A mutational study of transmembrane helix-helix interactions

Biochimie. 2007 Nov;89(11):1433-7. doi: 10.1016/j.biochi.2007.06.006. Epub 2007 Jun 30.

Abstract

Diverse methods have been developed and applied in the recent years to study interaction of transmembrane alpha-helices and often interaction of single transmembrane helices is followed on SDS-gels. Here we compare two measurements of the stability of a transmembrane helix-helix interaction, and the stability of the PsbF transmembrane helix dimer was determined in a biological membrane as well as in SDS. The observations described in this study demonstrate that the environment, in which a transmembrane helix interaction is studied, can be very critical and detergent properties can significantly influence transmembrane helix interactions, especially, when the transmembrane domain contains strongly polar residues.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism*
  • Cytochrome b Group / chemistry
  • Cytochrome b Group / genetics
  • Cytochrome b Group / metabolism
  • Dimerization
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Escherichia coli
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics*
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed*
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Peptide Fragments / chemistry
  • Peptide Fragments / genetics*
  • Peptide Fragments / metabolism*
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Cytochrome b Group
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins