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PubMed2004

Characterization of recombinant amino-terminal NC4 domain of human collagen IX: interaction with glycosaminoglycans and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein.

The N-terminal NC4 domain of collagen IX is a globular structure projecting away from the surface of the cartilage collagen fibril. Several interactions have been suggested for this domain, reflecting its location and its characteristic high isoelectric point. In an attempt to characterize the NC4 domain in more detail, we set up a prokaryotic expression system to produce the domain. The purified 27.5-kDa product was analyzed for its glycosaminoglycan-binding potential by surface plasmon resonance and solid-state assays. The results show that the NC4 domain of collagen IX specifically binds heparin with a K(d) of 0.6 microm, and the full-length recombinant collagen IX has an even stronger interaction with heparin, with an apparent K(d) of 3.6 nm. The heparin-binding site of the NC4 domain was located in the extreme N terminus, containing a heparin-binding consensus sequence, whereas electron microscopy suggested the presence of at least three additional heparin-binding sites on full-length collagen IX. The NC4 domain was also shown to bind cartilage oligomeric matrix protein. This interaction and the association of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein with other regions of collagen IX were found to be heparin-competitive. Circular dichroism analyses of the NC4 domain indicated the presence of stabilizing disulfide bonds and a thermal denaturation point of about 80 degrees C. The pattern of disulfide bond formation within the NC4 domain was identified by tryptic peptide mass mapping of the NC4 in native and reduced states. A similar pattern was demonstrated for the NC4 domain of full-length recombinant collagen IX.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed2004

Homo-oligomerization is the essential function of the tandem BRCT domains in the checkpoint protein Crb2.

BRCT (BRCA1 C terminus) domains are frequently found as a tandem repeat in proteins involved in DNA damage responses, such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae Rad9, human 53BP1 and BRCA1. Tandem BRCT domains mediate protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions. However, the functional significance of these interactions is largely unknown. Here we report the oligomerization of Schizosaccharomyces pombe checkpoint protein Crb2 through its tandem BRCT domains. Truncated Crb2 without BRCT domains is defective in DNA damage checkpoint signaling. However, addition of either of two heterologous dimerization motifs largely restores the functions of truncated Crb2 without BRCT domains. Replacement of Crb2 BRCT domains with a dimerization motif also renders cells resistant to the dominant negative effect of overexpressing Crb2 BRCT domains. These results demonstrate that the crucial function of the tandem BRCT domains is to oligomerize Crb2.

Amino Acid Motifs↗
PubMed2004

Oligomerization of ribonuclease A: two novel three-dimensional domain-swapped tetramers.

By lyophilization from 40% acetic acid solutions, bovine ribonuclease A forms several types of three-dimensional domain-swapped oligomers: dimers, trimers, tetramers, and higher order multimers. Each oligomeric species comprehends at least two conformers: one less basic and one more basic. The structures of the two dimers and one trimer have been solved. Plausible models have been proposed for the other oligomers. Among them, all chromatographic patterns show the constant presence of minority species, and we focused our attention on two of them. The first oligomer (named X) elutes between the two trimeric conformers; the second (named Y) elutes as a shoulder in the ascending limb of the more basic trimer. After purification with cation-exchange chromatography, on the basis of (a) gel filtration analyses, (b) gel electrophoreses under nondenaturing conditions, (c) SDS-PAGE, (d) cross-linking experiments with divinylsulfone and 1,5-difluoro 2,4-dinitrobenzene, (e) enzymatic activity assays, (f) identification of the products of their spontaneous dissociation, and (g) controlled proteolysis with subtilisin, we propose that the X and Y oligomeric species contain two novel three-dimensional domain-swapped tetrameric conformers of RNase A, differing from each other as well as from the two tetramers already identified. For the two novel tetramers we showed tentative structural models. X(TT) could be a circular NCNC-tetramer; Y(TT) could be a propeller-like C-trimer with an attached N-swapping monomer (NCCC(TT)), identical to a model proposed by Liu and Eisenberg (Liu, Y., and Eisenberg, D. (2002) Protein Sci. 11, 1285-1299).

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Insights into the oligomeric states, conformational changes, and helicase activities of SV40 large tumor antigen.

