Denervation alters protein-lipid interactions in membrane fractions from electrocytes of Electrophorus electricus (L.).

Protein-lipid interactions are studied in normal and denervated electrocytes from Electrophorus electricus (L.). Structural modifications of the lipid micro-environment encircling integral membrane proteins in membrane fractions presenting Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity are investigated using ESR spectroscopy of stearic acid spin labeled at the 14th carbon (14-SASL). The microsomal fraction derived from the innervated electric organ exhibits, on a discontinuous sucrose gradient, a bimodal distribution of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity, bands a and b. Band b is almost absent in microsomes from the denervated organ, and band a', with the same density as band a has lower Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity. Band a' presents a larger ratio of protein-interacting lipids than band a. Analysis of the lipid stoichiometry at the protein interface indicates that denervation causes at least a twofold average decrease on protein oligomerization. Physical inactivity and denervation have similar effects on protein-lipid interactions. Denervation also influences the selectivity of proteins for fatty acids. Experiments in decreasing pH conditions performed to verify the influence of stearic acid negative charge on protein interaction revealed that denervation produces loss of charge selectivity. The observed modifications on molecular interactions induced by denervation may have importance to explain modulation of enzyme activity.

Lipids associated with the (Na+ - K+)ATPase of normal and denervated electric organs of Electrophorus electricus (L.).

The effect of denervation on the lipid metabolism and on the activity of (Na+ - K+)ATPase isoforms from the membrane fraction P3, which corresponds to the innervated electrocyte membrane, was evaluated. On a discontinuous sucrose gradient, normal P3 membranes exhibit a bimodal ("a" and "b bands) distribution of the (Na+ - K+)ATPase activity, which upon denervation changes to an unimodal ("c" band) distribution. Using these fractions, which have a higher (Na+ - K+)ATPase activity, we characterized the lipids at the hydrophobic protein surface boundary, (i.e., the bulk lipids that surround the protein). The results confirm that these lipids consist of phospholipids and cholesterol. The quantitative composition of the phospholipids is similar for both isoform fractions obtained from the discontinuous gradient of normal membranes, with phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine representing about 90% of the total phospholipids. Sphingomyelin, phosphatidylinositol, diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidic acid were in the minority. However, in the single band obtained after denervation, the three major phospholipid components decreased to 70% of the total, and a significant increase in the other phospholipids and in cholesterol was observed. The high cholesterol content of the denervated fraction may confer membrane stabilization, as it is likely to cause a decrease in the membrane fluidity and consequently in the enzyme activity.