Topological disposition of tyrosine 486 in anion exchanger from human erythrocytes.

The location with respect to the plasma membrane of tyrosine 486 in the native anion exchanger of human erythrocytes has been determined by site-directed immunochemistry. Intact erythrocytes and inside-out vesicles were [125I]radioiodinated by lactoperoxidase in the same vessel. After the erythrocytes and inside-out vesicles had been separated by differential centrifugation, the modified polypeptide of the anion exchanger was isolated from each sample and digested with the proteinase from Staphylococcus aureus strain V8 and trypsin to generate the peptide YIVGR. An immunoadsorbent that was specific for the carboxy-terminal sequence -IVGR was used to purify the peptide YIVGR, which contains tyrosine 486 of the anion exchanger, from the products of the digestion. The [125I]radioiodinated peptides isolated by the immunoadsorbent were submitted to high-pressure liquid chromatography, and their respective mobilities were compared to those of synthetic peptides that had been iodinated at tyrosine. By applying this technique, the peptide containing tyrosine 486 was unambiguously identified, and the incorporation of [125I]iodine into this residue in anion exchanger could be monitored. When inside-out vesicles and intact cells were [125I]radioiodinated in the same suspension, tyrosine 486 was modified to at least a 6-fold greater specific radioactivity in the inside-out vesicles than it was in the intact cells. This amino acid, therefore, was assigned to the cytoplasmic surface of native anion exchanger. It follows that the polypeptide of anion exchanger spans the membrane three times before it reaches the extracellular region surrounding glutamine 550.