The large T (LT) antigen encoded by SV40 virus is a multi-domain, multi-functional protein that can not only transform cells but can also function as an efficient molecular machine to unwind duplex DNA for DNA replication. Here we report our findings on the oligomeric forms, domain interactions, and ATPase and helicase activities of various LT constructs. For the LT constructs that hexamerize, only two oligomeric forms, hexameric and monomeric, were detected in the absence of ATP/ADP. However, the presence of ATP/ADP stabilizes LT in the hexameric form. The LT constructs lacking the N- and C-terminal domains, but still retaining hexamerization ability, have ATPase as well as helicase activities at a level comparable to the full-length LT, suggesting the importance of hexamerization for these activities. The domain structures and the possible interactions between different LT fragments were probed with limited protease (trypsin) digestion. Such protease digestion generated a distinct pattern in the presence and absence of ATP/ADP and Mg(2+). The most C-terminal fragment (residues 628-708, containing the host-range domain), which was thought to be completely unstructured, was somewhat trypsin-resistant despite the presence of multiple Arg and Lys, possibly due to a rather structured C terminus. Furthermore, the N- and C-terminal fragments cleaved by trypsin were associated with other parts of the molecule, suggesting the interdomain interactions for the fragments at both ends.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed2004

A dual role for the N-terminal region of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Hsp16.3 in self-oligomerization and binding denaturing substrate proteins.

The N-terminal regions, which are highly variable in small heat-shock proteins, were found to be structurally disordered in all the 24 subunits of Methanococcus jannaschii Hsp16.5 oligomer and half of the 12 subunits of wheat Hsp16.9 oligomer. The structural and functional roles of the corresponding region (potentially disordered) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Hsp16.3, existing as nonamers, were investigated in this work. The data demonstrate that the mutant Hsp16.3 protein with 35 N-terminal residues removed (DeltaN35) existed as trimers/dimers rather than as nonamers, failing to bind the hydrophobic probe (1,1'-bi(4-anilino)naphthalene-5,5'-disulfonic acid) and exhibiting no chaperone-like activity. Nevertheless, another mutant protein with the C-terminal extension (of nine residues) removed, although existing predominantly as dimers, exhibited efficient chaperone-like activity even at room temperatures, indicating that pre-existence as nonamers is not a prerequisite for its chaperone-like activity. Meanwhile, the mutant protein with both the N- and C-terminal ends removed fully exists as a dimer lacking any chaperone-like activity. Furthermore, the N-terminal region alone, either as a synthesized peptide or in fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase, was capable of interacting with denaturing proteins. These observations strongly suggest that the N-terminal region of Hsp16.3 is not only involved in self-oligomerization but also contains the critical site for substrate binding. Such a dual role for the N-terminal region would provide an effective mechanism for the small heat-shock protein to modulate its chaperone-like activity through oligomeric dissociation/reassociation. In addition, this study demonstrated that the wild-type protein was able to form heterononamers with DeltaN35 via subunit exchange at a subunit ratio of 2:1. This implies that the 35 N-terminal residues in three of the nine subunits in the wild-type nonamer are not needed for the assembly of nonamers from trimers and are thus probably structurally disordered.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2004

Inhibition of NF-kappa B activation by peptides targeting NF-kappa B essential modulator (nemo) oligomerization.

NF-kappa B essential modulator/IKK-gamma (NEMO/IKK-gamma) plays a key role in the activation of the NF-kappa B pathway in response to proinflammatory stimuli. Previous studies suggested that the signal-dependent activation of the IKK complex involves the trimerization of NEMO. The minimal oligomerization domain of this protein consists of two coiled-coil subdomains named Coiled-coil 2 (CC2) and leucine zipper (LZ) (Agou, F., Traincard, F., Vinolo, E., Courtois, G., Yamaoka, S., Israel, A., and Veron, M. (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 27861-27869). To search for drugs inhibiting NF-kappa B activation, we have rationally designed cell-permeable peptides corresponding to the CC2 and LZ subdomains that mimic the contact areas between NEMO subunits. The peptides were tagged with the Antennapedia/Penetratin motif and delivered to cells prior to stimulation with lipopolysaccharide. Peptide transduction was monitored by fluorescence-activated cell sorter, and their effect on lipopolysaccharide-induced NF-kappa B activation was quantified using an NF-kappa B-dependent beta-galactosidase assay in stably transfected pre-B 70Z/3 lymphocytes. We show that the peptides corresponding to the LZ and CC2 subdomains inhibit NF-kappa B activation with an IC(50) in the mum range. Control peptides, including mutated CC2 and LZ peptides and a heterologous coiled-coil peptide, had no inhibitory effect. The designed peptides are able to induce cell death in human retinoblastoma Y79 cells exhibiting constitutive NF-kappa B activity. Our results provide the "proof of concept" for a new and promising strategy for the inhibition of NF-kappa B pathway activation through targeting the oligomerization state of the NEMO protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2004

Oligomerization, chaperone activity, and nuclear localization of p26, a small heat shock protein from Artemia franciscana.

