Tips for crystallizing membrane proteins in lipidic mesophases

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Hodges
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins

Changes Occur in Plasma Membrane Turnover when K562 Leukemia Cells are Induced to Differentiate

1982 ◽  
Vol 40 ◽  
pp. 286-287
Author(s):  
L. M. Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Intracellular Transport ◽  
Parent Cell ◽  
Membrane Turnover ◽  
Coated Pits ◽  
Surface Distribution ◽  
Specific Proteins ◽  
Erythroleukemic Cell ◽  
Specific Membrane

A human erythroleukemic cell line, metabolically blocked in a late stage of erythropoiesis, becomes capable of differentiation along the normal pathway when grown in the presence of hemin. This process is characterized by hemoglobin synthesis followed by rearrangement of the plasma membrane proteins and culminates in asymmetrical cytokinesis in the absence of nuclear division. A reticulocyte-like cell buds from the nucleus-containing parent cell after erythrocyte specific membrane proteins have been sequestered into its membrane. In this process the parent cell faces two obstacles. First, to organize its erythrocyte specific proteins at one pole of the cell for inclusion in the reticulocyte; second, to reduce or abolish membrane protein turnover since hemoglobin is virtually the only protein being synthesized at this stage. A means of achieving redistribution and cessation of turnover could involve movement of membrane proteins by a directional lipid flow. Generation of a lipid flow towards one pole and accumulation of erythrocyte-specific membrane proteins could be achieved by clathrin coated pits which are implicated in membrane endocytosis, intracellular transport and turnover. In non-differentiating cells, membrane proteins are turned over and are random in surface distribution. If, however, the erythrocyte specific proteins in differentiating cells were excluded from endocytosing coated pits, not only would their turnover cease, but they would also tend to drift towards and collect at the site of endocytosis. This hypothesis requires that different protein species are endocytosed by the coated vesicles in non-differentiating than by differentiating cells.

Image Analysis of Intramembrane Particles in Freeze-Fractured Biomembranes Using Computer Simulation Techniques

1975 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
pp. 214-215
Author(s):  
D.J. Benefiel ◽  
R.S. Weinstein
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Freeze Fracture ◽  
Integral Membrane Proteins ◽  
Systematic Evaluation ◽  
Intramembrane Particles ◽  
Modeling Methods ◽  
Simulation Techniques ◽  
Freeze Fracture Electron Microscopy ◽  
Fracture Electron ◽  
Computer Simulation Techniques

Intramembrane particles (IMP or MAP) are components of most biomembranes. They are visualized by freeze-fracture electron microscopy, and they probably represent replicas of integral membrane proteins. The presence of MAP in biomembranes has been extensively investigated but their detailed ultrastructure has been largely ignored. In this study, we have attempted to lay groundwork for a systematic evaluation of MAP ultrastructure. Using mathematical modeling methods, we have simulated the electron optical appearances of idealized globular proteins as they might be expected to appear in replicas under defined conditions. By comparing these images with the apearances of MAPs in replicas, we have attempted to evaluate dimensional and shape distortions that may be introduced by the freeze-fracture technique and further to deduce the actual shapes of integral membrane proteins from their freezefracture images.

A Novel Reconstitution Method for Inducing the Formation of Regular 2-Dimensional Arrays of Membrane Proteins and Lipids

1988 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
pp. 152-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Engel ◽  
A. Holzenburg ◽  
K. Stauffer ◽  
J. Rosenbusch ◽  
U. Aebi
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Flow Rate ◽  
Lipid Membranes ◽  
Functional Characterization ◽  
Dimensional Structure ◽  
Electron Crystallography ◽  
Peltier Element ◽  
Protein Ratio ◽  
Precise Control ◽  
3 Dimensional

