Abstract

Treatment of purified preparations of Na,K-ATPase by phospholipase A2 has led to the formation of two-dimensional crystals of the protein. Control tests with another phospholipase and two detergents have shown that crystallization occurs as the result of hydrolysis and/or solubilization of the phospholipids in the enzyme vesicles. Experimentation with various buffer systems has indicated that reduction in the amount of phospholipids alone is sufficient for inducing the formation of crystalline sheets. Inclusion of crystal inducing ions in the buffer facilitates the crystallization process, resulting in more extensive arrays. The new crystalline sheets are exclusively dimeric with average unit cell dimensions: a = 15.8 +/- 0.4 nm, b = 4.9 +/- 0.2 nm, and gamma = 64 +/- 3 degrees. Examination of the micrographs shows that the initial intermolecular interaction leading to the formation of sheets is between the alpha subunits. Results from this study suggest that removal and/or modification of phospholipids by phospholipases could prove successful in crystallizing those membrane proteins in which excess lipid is the main barrier to the formation of two-dimensional arrays.