Membrane topology and cell surface targeting of microsomal epoxide hydrolase. Evidence for multiple topological orientations

The calcium signaling enzyme CD38 - a paradigm for membrane topology defining distinct protein functions

CD38 is a single-pass transmembrane enzyme catalyzing the synthesis of two nucleotide second messengers, cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) from NAD and nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) from NADP. The former mediates the mobilization of the endoplasmic Ca²⁺-stores in response to a wide range of stimuli, while NAADP targets the endo-lysosomal stores. CD38 not only possesses multiple enzymatic activities, it also exists in two opposite membrane orientations. Type III CD38 has the catalytic domain facing the cytosol and is responsible for producing cellular cADPR. The type II CD38 has an opposite orientation and is serving as a surface receptor mediating extracellular functions such as cell adhesion and lymphocyte activation. Its ecto-NADase activity also contributes to the recycling of external NAD released by apoptosis. Endocytosis can deliver surface type II CD38 to endo-lysosomes, which acidic environment favors the production of NAADP. This article reviews the rationale and evidence that have led to CD38 as a paradigm for membrane topology defining distinct functions of proteins. Also described is the recent discovery of a hitherto unknown cADPR-synthesizing enzyme, SARM1, ushering in a new frontier in cADPR-mediated Ca²⁺-signaling.

Placental Expression of Bile Acid Transporters in Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) is a pregnancy-related condition characterized by increased maternal circulating bile acids (BAs) having adverse fetal effects. We investigated whether the human placenta expresses specific regulation patterns to prevent fetal exposition to harmful amounts of BAs during ICP. Using real-time quantitative PCR, we screened placentae from healthy pregnancies (n = 12) and corresponding trophoblast cells (n = 3) for the expression of 21 solute carriers and ATP-binding cassette transporter proteins, all acknowledged as BA- and/or cholestasis-related genes. The placental gene expression pattern was compared between healthy women and ICP patients (n = 12 each). Placental SLCO3A1 (OATP3A1) gene expression was significantly altered in ICP compared with controls. The other 20 genes, including SLC10A2 (ASBT) and EPHX1 (EPOX, mEH) reported for the first time in trophoblasts, were comparably abundant in healthy and ICP placentae. ABCG5 was undetectable in all placentae. Placental SLC10A2 (ASBT), SLCO4A1 (OATP4A1), and ABCC2 mRNA levels were positively correlated with BA concentrations in ICP. Placental SLC10A2 (ASBT) mRNA was also correlated with maternal body mass index. We conclude that at the transcriptional level only a limited response of BA transport systems is found under ICP conditions. However, the extent of the transcriptional response may also depend on the severity of the ICP condition and the magnitude by which the maternal BA levels are increased.

Resolving the topological enigma in Ca2+ signaling by cyclic ADP-ribose and NAADP

Cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) and nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP) are two structurally distinct messengers that mobilize the endoplasmic and endolysosomal Ca2+ stores, respectively. Both are synthesized by the CD38 molecule (CD38), which has long been thought to be a type II membrane protein whose catalytic domain, intriguingly, faces to the outside of the cell. Accordingly, for more than 20 years, it has remained unresolved how CD38 can use cytosolic substrates such as NAD and NADP to produce messengers that target intracellular Ca2+ stores. The discovery of type III CD38, whose catalytic domain faces the cytosol, has now begun to clarify this topological conundrum. This article reviews the ideas and clues leading to the discovery of the type III CD38; highlights an innovative approach for uncovering its natural existence; and discusses the regulators of its activity, folding, and degradation. We also review the compartmentalization of cADPR and NAADP biogenesis. We further discuss the possible mechanisms that promote type III CD38 expression and appraise a proposal of a Ca2+-signaling mechanism based on substrate limitation and product translocation. The surprising finding of another enzyme that produces cADPR and NAADP, sterile α and TIR motif-containing 1 (SARM1), is described. SARM1 regulates axonal degeneration and has no sequence similarity with CD38 but can catalyze the same set of multireactions and has the same cytosolic orientation as the type III CD38. The intriguing finding that SARM1 is activated by nicotinamide mononucleotide to produce cADPR and NAADP suggests that it may function as a regulated Ca2+-signaling enzyme like CD38.

Development of In Silico Protocols to Predict Structural Insights into the Metabolic Activation Pathways of Xenobiotics

To establish in silico model to predict the structural insight into the metabolic bioactivation pathway of xenobiotics, we considered two specific and one non-specific mammary procarcinogen [e.g., dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DBP), 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), and benzo[a]pyrene (BP)]. The CYP1A1, 1B1, 2C9, 1A2 and 2B6 reported in wet-lab studies to actively metabolize DBP also showed strong binding energies (kcal/mol) of -11.50, -10.67, -10.37, -9.76 and -9.72, respectively, with inhibition constants ranging between 0.01 and 0.08 µM. The CYP3A4 depicted minimum binding energy (-9.51 kcal/mol) which is in agreement with the wet-lab reports. Further, relatively better affinity of CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 with the dibenzo[a,l]pyrene-11,12-diol (DBPD) might be indicative of their involvement in carcinogenicity of parent compound. Like DBP, BP (-10.13 kcal/mol, Ki: 0.04 µM) and BP-diols (BPD) (-9.01 kcal/mol, Ki: 0.25 µM) observed plausible binding with CYP1A1 supporting to the reported data that emphasize the major contribution of CYP1A1 in the activation of similar procarcinogens and mutagens. Likewise, in silico results further highlighted the CYP1A1 as key player in bioactivation of DMBA to its carcinogenic metabolites. In case of PhIP metabolism, strong binding interaction predicted with CYP1A1 (-9.63 kcal/mol) rather than CYP1A2 (-8.84 kcal/mol). Dissimilarity in the binding affinity of PhIP might be due to its basic scaffold. Further, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of 10 ns has been revealed that docked complexes of CYP1A1 with DBP, DMBA and BP are comparatively more stable than the complex of PhIP. Moreover, the current findings might be valuable as reference model in prediction and elucidation of the approximate metabolic pathway of xenobiotics.

