Lateral heterogeneity in the distribution of thylakoid membrane lipid and protein components and its implications for the molecular organisation of photosynthetic membranes

https://doi.org/10.1016/0005-2728(83)90229-3Get rights and content

Abstract

The lateral distribution of all the major components of photosynthetic thylakoid membranes, i.e., acyl lipids, chlorophylls and proteins, has been examined by comparing the composition of whole thylakoids with that of appressed membrane regions derived therefrom. Separations were effected by means of French-press treatment followed by aqueous polymer two-phase partition. Considerable lateral heterogeneities in the distribution of all major membrane components were found. Membrane preparations highly enriched in appressed (granal) thylakoids contained less than 10% of the total thylakoid Photosystem I complex, but contained twice the amount of total chlorophyll relative to protein (mg/ml or ml/mol) and only 50–60% of the amount of total lipid relative to protein compared with whole thylakoids. Appressed thylakoids were substantially depleted in both major galactolipids in comparison with both whole thylakoids and non-appressed thylakoids. The ratio of diacylglycerophosphoglycerol:protein showed little variation between membrane fractions. A molar ratio of lipid:protein in appressed regions of only 13.5:1 was deduced, which implies a very considerable protein-protein proximity in chloroplast granal membranes. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for the molecular organisation of photosynthetic membranes.

References (53)

  • S.J. Singer
  • D. Chapman et al.

    FEBS Lett.

    (1979)
  • J.A. Berden et al.

    Biochim. Biophys. Acta

    (1975)
  • S. Carnie et al.

    Biochim. Biophys. Acta

    (1979)
  • J.N. Israelachvili et al.

    Biochim. Biophys. Acta

    (1977)
  • L.L.M. Van Deenen

    FEBS Lett.

    (1981)
  • B. Andersson et al.

    Biochim. Biophys. Acta

    (1980)
  • J.M. Anderson et al.

    Trends Biochem. Sci.

    (1982)
  • B. Andersson et al.

    FEBS Lett.

    (1982)
  • M. Grunze et al.

    Biochim. Biophys. Acta

    (1982)
  • D.A. Walker

    Methods Enzymol.

    (1980)
  • H. Sandermann et al.

    J. Biol. Chem.

    (1972)
  • M.-V. Khan et al.

    J. Chromatogr.

    (1977)
  • J.M. Anderson

    Biochim. Biophys. Acta

    (1980)
  • B. Andersson et al.

    Biochim. Biophys. Acta

    (1978)
  • B. Andersson et al.

    Biochim. Biophys. Acta

    (1980)
  • B. Andersson et al.

    FEBS Lett.

    (1977)
  • H.-E. Akerlund et al.

    Biochim. Biophys. Acta

    (1976)
  • C.F. Allen et al.

    Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun.

    (1972)
  • J.C. Duval et al.

    FEBS Lett.

    (1979)
  • A. Tremolieres et al.

    FEBS Lett.

    (1981)
  • J.M. Anderson

    FEBS Lett.

    (1981)
  • J.M. Anderson

    FEBS Lett.

    (1982)
  • S. Mizushima et al.

    Biochim. Biophys. Acta

    (1975)
  • A. Waksman et al.

    Biochim. Biophys. Acta

    (1980)
  • P. Joliot et al.

    FEBS Lett.

    (1981)
  • Cited by (55)

    • Composition, organization, and dynamics of thylakoid membranes

      1994, Advances in Molecular and Cell Biology
    • Isolation of pigment-free bulk lipids from thylakoids

      1993, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA)/Lipids and Lipid Metabolism
    • Biochemical and biophysical properties of thylakoid acyl lipids

      1991, Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Bioenergetics
    View all citing articles on Scopus

    Permanent address: Research School of Biological Sciences, Department of Environmental Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

    View full text