Mechanism of the ATP-dependent phosphatidylserine synthesis in liver subcellular fractions

It has been shown that the ATP-dependent incorporation of [14C]serine into phosphatidylserine in rat liver mitochondrial and microsomal fractions is prevented by EGTA. On the other hand, at low (microM) Ca2+ concentrations, serine incorporation is strongly stimulated by ATP and Mg2+. This stimulatory effect is reduced by calcium ionophore A23187. It is therefore suggested that the ATP-dependent process is that of serine base-exchange reaction, stimulated by endogenous Ca2+ accumulated inside the microsomal vesicles by Ca2+,Mg2+-ATPase. The mitochondrial activity can be accounted for by contamination by the endoplasmic reticulum.     

Magnesium permeability of sarcoplasmic reticulum. Mg2+ is not countertransported during ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake by sarcoplasmic reticulum

Magnesium transport across sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles was investigated in reaction mixtures of various composition using antipyrylazo III or arsenazo I to monitor extravesicular free Mg2+. The half-time of passive Mg2+ efflux from Mg2+-loaded SR was 100 s in 100 mM KCl, 150 S in 100 mM K gluconate, and 370 S in either 100 mM Tris methanesulfonate or 200 mM sucrose solutions. The concentration and time course of Mg2+ released into the medium was also measured during ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake by SR. In reaction mixtures containing up to 3 mM Mg2+, small changes in free magnesium of 10 microM or less were accurately detected without interference from changes in free Ca2+ of up to 100 microM. Three experimental protocols were used to determine whether the increase of free [Mg2+] in the medium after an addition of ATP was due to Mg2+ dissociated from ATP following ATP hydrolysis or to Mg2+ translocation from inside to outside of the vesicles. 1) In the presence of ATP-regenerating systems which maintained constant ATP to ADP ratios and normal rates of active Ca2+ uptake, the increase of Mg2+ in the medium was negligible. 2) Mg2+ released during ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake by SR was similar to that observed during ATP hydrolysis catalyzed by apyrase, in the absence of SR. 3) In SR lysed with Triton X-100 such that Ca2+ transport was uncoupled from ATPase activity, the rate and amount of Mg2+ release was greater than that observed during ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake by intact vesicles. Taken together, the results indicate that passive fluxes of Mg2+ across SR membranes are 10 times faster than those of Ca2+ and that Mg2+ is not counter-transported during active Ca2+ accumulation by SR even in reaction mixtures containing minimal concentrations of membrane permeable ions that could be rapidly exchanged or cotransported with Ca2+ (e.g. K+ or Cl-).     

Calcium Transport in Sealed Vesicles from Red Beet (Beta vulgaris L.) Storage Tissue : II. Characterization of Ca Uptake into Plasma Membrane Vesicles

Calcium uptake was examined in sealed plasma membrane vesicles isolated from red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) storage tissue using (45)Ca(2+). Uptake of (45)Ca(2+) by the vesicles was ATP-dependent and radiotracer accumulated by the vesicles could be released by the addition of the calcium ionophore A23187. The uptake was stimulated by gramicidin D but slightly inhibited by carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone. Although the latter result might suggest some degree of indirect coupling of (45)Ca(2+) uptake to ATP utilization via deltamuH(+), no evidence for a secondary H(+)/Ca(2+) antiport in this vesicle system could be found. Following the imposition of an acid-interior pH gradient, proton efflux from the vesicle was not enhanced by the addition of Ca(2+) and an imposed pH gradient could not drive (45)Ca(2+) uptake. Optimal uptake of (45)Ca(2+) occurred broadly between pH 7.0 and 7.5 and the transport was inhibited by orthovanadate, N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, and diethylstilbestrol but insensitive to nitrate and azide. The dependence of (45)Ca(2+) uptake on both calcium and Mg:ATP concentration demonstrated saturation kinetics with K(m) values of 6 micromolar and 0.37 millimolar, respectively. While ATP was the preferred substrate for driving (45)Ca(2+) uptake, GTP could drive transport at about 50% of the level observed for ATP. The results of this study demonstrate the presence of a unique primary calcium transport system associated with the plasma membrane which could drive calcium efflux from the plant cell.     

