Facilitated diffusion drives transport of oxidised ascorbate molecules into purified plasma membrane vesicles of Phaseolus vulgaris

Recently, the presence of a carrier‐mediated transport system for ascorbate was demonstrated in the plant plasma membrane. To investigate the possible physiological importance of this system in apoplastic ascorbate metabolism we further characterized this carrier. Transport of Asc was measured by incubating freshly‐purified plasma membrane vesicles from hypocotylar hooks of Phaseolus vulgaris together with [¹⁴C]‐labelled Asc. In this paper we show that ascorbate transport is detectable over a relatively broad pH range (6 to 7.5) and is not affected by protonophore addition. [¹⁴C]‐Ascorbate is not taken up into vesicle fractions consisting of sealed inside‐out oriented vesicles, suggesting that it is transported only from the apoplast to the cytoplasm. Asc uptake into vesicles previously loaded with ascorbate was also tested. Surprisingly, uptake of radioactive molecules was up to 3‐fold higher in the ascorbate‐loaded vesicles compared to non‐loaded control vesicles ( P < 0.001). The uptake of [¹⁴C]‐ascorbate in both the ascorbate‐loaded as the non‐loaded membrane vesicles was inhibited by addition of DTT and not by glutathione or ferricyanide. Based on various observations such as cis ‐inhibition, trans ‐stimulation and insensitivity towards proton gradients, a facilitated uptake mechanism is suggested. Our results strongly indicate that dehydroascorbate is the preferred transported species from the apoplastic to the cytoplasmic side of the membrane. This transport system is possibly involved in the regeneration of apoplastic ascorbate.     

Isolation of cortical MTs from tobacco BY-2 cells

We isolated the cortical microtubules (CMTs) from tobacco BY-2 cells to identify their components. By centrifugation of protoplasts homogenized in the presence of taxol, a MT-stabilizing reagent, in a density gradient of Percoll, we obtained membranous vesicles to which MTs forming a sheet-like bundle were attached. Rhodamine-conjugated Ricinus communis agglutinin I (RCA-I), a lectin that bound to the surface of protoplasts, stained these vesicles, indicating that they were plasma membrane (PM) vesicles that retained CMTs. CMTs were released by solubilization of PM vesicles with Triton X-100. A sheet-like array of CMTs was retained even after solubilization of PM vesicles. Immunoblot analysis of the isolated CMTs demonstrated the presence of tubulin, actin, the 65 kDa microtubule-associated protein (MAP) and a 130 kDa RCA-I binding protein. Purification of the isolated CMTs by the temperature dependent disassembly-reassembly cycling method revealed four polypeptides, 190, 120, 85 and 65 kDa, co-assembling with CMTs.     

Changes in plasma membrane fluidity of corn (Zea mays L.) roots after Brij 58 treatment

Summary The detergent Brij 58 has been introduced to reverse plasma membrane (PM) vesicles from the right-side-out to the inside-out form. The aim of the present work was to investigate the effect of Brij 58 on the formation of an ATP-dependent proton gradient and on the fluidity of the lipid phase of PM vesicles. PMs of corn (Zea mays L.) roots were isolated by phase-partitioning. The fluidity of PMs was estimated by measurement of fluorescence polarization with 1-(4-trimethylammoniumphenyl)-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (TMA-DPH) and 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene (DPH). The PMs of corn roots were relatively rigid. The hydrophobic part of the lipid bilayer was more fluid than the hydrophilic part. After intercalation of Brij 58 into the lipid bilayer the membrane fluidity changed in a concentration-dependent manner. Treatment with the detergent Brij 58 increased the degree of fluorescence polarization for TMA-DPH, while it decreased it for DPH. This effect was saturated at a detergent-to-protein ratio of 1 4 for both fluorescence probes. Although the biophysical characteristics of the membrane were changed after Brij 58 treatment, the formation of ATP-dependent proton gradients could still be measured with those vesicles. The generation of an ATP-dependent proton gradient with Brij 58-treated PM vesicles suggests that the detergent treatment indeed turned the originally right-side-out vesicles to sealed inside-out vesicles. The limits of the effect caused by Brij 58 in the context of PM enzyme activities are discussed.Abbreviations Brij 58 polyoxyethylene 20 cetyl ether - DPH 1,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene - HCF III hexacyanoferrate (III) - ISO inside-out - PM plasma membrane - RSO right-side-out - TMA-DPH 1-(4-trimethylammoniumphenyl)-6-phenyl-1,3,5-hexatriene     

