Topographical orientation of complex III in the yeast mitochondrial membrane.

Abstract

The orientation of the different subunits of complex III in the yeast inner mitochondrial membrane has been investigated by several different approaches. Immunoinhibition studies of cytochrome c reductase activity in intact mitoplasts and submitochondrial particles using IgG obtained from specific antisera against complex III, the iron-sulfur protein, core protein I, and core protein II suggested a transmembranous orientation of the complex with the antigenic sites of the iron-sulfur protein exposed on the cytoplasmic surface of the membrane. A lack of immunoinhibition was observed with the IgG against either core protein suggesting that these proteins may not be involved in catalysis. Digestion of mitoplasts with chymotrypsin indicated that the protein mass of cytochromes b and c1 protrudes from the cytoplasmic surface of the membrane; however, the hemes of cytochrome b appear to be buried within the membrane while the heme of cytochrome c1 is partially exposed on the chymotrypsin-sensitive portion of the polypeptide. By contrast, the iron-sulfur protein does not protrude from the membrane as it is completely resistant to chymotrypsin digestion. Labeling with the hydrophilic membrane-impermeant probe diazobenzenesulfonate suggests that core protein II is exposed on both sides of the membrane but protrudes into the matrix; while core protein I is within the membrane. Immunoprecipitation studies of sodium dodecyl sulfate and Triton X-100-solubilized mitochondria with subunit-specific antisera suggest that cytochromes b and c1 and core protein I are tightly associated in complex III. By contrast, the iron-sulfur protein and core protein II are loosely associated with the other subunits of the complex such that they are dissociated by low concentrations of detergent.