J. Biol. Chem., Vol. 261, Issue 23, 10653-10658, Aug, 1986
Topology and function of "stalk" proteins in the bovine mitochondrial H+-ATPase
S Joshi, MJ Pringle and R Siber
Proton translocating ATPases comprise a hydrophilic sector F1, a membrane
sector F0, and, in the case of bovine mitochondria, a connecting "stalk"
which is believed to contain the oligomycin sensitivity-conferring protein
(OSCP) and coupling factor 6 (F6). The present study was undertaken to
verify the accessibility of F6 and OSCP to trypsin and to examine the
functional consequences of such treatment. Our data show that F1 binds
equally to trypsin-treated F0 and untreated F0, but the former complexes
exhibit cold lability and only partial sensitivity to oligomycin.
Furthermore, these complexes fail to exhibit ATP-driven proton
translocation or ATP-32Pi exchange activity. Trypsinization of F0 does not,
however, inhibit passive proton conductance through the membrane sector but
actually enhances it. Immunological data indicate extensive degradation of
OSCP under conditions where F6 proteolysis is insignificant. Intact
H+-ATPase complexes are relatively resistant to both the structural and
functional effects of trypsin. We conclude that OSCP is predominantly an
extrinsic protein which is shielded by F1 in the native membrane. F6 may
also be an extrinsic protein but is shielded from trypsinization by OSCP
and/or other F0 polypeptides. The exposed, trypsin-sensitive segments of
OSCP are not required for passive proton conductance through F0 but may be
required for ATP-driven reactions. We propose that bovine mitochondrial
OSCP is a functional analogue of subunit b in the Escherichia coli
H+-ATPase.