Copurification of actin and desmin from chicken smooth muscle and their copolymerization in vitro to intermediate filaments

Desmin is a 50,000-mol wt protein that is enriched along with 100-A filaments in chicken gizzard that has been extracted with 1 M KI. Although 1 M KI removes most of the actin from gizzard, a small fraction of this protein remains persistently insoluble, along with desmin. The solubility properties of this actin are the same as for desmin: they are both insoluble in high salt concentrations, but are solubilized at low pH or by agents that dissociate hydrophobic bonds. Desmin may be purified by repeated cycles of solubilization by 1 M acetic acid and subsequent precipitation by neutralization to pH 4. During this process, a constant nonstoichiometric ratio of actin to desmin is attained. Gel filtration on Ultrogel AcA34 in the presence of 0.5% Sarkosyl NL-97 reveals nonmonomeric fractions of actin and desmin that comigrate through the column. Gel filtration on Bio-Gel P300 in the presence of 1 M acetic acid reveals that the majority of desmin is monomeric under these conditions. A small fraction of desmin and all of the actin elute with the excluded volume. When the acetic acid is removed from actin-desmin solutions by dialysis, a gel forms that is composed of filaments with diameters of 120-140 A. These filaments react uniformly with both anti-actin and anti-desmin antiserum. These results suggest that desmin is the major subunit of the muscle 100-A filaments and that it may form nonstoichiometric complexes with actin.     

NaCl处理下大麦根系质膜微囊结合多胺与Na+/H+逆向运输的关系

NaCl10 0mmol/L处理结合外施Spd和Put以及多胺代谢抑制剂邻二氮杂菲和MGBG ,以改变大麦根系质膜结合多胺种类和数量 ,研究了大麦根系质膜上两种形态多胺与质子泵和Na /H 逆向运输活性的关系。结果发现 ,NaCl处理后大麦根系质膜微囊上存在Na /H 逆向运输活性。质膜H ATPase活性与膜上非共价键结合多胺数量间呈显著正相关 ,其中 ,Spd对H ATPase的激活程度大于Put。膜蛋白上共价键结合多胺数量与Na /H 逆向运输活性间呈极显著正相关关系 ,说明大麦根系质膜Na /H 逆向运输的盐诱导似乎与Na /H 逆向运输蛋白的从头合成有关。此外 ,质膜Na /H 逆向运输活性仅与膜蛋白上共价键结合多胺数量有关 ,而与多胺种类关系不大。     

p-Chloroamphetamine induces serotonin release through serotonin transporters.

p-Chloroamphetamine (PCA) interacts with serotonin transporters in two membrane vesicle model systems by competing with serotonin for transport and stimulating efflux of accumulated serotonin. In plasma membrane vesicles isolated from human platelets, PCA competes with [3H]imipramine for binding to the serotonin transporter with a KD of 310 nM and competitively inhibits serotonin transport with a KI of 4.8 nM. [3H]Serotonin efflux from plasma membrane vesicles is stimulated by PCA in a Na(+)-dependent and imipramine-sensitive manner characteristic of transporter-mediated exchange. In membrane vesicles isolated from bovine adrenal chromaffin granules, PCA competitively inhibits ATP-dependent [3H]serotonin accumulation with a KI of 1.7 microM and, at higher concentrations, stimulates efflux of accumulated [3H]serotonin. Stimulation of vesicular [3H]serotonin efflux is due in part to dissipation of the transmembrane pH difference (delta pH) generated by ATP hydrolysis. Part of PCA's ability to stimulate efflux may be due to its transport by the vesicular amine transporter. Flow dialysis experiments demonstrated uptake of [3H]PCA into chromaffin granule membrane vesicles in response to the delta pH generated in the presence of Mg2+ and ATP. In plasma membrane vesicles, no accumulation was observed using an NaCl gradient as the driving force. We conclude that rapid nonmediated efflux of transported PCA prevents accumulation unless PCA is trapped inside by a low internal pH.     