Novel ATP-dependent calcium transport component from rat liver plasma membranes. The transporter and the previously reported (Ca2+-Mg2+)-ATPase are different proteins

An ATP-dependent calcium transport component from rat liver plasma membranes was solubilized by cholate and reconstituted into egg lecithin vesicles by a cholate dialysis procedure. The uptake of Ca2+ into the reconstituted vesicles was ATP-dependent and the trapped Ca2+ could be released by A23187. Nucleotides, including ADP, UTP, GTP, CTP, GDP, AMP, and adenyl-5'-yl beta, gamma-imidophosphate, and p-nitrophenylphosphate did not substitute for ATP. The concentration of ATP required for half-maximal stimulation of Ca2+ uptake into the reconstituted vesicles was 6.2 microM. Magnesium was required for calcium uptake. Inhibitors of mitochondrial calcium-sequestering activities, i.e. oligomycin, sodium azide, ruthenium red, carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone, and valinomycin did not affect the uptake of Ca2+ into the vesicles. In addition, strophanthidin and p-chloromercuribenzoate did not affect the transport. Calcium transport, however, was inhibited by vanadate in a concentration-dependent fashion with a K0.5 of 10 microM. A calcium-stimulated, vanadate-inhibitable phosphoprotein was demonstrated in the reconstituted vesicles with an apparent molecular weight of 118,000 +/- 1,300. These properties of Ca2+ transport by vesicles reconstituted from liver plasma membranes suggest that this ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport component is different from the high affinity (Ca2+-Mg2+)-ATPase found in the same membrane preparation (Lotersztajn, S., Hanoune, J. and Pecker, F. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 11209-11215; Lin, S.-H., and Fain, J.N. (1984) J. Biol. Chem. 259, 3016-3020). When the entire reconstituted vesicle population was treated with ATP and 45Ca in a buffer containing oxalate, the vesicles with Ca2+ transport activity could be separated from other vesicles by centrifugation in a density gradient and the ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport component was purified approximately 9-fold. This indicates that transport-specific fractionation may be used to isolate the ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport component from liver plasma membrane.     

The high affinity (Ca2+-Mg2+)-ATPase in liver plasma membranes is a Ca2+ pump. Reconstitution of the purified enzyme into phospholipid vesicles

The purified (Ca2+-Mg2+)-ATPase from rat liver plasma membranes (Lotersztajn, S., Hanoune, J., and Pecker, F. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 11209-11215) was incorporated into soybean phospholipid vesicles, together with its activator. In the presence of millimolar concentrations of Mg2+, the reconstituted proteoliposomes displayed a rapid, saturable, ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake. Half-maximal Ca2+ uptake activity was observed at 13 +/- 3 nM free Ca2+, and the apparent Km for ATP was 16 +/- 6 microM. Ca2+ accumulated into proteoliposomes (2.8 +/- 0.2 nmol of Ca2+/mg of protein/90 s) was totally released upon addition of the Ca2+ ionophore A-23187. Ca2+ uptake into vesicles reconstituted with enzyme alone was stimulated 2-2.5-fold by the (Ca2+-Mg2+)-ATPase activator, added exogenously. The (Ca2+-Mg2+)-ATPase activity of the reconstituted vesicles, measured using the same assay conditions as for ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake activity (e.g. in the presence of millimolar concentrations of Mg2+), was maximally activated by 20 nM free Ca2+, half-maximal activation occurring at 13 nM free Ca2+. The stoichiometry of Ca2+ transport versus ATP hydrolysis approximated 0.3. These results provide a direct demonstration that the high affinity (Ca2+-Mg2+)-ATPase identified in liver plasma membranes is responsible for Ca2+ transport.     

Sodium/calcium exchange in smooth-muscle microsomal fractions.

