Transfer properties of the bovine brain phospholipid transfer protein. Effect of charged phospholipids and of phosphatidylcholine fatty acid composition

The monolayer technique has been used to study the transfer of [¹⁴C]phosphatidylinositol from the monolayer to phosphatidylcholine vesicles. An equivalent transfer rate was found for egg phosphatidylcholine, dioleoylphosphatidylcholine, dielaidoylphosphatidylcholine and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine. A reduced transfer rate was found for a shorter-chain derivative, dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, and for species with two polyunsaturated fatty acid chains such as dilinoleoylphosphatidylcholine, diheptadecadienoylphosphatidylcholine, dilinolenoylphosphatidylcholine and diether and dialkyl derivatives. No activity was found for 1,3-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine. The presence of up to 5 mol% phosphatidylinositol in egg phosphatidylcholine vesicles had no effect on the transfer rate. Introduction of more than 5 mol% phosphatidylinositol or phosphatidic acid into the phosphatidylcholine vesicles gradually decreased the rate of phosphatidylinositol transfer from the monolayer. 20 mol% acidic phospholipid was nearly completely inhibitory. Transfer experiments between separate monolayers of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol showed that the protein-bound phosphatidylcholine is readily exchanged for phosphatidylinositol, but the protein-bound phosphatidylinositol exchange for phosphatidylcholine occurs at a 20-times lower rate. The release of phosphatidylinositol is dependent on the lipid composition and the concentration of charged lipid in the acceptor membrane, but also on the ratio between donor and acceptor membranes. The main transfer protein from bovine brain which transfer phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine transfers also phosphatidylglycerol, but not phosphatidylserine or phosphatidic acid. The absence of significant changes in the surface pressure indicate that the phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine transfer is not accompanied by net mass transfer.     

Leakage of internal markers from erythrocytes and lipid vesicles induced by melittin, gramicidin S and alamethicin: a comparative study.

The membrane-disruptive capacities of melittin, derivatised melittins, alamethicin and gramicidin S have been compared for the human erythrocyte membrane and lipid vesicles of three different compositions (phosphatidylcholine, 85% phosphatidylcholine/15% phosphatidylserine, and a lipid analogue of the outer leaflet of the human erythrocyte membrane). The sensitivity to ionic strength, divalent metal ions and polylysine of release of fluorescent markers from liposomes and of haemoglobin from intact erythrocytes has been assayed. Acetyl melittin was found to he more effective than melittin in lysing phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylserine vesicles, somewhat less effective in the lipid analogue and markedly less effective in lysing erythrocytes. Succinyl melittin was non-haemolytic, but was able to lyse lipid vesicles at a high concentration. Ca2+ inhibited melittin haemolysis at high ionic strength (150 mM NaCl), but produced a more complex response of stimulation followed by inhibition at low ionic strength. In lipid vesicles, Ca2+ either stimulated melittin lysis or was ineffective. Zn2+ exerted effects similar to Ca2+ with lipid vesicles at approx. 10-fold lower concentration except that a weak inhibition was observed for the erythrocyte membrane lipid analogue at high ionic strength. Polylysine strongly inhibited haemolysis by melittin at low ionic strength, but was ineffective or stimulatory in lipid vesicle lysis. High phosphate concentration also inhibited melittin haemolysis, but again no corresponding effect could he found in any of the lipid vesicle systems. These disparities between effects of melittin on erythrocytes and lipid vesicles support the proposal that melittin-protein interactions are of consequence to its haemolytic action. Similar experiments were performed with gramicidin S and alamethicin in order to compare their lytic properties with those of melittin. It was found that each lysin exhibited its own individual pattern of sensitivity to lipid composition, ionic strength and inhibition by cations. It thus appears likely that the detailed molecular interactions responsible for lysis are significantly different for each of these three agents.     

