Topological dispositions of lysine alpha 380 and lysine gamma 486 in the acetylcholine receptor from Torpedo californica

Lysine-691 of the anion exchanger from human erythrocytes is located on its cytoplasmic surface

A combination of vectorial modification and site-directed immunochemistry has been used to determine the disposition, with respect to the membrane, of Lys-691 of the anion exchanger from human erythrocytes. Intact erythrocytes and inside-out vesicles were vectorially modified in the same container with pyridoxal phosphate and sodium [3H]borohydride. The modified inside-out vesicles were separated from erythrocytes by differential centrifugation and the vesicles and erythrocyte membranes were treated with alkali and digested with trypsin and thermolysin to liberate the peptides IVSKPER and IVSK¿Nepsilon-[4'-(5'-phospho-[4-3H]pyridoxyl)]¿PER. These peptides, containing the unmodified and modified versions of Lys-691, were retrieved from the digests by site-directed immunochemistry and were identified by HPLC and liquid scintillation spectroscopy. Both the inside-out vesicles and the intact erythrocytes contained the peptide IVSKPER, however, the 3H-label from the phosphopyridoxylated peptide could be detected only in the inside-out vesicles. The incorporation of 3H into Lys-691 of the anion exchanger from inside-out vesicles was at least 30-fold greater than the incorporation into Lys-691 of the anion exchanger from intact erythrocytes. It follows that Lys-691 of the anion exchanger is located on the cytoplasmic surface of the plasma membrane.

Topological disposition of lysine 943 in native Na+/K(+)-transporting ATPase

Because of the conflicting conclusions that have been reached regarding the location of the two putative membrane-spanning segments from cysteine 911 through isoleucine 929 and from isoleucine 946 through cysteine 964 in the alpha subunit of native ovine Na+/K(+)-transporting ATPase, the disposition of lysine 943 with respect to the plane of the lipid bilayer was investigated. Sealed, right-side-out vesicles were modified with pyridoxal phosphate and Na[3H]BH4 in the presence and absence of saponin, a reagent that creates holes in the membranes. Modified alpha polypeptide was isolated, and digested with trypsin and chymotrypsin to release the desired peptides, QQGMK and QQGMK([3H]pyr)NK (where [3H]pyr designates the modification on lysine 943). These peptides, after cyclization of their amino-terminal glutamines, were isolated with an immunoadsorbent specific for the amino-terminal sequence pyroglutamyl-QGM-followed by high-pressure liquid chromatography on a C-18 reverse phase column. Comparisons were made of the extent of incorporation of radioactivity into lysine 943 between sealed vesicles and sealed vesicles pretreated with saponin. An increase in incorporation into lysine 943 of 5-fold to 18-fold was seen in vesicles pretreated with saponin prior to the modification with pyridoxal phosphate. This increase in incorporation is consistent with a cytoplasmic location for lysine 943. This conclusion places the residues on the carboxy-terminal side of the putative membrane-spanning segment from cysteine 911 through isoleucine 929 and the amino-terminal side of the putative membrane-spanning segment from isoleucine 946 through cysteine 964 in the ovine alpha subunit on the cytoplasmic side of the membrane.

Binding of monoclonal antibodies against the carboxyl terminal segment of the nicotinic receptor delta subunit suggests an unusual transmembrane disposition of this sequence region

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific for the carboxyl terminal region of the delta subunit of Torpedo nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR), derived from mice immunized with AChR or a synthetic carboxyl terminal sequence of the delta subunit (C delta-mAbs), were used to determine the transmembrane disposition of their epitope(s) by immunoelectron microscopy, using AChR-rich postsynaptic membrane fragments from Torpedo electroplax. Some C delta-mAbs recognized only the cytoplasmic side of the membranes, some both sides to a similar extent, and others bound mostly, but not exclusively, to the cytoplasmic side. Binding of C delta-mAbs to the membranes was specifically blocked by synthetic peptides containing the carboxyl terminal region of the delta subunit. Control anti-AChR mAbs specific for the alpha or the delta subunits, whose epitopes have known transmembrane topology, uniquely recognized the expected side of the postsynaptic membrane. Residues involved in C delta-mAb binding were identified using single residue substituted peptide analogues of the sequence delta 481-501. All C delta-mAbs recognized epitopes within the same sequence segment, delta 485-493, at the carboxyl terminal of the AChR delta subunit. These results suggest that the delta subunit of the AChR might have alternative conformations, leading to exposure of the same sequence region on the extracellular or the cytoplasmic surface. Several Pro residues are present in this region. The alternative cis or trans conformation of one or more of them might result in different folding patterns of the carboxyl terminal sequence of the delta subunit, as described for a viral protein [Liddington, R. C., Yan, Y., Moulai, J., Sahli, R., Benjamin, T. L., & Harrison, S. C. (1991) Nature 354, 278-284.