Phospholipid Scramblase 1 Modulates FcR-Mediated Phagocytosis in Differentiated Macrophages

Phospholipid Scramblase 1 (PLSCR1) was initially characterized as a type II transmembrane protein involved in bilayer movements of phospholipids across the plasma membrane leading to the cell surface exposure of phosphatidylserine, but other cellular functions have been ascribed to this protein in signaling processes and in the nucleus. In the present study, expression and functions of PLSCR1 were explored in specialized phagocytic cells of the monocyte/macrophage lineage. The expression of PLSCR1 was found to be markedly increased in monocyte-derived macrophages compared to undifferentiated primary monocytes. Surprisingly, this 3-fold increase in PLSCR1 expression correlated with an apparent modification in the membrane topology of the protein at the cell surface of differentiated macrophages. While depletion of PLSCR1 in the monocytic THP-1 cell-line with specific shRNA did not inhibit the constitutive cell surface exposure of phosphatidylserine observed in differentiated macrophages, a net increase in the FcR-mediated phagocytic activity was measured in PLSCR1-depleted THP-1 cells and in bone marrow-derived macrophages from PLSCR1 knock-out mice. Reciprocally, phagocytosis was down-regulated in cells overexpressing PLSCR1. Since endogenous PLSCR1 was recruited both in phagocytic cups and in phagosomes, our results reveal a specific role for induced PLSCR1 expression in the modulation of the phagocytic process in differentiated macrophages.

Organic anion uptake by hepatocytes

Many of the compounds taken up by the liver are organic anions that circulate tightly bound to protein carriers such as albumin. The fenestrated sinusoidal endothelium of the liver permits these compounds to have access to hepatocytes. Studies to characterize hepatic uptake of organic anions through kinetic analyses, suggested that it was carrier-mediated. Attempts to identify specific transporters by biochemical approaches were largely unsuccessful and were replaced by studies that utilized expression cloning. These studies led to identification of the organic anion transport proteins (oatps), a family of 12 transmembrane domain glycoproteins that have broad and often overlapping substrate specificities. The oatps mediate Na(+)-independent organic anion uptake. Other studies identified a seven transmembrane domain glycoprotein, Na(+)/taurocholate transporting protein (ntcp) as mediating Na(+)-dependent uptake of bile acids as well as other organic anions. Although mutations or deficiencies of specific members of the oatp family have been associated with transport abnormalities, there have been no such reports for ntcp, and its physiologic role remains to be determined, although expression of ntcp in vitro recapitulates the characteristics of Na(+)-dependent bile acid transport that is seen in vivo. Both ntcp and oatps traffic between the cell surface and intracellular vesicular pools. These vesicles move through the cell on microtubules, using the microtubule based motors dynein and kinesins. Factors that regulate this motility are under study and may provide a unique mechanism that can alter the plasma membrane content of these transporters and consequently their accessibility to circulating ligands.

Transcription of the Human Microsomal Epoxide Hydrolase Gene (EPHX1) Is Regulated by PARP-1 and Histone H1.2. Association with Sodium-Dependent Bile Acid Transport

Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) is a bifunctional protein that plays a central role in the metabolism of numerous xenobiotics as well as mediating the sodium-dependent transport of bile acids into hepatocytes. These compounds are involved in cholesterol homeostasis, lipid digestion, excretion of xenobiotics and the regulation of several nuclear receptors and signaling transduction pathways. Previous studies have demonstrated the critical role of GATA-4, a C/EBPα-NF/Y complex and an HNF-4α/CAR/RXR/PSF complex in the transcriptional regulation of the mEH gene (EPHX1). Studies also identified heterozygous mutations in human EPHX1 that resulted in a 95% decrease in mEH expression levels which was associated with a decrease in bile acid transport and severe hypercholanemia. In the present investigation we demonstrate that EPHX1 transcription is significantly inhibited by two heterozygous mutations observed in the Old Order Amish population that present numerous hypercholanemic subjects in the absence of liver damage suggesting a defect in bile acid transport into the hepatocyte. The identity of the regulatory proteins binding to these sites, established using biotinylated oligonucleotides in conjunction with mass spectrometry was shown to be poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1 (PARP-1) bound to the EPHX1 proximal promoter and a linker histone complex, H1.2/Aly, bound to a regulatory intron 1 site. These sites exhibited 71% homology and may represent potential nucleosome positioning domains. The high frequency of the H1.2 site polymorphism in the Amish population results in a potential genetic predisposition to hypercholanemia and in conjunction with our previous studies, further supports the critical role of mEH in mediating bile acid transport into hepatocytes.

Determinants of the membrane orientation of a calcium signaling enzyme CD38

CD38 catalyzes the synthesis of two structurally distinct messengers for Ca²⁺-mobilization, cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR) and nicotinic acid adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAADP), from cytosolic substrates, NAD and NADP, respectively. CD38 is generally thought of as a type II membrane protein with its catalytic site facing outside. We recently showed that CD38 exists, instead, in two opposite membrane orientations. The determinant for the membrane topology is unknown. Here, specific antibodies against type III CD38 were designed and produced. We show that mutating the positively charged residues in the N-terminal tail of CD38 converted its orientation to type III, with the catalytic domain facing the cytosol and it was fully active in producing intracellular cADPR. Changing the serine residues to aspartate, which is functionally equivalent to phosphorylation, had a similar effect. The mutated CD38 was expressed intracellularly and was un-glycosylated. The membrane topology could also be modulated by changing the highly conserved di-cysteine. The results indicate that the net charge of the N-terminal segment is important in determining the membrane topology of CD38 and that the type III orientation can be a functional form of CD38 for Ca²⁺-signaling. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: 13th European Symposium on Calcium.

The role of epoxide hydrolases in health and disease

Epoxide hydrolases (EH) are ubiquitously expressed in all living organisms and in almost all organs and tissues. They are mainly subdivided into microsomal and soluble EH and catalyze the hydration of epoxides, three-membered-cyclic ethers, to their corresponding dihydrodiols. Owning to the high chemical reactivity of xenobiotic epoxides, microsomal EH is considered protective enzyme against mutagenic and carcinogenic initiation. Nevertheless, several endogenously produced epoxides of fatty acids function as important regulatory mediators. By mediating the formation of cytotoxic dihydrodiol fatty acids on the expense of cytoprotective epoxides of fatty acids, soluble EH is considered to have cytotoxic activity. Indeed, the attenuation of microsomal EH, achieved by chemical inhibitors or preexists due to specific genetic polymorphisms, is linked to the aggravation of the toxicity of xenobiotics, as well as the risk of cancer and inflammatory diseases, whereas soluble EH inhibition has been emerged as a promising intervention against several diseases, most importantly cardiovascular, lung and metabolic diseases. However, there is reportedly a significant overlap in substrate selectivity between microsomal and soluble EH. In addition, microsomal and soluble EH were found to have the same catalytic triad and identical molecular mechanism. Consequently, the physiological functions of microsomal and soluble EH are also overlapped. Thus, studying the biological effects of microsomal or soluble EH alterations needs to include the effects on both the metabolism of reactive metabolites, as well as epoxides of fatty acids. This review focuses on the multifaceted role of EH in the metabolism of xenobiotic and endogenous epoxides and the impact of EH modulations.

