Solubilization and Stabilization of Membrane Proteins by Cycloalkane-Modified Amphiphilic Polymers

Membrane proteins (MPs) need to be extracted from biological membranes and purified in their native state for most structural and functional in vitro investigations. Amphiphilic copolymers, such as amphipols (APols), have emerged as very useful alternatives to detergents for keeping MPs water-soluble under their native form. However, classical APols, such as poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) derivatives, seldom enable direct MP extraction. Poly(styrene maleic anhydride) copolymers (SMAs), which bear aromatic rings as hydrophobic side groups, have been reported to be more effective extracting agents. In order to test the hypothesis of the role of cyclic hydrophobic moieties in membrane solubilization by copolymers, we have prepared PAA derivatives comprising cyclic rather than linear aliphatic side groups (CyclAPols). As references, APol A8-35, SMAs, and diisobutylene maleic acid (DIBMA) were compared with CyclAPols. Using as models the plasma membrane of Escherichia coli and the extraction-resistant purple membrane from Halobacterium salinarum, we show that CyclAPols combine the extraction efficiency of SMAs with the stabilization afforded to MPs by classical APols such as A8-35.