Session 2.2b - Lecture 2 - Membranes: Biological Function Flashcards
Slides 17 - 29 (188 cards)
How can we figure out which membrane proteins are peripheral and which are integral?
We can perform a salt wash - membranes that come off in the salt wash are peripheral and the ones that stay in the membrane are integral.
Which proteins are integral membrane proteins of erythrocyte membranes?
(Very few)
Band 3
Band 7
(there are other ones but the detail is not important, just the concept - that some proteins are integral and some are peripheral)
How do we know Band 3 and Band 7 are integral proteins?
They are not dislocated in a salt wash
Name a peripheral membrane protein of erythrocyte membranes.
Spectrin
How do we know Spectrin is a peripheral protein?
It is washed off in a salt wash
What type of protein is spectrin?
A (LARGE) peripheral protein - it is found on the surface of the membrane rather than stuck through it.
Fig. 17
What does this image show?
Cartoonised electrophoresis of an erythrocyte membrane before and after a salt wash. After a salt wash the membranes contain very few proteins.
Ghost Membranes shows all membrane proteins
Ghost membranes after salt wash shows membranes that haven’t been washed off i.e. integral membrane proteins
Salt wash shows proteins that have been dislocated in the salt wash and removed from the membrane i.e. peripheral membrane proteins
Fig. 17
Caption and label this image.
Peripheral and Integral Proteins of the Erythrocyte Membrane
SDS-PAGE Electrophoresis - --> + 1 2 3 4.1 4.2 5 6 7 Ghost Membranes Ghost membranes after salt wash Salt wash
Draw the results of an electrophoresis to determine peripheral and integral proteins of an erythrocyte membrane.
See Fig. 17
Peripheral and Integral Proteins of the Erythrocyte Membrane
SDS-PAGE Electrophoresis - --> + 1 2 3 4.1 4.2 5 6 7 Ghost Membranes Ghost membranes after salt wash Salt wash
How can we visualise spectrin on an EM grid?
- Take spectrin
- Purify it (don’t need to know how)
- Use electron-dense ion like osmium
- Build up osmium against the molecule, like a snow drift
- This creates an electron density of the ‘snow drift’
- Which creates a low-angle shadow so we can see the image
What is the structure of spectrin?
Pairs of spectrin molecules winding around each other to form coiled-coiled molecule
Fig. 17+
Caption this image and add the scale bar.
Shadowed spectrin molecules
100 nm
Draw an electron micrograph of spectrin.
See Fig. 17+
Shadowed spectrin molecules
Scale bar: 100 nm (diameter of spectrin)
Pairs of spectrin molecules winding around each other to form coiled-coiled molecule
How can we visualise images using an electron microscope?
- Use electron-dense ion such as osmium
- This builds up a ‘snow drift’ against molecules so structures can be visualised
How many molecules of spectrin are there winding around each other?
2
How do spectrin molecules interact?
Wind around each other forming a coiled-coiled molecule.
Fig. 17++
What is this image showing?
Cartoonised structure of spectrin - two spectrin molecules winding around each other
How does the structure of spectrin relate to its properties?
It has two spectrin molecules winding around each other which will create quite a strong rod-like structure.
Spectrin is created by two spectrin molecules winding around each other.
What property will this give spectrin?
A strong rod-like structure.
How do the properties of spectrin relate to its function?
Two spectrin molecules winding around each other, which will create quite a strong rod-like structure - which would be quite a good unit to put into some sort of cage within a cell.
Spectrin has a strong rod-like structure - how does this relate to function?
This would be quite a good unit to put into some sort of cage within a cell.
Fig. 17++
Label and caption the image.
a CHAIN
H2N
- flexible link between domains
COOH
b CHAIN HOOC 4 Ps - 106-amino-acid-long domain NH2
Draw a spectrin molecule (5 marks)
See Fig. 17++
a CHAIN
H2N
- flexible link between domains
COOH
b CHAIN HOOC 4 Ps - 106-amino-acid-long domain NH2
(- 2 chains - 106 amino acids long - NH2 - COOH reversed on other side - b chain has 4 Phosphates on COOH side - flexible link between domains 5 marks)
How can we visualise the cytoplasmic face of an erythrocyte membrane?
So let’s do another experiment, let’s take an erythrocyte and look at cytoplasmic face of erythrocyte membrane.
So again what we’ll do is open our erythrocyte, shadow at low-angle with osmium, look under EM