Phospholipid organization in H,K-ATPase-containing membranes from pig gastric mucosa

The transverse distribution of the phospholipids in vesicular H+-translocating membranes prepared from pig gastric mucosa was investigated with the aid of phospholipase C, sphingomyelinase, and trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid. The major part (80-90%) of the phosphatidylcholine and the phosphatidylethanolamine, 60% of the phosphatidylserine, and 45% of the sphingomyelin was located on the external, cytoplasmic side of the vesicle membranes. After treatment with phospholipase C the vesicles still behaved as osmometers and appeared as closed vesicles on the electron micrographs. 31P NMR indicated that the phospholipids in untreated vesicles as well as the unhydrolyzed phospholipids in phospholipase C-treated vesicles were arranged in lamellar structures. The 31P NMR spectrum of untreated vesicles to which Pr3+ ions had been added supported the conclusion that the major part of the membrane phospholipids was located on the external surface of the vesicles. A small fraction of the lipids, 3.6 mol %, was found to consist of glycosphingolipids which occurred at a concentration of 52 nmol/mg of protein.