Artemia franciscana embryos undergo encystment, developmental arrest and diapause, the last characterized by profound metabolic dormancy and extreme stress resistance. Encysted embryos contain an abundant small heat shock protein termed p26, a molecular chaperone that undoubtedly has an important role in development. To understand better the role of p26 in Artemia embryos, the structural and functional characteristics of full-length and truncated p26 expressed in Escherichia coli and COS-1 cells were determined. p26 chaperone activity declined with increasing truncation of the protein, and those deletions with the greatest adverse effect on protection of citrate synthase during thermal stress had the most influence on oligomerization. When produced in either prokaryotic or eukaryotic cells the p26 alpha-crystallin domain consisting of amino acid residues 61-152 existed predominantly as monomers, and p26 variants lacking the amino-terminal domain but with intact carboxyl-terminal extensions were mainly monomers and dimers. The amino terminus was, therefore, required for efficient dimer formation. Assembly of higher order oligomers was enhanced by the carboxyl-terminal extension, although removing the 10 carboxyl-terminal residues had relatively little effect on oligomerization and chaperoning. Full-length and carboxyl-terminal truncated p26 resided in the cytoplasm of transfected COS-1 cells; however, variants missing the complete amino-terminal domain and existing predominantly as monomers/dimers entered the nuclei. A mechanism whereby oligomer disassembly assisted entry of p26 into nuclei was suggested, this of importance because p26 translocates into Artemia embryo nuclei during development and stress. However, when examined in Artemia, the p26 oligomer size was unchanged under conditions that allowed movement into nuclei, suggesting a process more complex than just oligomer dissociation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2004

Oligomeric state of the Escherichia coli metal transporter YiiP.

YiiP is a 32.9-kDa metal transporter found in the plasma membrane of Escherichia coli (Chao, Y., and Fu, D. (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 17173-17180). Here we report the determination of the YiiP oligomeric state in detergent-lipid micelles and in membranes. Molecular masses of YiiP solubilized with dodecyl-, undecyl-, decyl-, or nonyl-beta-d-maltoside were measured directly using size-exclusion chromatography coupled with laser light-scattering photometry, yielding a mass distribution of YiiP homo-oligomers within a narrow range (68.0-68.8 kDa) that equals the predicted mass of a YiiP dimer within experimental error. The detergent-lipid masses associated with YiiP in the mixed micelles were found to increase from 135.5 to 232.6 kDa, with an apparent correlation with the alkyl chain length of the maltoside detergents. Cross-linking the detergent-solubilized YiiP with 1-ethyl-3-[3-dimethylaminopropyl] carbodiimide hydrochloride (EDC) resulted in a dimeric cross-linked product in an EDC concentration-dependent manner. The oligomeric state of the purified YiiP in reconstituted membranes was determined by electron microscopic analysis of two-dimensional YiiP crystals in negative stain. A projection structure calculated from measurable optical diffractions to 25 A revealed a pseudo-2-fold symmetry within a molecular boundary of approximately 75 x 40 A, indicative of the presence of YiiP dimers in membranes. These data provide direct structural evidence for a dimeric association of YiiP both in detergent-lipid micelles and in the reconstituted lipid bilayer. The functional relevance of the dimeric association in YiiP is discussed.

Calibration↗
PubMed2005

pH-dependent substrate preference of pig heart lipoamide dehydrogenase varies with oligomeric state: response to mitochondrial matrix acidification.