The effects of elevated pH and high salt concentrations on tubulin

The effects of incubating phosphocellulose-purified bovine tubulin at 4 degrees C in nucleotide-free buffers at alkaline pH or at high concentrations of NaCl, KCl, (NH4)2SO4, or NH4Cl have been studied. At pH greater than or equal to 7.5 or at NaCl concentrations greater than or equal to 0.7 M, tubulin releases bound nucleotides irreversibly and loses, with apparent first-order kinetics, the ability to assemble into microtubules. In 0.1 M 1,4-piperazinediethanesulfonic acid buffer, pH 6.9, in the presence of 1.3 M NH4Cl, tubulin undergoes more rapid loss of capacity to assemble than it does in NaCl and KCl, but 1.3 M (NH4)2SO4 causes no detectable change in tubulin after 1-h incubation. Incubation at high pH or at high neutral salt concentrations also causes an apparently irreversible change in the ultraviolet difference spectrum and in the sedimentation velocity profile of tubulin. At elevated salt concentrations a decrease of approximately 10% in the molar ellipticity within the wavelength range 220-260 nm is observed. The changes that occur during 1-h exposure to pH 8.0 can be completely prevented by including 1 mM guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GTP) or 4 M glycerol in the buffer, but those which occur at pH 9.0 cannot be prevented by these additions. In 1 M NaCl when the ratio of bound guanine nucleotide to tubulin reaches approximately 1.0, tubulin loses the abilities to assemble into microtubules and to bind colchicine. The rate of loss of nucleotide in 2 M NaCl is decreased in the presence of 1 mM GTP, and tubulin is protected almost completely from 1 M NaCl-induced loss of GTP (and retains the ability to exchange [3H]GTP as well) in the presence of bound colchicine. Investigators who anticipate exposing tubulin to buffers of elevated pH or high concentrations of chaotropic salts should be extremely cautious in interpreting the resulting data unless they can demonstrate that irreversible alteration of the protein has not occurred.     

Marek's Disease Herpesviruses I. Production and Preliminary Characterization of Marek's Disease Herpesvirus A Antigen

A method was developed for the large-scale production of Marek's disease herpesvirus A antigen in duck embryo fibroblast roller bottle cultures in quantities sufficient to permit its purification and characterization. Maximum yield was obtained in serum-free culture medium harvested daily. The Marek's disease herpesvirus A antigen was stable at pH 2.0 and was a glycoprotein based on its sensitivity to trypsin, specific immune co-precipitation of radioactive amino acids and glucosamine, and detection of radioactive glucosamine by immunodiffusion and autoradiography. The antigen aggregated and lost titer upon storage but dissociated readily and regained titer in 1 or 2 M urea and 0.05% Brij 35. Fresh unaggregated antigen or antigen dissociated with urea and Brij 35 sedimented at 3.7S on sucrose gradients. The apparent molecular weight of the glycoprotein antigen was estimated to be 44,800 by gel filtration on Sephadex G-200 in the presence of 2 M urea and 0.05% Brij 35.     

Purification of sea urchin sperm bindin by DEAE-cellulose chromatography

A procedure for purifying bindin from sperm of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus is presented in detail. The impure bindin, dissolved in 4 M urea, 50 mM sodium phosphate, pH 6.6, is adsorbed to DEAE-cellulose and eluted wit 4 M urea, 650 mM sodium phosphate, pH 6.6. The purified bindin is not contaminated with tubulin or histone HI. A precipitate of this DEAE-purified bindin, made by dialysis into Ca2+-free seawater and natural seawater, is a species-specific agglutinin of unfertilized eggs. This method of obtaining consistently pure preparations of bindin will aid in the analysis of its role in fertilization.     

Effect of urea denaturation on tryptophan fluorescence and nucleotide binding on tubulin studied by fluorescence and NMR spectroscopic methods

Tubulin, the major protein of microtubules, has been shown to be an example of protein undergoing multistep unfolding. Local unfolding and stepwise loss of a number of characteristic functions were demonstrated. In order to understand urea induced effects on tryptophan fluorescence and nucleotide binding on tubulin, both fluorescence and NMR techniques were used. Tubulin was denatured by different urea concentrations. The present experiments were carried out at concentrations of tubulin (to approximately 10 microM) at which most of the protein will be in the dimeric state. Quenching studies in the presence of KI suggest that all the tryptophans are fairly solvent exposed. Similar studies using acrylamide as quencher, suggest unfolding of tubulin at these protein concentrations to be an apparent two state process between the native and the completely unfolded states unlike at low concentrations where a partially folded intermediate was observed. No observable effects of the nucleotide or the metal ion on tryptophan fluorescence were observed. An attempt was made using NMR to monitor the changes in the nucleotide interaction with tubulin as the protein is unfolded by urea denaturation. No significant effects were observed in the binding of the nucleotide to tubulin by urea denaturation.     

