Topology of the Neurospora plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase. Localization of a transmembrane segment.

The Neurospora plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase is a polytopic integral membrane protein. To localize transmembrane segments, mutants were constructed that contained the amino and carboxyl termini of the H(+)-ATPase with putative transmembrane segment. A stretch of amino acid residues from yeast invertase that has three consensus N-linked glycosylation sites was placed carboxyl terminal of the putative transmembrane segment. RNA transcripts of these mutants were translated in a Neurospora in vitro system that was supplemented with microsomes from Neurospora. By the criteria of glycosylation of the polypeptide chain, resistance to extraction at pH 11.5, and protection from proteinase K digestion, only one transmembrane segment could be identified within the amino acid residues 272-314 of the primary sequence of the H(+)-ATPase.