Abstract
THE principal aim in X-ray diffraction studies of biological membranes and lipid bilayers is to determine the electron density profile across the membrane and to interpret this in terms of the distribution of the component molecules. The derivation of such electron density profiles requires a knowledge of both the amplitudes of the X-ray reflections and their corresponding phase angles. Although the relative amplitudes can be easily determined from a diffraction pattern, the phases of the reflections cannot be directly observed. The determination of these phases has proved to be one of the most difficult and contentious aspects of the membrane diffraction field1–9. In addition, because of the difficulty in measuring absolute intensities10,11, the profiles are, almost invariably, calculated on a relative electron density scale. The lack of an absolute scale has often greatly hindered the interpretation of membrane profiles, particularly with regard to the distribution of the protein molecules9,12–16. We describe here a novel method of directly determining both the phases of the X-ray reflections and an absolute electron density scale, and how the method has been successfully tested on lecithin/cholesterol bilayers.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Caspar, D. L. D. & Kirschner, D. A. Nature new Biol. 231, 46–52 (1971).
Blaurock, A. E., J. molec. Biol. 56, 35–52 (1971).
Worthington, C. R. & Mclntosh, T. J. Nature new Biol. 245, 97–99 (1973).
Wilkins, M. H. F., Blaurock, A. E. & Engelman, D. M. Nature new Biol. 230, 72–76 (1971).
Torbet, J. & Wilkins, M. H. F. J. theor. Biol. 62, 447–458 (1976).
Franks, N. P. J. molec. Biol. 100, 345–359 (1976).
Luzzati, V., Tadieu, A. & Taupin, D. J. molec. Biol. 64, 269–286 (1972).
Akers, C. K. & Parsons, D. F. Biophys. J. 10, 116–136 (1970).
Shipley, G. G. in Biological Membranes, Vol. 2 (eds Chapman, D. & Wallach, D. F. H.) 1–89 (Academic, New York, 1973).
Luzzati, V. Acta crystallogr. 13, 939–945 (1960).
Kratky, O. in Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering (ed. Brumberger, H.) 63–120 (Gordon & Breach, New York, 1967).
Luzzati, V. in Perspectives in Membrane Biology (eds Estrada, O. S. & Gitler, C.) (Academic, New York, 1974).
Blaurock, A. E. J. molec. Biol. 93, 139–158 (1975).
Chabre, M. Biochim, biophys. Acta 382, 322–335 (1975).
Chabre, M., Cavaggioni, A., Osborne, H. B., Gulik-Krzywicki, T. & Olive, J. FEBSLett. 26, 197–202 (1972).
Gulik-Krzywicki, T. Biochim. biophys. Acta 415, 1–28 (1975).
Perutz, M. F. Proc. R. Soc. A 225, 264–286 (1954).
Franks, N. P. & Lieb, W. R. Nature 274, 339–342 (1978).
Debye, P. Ann. Phys. 43, 49–95 (1914).
Rand, R. P. & Luzzati, V. Biophys. J. 8, 125–137 (1968).
Abrahamsson, S. & Pascher, I. Acta crystallogr. 21, 79–87 (1966).
Levine, Y. K. & Wilkins, M. H. F. Nature new Biol. 230, 69–72 (1971).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
FRANKS, N., ARUNACHALAM, T. & CASPI, E. A direct method for determination of membrane electron density profiles on an absolute scale. Nature 276, 530–532 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1038/276530a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/276530a0
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.