Lipoprotein-like particles in a prokaryote: quinone droplets of Thermoplasma acidophilum

Cytosolic, globular droplets with an average diameter of 50 nm were observed in vitrified Thermoplasma acidophilum cells by means of cryo-electron tomography. These droplets were isolated by column chromatography and immuno-precipitation protein purification methods. Subsequent chemical and biochemical analyzes identified lipid and protein components, respectively. Two major lipid components, co-migrating menaquinones at the solvent front and the slower migrating Thermoplasma polar lipid U4, were detected by TLC experiments. The major protein component was identified as the 153 amino acid long Ta0547 vitellogenin-N domain protein. This domain has been found so far exclusively in large lipid transport proteins of vertebrates and non-vertebrates. Blast protein database homology searches with Ta0547 did not return any eukaryal hits, homologous sequences were found only in thermo-acidophilic archaeons. However, a profile-sequence domain search performed with the vitellogenin-N domain (PF01347) hmm-profile against the T. acidophilum proteome returned Ta0547 as hit. Electron microscopy appearance of isolated droplets resembled to lipoprotein particles. However no (tetraether) lipid layer could be detected on the droplets surface, rather hydrophobic compounds of the electron dense lumen were surrounded by a denser dis-continuous protein boundary. Based on described features these particles qualify for a novel lipoprotein particle category, what we nominated Thermoplasma Quinone Droplet.