Hepatic bile acid metabolism and expression of cytochrome P450 and related enzymes are altered in Bsep (-/-) mice

The bile salt export pump (BSEP/Bsep; gene symbol ABCB11/Abcb11) translocates bile salts across the hepatocyte canalicular membrane into bile in humans and mice. In humans, mutations in the ABCB11 gene cause a severe childhood liver disease known as progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 2. Targeted inactivation of mouse Bsep produces milder persistent cholestasis due to detoxification of bile acids through hydroxylation and alternative transport pathways. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether functional expression of hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) and microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) is altered by Bsep inactivation in mice and whether bile acids regulate CYP and mEH expression in Bsep (-/-) mice. CYP expression was determined by measuring protein levels of Cyp2b, Cyp2c and Cyp3a enzymes and CYP-mediated activities including lithocholic acid hydroxylation, testosterone hydroxylation and alkoxyresorufin O-dealkylation in hepatic microsomes prepared from female and male Bsep (-/-) mice fed a normal or cholic acid (CA)-enriched diet. The results indicated that hepatic lithocholic acid hydroxylation was catalyzed by Cyp3a/Cyp3a11 enzymes in Bsep (-/-) mice and that 3-ketocholanoic acid and murideoxycholic acid were major metabolites. CA feeding of Bsep (-/-) mice increased hepatic Cyp3a11 protein levels and Cyp3a11-mediated testosterone 2β-, 6β-, and 15β-hydroxylation activities, increased Cyp2b10 protein levels and Cyp2b10-mediated benzyloxyresorufin O-debenzylation activity, and elevated Cyp2c29 and mEH protein levels. We propose that bile acids upregulate expression of hepatic Cyp3a11, Cyp2b10, Cyp2c29 and mEH in Bsep (-/-) mice and that Cyp3a11 and multidrug resistance-1 P-glycoproteins (Mdr1a/1b) are vital components of two distinct pathways utilized by mouse hepatocytes to expel bile acids.

Transcription of the human microsomal epoxide hydrolase gene (EPHX1) is regulated by an HNF-4α/CAR/RXR/PSF complex

Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) is a bifunctional protein that plays a central role in the metabolism of numerous xenobiotics as well as mediating the sodium-dependent transport of bile acids into hepatocytes where they are involved in cholesterol excretion and metabolism, lipid digestion and regulating numerous signaling pathways. Previous studies have demonstrated the critical role of GATA-4 and a C/EBPα-NF/Y complex in the regulation of the mEH gene (EPHX1). In this study we show that HNF-4α and CAR/RXR also bind to the proximal promoter region and regulate EPHX1 expression. Bile acids, which inhibit the expression of HNF-4α also decrease the expression of EPHX1. Studies also established that the binding of HNF-4α was essential for the activation of EPHX1 activity by CAR suggesting the formation of a complex between these adjacent factors. The nature of this regulatory complex was further explored using a biotinylated oligonucleotide of this region in conjunction with BioMag beads and mass spectrometric analysis which demonstrated the presence of an additional inhibitory factor (PSF), confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation and ChIP analyses, which interacted with DNA-bound CAR/RXR/HNF-4α forming a 4-component regulatory complex.

Lipid-dependent generation of dual topology for a membrane protein

The mechanism by which membrane proteins exhibit structural and functional duality in the same membrane or different membranes is unknown. We posit that such duality is determined by both the protein sequence and the membrane lipid composition wherein a spatial or temporal change in the latter can result in a post-assembly change in protein structure and function. To investigate whether co-existence of multiple topological conformers is dependent on the membrane lipid composition, we determined the topological organization of lactose permease in an Escherichia coli model cell system in which phosphatidylethanolamine membrane content can be systematically varied. At intermediate levels of phosphatidylethanolamine a mixture of native and topologically mis-oriented conformers co-existed. There was no threshold level of phosphatidylethanolamine determining a sharp transition from one conformer to the other. Co-existing conformers were not in rapid equilibrium at a static lipid composition indicating that duality of topology is established during an early folding step. Depletion of intermediate levels of phosphatidylethanolamine after final protein assembly resulted in complete mis-orientation of the native conformer. Combined with previous results, such topological dynamics are reversible in both directions. We propose a thermodynamically based model for how lipid-protein interactions can result in a mixed topological organization and how changes in lipid composition can result in changes in the ratio of topologically distinct conformers of proteins. These observations demonstrate a potential lipid-dependent biological switch for generating dynamic structural and functional heterogeneity for a protein within the same membrane or between different membranes in more complex eukaryotic cells.

Development of monoclonal antibodies to human microsomal epoxide hydrolase and analysis of "preneoplastic antigen"-like molecules

Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) is a drug metabolizing enzyme which resides on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane and catalyzes the hydration of reactive epoxide intermediates that are formed by cytochrome P450s. mEH is also thought to have a role in bile acid transport on the plasma membrane of hepatocytes. It is speculated that efficient execution of such multiple functions is secured by its orientation and association with cytochrome P450 enzymes on the ER membrane and formation of a multiple transport system on the plasma membrane. In certain disease status, mEH loses its association with the membrane and can be detected as distinct antigens in the cytosol of preneoplastic foci of liver (preneoplastic antigen), in the serum in association with hepatitis C virus infection (AN antigen), or in some brain tumors. To analyze the antigenic structures of mEH in physiological and pathological conditions, we developed monoclonal antibodies against different portions of mEH. Five different kinds of antibodies were obtained: three, anti-N-terminal portions; one anti-C-terminal; and one, anti-conformational epitope. By combining these antibodies, we developed antigen detection methods which are specific to either the membrane-bound form or the linearized form of mEH. These methods detected mEH in the culture medium released from a hepatocellular carcinoma cell line and a glioblastoma cell line, which was found to be a multimolecular complex with a unique antigenic structure different from that of the membrane-bound form of mEH. These antibodies and antigen detection methods may be useful to study pathological changes of mEH in various human diseases.

Monoclonal antibodies reveal multiple forms of expression of human microsomal epoxide hydrolase

In a previous study, we developed five kinds of monoclonal antibodies against different portions of human mEH: three, anti-N-terminal; one, anti-C-terminal; one, anti-conformational epitope. Using them, we stained the intact and the permeabilized human cells of various kinds and performed flow cytometric analysis. Primary hepatocytes and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) showed remarkable differences. On the surface, hepatocytes exhibited 4 out of 5 epitopes whereas PBMC did not show any of the epitopes. mEH was detected inside both cell types, but the most prominent expression was observed for the conformational epitope in the hepatocytes and the two N-terminal epitopes in PBMC. These differences were also observed between hepatocyte-derived cell lines and mononuclear cell-derived cell lines. In addition, among each group, there were several differences which may be related to the cultivation, the degree of differentiation, or the original cell subsets. We also noted that two glioblastoma cell lines reveal marked expression of the conformational epitope on the surface which seemed to correlate with the brain tumor-associated antigen reported elsewhere. Several cell lines also underwent selective permeabilization before flow cytometric analysis, and we noticed that the topological orientation of mEH on the ER membrane in those cells was in accordance with the previous report. However, the orientation on the cell surface was inconsistent with the report and had a great variation between the cells. These findings show the multiple mode of expression of mEH which may be possibly related to the multiple roles that mEH plays in different cells.