The existence of Na+ -dependent Ca2+ transport was investigated in microsomal fractions from the longitudinal smooth muscle of the guinea-pig ileum and from the rat aorta, and its activity was compared with that of the plasmalemmal ATP-dependent Ca2+ pump previously identified in these preparations. The rate of Ca2+ release from plasmalemmal vesicles previously loaded with Ca2+ through the ATP-dependent Ca2+ pump was transiently faster in the presence of 150 mM-NaCl in the medium than in the presence of 150 mM-KCl or -LiCl or 300 mM-sucrose. Na+-loaded vesicles took up Ca2+ when an outwardly directed Na+ gradient was formed across the membrane. The Ca ionophore A23187 induced a rapid release of 85% of the sequestered Ca2+, whereas only 15% was displaced by La3+. Ca2+ accumulated by the Na+-induced Ca2+ transport was released by the addition of NaCl, but not KCl, to the medium. Ca2+ uptake in Na+-loaded vesicles was inhibited in the presence of increasing NaCl concentration in the medium. Half-maximum inhibition was observed with 28 mM-NaCl. Data fitted the Hill equation, with a Hill coefficient (h) of 1.9. Na+-induced Ca2+ uptake was a saturable function of Ca2+ concentration in the medium. Half-maximum activity was obtained with 18 microM-Ca2+ in intestinal-smooth-muscle microsomal fraction and with 50 microM-Ca2+ in aortic microsomal fraction. The results suggest that in these membrane preparations a transmembrane movement of Ca2+ can be driven by a Na+ gradient. However, the Na+-induced Ca2+ transport had a lower capacity, a lower affinity and a slower rate than the ATP-dependent Ca2+ pump.     

Active transport of calcium in membrane vesicles from Mycobacterium phlei.

Active transport of calcium ions has been demonstrated in inside-out membrane vesicles from Mycobacterium phlei mediated by respiratory linked substrates as well as by ATP hydrolysis. The uptake of calcium exhibited an apparent Km of 80 microM and V of 16.6 nmol calcium uptake x min-1 x mg protein-1. A fortyfold concentration gradient for calcium ions was calculated for both the ATP-induced and the respiration-induced transport of calcium. Removal of coupling-factor-latent ATPase resulted in the complete loss of ATP-driven Ca2+ transport whereas the respiration-driven uptake was reduced by 40-50%. The uptake of calcium was inhibited by the proton conducting ionophores carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and Gramicidin-D. The accumulated calcium was freely exchangeable with external calcium and was rapidly released by the addition of inhibitors of energy transduction, proton-translocating uncouplers or the ionophore A23187. The uptake of the weak base, methylamine, upon the oxidation of respiratory-linked substrates or the hydrolysis of ATP showed the generation of a protein gradient (inside acidic) which was partially collapsed on the addition of calcium ions. These results suggest that a Ca2+/H+ antiport mechanism may be responsible for the transport of calcium.     

Mechanisms of Ca2+ transport in plasma membrane vesicles prepared from cultured pituitary cells. II. (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase-dependent Ca2+ transport activity

Purified plasma membrane vesicles from GH3 rat anterior pituitary cells exhibit a Mg2+-ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport activity. Concentrative uptake of Ca2+ is abolished by exclusion of either Mg2+ or ATP or by inclusion of the Ca2+ ionophore A23187. Furthermore, addition of A23187 to vesicles which have reached a steady state of ATP-supported Ca2+ accumulation rapidly and completely discharges accumulated cation. Ca2+ uptake is unaffected by treatment of vesicles with oligomycin, the uncoupler CCCP, or valinomycin and is greatly reduced in non-plasma membrane fractions. Likewise, Ca2+ accumulation is not stimulated by oxalate, consistent with the plasma membrane origin of this transport system. (Na+, K+)-ATPase participation in the Ca2+ transport process (i.e. via coupled Na+/Ca2+ exchange) was eliminated by omitting Na+ and including ouabain in the reaction medium. Ca2+ transport activity in GH3 vesicles has a similar pH dependence as that seen in a number of other plasma membrane systems and is inhibited by orthovanadate in the micromolar range. Inhibition is enhanced if the membranes are preincubated with vanadate for a short time. A kinetic analysis of transport indicates that the apparent Km for free Ca2+ and ATP are 0.7 and 125 microM, respectively. The average Vmax is 3.6 nmol of Ca2+/min/mg of protein at 37 degrees C. Addition of exogenous calmodulin or calmodulin antagonists had no significant effect on these kinetic properties. GH3 plasma membranes also contain a Na+/Ca2+ exchange system. The apparent Km for Ca2+ is almost 10-fold higher in this system than that for ATP-driven Ca2+ uptake. When both processes are compared under similar conditions, the Vmax of the exchanger is approximately 2-3 times that of ATP-dependent Ca2+ accumulation. Similar results are obtained when purified plasma membranes from bovine anterior pituitary glands were investigated. It is suggested that both Na+/Ca2+ exchange and the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase are important in controlling intracellular levels of Ca2+ in anterior pituitary cells.     

