Membrane Proteins 1/2 Flashcards
How can membrane proteins act as a means by which information can enter a cell?
Change conformation upon ligand binding and transmit a signal across the membrane.
How are high levels of complexity achieved in membrane proteins?
Via association with different proteins and other molecules.
Give some molecules that associate with photosystem II?
Carotenoids, quinones, chlorophyll etc.
Describe the composition of a membrane.
Made of a phospholipid bilayer, complex mix of lipids and membrane proteins.
How are lipids within the membrane affected by hydrophobicity?
Hydrophobicity often dictates lipid position and function.
What regions of a membrane protein are associated with function?
Soluble regions
What are multipass proteins?
Made of several integral membrane proteins that pack together to allow the overall function of the protein.
How can a peripheral membrane protein be anchored to a membrane?
By an amphipathic helix or a lipid
What is an amphipathic helix?
One side of the helix is hydrophobic and the other is hydrophilic, allowing insertion into the membrane.
Which lipid modifications of membrane proteins occur on the intracellular side of the membrane?
Palmitoyl, N-myristoyl and Farnesyl additions.
Where are GPI anchors found and what do they consist of?
Only added on the extracellular side of the membrane. GPI anchors consist of phosphate, sugar and lipid groups.
What is a monotopic membrane protein?
A small region of the protein inserts into the membrane but does not pass all the way through.
Give an example of a monotopic membrane protein.
Electron transfer flavoprotein-ubiquinone oxidoreductase which must associate with the membrane in order to access ubiquinone which is lipid soluble.
Describe a beta barrel membrane protein.
Beta strands making up a barrel where hydrophobic residues face the lipid environment and hydrophilic residues face the hydrophilic core and interact with charged substrates. Allows formation of an aqueous pore through the membrane.
Give examples of beta barrel membrane proteins.
FepA/OmpLA- iron transport
Maltoporin- maltose transport
TolC- drug export from bacteria
Describe the features of an alpha helix.
3.6 residues per turn, stabilised by intrahelical hydrogen bonding between n and n+4 residues. All hydrogen bond donors and acceptors are used- very stable.
How else can alpha helices be stabilised in a membrane protein?
Stabilised by hydrophobic interactions between side chains that project out from the helix.
What is helix length partially dependent on?
The lipid composition of the membrane- areas including lipid rafts will be thicker and require a longer helix to cross the membrane.