Molecular genetic and biochemical approaches for defining lipid-dependent membrane protein folding

We provide an overview of lipid-dependent polytopic membrane protein folding and topogenesis. Lipid dependence of this process was determined by employing Escherichia coli cells in which specific lipids can be eliminated, substituted, tightly titrated or controlled temporally during membrane protein synthesis and assembly. The secondary transport protein lactose permease (LacY) was used to establish general principles underlying the molecular basis of lipid-dependent effects on protein domain folding, protein transmembrane domain (TM) orientation, and function. These principles were then extended to several other secondary transport proteins of E. coli. The methods used to follow proper conformational organization of protein domains and the topological organization of protein TMs in whole cells and membranes are described. The proper folding of an extramembrane domain of LacY that is crucial for energy dependent uphill transport function depends on specific lipids acting as non-protein molecular chaperones. Correct TM topogenesis is dependent on charge interactions between the cytoplasmic surface of membrane proteins and a proper balance of the membrane surface net charge defined by the lipid head groups. Short-range interactions between the nascent protein chain and the translocon are necessary but not sufficient for establishment of final topology. After release from the translocon short-range interactions between lipid head groups and the nascent protein chain, partitioning of protein hydrophobic domains into the membrane bilayer, and long-range interactions within the protein thermodynamically drive final membrane protein organization. Given the diversity of membrane lipid compositions throughout nature, it is tempting to speculate that during the course of evolution the physical and chemical properties of proteins and lipids have co-evolved in the context of the lipid environment of membrane systems in which both are mutually dependent on each other for functional organization of proteins. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Protein Folding in Membranes.

Lipids and topological rules of membrane protein assembly: balance between long and short range lipid-protein interactions

The N-terminal six-transmembrane domain (TM) bundle of lactose permease of Escherichia coli is uniformly inverted when assembled in membranes lacking phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Inversion is dependent on the net charge of cytoplasmically exposed protein domains containing positive and negative residues, net charge of the membrane surface, and low hydrophobicity of TM VII acting as a molecular hinge between the two halves of lactose permease (Bogdanov, M., Xie, J., Heacock, P., and Dowhan, W. (2008) J. Cell Biol. 182, 925-935). Net neutral lipids suppress the membrane translocation potential of negatively charged amino acids, thus increasing the cytoplasmic retention potential of positively charged amino acids. Herein, TM organization of sucrose permease (CscB) and phenylalanine permease (PheP) as a function of membrane lipid composition was investigated to extend these principles to other proteins. For CscB, topological dependence on PE only becomes evident after a significant increase in the net negative charge of the cytoplasmic surface of the N-terminal TM bundle. High negative charge is required to overcome the thermodynamic block to inversion due to the high hydrophobicity of TM VII. Increasing the positive charge of the cytoplasmic surface of the N-terminal TM hairpin of PheP, which is misoriented in PE-lacking cells, favors native orientation in the absence of PE. PheP and CscB also display co-existing dual topologies dependent on changes in the charge balance between protein domains and the membrane lipids. Therefore, the topology of both permeases is dependent on PE. However, CscB topology is governed by thermodynamic balance between opposing lipid-dependent electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions.

N-glycosylation analysis of the human Tweety family of putative chloride ion channels supports a penta-spanning membrane arrangement: impact of N-glycosylation on cellular processing of Tweety homologue 2 (TTYH2)

The Tweety proteins are a family of recently identified putative Cl− channels predicted to be modified by N-glycosylation and, controversially, to contain five or six membrane-spanning domains, leading to the contentious proposal that members of this family do not share the same topology at the plasma membrane. In humans, three family members have been identified, designated TTYH1 (Tweety homologue 1), TTYH2 and TTYH3. To gain greater insight into the arrangement of membrane-spanning domains and cellular processing of Tweety proteins, in the present study we have examined the sequence homology, hydrophobicity and N-glycan content of members of this family and performed N-glycosylation site-mutagenesis studies on TTYH2 and TTYH3. Based on these observations we propose a structure for Tweety family proteins which incorporates five membrane-spanning domains with a topology at the cell surface in which the N-terminus is located extracellularly and the C-terminus cytoplasmically. Our results also suggest that N-glycosylation is important, but not essential, in the processing of members of the Tweety family with results indicating that, although incomplete N-glycosylation mediates reduced expression and increased ubiquitination of TTYH2, N-glycosylation is not the determining factor for TTYH2 trafficking to the plasma membrane. This information will be important for the characterization of Tweety family proteins in normal physiology and disease.

Lipids in the assembly of membrane proteins and organization of protein supercomplexes: implications for lipid-linked disorders

Lipids play important roles in cellular dysfunction leading to disease. Although a major role for phospholipids is in defining the membrane permeability barrier, phospholipids play a central role in a diverse range of cellular processes and therefore are important factors in cellular dysfunction and disease. This review is focused on the role of phospholipids in normal assembly and organization of the membrane proteins, multimeric protein complexes, and higher order supercomplexes. Since lipids have no catalytic activity, it is difficult to determine their function at the molecular level. Lipid function has generally been defined by affects on protein function or cellular processes. Molecular details derived from genetic, biochemical, and structural approaches are presented for involvement of phosphatidylethanolamine and cardiolipin in protein organization. Experimental evidence is presented that changes in phosphatidylethanolamine levels results in misfolding and topological misorientation of membrane proteins leading to dysfunctional proteins. Examples are presented for diseases in which proper protein folding or topological organization is not attained due to either demonstrated or proposed involvement of a lipid. Similar changes in cardiolipin levels affects the structure and function of individual components of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and their organization into supercomplexes resulting in reduced mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation efficiency and apoptosis. Diseases in which mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to reduced cardiolipin levels are described. Therefore, understanding the principles governing lipid-dependent assembly and organization of membrane proteins and protein complexes will be useful in developing novel therapeutic approaches for disorders in which lipids play an important role.