The fusogenic effect of synthetic polycations on negatively charged lipid bilayers

The effect of synthetic polycations, polyallylamine, and polyethylenimine, on liposomes containing phosphatidylserine was investigated along with that of polylysine and divalent cations. The addition of polycations caused aggregation of sonicated vesicles composed of phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylcholine (molar ratio 1:4) as determined by measuring the turbidity changes. Liposomal turbidity increased 10 times compared with that of control liposomes at charge ratios of polymer/vesicle from 0.23 (polylysine) to 2.5 (linear polyethylenimine), while the turbidity was unchanged by the addition of Ca2+ or Mg2+ at charge ratios up to 500. These polycations also induced intermixing of liposomal membranes as indicated by resonance energy transfer between fluorescent lipids incorporated in lipid bilayers, without inducing drastic permeability changes as determined from the calcein release. Fifty percent intermixing of liposomes (0.05 mM as lipid concentration) was induced by these polycations at charge ratios of around 1.0. However, the highest resonance energy transfer was produced by the addition of polyallylamine, which caused multicycles of membrane intermixing between vesicles. Polycation-induced membrane intermixing and permeability changes of phosphatidylserine liposomes were also investigated. At charge ratios of around 1.0, these polymers caused resonance energy transfer of fluorescent lipids incorporated in separate vesicles; however, polyallylamine and branched polyethylenimine also caused permeability increases of liposomal membranes. Membrane intermixing and permeability changes of phosphatidylserine vesicles induced by polyallylamine were dependent on the polymer/vesicle charge ratio, and were different from those induced by Ca2+ since the latter caused half-maximal membrane intermixing or permeability change of phosphatidylserine vesicles at about 1 mM at the liposomal concentrations investigated.     

Effects of phospholipid surface charge on ion conduction in the K+ channel of sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Single-channel K+ currents through sarcoplasmic reticulum K+ channels were compared after reconstitution into planar bilayers formed from neutral or negatively charged phospholipids. In neutral bilayers, the channel conductance saturates with K+ concentration according to a rectangular hyperbola, with half-saturation at 40 mM K+, and maximum conductance of 220 pS. In negatively charged bilayers (70% phosphatidylserine/30% phosphatidylethanolamine), the conductance is, at a given K+ concentration, higher than in neutral bilayers. This effect of negative surface charge is increasingly pronounced at lower ionic strength. The maximum conductance at high K+ approaches 220 pS in negative bilayers, and the channel's ionic selectivity is unaffected by lipid charge. The divalent channel blocker " bisQ11 " causes discrete blocking events in both neutral and negatively charged bilayers; the apparent rate constant of blocking is sensitive to surface charge, while the unblocking rate is largely unaffected. Bilayers containing a positively charged phosphatidylcholine analogue led to K+ conductances lower than those seen in neutral bilayers. The results are consistent with a simple mechanism in which the local K+ concentration sensed by the channel's entryway is determined by both the bulk K+ concentration and the bulk lipid surface potential, as given by the Gouy-Chapman model of the electrified interface. To be described by this approach, the channel's entryway must be assumed to be located 1-2 nm away from the lipid surface, on both sides of the membrane.     

Tests of an electrostatic screening hypothesis of the inhibition of neurotransmitter release by cations at the frog neuromuscular junction.

We have investigated an electrostatic screening hypothesis of cationic inhibition of quantal release at the neuromuscular junction of the frog (Rana pipiens). According to this hypothesis, increasing the extracellular concentration of an inhibitory cation reduces the quantal content (m) of the end-plate potential by reducing the ability of negative surface charge to attract Ca2+ to the external surface of the presynaptic membrane. The inhibitory power of various cations should depend only on their net ionic charge and should increase strongly with increasing charge. We have demonstrated, in Ringer's solutions containing modified concentrations of Na+, Ca+, and Mg2+, that at fixed concentrations of Ca2+ and Na+ (a) the dependence of m on [Mg2+]0 is satisfactorily accounted for by electrostatic theory and (b) the dependence of m on the univalent cation concentration of the modified Ringer's solution is satisfactorily predicted from the Mg2+ inhibition of m. (Glucosamine or arginine was used to replace a fraction of the Na+ content of Ringer's solution in the latter experiments.) These results are consistent with electrostatic screening actions of Mg2+ and univalent cations in the inhibition of m. We have also re-examined the inhibition of m caused by the addition to Ringer's solution of two trace concentration divalent cations, Mn2+ and Sr2+. Our data suggest that the inhibition of m by Sr2+ at high quantal contents may also be due to surface charge screening, while the potent inhibitory actions of Mn2+ may be due to its ability to bind negative surface charge.     

