Journal of Neuroscience, Vol 6, 2857-2863, Copyright © 1986 by Society for Neuroscience
Transmembrane topology and subcellular distribution of the benzodiazepine receptor
C Czajkowski and DH Farb
The distribution and transmembrane topology of benzodiazepine receptors
were investigated in situ using intact and saponin-treated neurons of brain
cell cultures. Reversible ligand binding and photoaffinity labeling, using
3H-flunitrazepam as a probe, were employed in conjunction with
trypsin-induced exhaustive proteolysis and competition binding using a
novel benzodiazepine (Ro7-0213) that contains a quaternary ammonium moiety
bearing a full positive charge. About 80% of the benzodiazepine receptors,
with apparent subunit molecular weights of 48,000 and 51,000, are located
in the surface membrane and contain one or more trypsin-sensitive sites
exposed at the extracellular surface. The ligand recognition sites of the
surface receptors are orientated toward the extracellular space and are
sensitive to both competition by Ro7-0213 and trypsin attack. Approximately
20% of the receptors are intracellular or sequestered and are insensitive
to both trypsin and competition by Ro7-0213 in intact cells. Strikingly,
all of the 3H-flunitrazepam photolabeled sites inaccessible to competition
by Ro7-0213 are also resistant to extracellular trypsin, but are sensitive
to trypsin and Ro7-0213 in saponin-treated cells. This result provides
strong evidence for protected receptors. Surface receptors are
differentially sensitive to trypsin-induced inactivation such that 57% (of
total) are inactivated, while 24% (of total) are cleaved but, surprisingly,
retain the capacity to bind 3H-flunitrazepam. The observation that the
ability of the receptor fragment to bind ligand is unaltered demonstrates
that the integrity of the benzodiazepine binding site is not contingent
upon the presence of about half of the intact polypeptide chain.(ABSTRACT
TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)