Differential impact of caveolae and caveolin-1 scaffolds on the membrane raft proteome

Caveolae, a class of cholesterol-rich lipid rafts, are smooth invaginations of the plasma membrane whose formation in nonmuscle cells requires caveolin-1 (Cav1). The recent demonstration that Cav1-associated cavin proteins, in particular PTRF/cavin-1, are also required for caveolae formation supports a functional role for Cav1 independently of caveolae. In tumor cells deficient for Golgi β-1,6N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V (Mgat5), reduced Cav1 expression is associated not with caveolae but with oligomerized Cav1 domains, or scaffolds, that functionally regulate receptor signaling and raft-dependent endocytosis. Using subdiffraction-limit microscopy, we show that Cav1 scaffolds are homogenous subdiffraction-limit sized structures whose size distribution differs from that of Cav1 in caveolae expressing cells. These cell lines displaying differing Cav1/caveolae phenotypes are effective tools for probing the structure and composition of caveolae. Using stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture, we are able to quantitatively distinguish the composition of caveolae from the background of detergent-resistant membrane proteins and show that the presence of caveolae enriches the protein composition of detergent-resistant membrane, including the recruitment of multiple heterotrimeric G-protein subunits. These data were further supported by analysis of immuno-isolated Cav1 domains and of methyl-β-cyclodextrin-disrupted detergent-resistant membrane. Our data show that loss of caveolae results in a dramatic change to the membrane raft proteome and that this change is independent of Cav1 expression. The proteomics data, in combination with subdiffraction-limit microscopy, indicates that noncaveolar Cav1 domains, or scaffolds are structurally and functionally distinct from caveolae and differentially impact on the molecular composition of lipid rafts.

Contributions of quantitative proteomics to understanding membrane microdomains

Membrane microdomains, e.g., lipid rafts and caveolae, are crucial cell surface organelles responsible for many cellular signaling and communication events, which makes the characterization of their proteomes both interesting and valuable. They are large cellular complexes comprised of specific proteins and lipids, yet they are simple enough in composition to be amenable to modern LC/MS/MS methods for proteomics. However, the proteomic characterization of membrane microdomains by traditional qualitative mass spectrometry is insufficient for distinguishing true components of the microdomains from copurifying contaminants or for evaluating dynamic changes in the proteome compositions. In this review, we discuss the contributions quantitative proteomics has made to our understanding of the biology of membrane microdomains.

Mitochondria do not contain lipid rafts, and lipid rafts do not contain mitochondrial proteins

Lipid rafts are membrane microdomains involved in many cellular functions, including transduction of cellular signals and cell entry by pathogens. Lipid rafts can be enriched biochemically by extraction in a nonionic detergent at low temperature, followed by floatation on a sucrose density gradient. Previous proteomic studies of such detergent-resistant membranes (DRMs) are in disagreement about the presence of mitochondrial proteins in raft components. Here, we approach the status of mitochondrial proteins in DRM preparations by employing stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture to evaluate the composition of differentially purified subcellular fractions as well as high-resolution linear density gradients. Our data demonstrate that F(1)/F(0) ATPase subunits, voltage-dependent anion selective channels, and other mitochondrial proteins are at best partially copurifying contaminants of raft preparations.

Moving closer to the lipid raft proteome using quantitative proteomics

Lipid rafts are small subdomains of the plasma membrane enriched in cholesterol, sphingolipids, saturated phospholipids and specific proteins. They are thought to act as coordination centres for signal transduction pathways so their protein composition is of particular biological interest. Rafts are refractory to solubilization in non-ionic detergents so they can be biochemically enriched by floatation on a sucrose density gradient but several other membranes co-migrate with rafts in such a procedure. Qualitative proteomic analysis of such detergent-resistant membranes fails to distinguish true raft proteins from co-migrating contaminants. This chapter describes a quantitative proteomic application of Stable Isotope Labelling by Amino acids in Cell culture (SILAC) for distinguishing true raft proteins in detergent-resistant preparations.