Temperature dependence of kinetic parameters of (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase in rabbit and winter flounder sarcoplasmic reticulum.

The effect of temperature on the activity of (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase in rabbit (R) and winter flounder (F) sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) has been investigated. The enzymes from the two sources appear to be differently adapted to temperature. (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase activity of FSR was high at 35 degrees C, and declined to zero at 40 degrees C, whereas RSR was still active above 45 degrees C. Km for ATP increased with temperature in a biphasic fashion for both enzymes. The Km values for FSR were 69-75 microM at lower temperatures (9-18 degrees C) and 80-187 microM at higher temperatures (18-35 degrees C). Values for RSR were 6.5-13 microM below 32 degrees C and 37-186 microM above this temperature. At their respective physiological temperatures the enzyme from both rabbit and flounder exhibited similar Km (70-80 microM). Effective ATP binding enthalpies were 3-5 times lower for FSR than for RSR in both temperature regions. Binding energies increased with temperature 3-4 fold for enzyme in both SR. The enzyme in FSR is suggested to be a more effective catalyst than the one in RSR in the sense that its activation energy for ATP hydrolysis is lower. These variations may arise from dissimilarities in either the protein, or in its surrounding lipid, or both. RSR and FSR are significantly different in the nature of the unsaturated chains in their constituent lipids. The difference in lipid composition might account for some of the deversity in the kinetic parameters.

The effect of changes in gramicidin conformation on bilayer lipid properties.

The effects of two different gramicidin conformations on lipid phase behaviour and dynamics are compared. Samples of chain-perdeuterated dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine containing gramicidin were first prepared with gramicidin in a state having a circular dichroism spectrum generally identified as corresponding to the non-channel conformation. The effects, on bilayer lipid properties, of gramicidin in this conformation were then determined using deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance measurements of acyl chain orientational order and transverse relaxation times as a function of temperature. These samples were then incubated at 65 degrees C to convert the gramicidin to a state with a circular dichroism spectrum of the type generally identified with the channel conformation. The nuclear magnetic resonance measurements were then repeated. In the gel phase, it was found that transverse relaxation time and chain orientational order of the lipid were insensitive to gramicidin conformation. In the liquid crystalline phase, gramicidin in the channel conformation was found to have a slightly larger effect on transverse relaxation and orientational order than gramicidin in the non-channel conformation. The perturbation of the phase behavior by gramicidin was found to be relatively insensitive to gramicidin conformation.

Interaction between perdeuterated dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine and low molecular weight pulmonary surfactant protein SP-C.

A low molecular weight hydrophobic protein was isolated from porcine lung lavage fluid using silicic acid and Sephadex LH-20 chromatography. The protein migrated with an apparent molecular weight of 5000-6000 on SDS-PAGE under reducing and nonreducing conditions. Gels run under reducing conditions also showed a minor band migrating with a molecular weight of 12,000. Amino acid compositional analysis and sequencing data suggest that this protein preparation contains intact surfactant protein SP-C and about 30% of truncated SP-C (N-terminal leucine absent). The surfactant protein was combined with perdeuterated dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC-d54) in multilamellar vesicles. The protein enhanced the rate of adsorption of the lipid at air-water interfaces. The ability of the protein to alter normal lipid organization was examined by using high-sensitivity differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and 2H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (2H NMR). The calorimetric measurements indicated that the protein caused a decrease in the temperature maximum (Tm) and a broadening of the phase transition. At a protein concentration of 8% (w/w), the enthalpy change of transition was reduced to 4.4 kcal/mol compared to 6.3 kcal/mol determined for the pure lipid. NMR spectral moment studies indicated that protein had no effect on lipid chain order in the liquid-crystal phase but reduced orientational order in the gel phase. Two-phase coexistence in the presence of protein was observed over a small temperature range below the pure lipid transition temperature. Spin-lattice relaxation times (T1) were not substantially affected by the protein. Transverse relaxation time (T2e) studies suggest that the protein influences slow lipid motions.

2H NMR studies of the effect of pulmonary surfactant SP-C on the 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine headgroup: a model for transbilayer peptides in surfactant and biological membranes.

Surfactant protein C (SP-C) was isolated from solvent extracts of porcine pulmonary surfactant by gel filtration chromatography. The surfactant protein was combined with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine deuterated at the alpha and beta positions of the choline headgroup (DPPC-d4) Deuterium nuclear magnetic resonance spectra were collected as a function of temperature for a series of protein concentrations. The splitting of the alpha-deuteron spectrum in the liquid-crystalline phase was insensitive to temperature but decreased with increasing protein concentration. The response of headgroup conformation to protein concentration was consistent with an interaction between the lipid headgroup dipole and the net positive surface charge associated with the protein. The observed effect per charge on the alpha splitting was less than that reported for singly-charged amphiphiles [Scherer, P. G., & Seelig, J. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 7720-7728] but was similar to that obtained using a multipled-charged amphiphilic polypeptide [Roux, M., Neumann, J.-M., Hodges, R. S., Devaux, P. F., & Bloom, M. (1989) Biochemistry 28, 2313-2321]. This comparison suggests that the charges on SP-C are located near the bilayer surface. The possibility that the headgroup response is sensitive to the degree of clustering of surface charge is discussed. The beta-deuteron splitting in the liquid-crystalline phase decreased with increasing temperature but was relatively insensitive to protein concentration, suggesting that the torsion angle about the C alpha-C beta bond might be sensitive to steric interactions between the lipid headgroup and the protein.