JBC, Vol. 250, Issue 18, 7139-7146, Sep, 1975
Reactivation of the lipid-depleted pyruvate oxidase system from Escherichia coli with cell envelope neutral lipids
C. C. Cunningham and L. P. Hager
The pyruvate oxidase system of Escherichia coli is composed of a soluble
flavoprotein, pyruvate oxidase (EC 1.2.2.2, pyruvate:ferricytochrome b1
oxidoreductase), and an electron transport system associated with the cell
envelope-membrane fraction. The membrane particles contain 15% lipid by
weight. Fractionation of the lipids revealed that abut one-third are
neutral lipids and two-thirds are phospholipids. The relative ratio of
ubiquinone to menaquinone within the neutral lipid fraction is 15:1 on a
molar basis. Removal of the lipids from the membrane particles by
extraction with aqueous acetone or hydrolysis of the phospholipids by
treatment with Bacillus cereus phospholipase C results in a complete loss
of electron transport activity. Analysis of the particles extracted with
aqueous acetone revealed that practically all the neutral lipids and 65% of
the phospholipids are removed by this treatment. Phospholipase treatment
results in a loss of 75% of the membrane phospholipid phosphorus; however,
the diglycerides and the neutral lipids produced by phospholipase
hydrolysis remain associated with the particles. Addition of neutral lipid
and a detergent, hepta-DL-alanyl dodecylamide to the acetone-extracted
material results in a restoration of 37% of the original particle activity.
Addition of neutral lipid and hepta-DL-alanyl dodecylamide to
phospholipase-treated particles completely restores the original electron
transport activity. Furthermore, addition of ubiquinone from either yeast
(UQ6) or E. coli (UQ8) will restore pyruvate oxidase activity when the
quinones are supplemented with photoinactivated neutral lipid. No
restoration of activity to phospholipase-treated particles is noted upon
the addition of either menaquinone 6 or menaquinone 8 to the reconstitution
system. In fact, these compounds appear to suppress restoration of activity
when they are added to reaction mixtures containing neutral lipid and
phospholipase-treated particles.