Purification and oligomeric state of the major lens fiber cell membrane proteins

Purification of the lens fiber cell membrane proteins MP20 and MP26, and the partial co-purification of the lens connexin-related proteins MP70 and connexin 46 has been achieved using anion- and cation-exchange chromatography of lens fiber cell membrane proteins solubilized in n-octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside (octyl glucoside). The apparent molecular weights of the solubilized protein-detergent complexes were significantly greater than that expected for the monomeric proteins. The purified proteins retained their ability to be phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase, and to bind calmodulin in a calcium and magnesium dependent manner. The heterobifunctional covalent chemical crosslinking agent N-5-azido-2-nitro-benzoyloxysuccinimide (ANB-NOS), and the thiol oxidant cupric phenanthroline were used to identify the oligomeric states of these proteins. Crosslinking of either the purified proteins or native lens membranes generated a ladder of crosslinked MP20 or MP26 homo-oligomers. The largest detectable crosslinked homo-oligomer of MP20 was at least a hexamer, while for MP26 the largest crosslinked homo-oligomer was at least a tetramer. The possible oligomeric states of MP70 and connexin 46 could not be determined with the crosslinking reagents used in this study. The procedure described here for the purification of detergent-solubilized major lens proteins should provide a valuable approach in future studies aimed at clarifying the roles of these different lens membrane proteins.