CW-EPR studies revealed different motional properties and oligomeric states of the integrin β1a transmembrane domain in detergent micelles or liposomes

Sci Rep. 2015 Jan 19:5:7848. doi: 10.1038/srep07848.

Abstract

Integrins are heterodimeric membrane proteins that regulate essential processes: cell migration, cell growth, extracellular matrix assembly and tumor metastasis. Each integrin α or β subunit contains a large extracellular domain, a single transmembrane (TM) domain, and a short cytoplasmic tail. The integrin TM domains are important for heterodimeric association and dissociation during the conversion from inactive to active states. Moreover, integrin clustering occurs by homo-oligomeric interactions between the TM helices. Here, the transmembrane and cytoplasmic (TMC) domains of integrin β1a were overexpressed, and the protein was purified in detergent micelles and/or reconstituted in liposomes. To investigate the TM domain conformational properties of integrin β1a, 26 consecutive single cysteine mutants were generated for site-directed spin labeling and continuous-wave electron paramagnetic resonance (CW-EPR) mobility and accessibility analyses. The mobility analysis identified two integrin β1a-TM regions with different motional properties in micelles and a non-continuous integrin β1a-TM helix with high immobility in liposomes. The accessibility analysis verified the TM range (Val737-Lys752) of the integrin β1a-TMC in micelles. Further mobility and accessibility comparisons of the integrin β1a-TMC domains in micelles or liposomes identified distinctively different oligomeric states of integrin β1a-TM, namely a monomer embedded in detergent micelles and leucine-zipper-like homo-oligomeric clusters in liposomes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Circular Dichroism
  • Detergents / chemistry*
  • Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy*
  • Humans
  • Integrin beta1 / chemistry*
  • Integrin beta1 / metabolism
  • Liposomes / chemistry*
  • Liposomes / metabolism
  • Micelles*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary

Substances

  • Detergents
  • Integrin beta1
  • Liposomes
  • Micelles