Evidence for two different nitrate-reducing activities at the plasma membrane in roots ofZea mays L.

Plasma-membrane (PM) vesicles isolated from 6-d-old corn roots by sucrose gradient centrifugation or two-phase partitioning showed an NADH-dependent nitrate reductase (NR) activity averaging at 40 nmol per milligram PM protein per hour. This membrane-associated NR activity could not be removed from two-phase-partitioned PM vesicles by salt washing, osmotic shock treatment, sonication, or freeze-thawing to reverse vesicle sidedness. Therefore, it could not be attributed to contamination of membrane vesicles by the soluble, cytosolic NR. Plasma-membrane vesicles reduced NO ₃ ^- in the presence of the electron donors NADH or NADPH at an activity ratio of 2.2. The NADH- and NADPH-dependent NR activities of outside-out oriented PM vesicles differed in their sensitivity toward the detergent Brij 58, leading to a latency of 65% or 29% using NADH or NADPH as electron donor, respectively. The activities of NO ₃ ^- reduction in the presence of saturating concentrations of NADH and NADPH were additive. Furthermore, both activities were characterized by a different pH dependence with a pH optimum of 7.5 for the NADH-dependent activity and of 6.8 for the NADPH-dependent activity. The membrane-associated NAD(P)H-dependent NR activities responded to different nitrogen nutrition of plants in a manner different from the soluble forms of the enzyme. The data confirm the existence of a corn PM NR and suggest that there may be two different NO ₃ ^- -reducing enzymes located at the PM of corn roots.Abbreviations PM Plasma membrane - NR nitrate reductase This research was supported by grants from the National Research Council of Italy (bilateral project between Italy and Germany to Z.V. and U.L.), by the Ministero dell' Università e Ricera Scientifice e Tecnologica (MURST 40%) and by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.     

Dissociation and reconstitution of chromatin without appreciable degradation of the proteins.

When chromatin from Novikoff hepatoma ascites cells was dissociated in 3 M NaCl – 7 M urea either at pH 6 or 8, degradation of chromosomal proteins was observed in two-dimensional gel electrophoretic patterns. This degradation was not prevented by 50 mM NaHSO₃ but was prevented by 1 mM PMSF (phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride). Reconstitution of the chromatin components dissociated in 3 M NaCl – 7 M ure ? 0.05 M sodium acetate (pH 6.0) containing 1 mM PMSF resulted in reassociation of DNA, histones and the major nonhistone proteins (B24, B26, B33, BE, BJ, C1, C6, CG, CH, CM, C14, CP, C18, CR, CS and C25). Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis showed that although the proportion of the nonhistone proteins to histones was lower in reconstituted than in native chromatin, the template activity of the reconstituted chromatin was similar to that of native chromatin.     

The quantum efficiency of proton pumping by the purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium.

The quantum yield of H+ release in purple membrane (PM) sheets, and H+ uptake in phospholipid (egg phosphatidylcholine, PC) vesicles containing PM, was measured in single turnover light flashes using a pH-sensitive dye, p-nitrophenol, with rhodopsin as an actinometer. We have also calculated the ratio of H+ released per M412 formed (an unprotonated Shiff-base intermediate formed during the photocycle). In PM sheets, the quantum yield of H+ release depends on the medium. The quantum yield of M412 is independent of salt concentration. The ratio H+/M412 is approximately 1.8 M KC; and approximately 0.64 in 10 mM KCl. Direct measurements of the quantum yield of H+ give approximately 0.7 when the PM is suspended in 0.5 M KC; and 0.25 in 10 mM KCl. Using a quantum yield for M412 formation of 0.3 (Becher and Ebrey, 1977 Biophys J. 17:185.), these measurements also give a H+/M412 approximately 2 at high salt. In PM/PC vesicles, the H+/M412 is approximately 2 at all salt concentrations. The M412 decay is biphasic and the dye absorption change is monophasic. The dissipation of the proton gradient is very slow, taking on the order of seconds. Addition of nigericin (H+/K+ antiporter) drastically reduces the pH changes observed in PM/PC vesicles. This and the observation that the proton relaxation time is much longer than the photochemical cycling time suggest that the protons are pumped across the membrane and there is no contribution as a result of reversible binding and release of protons on just one side of the membrane.     