Ca2+ uptake by corpus-luteum plasma membranes. Evidence for the presence of both a Ca2+-pumping ATPase and a Ca2+-dependent nucleoside triphosphatase.

Plasma-membrane vesicles from rat corpus luteum showed an ATP-dependent uptake of Ca2+. Ca2+ was accumulated with a K1/2 (concn. giving half-maximal activity) of 0.2 microM and was released by the bivalent-cation ionophore A23187. A Ca2+-dependent phosphorylated intermediate (Mr 100,000) was detected which showed a low decomposition rate, consistent with it being the phosphorylated intermediate of the transport ATPase responsible for Ca2+ uptake. The Ca2+ uptake and the phosphorylated intermediate (E approximately P) displayed several properties that were different from those of the high-affinity Ca2+-ATPase previously observed in these membranes. Both Ca2+ uptake and E approximately P discriminated against ribonucleoside triphosphates other than ATP, whereas the ATPase split all the ribonucleoside triphosphates equally. Both Ca2+ uptake and E approximately P were sensitive to three different Hg-containing inhibitors, whereas the ATPase was inhibited much less. Ca2+ uptake required added Mg2+ (Km = 2.2 mM), whereas the ATPase required no added Mg2+. The maximum rate of Ca2+ uptake was about 400-fold less than that of ATP splitting; under different conditions, the decomposition rate of E approximately P was 1,000 times too slow to account for the ATPase activity observed. All of these features suggested that Ca2+ uptake was due to an enzyme of low activity, whose ATPase activity was not detected in the presence of the higher-specific-activity Ca2+-dependent ATPase.     

The effect of Mg2+ on hepatic microsomal Ca2+ and Sr2+ transport

The ATP-dependent uptake of Ca2+ by rat liver microsomal fraction is dependent upon Mg2+. Studies of the Mg2+ requirement of the underlying microsomal Ca2+-ATPase have been hampered by the presence of a large basal Mg2+-ATPase activity. We have examined the effect of various Mg2+ concentrations on Mg2+-ATPase activity, Ca2+ uptake, Ca2+-ATPase activity and microsomal phosphoprotein formation. Both Mg2+-ATPase activity and Ca2+ uptake were markedly stimulated by increasing Mg2+ concentration. However, the Ca2+-ATPase activity, measured concomitantly with Ca2+ uptake, was apparently unaffected by changes in the Mg2+ concentration. In order to examine the apparent paradox of Mg2+ stimulation of Ca2+ uptake but not of Ca2+-ATPase activity, we examined the formation of the Ca2+-ATPase phosphoenzyme intermediate and formation of a Mg2+-dependent phosphoprotein, which we have proposed to be an attribute of the Mg2+-ATPase activity. We found that Ca2+ apparently inhibited formation of the Mg2+-dependent phosphoprotein both in the absence and presence of exogenous Mg2+. This suggests that Ca2+ may inhibit (at least partially) the Mg2+-ATPase activity. However, inclusion of the Ca2+ inhibition of Mg2+-ATPase activity in the calculation of Ca2+-ATPase activity reveals that this effect is insufficient to totally account for the stimulation of Ca2+ uptake by Mg2+. This suggests that Mg2+, in addition to stimulation of Ca2+-ATPase activity, may have a direct stimulatory effect on Ca2+ uptake in an as yet undefined fashion. In an effort to further examine the effect of Mg2+ on the microsomal Ca2+ transport system of rat liver, the interaction of this system with Sr2+ was examined. Sr2+ was sequestered into an A23187-releasable space in an ATP-dependent manner by rat liver microsomal fraction. The uptake of Sr2+ was similar to that of Ca2+ in terms of both rate and extent. A Sr2+-dependent ATPase activity was associated with the Sr2+ uptake. Sr2+ promoted formation of a phosphoprotein which was hydroxylamine-labile and base-labile. This phosphoprotein was indistinguishable from the Ca2+-dependent ATPase phosphoenzyme intermediate. Sr2+ uptake was markedly stimulated by exogenous Mg2+, but the Sr2+-dependent ATPase activity was unaffected by increasing Mg2+ concentrations. Sr2+ uptake and Sr2+-dependent ATPase activity were concomitantly inhibited by sodium vanadate. In contrast to Ca2+, Sr2+ had no effect on Mg2+-dependent phosphoprotein formation. Taken together, these data indicate that Mg2+ stimulated Ca2+ and Sr2+ transport by increasing the Ca2+ (Sr2+)/ATP ratio.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

