Quantification of Millisecond Protein-Folding Dynamics in Membrane-Mimetic Environments by Single-Molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Spectroscopy

Anal Chem. 2015 Nov 17;87(22):11224-32. doi: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b03207. Epub 2015 Oct 23.

Abstract

An increasing number of membrane proteins in different membrane-mimetic systems have become accessible to reversible unfolding experiments monitored by well-established ensemble techniques. However, only little information is available about kinetic processes during membrane-protein folding, mainly because of experimental challenges and a lack of methods suitable for observing highly dynamic membrane proteins. Here, we present single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) confocal spectroscopy as a powerful tool in kinetic studies of membrane-protein folding in membrane-mimetic environments. We have developed a rigorous workflow demonstrating how to identify and quantify such dynamic processes using a set of qualitative, semiquantitative, and quantitative analytical tools. Using this workflow, we analyzed urea-induced folding and unfolding experiments on the α-helical membrane protein Mistic in the presence of the zwitterionic detergent n-dodecylphosphocholine (DPC). We identified two-state interconversion dynamics on the millisecond time scale of a protein folding into and out of detergent micelles. Our results demonstrate that smFRET is a promising tool for probing the chemical physics of membrane-protein structure and dynamics in the complex and anisotropic environment of a hydrophilic/hydrophobic interface, providing insights into protein interconversion dynamics without the need and challenges of synchronization.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer*
  • Kinetics
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry*
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Folding*
  • Thermodynamics*

Substances

  • Membrane Proteins