Rapid isolation of OmpF porin-LPS complexes suitable for structure-function studies

Biochemistry. 1989 May 16;28(10):4187-93. doi: 10.1021/bi00436a010.

Abstract

A gentle and rapid isolation procedure is described yielding fractions containing better than 95% pure OmpF porin of Escherichia coli BE with different amounts of bound lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The procedure employs continuous free-flow electrophoresis (FFE) in the presence of detergent above its critical micelle concentration. Total yields of around 45% were typically obtained when porin-enriched membrane extracts were processed. By use of analytical ultracentrifugation a molecular mass of 114,000 and a sedimentation coefficient S20,w of 5.0 S were determined for porin trimers containing approximately 1 mol of tightly bound LPS. This porin readily formed 3D crystals suitable for high-resolution X-ray diffraction analysis. Three other porin-LPS isoforms isolated by FFE revealed molecular masses of 120,000, 124,000, and 151,000, suggesting that, in addition to the tightly bound LPS, 1, 2, and 8 mol of loosely bound LPS were present per mole of porin trimer. Each of the four different isoforms was suitable for reconstitution into highly ordered protein-lipid membrane arrays. The membrane crystals obtained with the 151-kDa isoform exhibited a unit cell polymorphism similar to that previously reported.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / isolation & purification*
  • Crystallization
  • Electrophoresis
  • Escherichia coli / analysis
  • Lipopolysaccharides / isolation & purification*
  • Molecular Weight
  • Porins
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Porins