Extracytoplasmic disposition of lysine beta 165 of acetylcholine receptor

The location, with respect to the membrane, of Lys 165 in the folded beta polypeptide of native nicotinic acetylcholine receptor has been determined by site-directed immunochemistry. Sealed, right-side-out vesicles rich in acetylcholine receptor were modified with pyridoxal phosphate and sodium [3H]-borohydride. Saponin was added to one portion of the vesicles to make them permeable to the pyridoxal phosphate and sodium borohydride; the other portion was modified in the absence of saponin. Both samples were then exhaustively succinylated and digested with trypsin and thermolysin to produce the peptide LDAKGER, which contains Lys beta 165. The digests were passed over an immunoadsorbent specific for peptides with the sequence LDAXGER, where X represents any modified or unmodified amino acid, and specifically bound peptides were eluted with 0.1 M sodium phosphate, pH 2.5. The eluates were submitted to high-pressure liquid chromatography, and two peptides, N epsilon-phospho[3H]pyridoxalLDAKGER and N epsilon-succinylLDAKGER, modified at the epsilon amino group of lysine with pyridoxal phosphate and sodium [3H]-borohydride or succinic anhydride, respectively, were identified by comparison to standards. The relative specific radioactivity of N epsilon-phospho[3H]pyridoxalLDAKGER modified in the presence or absence of saponin, respectively, was 0.9 +/- 0.4. The incorporation of phospho[3H]pyridoxyl groups into Lys alpha 380, a residue located on the cytoplasmic surface of acetylcholine receptor, was also monitored. The relative specific radioactivity of the peptide that contains the modified Lys alpha 380, N epsilon-phospho[3H]pyridoxalGVKYIAE, increased 3.6-fold when the modification was performed in the presence of saponin. This result verifies that the vesicles used in these experiments were sealed and right-side-out. Because the incorporation of [3H]pyridoxyl groups into Lys beta 165 is the same in the presence or absence of saponin, Lys beta 165 must have been located on the outside surface of the sealed, right-side-out vesicles, and therefore on the extracytoplasmic surface of native acetylcholine receptor.

Residues 377-389 from the delta subunit of Torpedo californica acetylcholine receptor are located in the cytoplasmic surface

Torpedo californica acetylcholine receptor (AcChR) enriched, sealed vesicles have been specifically labeled on the cytoplasmic surface with pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (Perez-Ramirez, B., and Martinez-Carrion, M., 1989, Biochemistry 28, 5034-5040). After chromatography of the peptide fragments produced by trypin digestion of labeled AcChR, several fractions containing the phosphopyridoxyl label were obtained. Edman degradation identified one of the fractions, with sequence SRSELMFEKQSER, as corresponding to residues 377-389 in the delta subunit (primary structure). The latter must be a cytoplasmic region of this transmembranous protein, and residue delta K385 must reside in a water-soluble exposed domain of the cytosolic side of the membrane. Introduction of phosphopyridoxyl residues allows for their potential use as probes of conformational changes in the cytosolic surface of the receptor molecule.

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor: structure and autoimmune pathology

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChR) are presently the best-characterized neurotransmitter receptors. They are pentamers of homologous or identical subunits, symmetrically arranged to form a transmembrane cation channel. The AChR subunits form a family of homologous proteins, derived from a common ancestor. An autoimmune response to muscle AChR causes the disease myasthenia gravis. This review summarizes recent developments in the understanding of the AChR structure and its molecular recognition by the immune system in myasthenia.

The carboxy terminus of sodium and potassium ion transporting ATPase is located on the cytoplasmic surface of the membrane

The positions, with respect to the plasma membrane, of lysine 905, contained in the peptide QRKIVE, and of lysine 1012, contained in the carboxy-terminal peptide, RPGGWVEKETYY, of ovine Na+/K(+)-transporting ATPase have been reported to be cytoplasmic and extracytoplasmic, respectively [Bayer, R. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 2551-2256]. These results from our laboratory have been reexamined using an extension of the same procedure. Sealed right-side-out vesicles were modified with pyridoxal phosphate and sodium [3H]borohydride in the presence and absence of saponin or cholate. The modified alpha polypeptide was isolated and digested with the proteinase from Staphylococcus aureus strain V8 or trypsin to produce one or the other of these two peptides. These digests were passed over immunoadsorbents, identical to those used by Bayer, directed against pyroglutamylRXIVE or -ETYY. Unlike in the earlier studies, however, in the present studies the modified, radioactive peptides bound and eluted from the immunoadsorbents were submitted to HPLC, and their respective mobilities were compared to those of the synthetic peptides that had also been modified with pyridoxal phosphate. In this manner, the correct, modified peptide could be positively identified, and its specific radioactivity could be estimated. When cholate was added to sealed vesicles, prior to modification, there was at least a 3-fold increase in the incorporation of radioactivity into lysine 1012, consistent with a cytoplasmic location for this residue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)