Apolar interaction of alpha-chymotrypsin with dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine vesicles

The interaction of bovine pancreatic alpha-chymotrypsin with dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (PC) vesicles was measured turbimetrically. The protein interacted with the vesicles at NaCl concentrations of above 0.8 M. The turbidity reached a plateau on increase in the amount of either the protein or the vesicles in the presence of a fixed amount of the other component. The precipitates formed contained both PC and protein in ratios varying with the initial amount of each component. On mixing chymotrypsin and PC vesicles, time-dependent turbidity increase was high at below pH 2.5, but relatively small at neutral and alkaline pH values. Apolar interaction between the two components was confirmed by demonstrating an increase in fluorescence intensity of chymotrypsin in the presence of the PC in 1 M NaCl. The turbidity of a mixture of PC vesicles and bovine serum albumin (BSA) increased even in the absence of 1 M NaCl, whereas the turbidities of mixtures of the vesicles and lysozyme or alpha-lactalbumin did not change with time in the presence of 1 M NaCl at pH 8.0.     

Dual effect of ADP on the activity of the plasma membrane H+‐ATPase of red beet

The effect of ADP on the activity of the plasma membrane (PM) H⁺‐ATPase of red beet ( Beta vulgaris L.) parenchyma discs was evaluated by analyzing the effect of increasing concentrations of ADP on the kinetics of the reaction. When the PM H⁺‐ATPase activity was assayed at pH 6.3, ADP behaved as a simple competitive inhibitor. When the activity was assayed at pH 7.1, ADP not only increased the apparent K_m for MgATP but also decreased the V_max of the reaction. When the C‐terminal domain of the PM H⁺‐ATPase was cleaved by controlled trypsin treatment or displaced by addition of lysophosphatidylcholine, only the competitive component of inhibition by ADP of the activity assayed at pH 7.1 was evident. The results are discussed in relation to the physiological relevance of the activation of the PM H⁺‐ATPase by displacement of the autoinhibitory C‐terminal domain.     

NPA binding activity is peripheral to the plasma membrane and is associated with the cytoskeleton

N-1-Naphthylphthalamic acid (NPA) binding activity is released into the supernatant when plasma membranes are subjected to high-salt treatment, indicating that this activity is peripherally associated with the membrane. Extraction of plasma membrane vesicles with Triton X-100 resulted in retention of NPA binding activity in the detergent-insoluble cytoskeletal pellet. Treatment of this pellet with KI released NPA binding activity, actin, and alpha-tubulin. Dialysis to remove KI led to the repolymerization of cytoskeletal elements and movement of NPA binding activity into an insoluble cytoskeletal pellet. NPA binding activity partitioned into the detergent-insoluble cytoskeletal pellet obtained from both zucchini and maize membranes and was released from these pellets by KI treatment. Treatment of a cytoskeletal pellet with cytochalasin B doubled NPA binding activity in the resulting supernatant. Together, these experiments indicate that NPA binding activity is peripherally associated with the plasma membrane and interacts with the cytoskeleton in vitro.     

Golgi-derived vesicles from developing epithelial cells bind actin filaments and possess myosin-I as a cytoplasmically oriented peripheral membrane protein

In the intestinal brush border, the mechanoenzyme myosin-I links the microvillus core actin filaments with the plasma membrane. Previous immunolocalization shows that myosin-I is associated with vesicles in mature enterocytes (Drenckhahn, D., and R. Dermietzel. 1988. J. Cell Biol. 107:1037-1048) suggesting a potential role mediating vesicle motility. We now report that myosin-I is associated with Golgi-derived vesicles isolated from cells that are rapidly assembling brush borders in intestinal crypts. Crypt cells were isolated in hyperosmotic buffer, homogenized, and fractionated using differential- and equilibrium- density centrifugation. Fractions containing 50-100-nm vesicles, a similar size to those observed in situ, were identified by EM and were shown to contain myosin-I as demonstrated by immunoblotting and immunolabel negative staining. Galactosyltransferase, a marker enzyme for trans-Golgi membranes was present in these fractions, as was alkaline phosphatase, which is an apical membrane targeted enzyme. Galactosyltransferase was also present in vesicles immuno-purified with antibodies to myosin-I. Villin, a marker for potential contamination from fragmented microvilli, was absent. Myosin-I was found to reside on the vesicle "outer" or cytoplasmic surface for it was accessible to exogenous proteases and intact vesicles could be immunolabeled with myosin-I antibodies in solution. The bound myosin-I could be extracted from the vesicles using NaCl, KI and Na2CO3, suggesting that it is a vesicle peripheral membrane protein. These vesicles were shown to bundle actin filaments in an ATP-dependent manner. These results are consistent with a role for myosin-I as an apically targeted motor for vesicle translocation in epithelial cells.     

