Analysis of Thylakoid Membrane Protein Complexes by Blue Native Gel Electrophoresis

Summary

A protocol for the elucidation of plant thylakoid protein complex organization and composition with blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) and 2D-SDS-PAGE is described. The protocol is optimized for Arabidopsis thaliana, but can be used for other plant species with minor modifications.

Abstract

Photosynthetic electron transfer chain (ETC) converts solar energy to chemical energy in the form of NADPH and ATP. Four large protein complexes embedded in the thylakoid membrane harvest solar energy to drive electrons from water to NADP⁺ via two photosystems, and use the created proton gradient for production of ATP. Photosystem PSII, PSI, cytochrome b₆f (Cyt b₆f) and ATPase are all multiprotein complexes with distinct orientation and dynamics in the thylakoid membrane. Valuable information about the composition and interactions of the protein complexes in the thylakoid membrane can be obtained by solubilizing the complexes from the membrane integrity by mild detergents followed by native gel electrophoretic separation of the complexes. Blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) is an analytical method used for the separation of protein complexes in their native and functional form. The method can be used for protein complex purification for more detailed structural analysis, but it also provides a tool to dissect the dynamic interactions between the protein complexes. The method was developed for the analysis of mitochondrial respiratory protein complexes, but has since been optimized and improved for the dissection of the thylakoid protein complexes. Here, we provide a detailed up-to-date protocol for analysis of labile photosynthetic protein complexes and their interactions in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Introduction

Large multisubunit protein complexes photosystem PSI and PSII, Cyt b₆f and ATPase coordinate the production of NADPH and ATP in photosynthetic light reactions. In higher plant chloroplasts, the complexes are located in the thylakoid membrane, which is a structurally heterogeneous membrane structure, comprising appressed grana and non-appressed stroma thylakoids. Blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN-PAGE) is an extensively used method in the analysis of large multisubunit protein complexes in their native and biologically active form. The method was established for the dissection of mitochondrial membrane protein complexes¹

Protocol

1. Preparing BN Gel^1,2,3

1. Set up the gel caster with 8 cm x 10 cm plates (rectangular glass and notched alumina plate) according to manufacturer's instructions using 0.75 mm spacers.
2. Place a gradient mixer on a stir plate and connect it with the peristaltic pump by a tubing. Attach a syringe needle to the other end of the tubing and place the needle between the glass and aluminum plate. Place magnetic stirrer to the "heavy" (H)-chamber.
3. Prepare the 3.5% (v/v) and 12.5% (v/v) acrylamide (AA) solutions....

Results

A representative 2D-BN/SDS-PAGE system in Figure 1 demonstrates the separation of digitonin and β-DM-solubilized thylakoid protein complexes and their detailed protein subunit composition. The protein complex pattern of digitonin solubilized thylakoids (horizontal gel on the top on the top of Figure 1A) contains the PSII-LHCII-PSI megacomplex, two large PSII-LHCII supercomplexes (sc), PSI-LHCII supercomplex, PSI monomer (m),.......

Discussion

The photosynthetic energy conversion machinery is composed of large multisubunit protein complexes, which are embedded in the thylakoid membrane. This protocol describes a basic method for analysis of the plant thylakoid protein complexes from Arabidopsis thaliana with BN-PAGE combined with 2D-SDS-PAGE. The protocol is also suitable for the analysis of thylakoid protein complexes from tobacco and spinach thylakoids, but might require small adjustments.

For the solubilization of membra.......

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
6-aminocaproic acid (ACA)	Sigma-Aldrich	A2504
BisTris	Sigma-Aldrich	B4429
Sucrose	Sigma-Aldrich	S0389
Acrylamide (AA)	Sigma-Aldrich	A9099	Caution: Neurotoxic!
n-dodecyl-β-D-maltoside	Sigma-Aldrich	D4641
Tricine	Sigma-Aldrich	T0377
Tris	Sigma-Aldrich	T1503
SDS	VWR	442444H
Urea	VWR	28877.292
Glycerol	J.T. Baker	7044
Sodium Fluoride (NaF)	J.T. Baker	3688
EDTA disodium salt	J.T. Baker	1073
Digitonin	Calbiochem	300410	Caution:Toxic!
Pefabloc SC	Roche	11585916001
Serva Coomassie Blue G	Serva	35050
β-mercaptoethanol	Bio-Rad	1610710
APS (Ammonium persulfate)	Bio-Rad	161-0700
TEMED (Tetramethylethylenediamine)	Bio-Rad	1610801
(N,N'-Methylene)-Bis-Acrylamide	Omnipur	2610
Glycine	Fisher	G0800
Prestained Protein Marker, Broad Range (7-175 kDa)	New England Biolabs	P7708
Falcon, Conical Centrifuge Tubes 15 ml	Corning	352093
Dual gel caster with 10 x 8 cm plates	Hoefer	SE215
Gradient maker SG5	Hoefer
0.75 mm T-spacers	Hoefer	SE2119T-2-.75
Sample gel comb, 0.75 mm	Hoefer	SE211A-10-.75
Mighty Small SE250 vertical electrophoresis system	Hoefer	SE250
IPC-pump	Ismatec
Power supply, PowerPac HV	Bio-Rad	164-5097
Centrifuge	Eppendorf	5424R
Rocker-Shaker	Biosan	BS-010130-AAI
PROTEAN II xi Cell	Bio-Rad	1651813