不同折叠状态的Apocyt．C插膜后构象的研究

比较了不同折叠状态的鸡心脱血红素细胞色素ｃ（Ａｐｏｃｙｔ．ｃ）对大豆磷脂单分子层的插入能力和对酸性、中性磷脂单分子层的插入能力。不同折叠状态的Ａｐｏｃｙｔ．ｃ与大豆磷脂脂质体作用后的内源荧光发射谱提示它们各自在膜上的构象状态不同。与纯磷脂脂质体作用后的圆二色谱发现,溶液中折叠状态不同的鸡心Ａｐｏｃｙｔ．ｃ与膜作用后的构象也不同,溶液中处于无规心Ａｐｏｃｙｔ．ｃ与ＤＭＰＧ脂质体作用后的构象也呈α螺旋,但螺旋含量明显低于前者。折叠状态的鸡心Ａｐｏｃｙｔ．ｃ与ＤＭＰＣ作用后,其构象几乎没有变化。     

不同解折叠状态鸡心脱血红素细胞色素c分子的表面性质

脱血红素细胞色素ｃ的构象与其跨膜转运能力是密切相关的。鸡心脱血红素细胞色素ｃ具有较强的自发折叠的能力,在一定条件下可以得到不同解折叠状态的鸡心脱血红素细胞色素ｃ。本文利用疏水层析、与疏水探针１,８—ＡＮＳ的结合以及色氨酸与结合的ＡＮＳ之间的荧光共振能量转移,比较了不同解折叠状态的鸡心脱血红素细胞色素ｃ分子的表面性质。结果表明,部分折叠的鸡心脱血红素细胞色素ｃ分子获得了一种高度动态的结构,形成了动态的疏水核心;同时,它也具有较强的凝集倾向。这些性质与鸡心脱血红素细胞色素ｃ分子较强的自发折叠能力是一致的,为进一步分析鸡心脱血红素细胞色素ｃ分子的构象及其在跨膜转运过程中与脂的相互作用奠定了基础。     

脱血红素细胞色素c自发折叠的进一步验证

用胰蛋白酶水解结合聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳以及纳秒内源荧光衰减谱分析对鸡心脱血红素细胞色素ｃ在透析复性过程的自发折叠现象作进一步确定。结果显示随着透析复性时间的增加,鸡心脱血红素细胞色素ｃ对胰蛋白酶的水解敏感性逐渐下降,内源荧光寿命值增大,与此对应的马心脱血红素细胞色素ｃ没有发生变化。     

鸡心脱辅基细胞色素c自发折叠的进一步研究

将野生型鸡心脱辅基细胞色素ｃ及其突变体Ｖ９２Ａ的１７位半胱氨酸残基突变为丝氨酸,再将表达纯化的Ｖ９２Ａ／Ｃ１７Ｓ和Ｗ／Ｃ１７Ｓ用荧光探针ＩＡＥＤＡＮＳ标记．通过测量ＡＥＤＡＮＳ－Ｃｙｓ－１４的荧光光谱、荧光寿命以及ＡＥＤＡＮＳ与Ｔｒｐ－５９之间的荧光共振能量转移效率、比较了Ｖ９２Ａ与野生型鸡心脱辅基细胞色素ｃ因折叠状态不同引起的Ｎ端构象状态及肽链间相互作用的差异．结果显示Ａｐｏ．ｃ无论在低盐浓度下的无规卷曲状态还是高盐浓度下的融球态,Ｖ９２Ａ都较野生型处于更松散的折叠状态,此外,在鸡心脱辅基细胞色素ｃ的自发折叠中Ｎ端肽段并不起主要作用     

抗癌药物ADM与DNA相互作用的紫外共振拉曼光谱的研究

用紫外共振拉曼光谱研究了ＡＤＭ与小牛胸腺ＤＮＡ相互作用,分析表明：ＡＤＭ插入ＤＮＡ的ＧＣ－ＣＧ位置,ＡＤＭ与ＤＮＡ之间的主要相互作用是蒽环π电子与碱基Ｇ和Ｃ的π电子形成的π－π电子相互作用,并通过碱基Ｇ,Ｃ的ＮＨ２的氮的孤对Ｐ电子与ＡＤＭ的π－Ｐ电子相互作用以及ＡＤＭ和ＤＮＡ碱基Ｇ,Ｃ和ＰＯ２之间形成的氢键使相互作用加强;ＡＤＭ插入ＤＮＡ使其构象产生一定变化,但未破坏ＤＮＡ碱基对间的氢键。     