Cycling of intracellular pH has recently been shown to play a critical role in ischemia-reperfusion injury. Ischemia-reperfusion also leads to mitochondrial matrix acidification and dysfunction. However, the mechanism by which matrix acidification contributes to mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and the resultant cellular injury has not been elucidated. We observe pH-dependent equilibria between monomeric, dimeric, and a previously undescribed tetrameric form of pig heart lipoamide dehydrogenase (LADH), a mitochondrial matrix enzyme. Dynamic light scattering studies of native LADH in aqueous solution indicate that lowering pH favors a shift in average molecular mass from higher oligomeric states to monomer. Sedimentation velocity of LADH entrapped in reverse micelles reveals dimer and tetramer at both pH 5.8 and 7.5, but monomer was observed only at pH 5.8. Enzyme activity measurements in reverse Aerosol OT micelles in octane indicate that LADH dimer and tetramer possess lipoamide dehydrogenase and diaphorase activities at pH 7.5. Upon acidification to pH 5.8 only the LADH monomer is active and only the diaphorase activity is observed. These results indicate a correlation between pH-dependent changes in the LADH reaction specificity and its oligomeric state. The acidification of mitochondrial matrix that occurs during ischemia-reperfusion injury is sufficient to alter the structure and enzymatic specificity of LADH, thereby reducing mitochondrial defenses, increasing oxidative stress, and slowing the recovery of energy metabolism. Matrix acidification may also disrupt the quaternary structure of other mitochondrial protein complexes critical for cellular homeostasis and survival.

2,6-Dichloroindophenol↗
PubMed2005

Oligomerization and multimerization are critical for angiopoietin-1 to bind and phosphorylate Tie2.

Angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) is an essential molecule for blood vessel formation; however, little is known about the structure-function relationships of Ang1 with its receptor, Tie2 (tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin and epidermal growth factor homology domain-2'). In this study, we generated several Ang1 and angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) variants to define the role of the superclustering and oligomerization domains of the Ang1 protein. Then we analyzed the molecular structure of the variants with SDS-PAGE and rotary metal-shadowing transmission electron microscopy (RMSTEM) and determined the effects of these variants on the binding and activation of Tie2. Ang1 exists as heterogeneous multimers with basic trimeric, tetrameric, and pentameric oligomers, whereas Ang2 exists as trimeric, tetrameric, and pentameric oligomers. The variant Ang1C265S, consisting of trimers, tetramers, and pentamers without multimeric forms of Ang1, yielded less Tie2 activation than did Ang1, whereas monomeric Ang1 (Ang1/FD), dimeric Ang1 variants (Ang1D2, and Ang1D3), and dimeric and trimeric Ang1 variant (Ang1D1) dramatically lost their ability to bind and activate Tie2. An Ang1 protein in which two cysteines (amino acids 41 and 54) were replaced with serines (Ang1C41S/C54S) formed mostly dimers and trimers that were not able to bind and activate Tie2. In addition, improper creation of a new cysteine in Ang2 (Ang2S263C) dramatically induced Ang2 aggregation without activating Tie2. In conclusion, proper oligomerization of Ang1 having at least four subunits by the intermolecular disulfide linkage involving cysteines 41 and 54 is critical for Tie2 binding and activation. Thus, our data shed a light on the structure-function relationships of Ang1 with Tie2.

3T3-L1 Cells↗
PubMed2005

Detection and identification of stable oligomeric protein complexes in Escherichi coli inner membranes: a proteomics approach.

In this study we present a new technology to detect stable oligomeric protein complexes in membranes. The technology is based on the ability of small membrane-active alcohols to dissociate the highly stable homotetrameric potassium channel KcsA. It is shown via a proteomics approach, using diagonal electrophoresis and nano-flow liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry, that a large number of both integral and peripheral Escherichia coli inner membrane proteins are part of stable oligomeric complexes that can be dissociated by small alcohols. This study gives insight into the composition and stability of these complexes.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed2005

Evolutionary trace-based peptides identify a novel asymmetric interaction that mediates oligomerization in nuclear receptors.

Germ cell nuclear factor (GCNF) is an orphan nuclear receptor that plays important roles in development and reproduction, by repressing the expression of essential genes such as Oct4, GDF9, and BMP15, through binding to DR0 elements. Surprisingly, whereas recombinant GCNF binds to DR0 sequences as a homodimer, endogenous GCNF does not exist as a homodimer but rather as part of a large complex termed the transiently retinoid-induced factor (TRIF). Here, we use evolutionary trace (ET) analysis to design mutations and peptides that probe the molecular basis for the formation of this unusual complex. We find that GCNF homodimerization and TRIF complex formation are DNA-dependent, and ET suggests that dimerization involves key functional sites on both helix 3 and helix 11, which are located on opposing surfaces of the ligand binding domain. Targeted mutations in either helix of GCNF disrupt the formation of both the homodimer and the endogenous TRIF complex. Moreover, peptide mimetics of both of these ET-determined sites inhibit dimerization and TRIF complex formation. This suggests that a novel helix 3-helix 11 heterotypic interaction mediates GCNF interaction and would facilitate oligomerization. Indeed, it was determined that the endogenous TRIF complex is composed of a GCNF oligomer. These findings shed light on an evolutionarily selected mechanism that reveals the unusual DNA-binding, dimerization, and oligomerization properties of GCNF.

