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7804918 
Journal Article 
Evidence for a lipochaperonin: association of active protein-folding GroESL oligomers with lipids can stabilize membranes under heat shock conditions 
Török, Z; Horváth, I; Goloubinoff, P; Kovács, E; Glatz, A; Balogh, G; Vígh, L 
1997 
1 
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
ISSN: 0027-8424
EISSN: 1091-6490 
94 
6 
2192-2197 
English 
9122170 
WOS:A1997WP33400021 
During heat shock, structural changes in proteins and membranes may lead to cell death. While GroE and other chaperone proteins are involved in the prevention of stress-induced protein aggregation and in the recovery of protein structures, a mechanism for short-term membrane stabilization during stress remains to be established. We found that GroEL chaperonin can associate with model lipid membranes. Binding was apparently governed by the composition and the physical state of the host bilayer. Limited proteolysis of GroEL oligomers by proteinase K, which removes selectively the conserved glycine- and methionine-rich C terminus, leaving the chaperonin oligomer intact, prevented chaperonin association with lipid membranes. GroEL increased the lipid order in the liquid crystalline state, yet remained functional as a protein-folding chaperonin. This suggests that, during stress, chaperonins can assume the functions of assisting the folding of both soluble and membrane-associated proteins while concomitantly stabilizing lipid membranes.