title: Proximity between Glu126 and Arg144 in the lactose permease of Escherichia coli.
abstract: Evidence has been presented [Venkatesan, P., and Kaback, H. R. (1998) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 95, 9802-9807] that Glu126 (helix IV) and Arg144 (helix V) which are critical for substrate binding in the lactose permease of Escherichia coli are charge paired and therefore in close proximity. To test this conclusion more directly, three different site-directed spectroscopic techniques were applied to permease mutants in which Glu126 and/or Arg144 were replaced with either His or Cys residues. (1) Glu126-->His/Arg144-->His permease containing a biotin acceptor domain was purified by monomeric avidin affinity chromatography, and Mn(II) binding was assessed by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. The mutant protein binds Mn(II) with a KD of about 40 microM at pH 7.5, while no binding is observed at pH 5.5. In addition, no binding is detected with Glu126-->His or Arg144-->His permease. (2) Permease with Glu126-->Cys/Arg144-->Cys and a biotin acceptor domain was purified, labeled with a thiol-specific nitroxide spin-label, and shown to exhibit spin-spin interactions in the frozen state after reconstitution into proteoliposomes. (3) Glu126-->Cys/Arg144-->Cys permease with a biotin acceptor domain was purified and labeled with a thiol-specific pyrene derivative, and fluorescence spectra were obtained after reconstitution into lipid bilayers. An excimer band is observed with the reconstituted E126C/R144C mutant, but not with either single-Cys mutant or when the single-Cys mutants are mixed prior to reconstitution. The results provide strong support for the conclusion that Glu126 (helix IV) and Arg144 (helix V) are in close physical proximity.
authors.affiliation: Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Physiology Molecular Biology Institute, Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Zen
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Hubbell
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kaback
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001120:Arginine / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000235:genetics; D003545:Cysteine / Q000235:genetics; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology*; D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D006639:Histidine / Q000235:genetics; D008345:Manganese / Q000378:metabolism; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence; D013113:Spin Labels; D027981:Symporters
chemical_list: D029968:Escherichia coli Proteins; C050221:LacY protein, E coli; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009004:Monosaccharide Transport Proteins; D013113:Spin Labels; D027981:Symporters; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D008345:Manganese; D006639:Histidine; C021499:lactose permease; D001120:Arginine; D003545:Cysteine