Arrangement of Proteins and Lipids in the Sarcoplasmic Membrane

Abstract

The number of amino residues present in the proteins of the sarcoplasmic reticulum which can react with Fluram has been determined in native and sonicated SR vesicles. Sonication increases the number of amino groups accessible to Fluram from 0.57 to 0 .8 7 μmol·mg prot.-1. This increase indicates that 66% of the amino residues are present in the external and 34% in the internal membrane leaflet. The distribution of the amino phospholipids is computed from the distribution of Fluram in the membrane proteins in con­junction with the relative distribution of Fluram between protein and lipid in native and sonicated vesicles. The distribution of the calcium transport protein has been approximated under different assumptions concerning the distribution of the residual protein and taking into account that 15% of the membranes of the SR vesicles might have changed their sideness during preparation.