Organisation of the proteins of the chromaffin granule membrane

The organisation of the protein components of bovine chromaffin granules has been investigated by labelling or digesting intact granules or broken membranes with the following reagents: lactoperoxidase/Na125I as a reagent for tyrosine residues, N-(iodoacetylaminoethyl)-5-naphthylamine-1-sulphonic acid as a reagent for cysteine residues, pronase, and galactose oxidase/KB3H4. Following treatment, membranes were purified and washed and proteins were examined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate. Rather more than 60 bands were resoved, of which about 40 were relatively intense and reproducible. The bands were classified according to their molecular weights and sensitivity to reagents. Penetration of the membranes by the reagents was assessed by examination of intragranular porteins. The majority of chromaffin granule membrane polypeptides became labelled when intact granules were treated with impermeant reagents. Eleven were probably protected in the intact granules, reactive sites becoming exposed only on membrane lysis. By contrast, carbohydrate moieties of glycoproteins appear to be exposed only on the matrix side of the membrane. Two proteins were shown to span the membrane, although this is probably an underestimate.