PALMITOYLATION OF MEMBRANE-PROTEINS IN SPIROPLASMA-FLORICOLA

Covalent modification of Spiroplasma floricola membrane proteins by fatty acids was determined by in vivo labeling of the cells with radioactive fatty acids followed by separation on one-dimensional SDS-polyacrylamide gels and visualization by autoradiography. Approximately 25 different proteins were found to be labeled with [H-3]-palmitate, whereas almost none were labeled with [H-3]-oleate. The radioactivity could not be removed from the palmitoylated membrane proteins by boiling in SDS or by exhaustive extraction with chloroform-methanol (2: 1). Nevertheless, treating the palmitoylated proteins with a 0.1 N KOH solution removed approximately 70% of the bound [H-3]-palmitate. The major protein-bound fatty acid species were identified, following their release from the protein by chemical cleavage, as palmitic acid and stearic acid (83% and 7.5%, respectively).