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A strategy for solubilizing delipidated apolipoprotein with lysophosphatidylcholine and reconstitution with phosphatidylcholine

Journal Article · · Biochemistry; (USA)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/bi00442a019· OSTI ID:5353270

The apolipoproteins of insect lipophorin were dissociated in guanidinium chloride and isolated by gel permeation chromatography. Over 98% of the total lipid in lipophorin was associated with apolipophorin I (apoLp-I), thus suggesting this apolipoprotein to be the lipid binding component of the particle. ApoLp-I was delipidated with ethanol/ether and solubilized in buffer that contained radioactive lysophosphatidylcholine (({sup 3}H)LPC) above the critical micellar concentration. Sonic irradiation of radioactive phosphatidylcholine (({sup 14}C)PC) with ({sup 3}H)LPC-solubilized apoLp-I at a molar ratio of 318 resulted in reconstituted lipophorin I (RLp-I). ({sup 3}H)LPC was bound to fatty acid free bovine serum albumin and was separated from RLp-I by density gradient ultracentrifugation and gel permeation chromatography. Negatively stained RLp-I particles were quasispherical with an average radius of 55{angstrom}, and their overall morphology and secondary structure were similar to those of native hemolymph lipophorin. The RLp-I particle had a {rho} = 1.137 g/mL, a M{sub r} {approx} 5.2 x 10{sup 5}, and a ({sup 14}C)PC:apoLp-I molar ratio of 308. From the compositional analysis, molecular size, trypsinization, and lipolysis with phospholipase A{sub 2}, the authors concluded that each RLp-I particle contained one molecule of apoLp-I and a monomolecular layer of ({sup 14}C)PC. When injected into the hemolymph of adult moths in vivo, RLp-I was loaded with lipid, as judged by a decrease in its density both in the presence and in the absence of adipokinetic hormone. The similarities in morphology and immunology of RLp-I and native lipophorin, together with the ability of RLp-I to load lipid, suggest that reconstituted lipophorins may serve as models to probe lipophorin structure and function.

OSTI ID:
5353270
Journal Information:
Biochemistry; (USA), Journal Name: Biochemistry; (USA) Vol. 28:16; ISSN 0006-2960; ISSN BICHA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English