Melanocortin-2 receptor accessory protein MRAP forms antiparallel homodimers

The melanocortin-2 (MC2) receptor accessory protein (MRAP) is required for trafficking of the G protein-coupled MC2 receptor to the plasma membrane. The mechanism of action and structure of MRAP, which has a single transmembrane domain, are unknown. Here, we show that MRAP displays a previously uncharacterized topology. Epitopes on both the N- and C-terminal ends of MRAP were localized on the external face of CHO cells at comparable levels. Using antibodies raised against N- and C-terminal MRAP peptides, we demonstrated that both ends of endogenous MRAP face the outside in adrenal cells. Nearly half of MRAP was glycosylated at the single endogenous N-terminal glycosylation site, and over half was glycosylated when the natural glycosylation site was replaced by one in the C-terminal domain. A mutant MRAP with potential glycosylation sites on both sides of the membrane was singly but not doubly glycosylated, suggesting that MRAP is not monotopic. Coimmunoprecipitation of differentially tagged MRAPs established that MRAP is a dimer. By selectively immunoprecipitating cell surface MRAP in one or the other orientation, we showed that MRAP homodimers are antiparallel and form a stable complex with MC2 receptor. In the absence of MRAP, MC2 receptor was trapped in the endoplasmic reticulum, but with MRAP, the MC2 receptor was glycosylated and localized on the plasma membrane, where it signaled in response to ACTH. MRAP acted specifically, because it did not increase surface expression of other melanocortin, beta2-adrenergic, or TSH-releasing hormone receptors. MRAP is the first eukaryotic membrane protein identified with an antiparallel homodimeric structure.

Bile acid transporters: structure, function, regulation and pathophysiological implications

Specific transporters expressed in the liver and the intestine, play a critical role in driving the enterohepatic circulation of bile acids. By preserving a circulating pool of bile acids, an important factor influencing bile flow, these transporters are involved in maintaining bile acid and cholesterol homeostasis. Enterohepatic circulation of bile acids is fundamentally composed of two major processes: secretion from the liver and absorption from the intestine. In the hepatocytes, the vectorial transport of bile acids from blood to bile is ensured by Na+ taurocholate co-transporting peptide (NTCP) and organic anion transport polypeptides (OATPs). After binding to a cytosolic bile acid binding protein, bile acids are secreted into the canaliculus via ATP-dependent bile salt excretory pump (BSEP) and multi drug resistant proteins (MRPs). Bile acids are then delivered to the intestinal lumen through bile ducts where they emulsify dietary lipids and cholesterol to facilitate their absorption. Intestinal epithelial cells reabsorb the majority of the secreted bile acids through the apical sodium dependent bile acid transporter (ASBT) and sodium independent organic anion transporting peptide (OATPs). Cytosolic ileal bile acid binding protein (IBABP) mediates the transcellular movement of bile acids to the basolateral membrane across which they exit the cells via organic solute transporters (OST). An essential role of bile acid transporters is evident from the pathology associated with their genetic disruption or dysregulation of their function. Malfunctioning of hepatic and intestinal bile acid transporters is implicated in the pathophysiology of cholestatic liver disease and the depletion of circulating pool of bile acids, respectively. Extensive efforts have been recently made to enhance our understanding of the structure, function and regulation of the bile acid transporters and exploring new potential therapeutics to treat bile acid or cholesterol related diseases. This review will highlight current knowledge about structure, function and molecular characterization of bile acid transporters and discuss the implications of their defects in various hepatic and intestinal disorders.

Autoantibody response to microsomal epoxide hydrolase in hepatitis C and A

Autoimmune responses were observed in a large proportion of hepatitis C cases and are suspected to be part of viral pathogenesis. The AN6520 antigen (AN-Ag) is a normal cellular protein mainly expressed in liver that was found associated with non-A, non-B hepatitis. To elucidate its pathogenic role in hepatitis C, we developed an IgM capture assay using purified AN-Ag and confirmed that the antibody response to AN-Ag is associated almost exclusively with hepatitis C cases (29%). Screening of a human liver expression library revealed that AN-Ag is mainly the microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH), a drug-metabolizing enzyme that plays an important role in the metabolism of some mutagenic and carcinogenic epoxides. Using the purified recombinant human mEH as an antigen, we now found that antibodies against this protein are associated with nearly 82% of hepatitis C virus infections and surprisingly with 46% of patients with hepatitis A. The appearance of AN-Ag/mEH in the incubation period of hepatitis C as previously reported and the antibody responses shown here indicate that this enzyme may be a marker for or even a cause of some of the pathology associated with hepatitis C and A.

Inverted repeat domains in membrane proteins

With the upsurge in known membrane protein structures, common structural themes have started to emerge. One of these is the inverted repeat, a tandem of alpha-helical domains that have similar tertiary folds but opposite membrane orientations. In all previously known examples, both repeat units were encoded in a single continuous polypeptide. Recent structures of a bacterial multidrug transporter, EmrE, revealed an inverted repeat membrane protein wherein the two repeat units are assembled from two polypeptides with the same primary sequence. Here, we speculate on some of the implications of the EmrE structure with regards to our understanding of membrane protein evolution and topogenesis.

Transmembrane protein topology mapping by the substituted cysteine accessibility method (SCAM(TM)): application to lipid-specific membrane protein topogenesis

We provide an overview of lipid-dependent polytopic membrane protein topogenesis, with particular emphasis on Escherichia coli strains genetically altered in their lipid composition and strategies for experimentally determining the transmembrane organization of proteins. A variety of reagents and experimental strategies are described including the use of lipid mutants and thiol-specific chemical reagents to study lipid-dependent and host-specific membrane protein topogenesis by substituted cysteine site-directed chemical labeling. Employing strains in which lipid composition can be controlled temporally during membrane protein synthesis and assembly provides a means to observe dynamic changes in protein topology as a function of membrane lipid composition.

Epoxide hydrolases: mechanisms, inhibitor designs, and biological roles

Organisms are exposed to epoxide-containing compounds from both exogenous and endogenous sources. In mammals, the hydration of these compounds by various epoxide hydrolases (EHs) can not only regulate their genotoxicity but also, for lipid-derived epoxides, their endogenous roles as chemical mediators. Recent findings suggest that the EHs as a family represent novel drug discovery targets for regulation of blood pressure, inflammation, cancer progression, and the onset of several other diseases. Knowledge of the EH mechanism provides a solid foundation for the rational design of inhibitors, and this review summarizes the current understanding of the catalytic mechanism of the EHs. Although the overall EH mechanism is now known, the molecular basis of substrate selectivity, possible allosteric regulation, and many fine details of the catalytic mechanism remain to be solved. Finally, recent development in the design of EH inhibitors and the EH biological role are discussed.