ATP-dependent Ca2+-uptake by the plasma membrane fraction of the myometrium

The specific activities of Mg2+, Ca2+-ATPase in the plasma membrane fraction of rabbit and cattle myometrium are 8.30 +/- 0.80 and 2.36 +/- 0.48 mkmoles of Pi per mg of protein, respectively. This fraction possesses a higher (in comparison with other subcellular fractions) capacity for ATP-dependent uptake of 45Ca2+ (9.37 +/- 1.66 and 6.86 +/- 0.96 nmoles of 45Ca2+ per mg of protein in 15 min for rabbit and cattle myometrium, respectively); the ratio of ATP-dependent uptake of Ca2+ to adsorbed Ca2+ is also high. Phosphate increases Ca2+ uptake in the presence of ATP and Mg2+. The ionophore A-23187 added to the incubation mixture without ATP and Mg2+ sharply increases Ca2+ binding. An addition of the ionophore at the 15th min of the ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake causes a complete and rapid release of the accumulated Ca2+. The release of Ca2+ can be also caused by an addition of Na-DS or EGTA to the incubation mixture. This suggests that Ca2+ is accumulated through the plasma membrane inside the closed structures. It was assumed that myometrial sarcolemma plays an essential role in regulation of intracellular Ca2+ concentration in the uterus at rest and that the active Ca2+ efflux from the cells is controlled by the Mg2+, Ca2+-ATPase system.     

Effect of Monovalent Cations on Na+/Ca2+ Exchange and ATP-Dependent Ca2+ Transport in Synaptic Plasma Membranes

Two Ca2+ transport systems were investigated in plasma membrane vesicles isolated from sheep brain cortex synaptosomes by hypotonic lysis and partial purification. Synaptic plasma membrane vesicles loaded with Na+ (Na+i) accumulate Ca2+ in exchange for Na+, provided that a Na+ gradient (in leads to out) is present. Agents that dissipate the Na+ gradient (monensin) prevent the Na+/Ca2+ exchange completely. Ca2+ accumulated by Na+/Ca2+ exchange can be released by A 23187, indicating that Ca2+ is accumulated intravesicularly. In the absence of any Na+ gradient (K+i-loaded vesicles), the membrane vesicles also accumulate Ca2+ owing to ATP hydrolysis. Monovalent cations stimulate Na+/Ca2+ exchange as well as the ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake activity. Taking the value for Na+/Ca2+ exchange in the presence of choline chloride (external cation) as reference, other monovalent cations in the external media have the following effects: K+ or NH4+ stimulates Na+/Ca2+ exchange; Li+ or Cs+ inhibits Na+/Ca2+ exchange. The ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport system is stimulated by increasing K+ concentrations in the external medium (Km for K+ is 15 mM). Replacing K+ by Na+ in the external medium inhibits the ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake, and this effect is due more to the reduction of K+ than to the elevation of Na+. The results suggest that synaptic membrane vesicles isolated from sheep brain cortex synaptosomes possess mechanisms for Na+/Ca2+ exchange and ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake, whose activity may be regulated by monovalent cations, specifically K+, at physiological concentrations.     

Localization of ATP-dependent calcium transport activity in mouse pancreatic microsomes

Electron-dense deposits representing calcium oxalate crystals which result from ATP-dependent calcium uptake have been localized within vesicles of of a heavy microsomal fraction prepared from mouse pancreatic acini. In the absence of either ATP or oxalate, no electron-dense deposits could be observed. By subfractionation of microsomes on discontinuous sucrose gradients, it could be shown that the highest energy-dependent calcium transport activity was associated with the rough endoplasmic reticulum. In rough microsomes, the 45Ca2+-uptake measured was 7 times greater than that of smooth microsomes in the presence of ATP and oxalate and about 3 times greater in he presence of ATP alone. When ribosomes were released from the rough endoplasmic reticulum vesicles by treatment with KCl in the presence of puromycin, the stripped microsomes showed a 40% increase in the specific 45Ca2+-uptake activity measured in he presence of ATP and oxalate and an increase of 80 to 90% in the presence of ATP alone. From these results it can be concluded that the calcium transport activity of microsomes prepared from mouse pancreatic acini is located predominantly in the rough endoplasmic reticulum membrane.     