Adaptor Proteins, Vesicular Transport↗
PubMed2005

Dopamine receptor oligomerization visualized in living cells.

G protein-coupled receptors occur as dimers within arrays of oligomers. We visualized ensembles of dopamine receptor oligomers in living cells and evaluated the contributions of receptor conformation to the dynamics of oligomer association and dissociation, using a strategy of trafficking a receptor to another cellular compartment. We incorporated a nuclear localization sequence into the D1 dopamine receptor, which translocated from the cell surface to the nucleus. Receptor inverse agonists blocked this translocation, retaining the modified receptor, D1-nuclear localization signal (NLS), at the cell surface. D1 co-translocated with D1-NLS to the nucleus, indicating formation of homooligomers. (+)-Butaclamol retained both receptors at the cell surface, and removal of the drug allowed translocation of both receptors to the nucleus. Agonist-nonbinding D1(S198A/S199A)-NLS, containing two substituted serine residues in transmembrane 5 also oligomerized with D1, and both were retained on the cell surface by (+)-butaclamol. Drug removal disrupted these oligomerized receptors so that D1 remained at the cell surface while D1(S198A/S199A)-NLS trafficked to the nucleus. Thus, receptor conformational differences permitted oligomer disruption and showed that ligand-binding pocket occupancy by the inverse agonist induced a conformational change. We demonstrated robust heterooligomerization between the D2 dopamine receptor and the D1 receptor. The heterooligomers could not be disrupted by inverse agonists targeting either one of the receptor constituents. However, D2 did not heterooligomerize with the structurally modified D1(S198A/S199A), indicating an impaired interface for their interaction. Thus, we describe a novel method showing that a homogeneous receptor conformation maintains the structural integrity of oligomers, whereas conformational heterogeneity disrupts it.

Butaclamol↗
PubMed2005

Cog1p plays a central role in the organization of the yeast conserved oligomeric Golgi complex.

The conserved oligomeric Golgi (COG) complex is an evolutionarily conserved peripheral membrane oligomeric protein complex that is involved in intra-Golgi protein trafficking. The COG complex is composed of eight subunits that are located in two lobes; Lobe A contains COG1-4, and Lobe B is composed of COG5-8. Both in vivo and in vitro protein-protein interaction techniques were applied to characterize interactions between individual COG subunits. In vitro assays revealed binary interactions between Cog2p and Cog3p, Cog2p and Cog4p, and Cog6p and Cog8p and a strong interaction between Cog5p and Cog7p. The two-hybrid assay confirmed these findings and revealed that Cog1p interacted with subunits from both lobes of the complex. Antibodies to COG subunits were utilized to determine the protein levels and membrane association of COG subunits in yeast delta cog1-8 mutants. As a result, we created a model of the protein-protein interactions within the yeast COG complex and proposed that Cog1p is a bridging subunit between the two COG lobes. In support of this hypothesis, we have demonstrated that Cog1p is required for the stable association between two COG subcomplexes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Charge modification at multiple C-terminal lysine residues regulates p53 oligomerization and its nucleus-cytoplasm trafficking.

The basal level of the tumor suppressor p53 is regulated by MDM2-mediated ubiquitination at specific lysines, which leads to p53 nuclear export and degradation. Upon p53 activation, however, these lysines become acetylated by p300/CREB-binding protein. Here we have reported an unexpected finding that p300-mediated acetylation also regulates p53 subcellular localization and can promote cytoplasmic localization of p53. This activity is independent of MDM2 but requires a p53 nuclear export signal and acetylation of multiple lysines by p300. Mechanistically, we showed that conversion of a minimal four of these lysines to alanines but not arginines mimics p300-mediated p53 nuclear export, and these lysine-neutralizing mutations effectively prevent p53 tetramerization, thus exposing the oligomerization-regulated nuclear export signal. Our study suggested a threshold mechanism whereby the degree of acetylation regulates p53 nucleus-cytoplasm trafficking by neutralizing a lysine-dependent charge patch, which in turn, controls oligomerization-dependent p53 nuclear export.