Epoxide hydrolases: their roles and interactions with lipid metabolism

The epoxide hydrolases (EHs) are enzymes present in all living organisms, which transform epoxide containing lipids by the addition of water. In plants and animals, many of these lipid substrates have potent biologically activities, such as host defenses, control of development, regulation of inflammation and blood pressure. Thus the EHs have important and diverse biological roles with profound effects on the physiological state of the host organisms. Currently, seven distinct epoxide hydrolase sub-types are recognized in higher organisms. These include the plant soluble EHs, the mammalian soluble epoxide hydrolase, the hepoxilin hydrolase, leukotriene A4 hydrolase, the microsomal epoxide hydrolase, and the insect juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase. While our understanding of these enzymes has progressed at different rates, here we discuss the current state of knowledge for each of these enzymes, along with a distillation of our current understanding of their endogenous roles. By reviewing the entire enzyme class together, both commonalities and discrepancies in our understanding are highlighted and important directions for future research pertaining to these enzymes are indicated.

Diversity and versatility of lipid-protein interactions revealed by molecular genetic approaches

The diversity in structures and physical properties of lipids provides a wide variety of possible interactions with proteins that affect their assembly, organization, and function either at the surface of or within membranes. Because lipids have no catalytic activity, it has been challenging to define many of their precise functions in vivo in molecular terms. Those processes responsive to lipids are attuned to the native lipid environment for optimal function, but evidence that lipids with similar properties or even detergents can sometimes partially replace the natural lipid environment has led to uncertainty as to the requirement for specific lipids. The development of strains of microorganisms in which membrane lipid composition can be genetically manipulated in viable cells has provided a set of reagents to probe lipid functions. These mutants have uncovered previously unrecognized roles for lipids and provided in vivo verification for putative functions described in vitro. In this review, we summarize how these reagent strains have provided new insight into the function of lipids. The role of specific lipids in membrane protein folding and topological organization is reviewed. The evidence is summarized for the involvement of anionic lipid-enriched domains in the organization of amphitropic proteins on the membrane surface into molecular machines involved in DNA replication and cell division.

CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha) activates transcription of the human microsomal epoxide hydrolase gene (EPHX1) through the interaction with DNA-bound NF-Y

Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) plays a central role in xenobiotic metabolism as well as mediating the sodium-dependent uptake of bile acids into the liver, where these compounds regulate numerous biological processes such as cholesterol metabolism and hepatocyte signaling pathways. Little is known, however, about the factors that control the constitutive and inducible expression of the mEH gene (EPHX1) that is altered during development and in response to numerous xenobiotics. In previous studies we have established that GATA-4 binding to the EPHX1 core promoter is critical for EPHX1 expression. The -80/+25 bp core promoter also contained a reversed CCAAT box (-5/-1 bp), integrity of which was required for maximal basal EPHX1 transcription in HepG2 cells. Transient transfection of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha) substantially stimulated EPHX1 promoter activity. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays, however, revealed that nuclear factor Y (NF-Y), but not C/EBPalpha, directly bound to this site although increased expression of NF-Y had no effect on EPHX1 promoter activity. These results suggested that C/EBPalpha activated EPHX1 expression through its interaction with NF-Y bound to the CCAAT box. The existence of a C/EBPalpha[NF-Y] complex was supported by electrophoretic mobility shift assays using antibodies against NF-Y and C/EBPalpha as well as by the ability of a dominant-negative NF-Y expression vector to inhibit promoter activity. The interaction between these transcription factors was established by co-immunoprecipitation analysis and glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays, whereas the association of the two factors and the interaction of NF-Y with the CCAAT box in vivo was confirmed by chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. C/EBPalpha-dependent EPHX1 activation was also supported by reconstitution studies in HeLa cells that lack this protein. These results establish that EPHX1 expression is regulated by C/EBPalpha interacting with DNA-bound NF-Y.

Regulation of human microsomal epoxide hydrolase gene (EPHX1) expression by the transcription factor GATA-4

Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) is a bifunctional protein that plays a crucial role in the metabolism of numerous xenobiotics as well as in mediating the hepatic sodium-dependent uptake of bile acids that are involved in numerous physiological processes including the regulation of cholesterol metabolism. The transcription factors and nuclear receptors that control the constitutive and inducible expression of the mEH gene (EPHX1), however, have not been described. To characterize these factors, a series of 5'-deletion constructs have been transfected into human liver-derived HepG2 cells as well as non-hepatic HeLa cells. Promoter activity analysis indicated the presence of a positive regulatory element in the -80/-70 bp region. Sequence analysis revealed a putative GATA site at -79/-74 bp as well as an additional site at -31/-26 bp. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays with an anti-GATA-4 antibody confirmed that GATA-4 bound to these two sites with a dissociation constant of 1.56 nM (-79 site) and 0.65 nM (-31 site). Coexpression of GATA-4 stimulated EPHX1 promoter activity up to 7.5-fold in a dose-dependent manner. Endogenous EPHX1 message in HepG2 cells was also significantly increased by overexpression of GATA-4. Mutating the -79 element resulted in a 65% loss of promoter activity, while mutating the -31 element had no effect on basal activity but greatly reduced the response to additional GATA-4. In HeLa cells, which do not express GATA-4, EPHX1 activity was negligible; however, activity could be reconstituted by the addition of exogenous GATA-4. These results demonstrate that GATA-4 plays a critical role in regulating EPHX1 expression.

The adenovirus E3-6.7K protein adopts diverse membrane topologies following posttranslational translocation

The E3 region of adenovirus codes for several membrane proteins, most of which are involved in immune evasion and prevention of host cell apoptosis. We explored the topology and targeting mechanisms of E3-6.7K, the most recently described member of this group, by using an in vitro translation system supplemented with microsomes. Here, we present evidence that E3-6.7K, one of the smallest signal-anchor proteins known, translocates across the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum in a posttranslational, ribosome-independent, yet ATP-dependent manner, reminiscent of the translocation of tail-anchored proteins. Our analysis also demonstrated that E3-6.7K could achieve several distinct topological fates. In addition to the previously postulated type III orientation (N-luminal/C-cytoplasmic, termed NtmE3-6.7K), we detected a tail-anchored form adopting the opposite orientation (N-cytoplasmic/C-luminal, termed CtmE3-6.7K) as well as the possibility of a fully translocated form (N and C termini are both translocated, termed NCE3-6.7K). Due to the translocation of a positively charged domain, both the CtmE3-6.7K and NCE3-6.7K topologies of E3-6.7K constitute exceptions to the "positive inside" rule. The NtmE3-6.7K and NCE3-6.7K are the first examples of posttranslationally translocated proteins in higher eukaryotes that are not tail anchored. Distinct topological forms were also found in transfected cells, as both N and C termini of E3-6.7K were detected on the extracellular surface of transfected cells. The demonstration of unexpected topological forms and translocation mechanisms for E3-6.7K defies conventional thinking about membrane protein topogenesis and advises that both the mode of targeting and topology of signal-anchor proteins should be determined experimentally.