Membrane properties modulate the activity of a phosphatidylinositol transfer protein from the yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A phospholipid transfer protein from yeast (Daum, G. and Paltauf, F. (1984) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 794, 385-391) was 2800-fold enriched by an improved procedure. The specificity of this transfer protein and the influence of membrane properties of acceptor vesicles (lipid composition, charge, fluidity) on the transfer activity were determined in vitro using pyrene-labeled phospholipids. The yeast transfer protein forms a complex with phosphatidylinositol or phosphatidylcholine, respectively, and transfers these two phospholipids between biological and/or artificial membranes. The transfer rate for phosphatidylinositol is 19-fold higher than for phosphatidylcholine as determined with 1:8 mixtures of phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine in donor and acceptor membrane vesicles. If acceptor membranes consist only of non-transferable phospholipids, e.g., phosphatidylethanolamine, a moderate but significant net transfer of phosphatidylcholine occurs. Phosphatidylcholine transfer is inhibited to a variable extent by negatively charged phospholipids and by fatty acids. Differences in the accessibility of the charged groups of lipids to the transfer protein might account for the different inhibitory effects, which occur in the order phosphatidylserine which is greater than phosphatidylglycerol which is greater than phosphatidylinositol which is greater than cardiolipin which is greater than phosphatidic acid which is greater than fatty acids. Although mitochondrial membranes contain high amounts of negatively charged phospholipids, they serve effectively as acceptor membranes, whereas transfer to vesicles prepared from total mitochondrial lipids is essentially zero. Ergosterol reduces the transfer rate, probably by decreasing membrane fluidity. This notion is supported by data obtained with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine as acceptor vesicle component; in this case the transfer rate is significantly reduced below the phase transition temperature of the phospholipid.     

The labeling with 8-azido-cyclic adenosine monophosphate of proteins in vesicles of sarcoplasmic reticulum from rabbit skeletal muscle

The technique of laser Doppler electrophoresis was applied for the study of the surface charge properties of (NA+, K+)-ATPase containing microsomal vesicles derived from guinea-pig kidney. The influence of pH, the screening and binding of uni- and divalent cations and the binding of ATP show: (1) one net negative charge per protein unit with a pK = 3.9; (2) deviation from the Debye relation between surface potential and ionic strength for univalent cations, with no difference in the effect of Na+ and K+; (3) Mg2+ binds with an association constant of Ka = 1.1. 10(2) M-1 while ATP binds with an apparent Ka = 1.1.10(4) M-1 for 1 mM NaCl, 0.2 mM KCI, 0.1 mM MgCl2, 0.1 mM Tris-HCl2, 0.1 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.3). The binding is weaker at higher Mg2+ concentrations. There is no ATP binding in the absence of Mg2+. In addition, the average vesicle size derived from the linewidth of the quasielastic light scattering spectrum is 203.7 +/- 15.2 nm. In the presence of ATP a reduction in size is observed.     

