Characterizing the Size and Composition of Saposin A Lipoprotein Picodiscs

Anal Chem. 2016 Oct 4;88(19):9524-9531. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.6b02097. Epub 2016 Sep 13.

Abstract

Saposin A (SapA) lipoprotein discs, also known as picodiscs (PDs), represent an attractive method to solubilize glycolipids for protein interaction studies in aqueous solution. Recent electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) data suggest that the size and composition of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC)-containing PDs at neutral pH differs from those of N,N-dimethyldodecylamine N-oxide determined by X-ray crystallography. Using high-resolution ESI-MS, multiangle laser light scattering (MALLS), and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, the composition, heterogeneity, and structure of POPC-PDs in aqueous ammonium acetate solutions at pH 4.8 and 6.8 were investigated. The ESI-MS and MALLS data revealed that POPC-PDs consist predominantly of (SapA dimer + iPOPC) complexes, with i = 23-29, and have an average molecular weight (MW) of 38.2 ± 3.3 kDa at pH 4.8. In contrast, in freshly prepared solutions at pH 6.8, POPC-PDs are composed predominantly of (SapA tetramer + iPOPC) complexes, with i = 37-60, with an average MW of 68.0 ± 2.7 kDa. However, the (SapA tetramer + iPOPC) complexes are unstable at neutral pH and convert, over a period of hours, to (SapA trimer + iPOPC) complexes, with i = 29-36, with an average MW of 51.1 ± 2.9 kDa. The results of molecular modeling suggest spheroidal structures for the (SapA dimer + iPOPC), (SapA trimer + iPOPC), and (SapA tetramer + iPOPC) complexes in solution. Comparison of measured collision cross sections (Ω) with values calculated for gaseous (SapA dimer + 26POPC)8+, (SapA trimer + 33POPC)12+, and (SapA tetramer + 42POPC)16+ ions produced from modeling suggests that the solution structures are largely preserved in the gas phase, although the lipids do not maintain regular bilayer orientations.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetates / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Chickens
  • Gases / chemistry
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Lipoproteins / chemistry*
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Molecular Weight
  • Particle Size*
  • Phosphatidylcholines / chemistry
  • Saposins / chemistry*
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization

Substances

  • Acetates
  • Gases
  • Lipoproteins
  • Phosphatidylcholines
  • Saposins
  • ammonium acetate
  • 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine

Grants and funding