Lateral diffusion of an integral membrane protein: Monte Carlo analysis of the migration of phosphorylated light-harvesting complex II in the thylakoid membrane

Abstract

The lateral migration of the integral light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein complex of photosystem II, LHCII, has been studied in the undisturbed membranes of thylakoids without artificial probes. LHCII was phosphorylated at 0 degree C. The diffusion of the mobile phospho-LHCII from appressed grana to nonappressed membrane regions was induced by a temperature jump to 20 degrees C and analyzed by a rapid detergent fractionation of the two membrane areas. This long-range diffusion of the integral phospho-LHCI…