Characterization of calcium transport by basal plasma membranes from human placental syncytiotrophoblast.

We have studied the mechanisms involved in calcium (Ca2+) transport through the basal plasma membranes (BPM) of the syncytiotrophoblast cells from full-term human placenta. These purified membranes were enriched 25-fold in Na+/K(+)-adenosine triphosphate (ATPase), 37-fold in [3H] dihydroalprenolol binding sites, and fivefold in alkaline phosphatase activity compared with the placenta homogenates. In the absence of ATP and Mg2+, a basal Ca2+ uptake was observed, which followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with a Km Ca2+ of 0.18 +/- 0.05 microM and Vmax of 0.93 +/- 0.11 nmol/mg/min. The addition of Mg2+ to the incubation medium significantly decreased this uptake in a concentration-dependent manner, with a maximal inhibition at 3 mM Mg2+ and above. The Lineweaver-Burk plots of Ca2+ uptake in the absence and in the presence of 1 mM Mg2+ suggest a noncompetitive type of inhibition. Preloading the BPM vesicles with 5 mM Mg2+ had no significant effect on Ca2+ uptake, eliminating the hypothesis of a Ca2+/Mg2+ exchange mechanism. This ATP-independent Ca2+ uptake was not sensitive to 10(-6) M nitrendipine nor to 10(-4) M verapamil. An ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport was also detected in these BPM, whose Km Ca2+ was 0.09 +/- 0.02 microM and Vmax 3.4 +/- 0.2 nmoles/mg/3 min. This Ca2+ transport requires Mg2+, the optimal concentration of Mg2+ being approximately 1 mM. Preincubation of the membrane with 10(-6) M calmodulin strongly enhanced the initial ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake. Finally, no Na+/Ca2+ exchange process could be demonstrated.     

Ca2+ transport by rat liver plasma membranes: the transporter and the previously reported Ca2+-ATPase are different enzymes

A rat liver plasma membrane fraction showed an ATP-dependent uptake of Ca2+ which was released by the ionophore A23187. This activity represents a plasma membrane component and is not due to microsomal contamination. The Ca2+ transport displayed several properties which were different from those of the high-affinity Ca2+-ATPase previously observed in these membranes (Lotersztajn et al. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 11209-11215; Birch-Machin, M.A. and Dawson, A.P. (1986) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 855, 277-285). These observations have shown that Ca2+-ATPase does not require added Mg2+ whereas we have demonstrated that, in the same membrane preparation, Ca2+ uptake required millimolar concentrations of added Mg2+. The Ca2+-ATPase has a broad specificity for the nucleotides ATP, GTP, UTP and ITP while Ca2+ uptake remains specific for ATP. Ca2+ uptake also displayed different affinities for free Ca2+ and MgATP compared to Ca2+-ATPase activity, with apparent Km values of 0.25 microM Ca2+, 0.15 mM MgATP and 1.0 microM Ca2+, 4 microM MgATP respectively. The apparent maximum rate of Ca2+ uptake was about 150-fold less than Ca2+-ATPase activity. These features suggest that the high-affinity Ca2+-ATPase is not the enzymic expression of the ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport mechanism.     

Ca2+ transport and Ca2+-dependent ATP hydrolysis by Golgi vesicles from lactating rat mammary glands.