Reconstitution of solubilized and purified membrane proteins in the presence of phospholipids into vesicles allows their functions to be studied by simple bulk measurements (e.g. diffusion of differently sized solutes) or by conductance measurements after transformation into planar membranes. On the other hand, reconstitution into regular protein-lipid arrays, usually forming at a specific lipid-to-protein ratio, provides the basis for determining the 3-dimensional structure of membrane proteins employing the tools of electron crystallography.To refine reconstitution conditions for reproducibly inducing formation of large and highly ordered protein-lipid membranes that are suitable for both electron crystallography and patch clamping experiments aimed at their functional characterization, we built a flow-dialysis device that allows precise control of temperature and flow-rate (Fig. 1). The flow rate is generated by a peristaltic pump and can be adjusted from 1 to 500 ml/h. The dialysis buffer is brought to a preselected temperature during its travel through a meandering path before it enters the dialysis reservoir. A Z-80 based computer controls a Peltier element allowing the temperature profile to be programmed as function of time.

The structure of membranes and membrane proteins embedded in amorphous ice

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 432-433
Author(s):  
Uwe Lücken ◽  
Joachim Jäger
Keyword(s):  
Phase Transition ◽  
Transition Temperature ◽  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Phase Transition Temperature ◽  
Lipid Vesicles ◽  
Freezing Stress ◽  
Amorphous Ice ◽  
Different Temperatures ◽  
Band Pass ◽  
Lipid Polymorphism

TEM imaging of frozen-hydrated lipid vesicles has been done by several groups Thermotrophic and lyotrophic polymorphism has been reported. By using image processing, computer simulation and tilt experiments, we tried to learn about the influence of freezing-stress and defocus artifacts on the lipid polymorphism and fine structure of the bilayer profile. We show integrated membrane proteins do modulate the bilayer structure and the morphology of the vesicles.Phase transitions of DMPC vesicles were visualized after freezing under equilibrium conditions at different temperatures in a controlled-environment vitrification system. Below the main phase transition temperature of 24°C (Fig. 1), vesicles show a facetted appearance due to the quasicrystalline areas. A gradual increase in temperature leads to melting processes with different morphology in the bilayer profile. Far above the phase transition temperature the bilayer profile is still present. In the band-pass-filtered images (Fig. 2) no significant change in the width of the bilayer profile is visible.

TMCC3 localizes at the three-way junctions for the proper tubular network of the endoplasmic reticulum

2019 ◽  
Vol 476 (21) ◽  
pp. 3241-3260
Author(s):  
Sindhu Wisesa ◽  
Yasunori Yamamoto ◽  
Toshiaki Sakisaka
Keyword(s):  
Endoplasmic Reticulum ◽  
Membrane Proteins ◽  
Membrane Protein ◽  
Mammalian Cells ◽  
Coiled Coil ◽  
Transmembrane Domains ◽  
Domain Family ◽  
Coiled Coil Domain ◽  
U2os Cells ◽  
Er Membrane

The tubular network of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is formed by connecting ER tubules through three-way junctions. Two classes of the conserved ER membrane proteins, atlastins and lunapark, have been shown to reside at the three-way junctions so far and be involved in the generation and stabilization of the three-way junctions. In this study, we report TMCC3 (transmembrane and coiled-coil domain family 3), a member of the TEX28 family, as another ER membrane protein that resides at the three-way junctions in mammalian cells. When the TEX28 family members were transfected into U2OS cells, TMCC3 specifically localized at the three-way junctions in the peripheral ER. TMCC3 bound to atlastins through the C-terminal transmembrane domains. A TMCC3 mutant lacking the N-terminal coiled-coil domain abolished localization to the three-way junctions, suggesting that TMCC3 localized independently of binding to atlastins. TMCC3 knockdown caused a decrease in the number of three-way junctions and expansion of ER sheets, leading to a reduction of the tubular ER network in U2OS cells. The TMCC3 knockdown phenotype was partially rescued by the overexpression of atlastin-2, suggesting that TMCC3 knockdown would decrease the activity of atlastins. These results indicate that TMCC3 localizes at the three-way junctions for the proper tubular ER network.

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