of the lipid associated with the enzyme in native sarcoplasmic reticulum. The purified enzyme is unable to accumulate Ca(2+). Using a sedimentation-substitution technique, >98% of the lipid associated with the purified enzyme can be replaced by dioleoyl lecithin without grossly affecting the ATPase activity of the enzyme. The Ca(2+) pump can be restored to this dioleoyl lecithin-substituted enzyme by addition of excess sarcoplasmic reticulum lipids in the presence of cholate. Removal of the cholate by dialysis generates a system which accumulates Ca(2+) at a rate and to a level comparable to native sarcoplasmic reticulum. Significant reconstitution of the Ca(2+) pump can also be achieved using excess dioleoyl lecithin, but since the full expression of the capacity to accumulate Ca(2+) requires the presence of oxalate, these vesicles would appear to be more leaky than those reconstituted with an excess of sarcoplasmic reticulum lipids. Of about 90 lipid molecules which are associated with one molecule of ATPase in native sarcoplasmic reticulum, an average of less than one lipid molecule remains in these reconstituted systems. We have therefore achieved a fully functional Ca(2+) pump containing essentially a single protein and exogenous lipid.