Spectral analysis by XANES reveals that GPNMB influences the chemical composition of intact melanosomes

Tamás Haraszti, Colleen M. Trantow, Adam Hedberg-Buenz, Michael Grunze, Michael G. Anderson

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

GPNMB is a unique melanosomal protein. Unlike many melanosomal proteins, GPNMB has not been associated with any forms of albinism, and it is unclear whether GPNMB has any direct influence on melanosomes. Here, melanosomes from congenic strains of C57BL/6J mice mutant for Gpnmb are compared to strain-matched controls using standard transmission electron microscopy and synchrotron-based X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis (XANES). Whereas electron microscopy did not detect any ultrastructural changes in melanosomes lacking functional GPNMB, XANES uncovered multiple spectral phenotypes. These results directly demonstrate that GPNMB influences the chemical composition of melanosomes and more broadly illustrate the potential for using genetic approaches in combination with nano-imaging technologies to study organelle biology.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)187-196
Number of pages10
JournalPigment Cell and Melanoma Research
Volume24
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2011

Keywords

  • Genetic mapping
  • Melanin
  • Melanocytes
  • Melanosomes
  • X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis spectroscopy

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