Membrane solubilization and nanodisc formation by an amphipatic styrene-maleic acid copolymer. Mode of action, implications and applications
Vendredi 19 décembre 2014 11:00
- Duree : 1 heure
Lieu : Salle des séminaires de l’IBS - 71, avenue des Martyrs - Grenoble
Orateur : Antoinette KILLIAN (Utrecht University, The Netherlands)
An exciting recent discovery in membrane research is the ability of copolymers of styrene and maleic acid (SMA) to solubilize membranes in the form of nanodiscs. This can be considered a major breakthrough in membrane protein research, because it allows straightforward, detergentfree solubilization of membrane proteins in a stable environment that is directly suitable for biophysical studies. However, the mode of action of SMA and its applicability to the study of native membrane proteins have not been investigated in detail yet.
In order to understand the mode of action of SMA and to determine the physical properties of membranes that allow or modulate nanodisc formation, we used a systematic approach with vesicles of synthetic phospholipids of different length and head group composition. The results showed that SMA is an excellent membrane solubilizer and we developed a model for its mode of action. The SMA technology was then used to solubilize, purify and characterize two native membrane proteins : the tetrameric potassium channel KcsA from E.coli and the Reaction Center from Rhodobacter sphearoides. We investigated the stability of the proteins in these « native nanodiscs », determined their lipid surroundings, and analyzed their functional properties. The results highlight the potential of this new SMA technology as a general tool in the study of membrane proteins.
Contact : ibs.seminaires@ibs.fr
Prévenir un ami par email
Télécharger dans mon agenda
RSS 2.0 : Tous les evenements