Stoichiometric and electrostatic characterization of calcium binding to native and lipid-substituted adenosinetriphosphatase of sarcoplasmic reticulum

The stoichiometry of calcium binding to specific sites (i.e., those producing enzyme activation) was found to be 8-10 nmol/mg protein in native sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles, and 13.9-15.4 nmol/mg of ATPase purified by non-ionic detergent solubilization and anion exchange chromatography. Parallel measurements of phosphoenzyme yielded levels of 4.0-4.9 and 6.0-7.7 nmol/mg of protein in the two preparations, respectively, demonstrating that each 115 kDa ATPase chain includes one catalytic site and two calcium binding sites. The apparent association constant, K = (6 +/- 2) X 10(5) M-1, and the binding cooperativity, nH = 1.9, were unchanged when measurements were carried out with native sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles and when the membrane surface charge was altered by lipid substitution with phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylserine, at neutral pH in the presence of 10 mM MgCl2 and 80 mM KCl. On the other hand, the apparent association constant was increased in the absence of Mg2+ or, to a lesser extent, in the absence of monovalent cations. It was also observed that the cooperative character of the calcium binding isotherms was reduced in low ionic-strength media. Analysis of the electrostatic effects indicates that the calcium-binding domain is shielded from the membrane phospholipid surface charge by virtue of its location within the ATPase protein. The effects of various electrolytes are attributed to monovalent-cation binding in the calcium-binding domain. The apparent loss of cooperativity of the calcium binding isotherms at low ionic strength is attributed to a progressive displacement of the titration curve which is minimal at low degrees of saturation and becomes larger at higher degrees of saturation. This behavior is described quantitatively by the progressive effect of calcium binding on an electrostatic potential generated by localized protein charge densities within, or near, the calcium-binding domain.     

Effect of the membrane potential on the Mg2+,ATP-dependent transport of Ca2+ across smooth muscle sarcolemma

The effect of the membrane potential (K(+)-valinomycin system) on the Mg2+, ATP-dependent transport of Ca2+ in inside-out vesicles of myometrium sarcolemma has been studied. The membrane potential was identified by using a cyanine potential-sensitive probe, diS-C3-(5). In the presence of valinomycin (5.10(-8) M) the inside-out directed K+ gradient (delta psi = -86 mV, with a negative charge inside) stimulated the initial rate of the energy-dependent accumulation of Ca2+ transfer whereas the oppositely directed K+ gradient (delta psi = +72 mV, with a positive charge inside) had no effect on this process. The K+ gradient was formed by isotonic substitution of K+ in intra- or extravesicular space for choline +. At the same time, in the absence of K+ gradient the Mg2+, ATP-dependent accumulation of Ca2+ in membrane vesicles did not depend on the chemical nature of the cations (K+ or choline+) used for isotonicity. The decrease of delta psi from 0 to -86 mV affects the initial rate of Ca2+ accumulation but not the maximal content of the accumulated cation. Preliminary dissipation of the membrane potential (delta psi = -86 mV) in Mg2(+)-free isotonic (with respect of K+ and choline+) media containing ATP and Ca2+ resulted in the inhibition of Mg2+, ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport induced by subsequent addition of Mg2+. These results indicate that the negative (intravesicular) electrical potential activates the Ca-pump of smooth muscle sarcolemma. This activation is based on the increase in the turnover number of the Ca2+ transporting system but not on its affinity for the transfer substrate. The use of the absolute reaction rates theory made it possible to establish that the Ca-pump effectuates the transport of a single positive charge in inside-out vesicles of smooth muscle plasma membranes, i.e., the energy-dependent transport of Ca2+ occurs either as a symport (with an anion (Cl-) or an antiport with a monovalent cation (K+) or a proton. It is assumed that the potential dependence of the Ca-pump in the smooth muscle plasma membrane plays a role in the realization of effects of mediators and physiologically active substances that are manifested as stimulation of the contractile response and depolarization of the sarcolemma. In is quite probable that the delta psi-dependent Ca-pump is also responsible for the maintenance of intracellular homeostasis of monovalent cations (K+, H+, Cl-) in smooth muscle tissues.     

Protein-mediated lipid transfer. The effects of lipid-phase transition and of charged lipids.