脱血红素细胞色素c与膜结合及插膜时的构象研究

应用特殊的单分子层样品制备技术,分别制备了与中性、酸性磷脂膜结合的和完全插膜的鸡心脱血红素细胞色素c样品,并运用圆二色谱(CD)、表面衰减全反射Fourier变换红外光谱(ATR-FTIR)对膜上蛋白的构象进行了鉴定.研究结果表明,蛋白在与膜结合及插入阶段的构象是不同的,膜界面性质的不同也会对蛋白的构象产生不同的诱导,在酸性磷脂DSPG膜表面,该蛋白是以α螺旋和β折叠混合的构象形式结合;而在中性磷脂DSPC膜表面是以β折叠为主的构象形式结合.插入 DOPG单分子层内时则是 α螺旋为主的构象形式.     

抗癌药物ADM与DNA相互作用的紫外共振拉曼光谱的研究

用紫外共振拉曼光谱研究了ＡＤＭ与小牛胸腺ＤＮＡ相互作用,分析表明：ＡＤＭ插入ＤＮＡ的ＧＣ－ＣＧ位置;ＡＤＭ与ＤＮＡ之间的主要相互作用是蒽环π电子与碱基Ｇ和Ｃ的π电子形成的π－π电子相互作用,并通过碱基Ｇ、Ｃ的ＮＨ＿２的氨的孤对Ｐ电子与ＡＤＭ的π电子形成的π－Ｐ电子相互作用以及ＡＤＭ和ＤＮＡ碱基Ｇ、Ｃ和ＰＯ＿２之间形成的氢键使相互作用加强;ＡＤＭ插入ＤＮＡ使其构象产生一定变化,但未破坏ＤＮＡ碱基对间的氢键。     

脱血红素细胞色素c的68~88肽段在插膜及与线粒体结合中具有关键作用

细胞色素c的前体蛋白——脱血红素细胞色素c是在细胞质中合成后运入线粒体的. 结合人工合成多肽及完整分子的缺失突变体探索了脱血红素细胞色素c跨膜转运中的关键肽段, 结果表明, 无论在单分子层插膜, 还是在与脂质体、线粒体的相互作用中, 脱血红素细胞色素c的68~88肽段都起着关键作用.     

脱血红素细胞色素C自发折叠的进一步验证

用胰蛋白酶水解结构聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳以及纳秒内源荧光衰减谱分析对鸡心脱血红素细胞色素Ｃ在透析复性过程的自发折叠现象作进一步确定，结果显示随着透析复性时间的增加，鸡心脱血红素细胞色素Ｃ对胰蛋白酶的水解敏感性逐渐下降，内源荧光寿命值增大，与此对应的马心脱血红素细胞色素Ｃ没有发生变化。     

脱血红素细胞色素c插入磷脂单分子层能力的研究

介绍了一种改进的、用于研究膜脂-蛋白相互作用的气-液界面单分子层实验模型及实验装置,并在该实验装置上研究了来自马心和金枪鱼心的线粒体前体蛋白脱血红素细胞色素c与大豆磷脂单分子层的相互作用,实验结果表明这两种前体蛋白对大豆磷脂单分子层都具有较强的亲和性和插膜能力,其临界插膜压力分别为43mN/m、45mN/m.     

Apocytochrome c interaction with phospholipid membranes studied by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy.

Apocytochrome c, the heme-free precursor of cytochrome c, has been used extensively as a model to study molecular aspects of posttranslational translocation of proteins across membranes. In this report, we have used Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy to gain further insight into the mechanism of apocytochrome c interaction with membrane phospholipids. Association of apocytochrome c with model membranes containing the acidic lipid dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol (DMPG) as a single component results in a drastic perturbation of phospholipid structure, at the level of both the acyl chains and the interfacial carbonyl groups. However, in a binary mixture of DMPG with acyl chain perdeuterated dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC-d54), the perturbing effect of the protein on the acidic phospholipid is greatly attenuated. In such a membrane with mixed lipids, the physical properties of the DMPG and DMPC components are affected in a similar fashion, indicating that apocytochrome c does not induce any significant segregation or lateral-phase separation of acidic and zwitterionic lipids. Analysis of the apocytochrome c spectrum in the amide I region reveals that binding to phospholipids causes considerable changes in the secondary structure of the protein, the final conformation of which depends on the lipid to protein ratio. In the presence of a large excess of DMPG, apocytochrome c undergoes a transition from an essentially unordered conformation in solution to an alpha-helical structure. However, in complexes of lower lipid to protein ratios (less than or equal to approximately 40:1), infrared spectra are indicative of an extended, intermolecularly hydrogen-bonded beta-sheet structure. The latter is suggestive of an extensive aggregation of the membrane-associated protein.     

