Study of Polytopic Membrane Protein Topological Organization as a Function of Membrane Lipid Composition

A protocol is described using lipid mutants and thiol-specific chemical reagents to study lipid-dependent and host-specific membrane protein topogenesis by the substituted-cysteine accessibility method as applied to transmembrane domains (SCAM™). SCAM™ is adapted to follow changes in membrane protein topology as a function of changes in membrane lipid composition. The strategy described can be adapted to any membrane system.