The protein-mediated phospholipid exchange between small unilamellar vesicles was investigated by fluorescence polarization measurements with diphenylhexatriene as optical probe. Thermotropic phase-transition measurements were taken after mixing two vesicle preparations of distinct and different phase-transition temperatures or having different states of charge. From the heights of each phase-transition step, we were able to follow the lipid-exchange process in the presence, as well as in the absence (natural exchange), of so-called transfer protein isolated from beef liver. A strong enhancement of the lipid transfer was observed at the corresponding lipid-phase-transition temperature, which is explained by the presence of fluctuating fluid and ordered domains co-existing at the lipid-phase-transition temperature. A unidirectional lipid transfer of the neutral component was observed between negatively charged phosphatidic acid and neutral phosphatidylcholine vesicles. Fluorescence polarization measurements showed the disappearance of the phosphatidylcholine phase transition, whereas the phosphatidic acid phase transition broadened and its phase transition temperature became lower.     

Study of the electrokinetic properties of reconstituted sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles

A study of electrokinetic properties of reconstituted sarcoplasmic reticulum was undertaken to determine the nature of the groups bearing the negative charge of the membrane. After incorporation of phosphatidylcholine into the bilayer, it was found that the Ca2+-ATPase embedded in functional vesicles bore 3e- per mole. When the surface charge density of the hydrodynamic particles became more negatively charged by incorporation of phosphatidylserine molecules, the reconstituted vesicles had a tendency to build large structures resulting from vesicle-vesicle interaction and containing large amounts of divalent cations. These aggregated structures may partially explain the discrepancy observed between the expected value of the surface charge density and the data obtained by electrophoretic mobility measurements. This work emphasizes the importance of a renewal of the classical interpretation of electrophoretic mobility data in order to analyze the results obtained with biological material. To explain the energy transduction process which takes place in the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane, it was of interest to determine whether or not variations of the surface electrical properties affect the calcium ion translocation upon ATP hydrolysis. Relatively significant modifications of the bilayer composition and surface charge density did not appreciably affect the calcium transport activity.     

Bovine brain phosphatidylinositol transfer protein. Effects of pH, ionic strength and lipid composition on transfer activity

Phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylcholine are transferred between bilayer membranes in the presence of a specific phosphatidylinositol transfer protein isolated from bovine brain. The effects of pH, ionic strength and lipid composition on the rate of transfer of these phospholipids between small unilamellar vesicles have been investigated. At low ionic strength, phosphatidylinositol transfer between vesicles prepared from phosphatidylcholine and 5 mol% phosphatidylinositol was maximal at about pH 5 and moderately dependent on hydrogen ion concentration in more alkaline regions. A similar dependence on pH was noted for phosphatidylcholine transfer between membranes containing phosphatidylcholine or mixtures of phosphatidylcholine and 5 mol% phosphatidylinositol, phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine or stearylamine. The rate of transfer between anionic vesicles was somewhat higher than that between neutral or cationic vesicles. At higher ionic strength the transfer reactions in neutral and alkaline regions were less sensitive to pH. Phospholipid transfers between vesicles containing 5 mol% of anionic lipid increased sharply as ionic strength decreased below 0.1. In contrast, phosphatidylcholine transfer between membranes which contained only zwitterionic phospholipids or 5 mol% stearylamine was unaffected by variations of ionic strength. Irrespective of the lipid composition of membranes, pH affected both the apparent Km and Vmax, while ionic strength generally affected the apparent Vmax. These results indicate a significant role of electrostatic interactions in the phospholipid transfer catalyzed by phosphatidylinositol transfer protein.     

