Disruption of phospholipid asymmetry in erythrocyte vesicles deficient in spectrin.
The transbilayer distribution of phospholipids in right-side-out and inside-out vesicles derived from human erythrocytes was studied by phospholipase A2 digestion assays and by staining with the fluorescent dye merocyanine 540. In both types of vesicles, the normal asymmetric distribution of phospholipids characteristic of intact cells was disrupted. Because both types of vesicles are deficient in spectrin, the major protein of the cytoskeletal network which normally underlies the membrane, these results support the contention that spectrin is involved in the maintenance of phospholipid asymmetry.
H R
HR
Choe
P
P
Williamson
E
E
Rubin
R A
RA
Schlegel
D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D006801:Humans; D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000378:metabolism; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood*; D013049:Spectrin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D010743:Phospholipids; D013049:Spectrin; D010741:Phospholipases A; D054467:Phospholipases A2