Characterization and cDNA cloning of a clofibrate-inducible microsomal epoxide hydrolase in Drosophila melanogaster

In order to understand the roles of the epoxide hydrolases (EHs) in xenobiotic biotransformation in insects, we examined the induction of EHs by exogenous compounds in Drosophila melanogaster third instar larvae. Among the chemicals tested, clofibrate, a phenoxyacetate hypolipidermics drug, increased EH activity towards cis-stilbene oxide approximately twofold in larval whole-body homogenates. The same dose of clofibrate also induced glutathione S-transferase activity. The effect of clofibrate on EH induction was dose-dependent and the highest activity occurred with a 10% clofibrate application. Three other substrates conventionally used in EH assays (trans-stilbene oxide, trans-diphenylpropene oxide and juvenile hormone III) were poorly hydrolysed by larval homogenates, with or without clofibrate administration. Because the increased EH activity was localized predominantly in the microsomal fraction, we synthesized degenerate oligonucleotide primers with sequences corresponding to conserved regions of known microsome EHs from mammals and insects in order to isolate the gene. The 1597 bp putative cDNA of D. melanogaster microsomal EH (DmEH) obtained from a larval cDNA library encoded 463 amino acids in an open reading frame. Northern blot analysis showed that the transcription of DmEH was increased in larvae within 5 h of clofibrate treatment. Recombinant DmEH expressed in baculovirus hydrolysed cis-stilbene oxide (23 nmol.min-1.mg protein-1) and was located mainly in the microsomal fraction of virus-infected Sf9 cells. There was no detectable EH activity toward juvenile hormone III. These observations suggest that DmEH is involved in xenobiotic biotransformation, but not in juvenile hormone metabolism, in D. melanogaster.

Cell surface expression and bile acid transport function of one topological form of m-epoxide hydrolase

The bifunctional hepatic protein, microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH), plays a central role in the metabolism of many xenobiotics as well as mediating the Na(+)-dependent uptake of bile acids in parallel with the Na(+)-taurocholate co-transporting protein (ntcp). Previous studies have established that mEH is expressed in the endoplasmic reticulum with two topological orientations, where the type II form is targeted to the plasma membrane. In this report the topology and transport properties of mEH as a function of plasma membrane expression in cultured hepatocytes, transfected Madin-Darby canine kidney cells expressing mEH (MDCK[mEH]), and the human hepatoma cell line, HepG2, were studied using confocal fluorescence microscopy and substrate uptake measurements. Analysis of mEH localization with an anti-mEH monoclonal antibody demonstrated the expression of one topological form on the plasma membrane of hepatocytes and MDCK[mEH] cells where both systems exhibited Na(+)-dependent bile acid uptake. In contrast, Na(+)-dependent bile acid transport in HepG2 cells and hepatocytes in culture (72 h) was substantially reduced as was the expression of ntcp. Although the total mEH level was undiminished, the decrease of bile acid transport was associated with the loss of mEH surface expression possibly resulting from an alteration in mEH endoplasmic reticulum topology and/or the plasma membrane protein targeting system in these de-differentiated cells.

Inhibition of human m-epoxide hydrolase gene expression in a case of hypercholanemia

Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) is a bifunctional protein that plays a central role in carcinogen metabolism and is also able to mediate the sodium-dependent uptake of bile acids into hepatocytes. Studies have identified a subject (S-1) with extremely elevated serum bile salt levels in the absence of observable hepatocellular injury, suggesting a defect in bile acid uptake. In this individual, mEH protein and mEH mRNA levels were reduced by approximately 95% and 85%, respectively, whereas the expression and amino acid sequence of another bile acid transport protein (NTCP) was unaffected. Sequence analysis of the mEH gene (EPHX1) revealed a point mutation at an upstream HNF-3 site (allele I) and in intron 1 (allele II), which resulted in a significant decrease in EPHX1 promoter activity in transient transfection assays. Gel shift assays using a radiolabeled oligonucleotide from each region resulted in specific transcription factor binding patterns, which were altered in the presence of the mutation. These studies demonstrate that the expression of mEH is greatly reduced in a patient with hypercholanemia, suggesting that mEH participates in sodium-dependent bile acid uptake in human liver where its absence may contribute to the etiology of this disease.

Bile salt transporters: molecular characterization, function, and regulation

Molecular medicine has led to rapid advances in the characterization of hepatobiliary transport systems that determine the uptake and excretion of bile salts and other biliary constituents in the liver and extrahepatic tissues. The bile salt pool undergoes an enterohepatic circulation that is regulated by distinct bile salt transport proteins, including the canalicular bile salt export pump BSEP (ABCB11), the ileal Na(+)-dependent bile salt transporter ISBT (SLC10A2), and the hepatic sinusoidal Na(+)- taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide NTCP (SLC10A1). Other bile salt transporters include the organic anion transporting polypeptides OATPs (SLC21A) and the multidrug resistance-associated proteins 2 and 3 MRP2,3 (ABCC2,3). Bile salt transporters are also present in cholangiocytes, the renal proximal tubule, and the placenta. Expression of these transport proteins is regulated by both transcriptional and posttranscriptional events, with the former involving nuclear hormone receptors where bile salts function as specific ligands. During bile secretory failure (cholestasis), bile salt transport proteins undergo adaptive responses that serve to protect the liver from bile salt retention and which facilitate extrahepatic routes of bile salt excretion. This review is a comprehensive summary of current knowledge of the molecular characterization, function, and regulation of bile salt transporters in normal physiology and in cholestatic liver disease and liver regeneration.