Effect of bilayer membrane curvature on activity of phosphatidylcholine exchange protein

Effect of bilayer membrane curvature of substrate phosphatidylcholine and inhibitor phosphatidylserine on the activity of phosphatidylcholine exchange protein has been studied by measuring transfer of spin-labeled phosphatidylcholine between vesicles, vesicles and liposomes, and between liposomes. The transfer rate between vesicles was more than 100 times larger than that between vesicles and liposomes. The transfer rate between liposomes was still smaller than that between vesicles and liposomes and nearly the same as that in the absence of exchange protein. The markedly enhanced exchange with vesicles was ascribed to the asymmetric packing of phospholipid molecules in the outer layer of the highly curved bilayer membrane. The inhibitory effect of phosphatidylserine was also greatly dependent on the membrane curvature. The vesicles with diameter of 17 nm showed more than 20 times larger inhibitory activity than those with diameter of 22 nm. The inhibitory effect of liposomes was very small. The size dependence was ascribed to stronger binding of the exchange protein to membranes with higher curvatures. The protein-mediated transfer from vesicles to spiculated erythrocyte ghosts was about four times faster than that to cup-shaped ghosts. This was ascribed to enhanced transfer to the highly curved spiculated membrane sites rather than greater mobility of phosphatidylcholine in the spiculated ghost membrane.     

The effect of physiologically occurring cations upon aequorin light emission. Determination of the binding constants.

1. The effect of K+, Na+, Mg2+ and pH upon the rate of aequorin utilization has been investigated in the presence of Ca2+. 2. The aequorin light emission in a medium simulating the in vivo cationic conditions for barnacle muscle fibres indicates that two Ca2+ are apparently involved in this process for free calcium concentrations higher than approx. 10(-5) M. However, for free calcium concentrations lower than 10(-6) M, the intensity of light emitted by aequorin shows a steeper dependency upon [Ca2+] than the square low relationship, indicating that a third Ca2+ should be involved in the process of aequorin light emission, as it has been previously predicted (Moisescu, D.G., Ashley, C.C. and Campbell, A.K. (1975) Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 396, 133-140). 3. The inhibitory effect of physiologically occurring cations upon the aequorin light emission can be explained by the cooperative action of two cations, competing with Ca2+ for the reactive sites on aequorin. 4. At a given concentration, Na2+ was found to have a stronger inhibitory effect upon the aequoring light emission than K+. 5. The experiments indicate a strong interaction between Na+ and K+ in this inhibitory process, since for a given total concentration of monovalent cations, a mixture containing both Na+ and K+ has a larger inhibitory effect on the aequorin light response than solutions containing either Na+ or K+ alone. 6. All other interactions between K+, Na+, H+ and Mg2+ appear to be weak. 7. The reaction schemes used for the explanation of these and other published results on aequorin (Moisescu, D.G., Ashley, C.C. and Campbell, A.K. (1975) Biochim. Biophys, Acta 396, 133-140 and Blinks, J.R. (1973) Eur. J. Cardiol. 1, 135-142) are described, and the 'absolute' binding constants of all physiologically occurring cations for aequorin have been determined. 8. Based on these parameters one can make accurate quantitative predictions for the aequoring light response under a variety of ionic conditions, and this suggests that it is possible to determine absolute free calcium concentrations providing that the ionic composition of the solutions is known, and that the relative rate of aequorin utilization is higher than 0.005.     

Kinetics of ion translocation across charged membranes mediated by a two-site transport mechanism. Effects of polyvalent cations upon rubidium uptake into yeast cells.