Efficient preparation and site‐directed immobilization of VHH antibodies by genetic fusion of poly(methylmethacrylate)‐binding peptide (PMMA‐Tag)

A PMMA‐binding peptide (PMMA‐tag) was genetically fused with the C‐terminal region of an anti‐human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) single‐domain antibody (VHH). It was over‐expressed in an insoluble fraction of E. coli cells, and recovered in the presence of 8 M urea via one‐step IMAC purification. Monomeric and denatured PMMA‐tag‐fused VHH (VHH‐PM) was successfully prepared via the reduction and oxidation of VHH‐PM at a concentration less than 1 mg/mL in the presence of 8 M of urea. Furthermore, the VHH‐PM was refolded with a recovery of more than 95% by dialysis against 50 mM TAPS at pH 8.5, because the genetic fusion of PMMA‐tag resulted in a decrease in the apparent isoelectric point (pI) of the fusion protein, and its solubility at weak alkaline pH was considerably increased. The antigen‐binding activities of VHH‐PM in the adsorptive state were 10‐fold higher than that of VHH without a PMMA‐tag. The density of VHH‐PM on a PMMA plate was twice that of VHH, indicating that the site‐directed attachment of a PMMA‐tag resulted in positive effects to the adsorption amount as well as to the orientation of VHH‐PM in its adsorptive state. The preparation and immobilization methods for VHH‐PM against hCG developed in the present study were further applied to VHH‐PMs against four different antigens, and consequently, those antigens with the concentrations lower than 1 ng/mL were detected by the sandwich ELISA. Thus, the VHH‐PMs developed in the present study are useful for preparation of high‐performance and economical immunosorbent for detection of biomarkers. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 31:1563–1570, 2015     

Orientation of NAHD-linked ferric chelate (turbo) reductase in plasma membranes from roots ofPlantago lanceolata

Summary Plasma membrane vesicles isolated from roots ofPlantago lanceolata L. revealed approximately 70% right-side-out orientation based on structure-linked latency with H⁺-ATPase as a marker. Incubation with 0.05% Brij 58 caused the formation of sealed insideout vesicles, evidenced by assaying ATP-dependent proton pumping activity with the optical pH probe acridine orange. NADH-linked FeEDTA reductase activity was stimulated by including either Triton X-100 or Brij 58 in the assay medium. The activity of inverted (Brijtreated) vesicles was not further increased by the addition of Triton, suggesting that maximum activity was obtained in inside-out vesicles. Iron deficiency resulted in a ca. 2-fold increase in the specific activity of both ATPase and Fe(III) chelate reductase but did not cause significant alterations with respect to the effect of detergents. It is concluded that in vitro both donor and acceptor sites of NADH-FeEDTA reductase are located on the cytosolic face of the membrane and trans-oriented flow of electrons is not detectable in plasma membrane vesicles. Unlike Fe chelate reduction in vivo, the plasma membrane-bound reductase activity was insensitive towards application of the translation inhibitor cycloheximide prior to isolation of the membranes, implying the involvement of a regulatory enzyme in the electron transport in vivo.Abbreviations BPDS bathophenanthroline disulfonate - BTP 1,3-bis[tris(hydroxymethyl)methylamino]-propane - PM plasma membrane     

The role of band 4.1 in the association of actin with erythrocyte membranes

Spectrin stimulates the association of F-actin with erythrocyte inside-out vesicles. Although inside-out vesicles are nearly devoid of two of the three major cytoskeletal proteins, spectrin and actin, they retain nearly all of the cytoskeletal protein designated band 4.1. Inside-out vesicles which have been substantially depleted of band 4.1 by extraction in 1 M KCl, 0.4 M urea and then reconstituted with spectrin show a markedly diminished ability to bind actin by comparison with vesicles containing normal amounts of band 4.1. This diminution is not due to an impaired ability of the vesicles to bind spectrin. Addition of purified band 4.1 to vesicles either before or after they have been reconstituted with spectrin restores their actin binding capacity to near normal levels as does addition of a spectrin-band 4.1 complex prepared by sucrose gradient centrifugation. Band 4.1 bound to vesicles in the absence of added spectrin has no effect on actin binding. Our results suggest that a spectrin band 4.1 complex is responsible for binding actin to erythrocyte membranes.