Ca2+ transport across mammary-gland Golgi membranes was measured after centrifugation of the membrane vesicles through silicone oil. In the presence of 2.3 microM free Ca2+ the vesicles accumulated 5.8 nmol of Ca2+/mg of protein without added ATP, and this uptake was complete within 0.5 min. In the presence of 1 mM-ATP, Ca2+ was accumulated at a linear rate for 10 min after the precipitation of intravesicular Ca2+ with 10 mM-potassium oxalate. ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake exhibited a Km of 0.14 microM for Ca2+ and a Vmax. of 3.1 nmol of Ca2+/min per mg of protein. Ca2+-dependent ATP hydrolysis exhibited a Km of 0.16 microM for Ca2+ and a Vmax. of 10.1 nmol of Pi/min per mg of protein. The stoichiometry between ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake and Ca2+-stimulated ATPase varied between 0.3 and 0.7 over the range 0.03-8.6 microM-Ca2+. Both Ca2+ uptake and Ca2+-stimulated ATPase were strongly inhibited by orthovanadate, which suggests that the major mechanism by which Golgi vesicles accumulate Ca2+ is through the action of the Ca2+-stimulated ATPase. However, Ca2+ uptake was also decreased by the protonophore CCCP (carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone), indicating that it may occur by other mechanisms too. The effect of CCCP may be related to the existence of transmembrane pH gradients (delta pH) in these vesicles: the addition of 30 microM-CCCP reduced delta pH from a control value of 1.06 to 0.73 pH unit. Golgi vesicles also possess a Ca2+-efflux pathway which operated at an initial rate of 0.5-0.57 nmol/min per mg of protein.     

Characteristics of the Ca2+ pump and Ca2+-ATPase in the plasma membrane of rat myometrium.

A plasma membrane-enriched fraction from rat myometrium shows ATP-Mg2+-dependent active calcium uptake which is independent of the presence of oxalate and is abolished by the Ca2+ ionophore A23187. Ca2+ loaded into vesicles via the ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake was released by extravesicular Na+. This showed that the Na+/Ca2+ exchange and the Ca2+ uptake were both occurring in plasma membrane vesicles. In a medium containing KCl, vanadate readily inhibited the Ca2+ uptake (K1/2 5 microM); when sucrose replaced KCl, 400 microM-vanadate was required for half inhibition. Only a slight stimulation of the calcium pump by calmodulin was observed in untreated membrane vesicles. Extraction of endogenous calmodulin from the membranes by EGTA decreased the activity and Ca2+ affinity of the calcium pump; both activity and affinity were fully restored by adding back calmodulin or by limited proteolysis. A monoclonal antibody (JA3) directed against the human erythrocyte Ca2+ pump reacted with the 140 kDa Ca2+-pump protein of the myometrial plasma membrane. The Ca2+-ATPase activity of these membranes is not specific for ATP, and is not inhibited by mercurial agents, whereas Ca2+ uptake has the opposite properties. Ca2+-ATPase activity is also over 100 times that of calcium transport; it appears that the ATPase responsible for transport is largely masked by the presence of another Ca2+-ATPase of unknown function. Measurements of total Ca2+-ATPase activity are, therefore, probably not directly relevant to the question of intracellular Ca2+ control.     

Ca2+-stimulated, Mg2+-dependent ATPase activity in neutrophil plasma membrane vesicles. Coupling to Ca2+ transport

Low concentrations of free Ca2+ stimulated the hydrolysis of ATP by plasma membrane vesicles purified from guinea pig neutrophils and incubated in 100 mM HEPES/triethanolamine, pH 7.25. In the absence of exogenous magnesium, apparent values obtained were 320 nM (EC50 for free Ca2+), 17.7 nmol of Pi/mg X min (Vmax), and 26 microM (Km for total ATP). Studies using trans- 1,2-diaminocyclohexane- N,N,N',N',-tetraacetic acid as a chelator showed this activity was dependent on 13 microM magnesium, endogenous to the medium plus membranes. Without added Mg2+, Ca2+ stimulated the hydrolysis of several other nucleotides: ATP congruent to GTP congruent to CTP congruent to ITP greater than UTP, but Ca2+-stimulated ATPase was not coupled to uptake of Ca2+, even in the presence of 5 mM oxalate. When 1 mM MgCl2 was added, the vesicles demonstrated oxalate and ATP-dependent calcium uptake at approximately 8 nmol of Ca2+/mg X min (based on total membrane protein). Ca2+ uptake increased to a maximum of approximately 17-20 nmol of Ca2+/mg X min when KCl replaced HEPES/triethanolamine in the buffer. In the presence of both KCl and MgCl2, Ca2+ stimulated the hydrolysis of ATP selectively over other nucleotides. Apparent values obtained for the Ca2+-stimulated ATPase were 440 nM (EC50 for free Ca2+), 17.5 nmol Pi/mg X min (Vmax) and 100 microM (Km for total ATP). Similar values were found for Ca2+ uptake which was coupled efficiently to Ca2+-stimulated ATPase with a molar ratio of 2.1 +/- 0.1. Exogenous calmodulin had no effect on the Vmax or EC50 for free Ca2+ of the Ca2+-stimulated ATPase, either in the presence or absence of added Mg2+, with or without an ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N',-tetraacetic acid pretreatment of the vesicles. The data demonstrate that calcium stimulates ATP hydrolysis by neutrophil plasma membranes that is coupled optimally to transport of Ca2+ in the presence of concentrations of K+ and Mg2+ that appear to mimic intracellular levels.     

