title: Fragments from alpha-actinin insert into reconstituted lipid bilayers.
abstract: Recent experiments have indicated that alpha-actinin interacts with phospholipid membranes. Using computer analysis methods we determined two possible lipid binding sites capable of membrane attachment/insertion, residues 281-300 and 720-739 of the primary amino acid sequence on smooth muscle alpha-actinin. Having expressed these regions as fusion proteins with schistosomal GST (glutathione S-transferase), we used differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to investigate their interaction with mixtures of zwitterionic (dimyristoyl-l-alpha-phosphatidylcholine, DMPC) and anionic (dimyristoyl-l-alpha-phosphatidylglycerol, DMPG) phospholipids in reconstituted lipid bilayers. Calorimetric measurements showed that as fusion protein concentration increased, the main chain transition enthalpy decreased and chain melting temperatures shifted, which is indicative of partial protein insertion into the hydrophobic region of the lipid membranes. Centrifugation assay and subsequent SDS/Page chromatography confirmed this finding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA. goldmann_w@hub.tch.harvard.edu
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Goldmann
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Teodoridis
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Alonso
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Isenberg
mesh_terms: D000185:Actinin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002152:Calorimetry, Differential Scanning; D002498:Centrifugation; D002645:Chickens; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004134:Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine / Q000378:metabolism; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004926:Escherichia coli; D008051:Lipid Bilayers / Q000378:metabolism*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D010715:Phosphatidylglycerols / Q000378:metabolism; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008051:Lipid Bilayers; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010715:Phosphatidylglycerols; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D000185:Actinin; C002773:dimyristoylphosphatidylglycerol; D004134:Dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine