Chapter 8 Two-dimensional native electrophoresis for fluorescent and functional assays of mitochondrial complexes

Supramolecular assemblies of native membrane protein complexes were solubilized from biological membranes by very mild detergents and isolated by native electrophoresis. The complexity of these higher order structures can be reduced for proteomic investigations by applying less mild native electrophoresis variants in the second dimension. Supercomplexes thereby dissociate into the individual complexes. Clear-native and blue-native electrophoresis variants are useful alternatives for the second native dimension, but clear-native electrophoresis is advantageous for the identification of fluorescence-labeled proteins and for in-gel activity assays that are hampered by Coomassie dye. The 2-D native gels comprising two orthogonal native dimensions are useful to determine the stoichiometry of complexes in supercomplexes. Strips from 2-D native gels can also be used for 3-D SDS-PAGE to identify loosely bound accessory subunits of supercomplexes. The subunit composition of supercomplexes and individual complexes is investigated by 4-D gels. The 4-D protocol starts with isolation of highly pure membrane protein complexes by 2-D native electrophoresis, followed by doubled SDS-PAGE to resolve the subunits.