title: Chemical crosslinking of alpha subunits in the F1 adenosine triphosphatase of Escherichia coli.
abstract: The arrangement of the subunits in the F1 adenosine triphosphatase of Escherichia coli has been investigated using bifunctional chemical crosslinking agents to covalently link adjacent subunits in the enzyme molecule. The synthesis of the new cleavable crosslinking agent 2,2'-dithiobis(succinimidyl propionate) is described. The crosslinked products resulting from the reaction of the enzyme with 2,2'- and 3,3'-dithiobis(succinimidyl propionate), 3,3'-dithiobis(sulfosuccinimidyl propionate), disuccinimidyl tartrate, dimethyl adipimidate, 1-ethyl-3[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]carbodiimide, and 1,2:3,4-diepoxybutane were analyzed by "three-dimensional" polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in which they were resolved first in a two-dimensional system. Following cleavage of the crosslinking bridge in the separated products, the constituent subunits were identified by a further one-dimensional gel electrophoresis step. This procedure greatly improved the precision with which crosslinked subunits could be identified. It largely overcame problems due to abnormal migration of crosslinked species on gel electrophoresis and to the formation of multiple species of the same crosslinked subunit dimers. The following crosslinked subunit dimers were identified: alpha alpha, alpha beta, beta gamma, alpha delta, beta epsilon, and gamma epsilon. The trimer alpha alpha delta was recognized. The formation of alpha alpha over alpha beta dimers was favored when more polar crosslinking agents were used. The constraints placed by the finding of adjacent alpha subunits upon current models for the arrangement of the subunits in the F1 ATPase are discussed.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Bragg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hou
mesh_terms: D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000379:methods; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D006180:Proton-Translocating ATPases