a Explain the following observation integral membrane protei

a. Explain the following observation: integral membrane proteins are insoluble in water, but can be dissolved in detergent solutions.

b. The following amino acid sequence is from an integral membrane protein: RGPKIPSIATGDLMGALLLLVVALGIGLFMLVFRRRH.

Underline those residues that most likely form the membrane spanning region. Justify your answer.

Solution

a) Detergents are amphiphilic compounds with well-segregated polar and apolar domains. Detergents belong to a class of compounds called surfactants, which are surface active agents that reduce interfacial surface tension in mixtures (i.e., oil and water) by adsorbing to interfaces. this property of the detergent make it soluble with integral membrane protein.

B) GALLLLVVALGIGL this region most likely form the membrane spanning region because it is enriched with non polar hydrophobic amino acid residues which mainly form the integral membrane protein.