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Springer, Journal of Membrane Biology, 2(247), p. 155-165, 2013

DOI: 10.1007/s00232-013-9619-7

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The C-terminal transmembrane domain of human phospholipid scramblase 1 is essential for the protein flip-flop activity and Ca2+-binding

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

Human phospholipid scramblase 1 (SCR) is a 318 amino acid protein that was originally described as catalyzing phospholipid transbilayer (flip-flop) motion in plasma membranes in a Ca2+-dependent, ATP-independent way. Further studies have suggested an intranuclear role for this protein in addition. A putative transmembrane domain located at the C terminus (aa 291–309) has been related to the flip-flop catalysis. In order to clarify the role of the C-terminal region of SCR, a mutant was produced (SCRΔ) in which the last 28 amino acid residues were lacking, including the α-helix. SCRΔ had lost the scramblase activity and its affinity for Ca2+ was decreased by one order of magnitude. Fluorescence and IR spectroscopic studies revealed that the C-terminal region of SCR was essential for the proper folding of the protein. Moreover, it was found that Ca2+ exerted an overall destabilizing effect on SCR, which might facilitate its binding to membranes.