Characterization of truncated mutants of human microsomal short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase RoDH-4

Human NAD(+)-dependent microsomal short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase RoDH-4 oxidizes all-trans-retinol, 13-cis-retinol and 3alpha-hydroxysteroids to corresponding retinaldehydes and 3-ketones. RoDH-4 behaves as an integral membrane protein, but its topology in the membrane is not known. Analysis of RoDH-4 polypeptide using algorithms for secondary structure predictions suggests that RoDH-4 contains four potential membrane-spanning domains: the N-terminal, the C-terminal, and the two central hydrophobic segments. To determine the role of each segment in association of RoDH-4 with the membrane, we prepared several expression constructs coding for truncated RoDH-4 polypeptides that lacked the putative membrane-spanning domains and expressed them in insect Sf9 cells using the Baculovirus system. Association of truncated RoDH-4 constructs with the microsomal membranes was analyzed by alkaline extraction and floatation in sucrose gradient. Catalytic activity of truncated RoDH-4 constructs was assayed using the 3alpha-hydroxysteroid androsterone as substrate. Truncated RoDH-4 that lacked the first thirteen amino acids of the N-terminal segment was partially active and exhibited the apparent K(m) value for androsterone similar to that of the wild-type enzyme. Removal of 23 N-terminal hydrophobic amino acids resulted in significant loss of activity and a 14-fold increase in the apparent K(m) value. Removal of the C-terminal 27 amino acid segment resulted in a approximately 600-fold increase in the apparent K(m) value. Each truncated mutant behaved as an integral membrane protein. Furthermore, protein that lacked all four hydrophobic segments remained associated with the membrane. Thus, the N-terminal and the C-terminal ends are both important for RoDH-4 activity and the removal of the putative transmembrane segments does not convert RoDH-4 into a soluble protein, suggesting additional sites of membrane interaction.

Bile acid regulation of hepatic physiology: I. Hepatocyte transport of bile acids

Bile acids are cholesterol derivatives that serve as detergents in bile and the small intestine. Approximately 95% of bile acids secreted by hepatocytes into bile are absorbed from the distal ileum into the portal venous system. Extraction from the portal circulation by the hepatocyte followed by reexcretion into the bile canaliculus completes the enterohepatic circulation of these compounds. Over the past few years, candidate bile acid transport proteins of the sinusoidal and canalicular plasma membranes of the hepatocyte have been identified. The physiology of hepatocyte bile acid transport and its relationship to these transport proteins is the subject of this Themes article.

Membrane topology of the acyl-lipid desaturase from Bacillus subtilis

The Bacillus subtilis acyl-lipid desaturase (Delta5-Des) is an iron-dependent integral membrane protein, able to selectively introduce double bonds into long chain fatty acids. Structural information on membrane-bound desaturases is still limited, and the present topological information is restricted to hydropathy plots or sequence comparison with the evolutionary related alkane hydroxylase. The topology of Delta5-Des was determined experimentally in Escherichia coli using a set of nine different fusions of N-terminal fragments of Delta5-Des with the reporter alkaline phosphatase (Delta5-Des-PhoA). The alkaline phosphatase activities of cells expressing the Delta5-Des-PhoA fusions, combined with site-directed mutagenesis of His residues identified in most desaturases, suggest that a tripartite motif of His essential for catalysis is located on the cytoplasmic phase of the membrane. These data, together with surface Lys biotinylation experiments, support a model for Delta5-Des as a polytopic membrane protein with six transmembrane- and one membrane-associated domain, which likely represents a substrate-binding motif. This study provides the first experimental evidence for the topology of a plasma membrane fatty acid desaturase. On the basis of our results and the presently available hydrophobicity profile of many acyl-lipid desaturases, we propose that these enzymes contain a new transmembrane domain that might play a critical role in the desaturation of fatty acids esterified in glycerolipids.

Topology of polytopic membrane protein subdomains is dictated by membrane phospholipid composition

In Escherichia coli, the major cytoplasmic domain (C6) of the polytopic membrane protein lactose permease (LacY) is exposed to the opposite side of the membrane from a neighboring periplasmic domain (P7). However, these domains are both exposed on the periplasmic side of the membrane in a mutant of E.coli lacking phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) wherein LacY only mediates facilitated transport. When purified LacY was reconstituted into liposomes lacking PE or phosphatidylcholine (PC), C6 and P7 were on the same side of the bilayer. In liposomes containing PE or PC, C6 and P7 were on opposite sides of the bilayer. Only the presence of PE in the liposomes restored active transport function of LacY as opposed to restoration of only facilitated transport function in the absence of PE. These results were the same for LacY purified from PE-containing or PE-lacking cells, and are consistent with the topology and function of LacY assembled in vivo. Therefore, irrespective of the mechanism of membrane insertion, the subdomain topological orientation and function of LacY are determined primarily by membrane phospholipid composition.

A polytopic membrane protein displays a reversible topology dependent on membrane lipid composition

To address the role of phospholipids in the topological organization of polytopic membrane proteins, the function and assembly of lactose permease (LacY) was studied in mutants of Escherichia coli lacking phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). PE is required for the proper conformation and active transport function of LacY. The N-terminal half of LacY assembled in PE-lacking cells adopts an inverted topology in which normally non-translocated domains are translocated and vice versa. Post-assembly synthesis of PE triggers a conformational change, resulting in a lipid-dependent recovery of normal conformation and topology of at least one LacY subdomain accompanied by restoration of active transport. These results demonstrate that membrane protein topology once attained can be changed in a reversible manner in response to alterations in phospholipid composition, and may be subject to post-assembly proofreading to correct misfolded structures.

Molecular basis for the transport of cytochrome P450 2E1 to the plasma membrane

Endoplasmic reticulum-resident cytochrome P450 enzymes that face the cytosol are present on the plasma membrane of hepatocytes, but the molecular origin for their transport to this compartment has until now remained unknown. The molecular basis for the transport of rat ethanol-inducible cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) to the plasma membrane was investigated by transfection of several different mutant cDNAs into mouse H2.35 hepatoma cells. Two NH(2)-terminal CYP2E1 mutants were constructed: N(++)2E1, which carried two positive charges in the NH(2) terminus, and 2C-2E1, in which the transmembrane domain of CYP2E1 was replaced with that of CYP2C1, which was previously described to cause retention of CYP2C1 in the endoplasmic reticulum, as well as CYP2E1 COOH-terminally tagged with the vesicular stomatitis virus G protein (VSV-G) epitope (2E1-VSV-G). Immunofluorescent microscopy and cell surface biotinylation experiments revealed that all CYP2E1 variants were present on the extracellular side of the plasma membrane. The VSV-G epitope on CYP2E1 was detected on the outside of the plasma membrane using VSV-G-specific antibodies, indicating that the large COOH-terminal part of CYP2E1 is indeed exposed on the outside of the plasma membrane. The relative levels of CYP2E1, 2C-2E1, and 2E1-VSV-G on the cell surface were found to be about 2% of total cellular enzyme, whereas twice this amount of N(++)2E1 was recovered at the cell surface. Protease protection experiments performed on microsomes isolated from cDNA transfected cells revealed that a small fraction of CYP2E1 and all variant proteins was found to be located in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (type II orientation), whereas the majority of the proteins were in the expected cytosolic or type I orientation. It is concluded that the NH(2)-terminal transmembrane domain of CYP2E1 plays a critical role in directing the protein to the cell surface and that topological inversion of a small fraction of CYP2E1 in the endoplasmic reticulum directs the protein to the plasma membrane.