Investigations on the insertion of the mitochondrial precursor protein apocytochrome c into model membranes

Different aspects of the interaction of apocytochrome c and model membranes composed of negatively charged lipids, were studied in order to get insight into the nature of this interaction. The effect of the protein on the lipid packing properties are revealed by DSC, ESR and monolayer techniques. These experiments clearly demonstrate that upon electrostatic interaction with the negatively charged phospholipids, apocytochrome c is able to penetrate into the hydrophobic region of the model membrane. In the case of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoglycerol, this results in a perturbation of 160 lipid molecules per apocytochrome c molecule. Most likely, apocytochrome c disrupts the formation of the gel phase and restricts the lipid chain motion above the gel to liquid-crystalline phase transition. Tryptophan fluorescence measurements confirm that at least a part of the protein penetrates into the bilayer, and suggest that after this penetration, the tryptophan (residue no. 59) is located in the glycerol backbone region of the phospholipids. Although the secondary structure of apocytochrome c is predicted to contain about 35% of alpha-helical structure, the CD pattern of an aqueous solution of the protein is featureless. However, negatively charged lipids are able to express this alpha-helical potency in the apocytochrome c, which might be important for the insertion of the protein into lipid membranes.     

Interactions of mitochondrial precursor protein apocytochrome c with phosphatidylserine in model membranes. A monolayer study

(1) The interaction of apocytochrome c with different molecular species of phosphatidylserine was studied using monolayers at constant surface area or constant surface pressure. The protein inserted readily into dioleoylphosphatidylserine monolayers up to a limiting pressure of 50 mN/m, whereas the interaction decreased with increasing molecular packing of the phosphatidylserine species, indicating the importance of the hydrophobic core of the lipid layer for the interaction. (2) The high affinity of apocytochrome c for dioleoylphosphatidylserine is indicated by the low Kd of 0.017 microM. There is little or no interaction with phosphatidylcholines. The importance of charge interactions is underlined by its ionic strength and pH dependency. (3) Experiments using 14C-labelled apocytochrome c indicate that cholesterol can enhance the protein binding. (4) It was demonstrated that apocytochrome c monomers penetrate the monolayer whereas oligomers can be formed in an adsorbed layer and washed off without changing the surface pressure. Preincubation of apocytochrome c in 3 M guanidine, to obtain the monomeric form, was essential to measure the full effect of interfacial interaction. (5) The molecular area of apocytochrome c changed from 1200-1300 A2/molecule in the absence of lipid to 700-900 A2/molecule after penetration of dioleoylphosphatidylserine monolayers. (6) Apocytochrome c-dioleoylphosphatidylserine interactions are only possible when the monolayer is approached from the subphase. It is concluded that the charge interactions are required for binding and penetration of the protein.     

Critical segment of apocytochrome c for its insertion into membrane

Apocytochrome c has a potent ability to insert spontaneously into membrane. To identify which sequences were critical for this insertion activity, a series of peptides N19, C8, C15 and C21, corresponding to sequences 1-19, 81-88, 74-88 and 68-88 of apocytochrome c, respectively, were synthesized and purified. Insertion ability into phospholipid monolayer, intrinsic fluorescence emission spectra, and the accessibility of peptide C21 to fluorescence quenchers: KI, acrylamide and HB showed that only segment 68-88 could insert into membrane, while other segments did not. CD spectra demonstrated that its interaction with liposomes containing negatively charged phospholipid could induce a partial alpha-helical conformation in peptide C21. It is interesting to note that a cooperation exists between segment 68-88 and 1-19 in the insertion of apocytochrome c and consequently translocation across membrane.     

Modulation of cytochrome C coupling to anionic lipid monolayers by a change of the phase state: a combined neutron and infrared reflection study

The effect of monolayer domain formation on the electrostatic coupling of cytochrome c from the subphase to a monolayer at the air/water interface was studied using a combination of neutron reflection (NR) and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) techniques. The monolayers consisted of a binary mixture of the zwitterionic phosphatidylcholine and the anionic phosphatidylglycerol. For a monolayer of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol (DMPG, 30 mol%), which exhibits a non-ideal mixing of the two lipid components, we observed a significantly higher protein coupling to the liquid-condensed phase compared to the liquid-expanded state. In contrast, this higher protein binding was not observed when the two lipids had identical chain lengths (nearly ideal mixing). Similarly, for an equimolar mixture of DPPC and DMPG, we did not observe significant differences in the protein binding for the two phase states. The results strongly suggest that the domain formation in a condensed monolayer under non-ideal lipid mixing conditions is crucial for the cytochrome c binding strength. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the significant advantages of gathering information on protein-monolayer coupling by the combined use of a dedicated IRRAS set-up with the NR technique.     

