Membrane proteins of chromaffin granules, dopamine -hydroxylase, a major constituent

Biochem J. 1972 Aug;129(1):187-95. doi: 10.1042/bj1290187.

Abstract

1. Soluble lysates and membranes were prepared from chromaffin granules isolated from bovine adrenal medulla. The detergent N-cetylpyridinium chloride was used for solubilizing the membrane proteins, including the membrane-bound dopamine (2,4-dihydroxyphenethylamine) beta-hydroxylase. The solubilized proteins were fractionated by Sephadex chromatography in the presence of N-cetylpyridinium chloride. The major component of the membrane proteins, i.e. chromomembrin A, was identified as the enzyme dopamine beta-hydroxylase. 2. The addition of N-cetylpyridinium chloride to the soluble lysate caused precipitation of up to 96% of the proteins, but only a small proportion of the dopamine beta-hydroxylase activity was precipitated. The only protein demonstrable in the supernatant by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis was the protein that has a lower mobility than chromogranin A in disc gel electrophoresis. This component has been identified previously as dopamine beta-hydroxylase. Thus, this method provides an extremely simple isolation procedure for dopamine beta-hydroxylase. 3. A comparison of the membrane-bound and soluble dopamine beta-hydroxylases revealed the identity of these two preparations. Both were activated by N-cetylpyridinium chloride, they migrated identically in polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, their amino acid composition was very similar and an immunological cross-reaction could be demonstrated.

MeSH terms

  • Adrenal Medulla / cytology*
  • Adrenal Medulla / enzymology
  • Amino Acids / analysis
  • Animals
  • Cattle
  • Cetylpyridinium
  • Chromogranins
  • Cross Reactions
  • Cytoplasmic Granules / enzymology*
  • Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / analysis*
  • Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / isolation & purification
  • Electrophoresis, Disc
  • Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel
  • Immunodiffusion
  • Membranes / enzymology
  • Proteins / analysis*
  • Tritium
  • Tyramine / metabolism

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Chromogranins
  • Proteins
  • Tritium
  • Cetylpyridinium
  • Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase
  • Tyramine