Covalent labeling of neurotensin receptors in rat gastric fundus plasma membranes

Neurotensin receptors from plasma membranes of rat gastric fundus smooth muscle were specifically and covalently labeled either by using the photoreactive analogue 125I-labeled azidobenzoyl (Trp11)-neurotensin or by cross-linking (monoiodo-Tyr3)neurotensin to the membrane preparation by means of disuccinimidyl suberate. Analysis of plasma membranes by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and autoradiography revealed that the same protein band with an apparent molecular weight of 110,000 was specifically labeled by both methods. This band consisted of a single chain protein since its apparent size was found to be the same with or without reduction of membrane samples before electrophoresis. Only neurotensin and its biologically active analogues were able to protect plasma membranes against specific labeling of the protein band of molecular weight 110,000. Comparison of these results with those obtained from rat brain synaptic membranes shows that although rat central and peripheral neurotensin receptors exhibit similar specificities towards a series of neurotensin analogues, their subunit structures are different.