Mapping membrane protein interactions in cell signaling systems.

We proposed to apply a chemical cross-linking, mass spectrometry and modeling method called MS3D to the structure determination of the rhodopsin-transducin membrane protein complex (RTC). Herein we describe experimental progress made to adapt the MS3D approach for characterizing membrane protein systems, and computational progress in experimental design, data analysis and protein structure modeling. Over the past three years, we have developed tailored experimental methods for all steps in the MS3D method for rhodopsin, including protein purification, a functional assay, cross-linking, proteolysis and mass spectrometry. In support of the experimental effort. we have out a data analysis pipeline in place that automatically selects the monoisotopic peaks in a mass spectrometric spectrum, assigns them and stores the results in a database. Theoretical calculations using 24 experimentally-derived distance constraints have resulted in a backbone-level model of the activated form of rhodopsin, which is a critical first step towards building a model of the RTC. Cross-linked rhodopsin-transducin complexes have been isolated via gel electrophoresis and further mass spectrometric characterization of the cross-links is underway