Acetylation↗
PubMed2005

Transmembrane domain-induced oligomerization is crucial for the functions of syndecan-2 and syndecan-4.

The syndecans are known to form homologous oligomers that may be important for their functions. We have therefore determined the role of oligomerization of syndecan-2 and syndecan-4. A series of glutathione S-transferase-syndecan-2 and syndecan-4 chimeric proteins showed that all syndecan constructs containing the transmembrane domain formed SDS-resistant dimers, but not those lacking it. SDS-resistant dimer formation was hardly seen in the syndecan chimeras where each transmembrane domain was substituted with that of platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR). Increased MAPK activity was detected in HEK293T cells transfected with syndecan/PDGFR chimeras in a syndecan transmembrane domain-dependent fashion. The chimera-induced MAPK activation was independent of both ligand and extracellular domain, implying that the transmembrane domain is sufficient to induce dimerization/oligomerization in vivo. Furthermore, the syndecan chimeras were defective in syndecan-4-mediated focal adhesion formation and protein kinase Calpha activation or in syndecan-2-mediated cell migration. Taken together, these data suggest that the transmembrane domains are sufficient for inducing dimerization and that transmembrane domain-induced oligomerization is crucial for syndecan-2 and syndecan-4 functions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Detection of oligomerization and conformational changes in the Na+/H+ antiporter from Helicobacter pylori by fluorescence resonance energy transfer.

Oligomerization and conformational changes in the Na+/H+ antiporter from Helicobacter pylori (HPNhaA) were studied by means of fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) analysis. Na+/H+ antiporter-deficient Escherichia coli cells expressing C-terminal fusions of HPNhaA to green fluorescent protein (GFP) variants exhibited wild-type levels of antiporter activity in their everted membrane vesicles. Vesicles containing both HPNhaA-CFP and HPNhaA-YFP or HPNhaA-Venus exhibited FRET from CFP (donor) to YFP or Venus (acceptor), suggesting that HPNhaA forms an oligomer. Co-precipitation of HPNhaA tagged by Venus and FLAG sequences confirmed oligomerization. FRET decreased extensively after treatment of the vesicles with proteinase K, which released GFP variants from the fusion proteins. FRET was not observed by merely mixing vesicles expressing the donor or acceptor fusion alone. Fluorescence of Venus is less sensitive to anions and stronger than that of anion-sensitive YFP. Using HPNhaA-Venus as the acceptor, Li+ was found to cause a significant decrease in FRET regardless of the presence or absence of DeltapH across the membranes, whereas Na+ caused a much weaker effect. This Li+ effect was minimal in vesicles prepared from cells expressing HPNhaA containing an Asp141 to Asn mutation, which results in defective Li+/H+ antiporter activity, possibly Li+ binding. These results demonstrate that monomer interactions within the HPNhaA oligomer are weakened possibly by Li+ binding. Dynamic interactions between HPNhaA monomers were detectable in membranes by FRET analysis, thus providing a new approach to study dynamic conformational changes in NhaA during antiport activity.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2006

Mitochondrial membrane potential is dependent on the oligomeric state of F1F0-ATP synthase supracomplexes.

The F1F0-ATP synthase in mitochondria, in addition to its function in energy transduction, has a structural role in determining cristae morphology. This depends on its ability to form dimeric and higher oligomeric supracomplexes. Here we show that mutants of the dimer-specific subunits e and g, which destabilize dimeric and oligomeric F1F0-ATP synthase supracomplexes, have a decreased mitochondrial membrane potential delta psi. The degree of destabilization correlated with the reduction of the membrane potential. The enzymatic activities of F1F0-ATP synthase and cytochrome c oxidase, maximal respiration rate, coupling of oxidative phosphorylation, and tubular mitochondrial morphology were not affected or only to a minor extent. In mutants lacking one or two coiled-coil domains of subunit e, the reduction of the mitochondrial membrane potential was not due to loss of mitochondrial DNA, a reduced capacity of oxidative phosphorylation, or to altered cristae morphology. We propose a role for the supracomplexes of the F1F0-ATP synthase in organizing microdomains within the inner membrane, ensuring optimal bioenergetic competence of mitochondria.

Cytochromes↗