(1) The effect of surface charge upon the kinetics of monovalent cation translocation via a two-site mechanism is investigated theroretically. (2) According to the model dealt with, typical relations are expected for the dependence of the kinetic parameters of the translocation process upon the concentration of a polyvalent cation, differing essentially from those derived for the case in which the membrane carries no excess charge. (3) Even when a polyvalent cation does not compete with the substrate cation for binding to the translocation sites, apparently competitive inhibition may occur when the membrane is negatively charged. (4) The model is tested experimentally by studying the effects of the polyvalent cations Mg2+, Sr2+, Ca2+, Ba2+ and Al3+ upon Rb+ uptake into yeast cells at pH 4.5 A good applicability is found. (5) Equimolar concentrations of polyvalent cations reduce the rate of the Rb+ uptake into yeast cells in the order Mg2+ less than Sr2+ less than Ca2+ less than Ba2+ less than Al3+. (6) The conclusion is reached that the reduction in the rate of Rb+ uptake caused by the polyvalent cations applied results mainly from screening of the negative fixed charges on the membrane surface and binding to these negative sites rather than competition with Rb+ for the transport sites. (7) The results of our investigation indicate the affinity of the alkaline-earth cations for the negative fixed charges on the surface to the yeast cell membrane increases in the orther Mg2+ less than Sr2 less than Ca2+ less than Ba2+. (8) Probably mainly phosphoryl groups determine the net charge on the membrane of the yeast cell at a medium pH of 4.5.     

Acidic phospholipids strikingly potentiate sterol carrier protein 2 mediated intermembrane sterol transfer

A liposomal membrane model system was developed to examine the mechanism of spontaneous and protein-mediated intermembrane cholesterol transfer. Rat liver sterol carrier protein 2 (SCP2) and fatty acid binding protein (FABP, also called sterol carrier protein) both bind sterol. However, only SCP2 mediates sterol transfer. The exchange of sterol between small unilamellar vesicles (SUV) containing 35 mol % sterol was monitored with a recently developed assay [Nemecz, G., Fontaine, R. N., & Schroeder, F. (1988) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 943, 511-541], modified to continuous polarization measurement and not requiring separation of donor and acceptor membrane vesicles. As compared to spontaneous sterol exchange, 1.5 microM rat liver SCP2 enhanced the initial rate of sterol exchange between neutral zwwitterionic phosphatidylcholine SUV 2.3-fold. More important, the presence of acidic phospholipids (2.5-30 mol %) stimulated the SCP2-mediated increase in sterol transfer approximately 35-42-fold. Thus, acidic phospholipids strikingly potentiate the effect of SCP2 by 15-18 times as compared to SUV without negatively charged lipids. Rat liver FABP (up to 60 microM) was without effect on sterol transfer in either neutral zwitterionic or anionic phospholipid containing SUV. The potentiation of SCP2 action by acidic phospholipids was suppressed by high ionic strength, neomycin, and low pH. The results suggest that electrostatic interaction between SCP2 and negatively charged membranes may play an important role in the mechanism whereby SCP2 enhances intermembrane cholesterol transfer.     

Cation exchanges of yeast in the absence of magnesium.

Environmental Mg2+ was found to influence the K+/Na+ exchange rate of metabolizing yeast. Addition of EDTA increased the exchange rate and Mg2+ reversed the effect of EDTA. Yeast starved in the absence of Mg2+ exchanged cellular K+ or Na+ for external H+ when maintained at acidic pH. The exchange rate depended on cellular pH and showed the same kinetics for both K+ and Na+. At acidic pH, the presence of external cations neither inhibited H+ absorption nor changed the cation/H+ 1 : 1 stoichiometry. At neutral pH, external cations inhibited H+ influx but did not change the cation efflux. The K+/Na+ exchange is discussed as electrically coupled and the K+/H+ and Na+/H+ exchanges as electroneutral antiports.     

The voltage-sensitive Na+/H+ exchange in sea urchin spermatozoa flagellar membrane vesicles studied with an entrapped pH probe

