Isolation, purification, and reconstitution of the Na+ gradient-dependent Ca2+ transporter (Na+-Ca2+ exchanger) from brain synaptic plasma membranes

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1984 Oct;81(20):6521-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.81.20.6521.

Abstract

A [Na+]-gradient-dependent Ca2+ transporter from brain synaptic plasma membranes has been isolated, purified, and reconstituted into brain phospholipid vesicles. The purification was achieved by sucrose-gradient centrifugation after solubilization of the synaptic membranes in cholate in the presence of a 30-fold excess (by weight) of added brain phospholipids and [Na+]-gradient-dependent Ca2+ loading of the reconstituted vesicles. A 128-fold increase in specific activity of [Na+]-gradient-dependent Ca2+ uptake per mg of protein has been obtained. The purified and reconstituted vesicles took up Ca2+ only in response to an outward-oriented [Na+] gradient. The Ca2+ uptake could be inhibited by dissipation of the [Na+] gradient with nigericin. Successful purification was based on the initial [Na+]-gradient dependency of the Ca2+-transport process, the magnitude of the [Na+]-gradient-dependent uptake, and the presence of purified brain phospholipids. Analysis of the sucrose-gradient-purified reconstituted vesicles on NaDodSO4/polyacrylamide gels showed that the activity coincided with enriched appearance of a 70,000-Da protein.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Transport
  • Brain / metabolism*
  • Calcium / metabolism*
  • Carrier Proteins / isolation & purification*
  • Cattle
  • Cell Membrane / analysis
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Membrane Proteins / analysis
  • Molecular Weight
  • Phospholipids / analysis
  • Rats
  • Sodium / metabolism*
  • Sodium-Calcium Exchanger
  • Synaptosomes / analysis*
  • Synaptosomes / metabolism

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Phospholipids
  • Sodium-Calcium Exchanger
  • Sodium
  • Calcium