Loading rat liver mitochondria with apocytochrome c provokes exit of cytochrome c

Rat liver mitochondria were loaded with cytochrome c by incubation with large amounts of [14C]apocytochrome c. After being washed they were incubated with either more apocytochrome c or cytochrome c. There was no release of labeled proteins from the mitochondria when incubated with cytochrome c. However, there was when incubated with apocytochrome c. The material released showed only one radioactive band which migrated as cytochrome c. Also no release of proteins other than cytochrome c was detected when liver mitochondria isolated from rats injected with [35S]methionine were incubated with apocytochrome c. These results suggest that the level and possibly the turnover of cytochrome c in rat liver mitochondria is regulated by the entry of apocytochrome c into mitochondria.     

Effect of enzymatic methylation of apocytochrome c on holocytochrome c formation and proteolysis

1. Methylation of the lysine at residue 72 of yeast apocytochrome c increases its import into mitochondria. 2. Using methylated and unmethylated apocytochrome c as substrate and intact yeast mitochondria and a solubilized mitochondrial fraction as a source of cytochrome c heme lyase, the results show that the methylation state of the apoprotein has no significant effect on its conversion to holoprotein. 3. The above result suggests that the import mechanism is separate from the heme-attaching activity. 4. Unmethylated apocytochrome c was less resistant to a yeast homogenate fraction that methylated apocytochrome c, suggesting that methylation of apocytochrome c alters the conformation of the whole protein.     

Biogenesis of cytochrome c in Neurospora crassa. Synthesis of apocytochrome c, transfer to mitochondria and conversion to Holocytochrome c.

1. Precipitating antibodies specific for apocytochrome c and holocytochrome c, respectively, were employed to study synthesis and intracellular transport of cytochrome c in Neurospora in vitro. 2. Apocytochrome c as well as holocytochrome c were found to be synthesized in a cell-free homogenate. A precursor product relationship between the two components is suggested by kinetic experiments. 3. Apocytochrome c synthesized in vitro was found in the post-ribosomal fraction and not in the mitochondrial fraction, whereas holocytochrome c synthesized in vitro was mainly detected in the mitochondrial fraction. A precursor product relationship between postribosomal apocytochrome c and mitochondrial holocytochrome c is indicated by the labelling data. In the microsomal fraction both apocytochrome c and holocytochrome c were found in low amounts. Their labeling kinetics do not subbest a precursor role of microsomal apocytochrome c or holocytochrome c. 4. Formation of holocytochrome c from apocytochrome c was observed when postribosomal supernatant containing apocytochrome c synthesized in vitro was incubated with isolated mitochondria, but not when incubated in the absence of mitochondria. The cytochrome c formed under these conditions was detected in the mitochondria. 5. Conversion of labelled apocytochrome c synthesized in vitro to holocytochrome c during incubation of a postribosomal supernatant with isolated mitochondria was inhibited when excess isolated apocytochrome c, but not when holocytochrome c was added. 6. The data presented are interpreted to show that apocytochrome c is synthesized on cytoplasmic ribosomes and released into the supernatant. It is suggested that apocytochrome c migrates to the inner mitochondrial membrane, where the heme group is covalently linked to the apoprotein. The hypothesis is put forward that the concomitant change in conformation leads to trapping of holocytochrome c in the membrane. The problems of permeability of the outer mitochondrial membrane to apocytochrome c and the site and nature of the reaction by which the heme group is linked to the apoprotein are discussed.     

Role of cytochrome c heme lyase in the import of cytochrome c into mitochondria

The import of cytochrome c into Neurospora crassa mitochondria was examined at distinct stages in vitro. The precursor protein, apocytochrome c, binds to mitochondria with high affinity and specificity but is not transported completely across the outer membrane in the absence of conversion to holocytochrome c. The bound apocytochrome c is accessible to externally added proteases but at the same time penetrates far enough through the outer membrane to interact with cytochrome c heme lyase. Formation of a complex in which apocytochrome c and cytochrome c heme lyase participate represents the rate-limiting step of cytochrome c import. Conversion from the bound state to holocytochrome c, on the other hand, occurs 10-30-fold faster. Association of apocytochrome c with cytochrome c heme lyase also takes place after solubilizing mitochondria with detergent. We conclude that the bound apocytochrome c, spanning the outer membrane, forms a complex with cytochrome c heme lyase from which it can react further to be converted to holocytochrome c and be translocated completely into the intermembrane space.