Flagellar plasma membrane vesicles were isolated from sea urchin sperm using osmotic lysis. A membrane impermeant fluorescence pH indicator, pyranine, was incorporated into the vesicles as they resealed after lysis and was used to measure the intravesicular pH (pHi). Addition of Na+ rapidly alkalinized the pHi of vesicles prepared with an internal acidic pH gradient. The pHi increase showed ionic selectivity in the order of Na+ greater than Li+ much greater than K+ approximately equal to Cs+ approximately equal to O. Complete removal of monovalent anions such as Cl- and HCO3- did not affect the exchange, thus ruling out the participation of an anion carrier in the process. The optimal operation of the exchanger, however, required the presence of a transmembrane potential, which could be generated by the diffusion potential of either K+, a naturally permeant ion, or Cs+ which was artificially made permeant by the ionophore valinomycin. Depolarization inhibited the exchange in both the forward and the reverse directions, which is consistent with the voltage-gated electroneutral exchange mechanism proposed previously for this exchanger (Lee, H. C. J. Biol. Chem. (1984) 259, 15315-15319). The voltage sensitivity of the Na+/H+ exchanger was found to be modulated by the presence of Mg2+. A model involving the screening of the internal surface potential was proposed to account for the Mg2+ effect. The vesicle preparation used in this study allows complete control of the internal contents and represents a major simplification of the system as compared with the intact sperm and the isolated flagella used previously.     

Kinetics and mechanism of electron transfer from dithionite to microsomal cytochrome b5 and to forms of the protein associated with charged and neutral vesicles.

The kinetics of the dithionite reduction of calf liver microsomal cytochrome b5, both free in solution and bound to dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine vesicles, are consistent with electron transfer between SO2- and the exposed haem edge of the protein. The vesicle membrane does not hinder the approach of SO2- to the site of electron transfer on the protein. In 0.01 M-Tris/HCl buffer, pH 8.1, ket (25 degrees C), delta H et and delta S et are estimated to be 1.44 x 10(6) M-1.s-1, 7.8 kJ.mol-1 and -92.3 J.K-1.mol-1 respectively. The cytochrome exhibits an acid dissociation, pKa 9.3 +/- 0.3, and the rate of electron transfer from dithionite to the high-pH form is about one-third of that to the neutral-pH form. The effect of ionic strength on the kinetics is consistent with a reaction between like-charged species and is discussed in terms of a number of theoretical models. In systems comprising cytochrome b5 and negatively charged vesicles, the effect of increasing the charge density of mixed dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine/dicetyl phosphate vesicles and of increasing the concentration of dicetyl phosphate vesicles is to lower the rate of electron transfer from dithionite to the haem moiety of the cytochrome. With vesicles of high charge density, however, the kinetics are complicated by vesicle-induced conformation changes of the cytochrome.     

A new fluorimetric method to measure protein-catalyzed phospholipid transfer using 1-acyl-2-parinaroylphosphatidylcholine

A new, simple and versatile method to measure phospholipid transfer has been developed, based on the use of a fluorescent phospholipid derivative, 1-acyl-2-parinaroylphosphatidylcholine. Vesicles prepared of this phospholipid show a low level of fluorescence due to interactions between the fluorescent groups. When phospholipid transfer protein and vesicles consisting of non-labeled phosphatidylcholine are added the protein catalyzes an exchange of phosphatidylcholine between the labeled donor and non-labeled acceptor vesicles. The insertion of labeled phosphatidylcholine into the non-labeled vesicles is accompanied by an increase in fluorescence due to abolishment of self-quenching. The initial rate of fluorescence enhancement was found to be proportional to the amount of transfer protein added. This assay was applied to determine the effect of membrane phospholipid composition on the activity of the phosphatidylcholine-, phosphatidylinositol- and non-specific phospholipid transfer proteins. Using acceptor vesicles of egg phosphatidylcholine and various amounts of phosphatidic acid it was observed that the rate of phosphatidylcholine transfer was either stimulated, inhibited or unaffected by increased negative charge depending on the donor to acceptor ratio and the protein used. In another set of experiments acceptor vesicles were prepared of phosphatidylcholine analogues in which the ester bonds were replaced with ether bonds or carbon-carbon bonds. Assuming that only a strictly coupled exchange between phosphatidylcholine and analogues gives rise to the observed fluorescence increase, orders of substrate preference could be established for the phosphatidylcholine- and phosphatidylinositol transfer proteins.