Reconstitution of the rat liver vasopressin receptor coupled to guanine nucleotide-binding proteins.

The V1 vasopressin receptor has been solubilized from rat liver membranes with the zwitterionic detergent 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammoniol]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS) and reconstituted into phospholipid vesicles. There is essentially complete solubilization of the receptor by 3% CHAPS at a protein concentration of 15 mg/ml. Reconstitution into soybean phospholipid vesicles is readily achieved either by gel filtration chromatography or by membrane dialysis. The binding of [3H]vasopressin to proteoliposomes is specific, saturable, reversible, and magnesium-dependent. In contrast, the detergent-soluble vasopressin receptor does not display specific binding. The apparent affinity of the reconstituted receptor for [3H]vasopressin is approximately 4-fold lower than that of the receptor in native membranes. In addition, the binding of [3H]vasopressin to reconstituted vesicles is not sensitive to 100 microM guanosine 5'-O-thiotriphosphate (GTP gamma S) as it is in native membranes. However, the apparent affinity of the reconstituted receptor for ligand approximates that of native membranes when membranes are prebound with vasopressin prior to solubilization and reconstitution into vesicles. Furthermore, vesicles reconstituted from membranes prebound with vasopressin show GTP gamma S sensitivity of [3H] vasopressin binding. This finding strongly suggests that vasopressin stabilizes a receptor-G-protein complex during solubilization. The rat liver vasopressin receptor is a glycoprotein, as shown by its specific binding to the lectin "wheat germ agglutinin." The vasopressin receptor can be reconstituted from the N-acetylglucosamine-eluted peak of a wheat germ agglutinin-Sepharose column, and [3H] vasopressin binding activity is purified 5-6-fold from membranes by this chromatographic procedure. The functionality of the partially purified receptor is indicated by its ability to bind ligand with high affinity and by its ability to functionally interact with a G-protein when vasopressin is bound prior to solubilization.