Characterization of Two Pore-Forming Proteins Isolated from the Outer Membrane of Synechococcus PCC 6301

Two major proteins, A and B, were isolated and purified from outer membranes of the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechococcus PCC 6301 by gel filtration, anion-exchange chromatography, and preparative SDS-PAGE. Protein A revealed a single-channel conductance of 0.4 nanoSiemens (nS) in 1 M KCl, whereas preparations containing both proteins showed two different conductance maxima of 0.4 and 0.9 nS, suggesting that B also forms pores. The apparent molecular mass of the two closely migrating proteins was determined as 52 kDa, whereas native porin extracts revealed a relative molecular mass of ca. 140 kDa, indicating trimeric pore-forming units. Partial sequences of both proteins were obtained by N-terminal sequencing of tryptic peptides, and the C-terminal amino acid sequences were derived from the complete proteins. These sequences were aligned to protein sequences available in the databases. The results are discussed. Received: 22 August 1997 / Accepted: 1 October 1997