title: The subunit structure of the follitropin receptor. Chemical cross-linking of the solubilized follitropin-receptor complex.
abstract: Homobifunctional cross-linkers were utilized to characterize high affinity (Ka = 2.2 X 10(-10) M-1) follitropin (FSH) receptors in immature bovine testis. Following the formation of radioiodinated human FSH (125I-hFSH)-receptor complexes, the membranes were solubilized with Triton X-100 or beta-octyl glucoside and the supernatants from ultracentrifugation (220,000 X g) subjected to gel filtration (Sephadex G-200) to separate the labeled hormone-receptor complexes from the unbound 125I-hFSH. The appearance of a high molecular weight (greater than or equal to 200,000) radioactive component in the elution profile was abolished when an excess of unlabeled hFSH was included in the initial incubation. After concentration by ultrafiltration, the 125I-hFSH-receptor complex, as well as the free hormone, was treated with a variety of chemical cross-linkers and subjected to analysis by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography. Bands of Mr = 65,000 and 83,000 observed in the autoradiograph of the hormone-receptor complex was not present in autoradiographs of free 125I-hFSH, nor were they present when an excess of unlabeled hFSH was included in the initial binding incubation mixtures. The 65,000 and 83,000 Mr bands were, therefore, considered to represent cross-linked complexes of labeled hFSH (Mr = 38,000) or its subunits (hFSH alpha, Mr = 16,000; hFSH beta, Mr = 21,000) and components of the FSH receptor. The bands were observed on autoradiographs when the extraction of the membranes was performed with either Triton X-100 or beta-octyl glucoside and when cross-linking was accomplished with disuccinimidyl suberate, ethylene glycol bis(succinimidyl succinate), or bis[2-(succinimido oxycarbonyl)oxyethyl]sulfone. The Mr of the native FSH receptor in the calf testis has been estimated at 146,000. Our studies demonstrate the multimeric nature of the FSH receptor. However, FSH is also composed of subunits, so that due to the complexity of the system, it was not possible to arrive at a precise assessment of the Mr or quaternary structure of the receptor subunits.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Branca
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Sluss
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Reichert
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D007700:Kinetics; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism; D011962:Receptors, FSH; D013388:Succinimides; D013737:Testis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003432:Cross-Linking Reagents; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D011962:Receptors, FSH; D013388:Succinimides; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; C019358:disuccinimidyl suberate