Effects of Mg2+ on calcium accumulation by two fractions of sarcoplasmic reticulum from rabbit skeletal muscle

Calcium accumulation by two fractions of sarcoplasmic reticulum presumably derived from longitudinal tubules (light vesicles) and terminal cisternae (heavy vesicles) was examined radiochemically in the presence of various free Mg2+ concentrations. Both fractions of sarcoplasmic reticulum exhibited a Mg2+-dependent increase in phosphate-supported calcium uptake velocity, though half-maximal velocity in heavy vesicles occurred at a much higher free Mg2+ concentration than that in light vesicles (i.e., approx. 0.90 mM vs. approx. 0.02 mM Mg2+). Calcium uptake velocity in light vesicles correlated with Ca2+-dependent ATPase activity, suggesting that Mg2+ stimulated the calcium pump. Calcium uptake velocity in heavy vesicles did not correlate with Ca2+-dependent ATPase activity, although a Mg2+-dependent increase in calcium influx was observed. Thus, Mg2+ may increase the coupling of ATP hydrolysis to calcium transport in heavy vesicles. Analyses of calcium sequestration (in the absence of phosphate) showed a similar trend in that elevation of Mg2+ from 0.07 to 5 mM stimulated calcium sequestration in heavy vesicles much more than in light vesicles. This difference between the two fractions of sarcoplasmic reticulum was not explained by phosphoenzyme (EP) level or distribution. Analyses of calcium uptake, Ca2+-dependent ATPase activity, and unidirectional calcium flux in the presence of approx. 0.4 mM Mg2+ suggested that ruthenium red (0.5 microM) can also increase the coupling of ATP hydrolysis to calcium transport in heavy vesicles, with no effect in light vesicles. These functional differences between light and heavy vesicles suggest that calcium transport in terminal cisternae is regulated differently from that in longitudinal tubules.     

ATP-dependent calcium accumulation in brain microsomes. Enhancement by phosphate and oxalate.

1. ATP-dependent calcium uptake by a rabbit brain vesicular fraction (microsomes) was studied in the presence of phosphate or oxalate. These anions, which are known to form insoluble calcium salts, increased the rate of calcium uptake and the capacity of the vesicles for calcium accumulation. 2. The degree of activation depended on the concentration of phosphate or oxalate. Under optimal conditions, phosphate promoted a 5-fold increase in the amount of calcium stored at steady state. This level was 200-250 nmol Ca-2+/mg protein. 3. Initial rate of calcium uptake followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics with an apparent Km for calcium of 6.7-10-minus 5 M and a V of 44 nmol/min per mg protein. Optimal pH was 7.0. With 2 mM ATP, optimal Mg-2+ concentration was 2 mM. 4. Dintrophenol and NaN3 inhibited calcium uptake in a mitochondria-enriched fraction but not in the microsomal fraction. 5. Calcium uptake activity was compared in the six subfractions prepared from the whole microsomal fraction by means of a sucrose density gradient fractionation. 6. The Mg-2+-dependent ATPase activity of brain microsomes was activated by calcium. Maximal activation was attained with 100 muM CaCl2. Greater calcium concentrations caused a progressive inhibition. 7. The data suggest that the ATP-dependent calcium uptake in brain microsomes, as in muscle microsomes, is brought about by an active transport process, calcium being accumulated as a free ion inside the vesicles.