Yeast V-ATPase Proteolipid Ring Acts as a Large-conductance Transmembrane Protein Pore

Sci Rep. 2016 Apr 21:6:24774. doi: 10.1038/srep24774.

Abstract

The vacuolar H(+)-ATPase (V-ATPase) is a rotary motor enzyme that acidifies intracellular organelles and the extracellular milieu in some tissues. Besides its canonical proton-pumping function, V-ATPase's membrane sector, Vo, has been implicated in non-canonical functions including membrane fusion and neurotransmitter release. Here, we report purification and biophysical characterization of yeast V-ATPase c subunit ring (c-ring) using electron microscopy and single-molecule electrophysiology. We find that yeast c-ring forms dimers mediated by the c subunits' cytoplasmic loops. Electrophysiology measurements of the c-ring reconstituted into a planar lipid bilayer revealed a large unitary conductance of ~8.3 nS. Thus, the data support a role of V-ATPase c-ring in membrane fusion and neuronal communication.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Electric Conductivity*
  • Electrophysiological Phenomena
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Models, Biological
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
  • Protein Subunits / chemistry
  • Protein Subunits / metabolism
  • Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases / chemistry
  • Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases / isolation & purification
  • Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases / metabolism*
  • Yeasts / physiology*

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins
  • Protein Subunits
  • Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases