Conformational changes in NhaA Na+/H+ antiporter

Abstract

Na⁺/H⁺ antiporters play a primary role in Na⁺/H⁺ homeostasis in cells and many organelles and have long been drug targets. The X-ray structure of NhaA, the main antiporter of Escherichia coli, provided structural insights into the antiport mechanism and its pH regulation and revealed a novel fold; six of the 12 TMs (Trans membrane segments) are organized in two topologically inverted repeats, each with one TM interrupted by an extended chain creating a unique electrostatic environment in the middle of the membrane at the cation binding site. Remarkably, inverted repeats containing interrupted helices with similar functional implications have since been observed in structures of other bacterial secondary transporters with almost no sequence homology. Finally, the structure reveals that NhaA is organized into two functional regions: a ‘pH sensor' – a cluster of amino acyl side chains that are involved in pH regulation; and a catalytic region that is 9 Å removed from the pH sensor. Alternative accessibility of the binding site to either side of the membrane, i.e., functional-dynamics, is the essence of secondary transport mechanism. Because NhaA is tightly pH regulated, structures of the pH-activated and ligand-activated NhaA conformations are needed to identify its functional-dynamics. However, as these are static snapshots of a dynamic protein, the dynamics of the protein both in vitro and in situ in the membrane are also required as reviewed here in detail. The results reveal two different conformational changes characterizing NhaA: One is pH-induced for NhaA activation; the other is ligand-induced for antiport activity.     

Monoclonal antibodies for the structural analysis of the Na/H antiporter NhaA from Escherichia coli

Since their advent some 25 years ago, monoclonal antibodies have developed into powerful tools for structural and functional analysis of their cognate antigens. Together with the respective antigen binding fragments, antibodies offer exclusive capacities in detection, characterization, purification and functional assays for every given ligand.Antibody-fragment mediated crystallization represents a major advance in determining the three-dimensional structure of membrane-bound protein complexes. In this review, we focus on the methods used to generate monoclonal antibodies against the NhaA antiporter from Escherichia coli as a paradigm of secondary transporters. We describe examples on how antibodies are helpful in understanding structure and function relationships for this important class of integral membrane proteins.The generated conformation-specific antibody fragments are highly valuable reagents for co-crystallization attempts and structure determination of the antiporter.     

Role of the furosemide-sensitive Na+/K+ transport system in determining the steady-state Na+ and K+ content and volume of human erythrocytesin vitro andin vivo

Summary To study the physiological role of the bidirectionally operating, furosemide-sensitive Na⁺/K⁺ transport system of human erythrocytes, the effect of furosemide on red cell cation and hemoglobin content was determined in cells incubated for 24 hr with ouabain in 145mm NaCl media containing 0 to 10mm K⁺ or Rb⁺. In pure Na⁺ media, furosemide accelerated cell Na⁺ gain and retarded cellular K⁺ loss. External K⁺ (5mm) had an effect similar to furosemide and markedly reduced the action of the drug on cellular cation content. External Rb⁺ accelerated the Na⁺ gain like K⁺, but did not affect the K⁺ retention induced by furosemide. The data are interpreted to indicate that the furosemide-sensitive Na⁺/K⁺ transport system of human erythrocytes mediates an equimolar extrusion of Na⁺ and K⁺ in Na⁺ media (Na⁺/K⁺ cotransport), a 1:1 K⁺/K⁺ (K⁺/Rb⁺) and Na⁺/Na⁺ exchange progressively appearing upon increasing external K⁺ (Rb⁺) concentrations to 5mm. The effect of furosemide (or external K⁺/Rb⁺) on cation contents was associated with a prevention of the cell shrinkage seen in pure Na⁺ media, or with a cell swelling, indicating that the furosemide-sensitive Na⁺/K⁺ transport system is involved in the control of cell volume of human erythrocytes. The action of furosemide on cellular volume and cation content tended to disappear at 5mm external K⁺ or Rb⁺. Thein vivo red cell K⁺ content was negatively correlated to the rate of furosemide-sensitive K⁺ (Rb⁺) uptake, and a positive correlation was seen between mean cellular hemoglobin content and furosemide-sensitive transport activity. The transport system possibly functions as a K⁺ and waterextruding mechanism under physiological conditiosin vivo. The red cell Na⁺ content showed no correlation to the activity of the furosemide-sensitive transport system.     

Phosphorylation of the Na,K-ATPase and the H,K-ATPase

Phosphorylation is a widely used, reversible means of regulating enzymatic activity. Among the important phosphorylation targets are the Na⁺,K⁺- and H⁺,K⁺-ATPases that pump ions against their chemical gradients to uphold ionic concentration differences over the plasma membrane. The two pumps are very homologous, and at least one of the phosphorylation sites is conserved, namely a cAMP activated protein kinase (PKA) site, which is important for regulating pumping activity, either by changing the cellular distribution of the ATPases or by directly altering the kinetic properties as supported by electrophysiological results presented here. We further review the other proposed pump phosphorylations.     

NhaK,a novel monovalent cation/H<Superscript>+</Superscript> antiporter of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus subtilis</Emphasis>

Four Na⁺/H⁺ antiporters, Mrp, TetA(L), NhaC, and MleN have so far been described in Bacillus subtilis 168. We identified an additional Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter, YvgP, from B. subtilis that exhibits homology to the cation: proton antiporter-1 (CPA-1) family. The yvgP-dependent complementation observed in a Na⁺(Ca²⁺)/H⁺ antiporter-defective Escherichia coli mutant (KNabc) suggested that YvgP effluxed Na⁺ and Li⁺. In addition, effects of yvgP expression on a K⁺ uptake-defective mutant of E. coli indicated that YvgP also supported K⁺ efflux. In a fluorescence-based assay of everted membrane vesicles prepared from E. coli KNabc transformants, YvgP-dependent Na⁺ (K⁺, Li⁺, Rb⁺)/H⁺ antiport activity was demonstrated. Na⁺ (K⁺, Li⁺)/H⁺ activity was higher at pH 8.5 than at pH 7.5. Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mn²⁺ did not serve as substrates but they inhibited YvgP antiport activities. Studies of yvgP expression in B. subtilis, using a reporter gene fusion, showed a significant constitutive level of expression that was highest in stationary phase, increasing as stationary phase progressed. In addition, the expression level was significantly increased in the presence of added K⁺ and Na⁺.     

Effect of limited trypsin digestion on the renal Na+−H+ exchanger and its regulation by cAMP-Dependent protein kinase

Summary The Na⁺–H⁺ exchanger from solubilized rabbit renal brush border membranes is inhibited by cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) mediated protein phosphorylation. To characterize this inhibitory response and its sensitivity to limited proteolysis, the activity of the transporter was assayed after reconstitution of the proteins into artificial lipid vesicles. Limited trypsin digestion increased the basal rate of proton gradient-stimulated, amiloride-inhibitable sodium uptake in reconstituted proteoliposomes and blocked the inhibitory response to PKA-mediated protein phosphorylation. To determine if the inhibitory response to PKA-mediated protein phosphorylation could be restored to the trypsin-treated solubilized proteins, nontrypsinized solubilized brush border membrane proteins were separated by column chromatography. The addition of small molecular weight polypeptides, fractionated on Superose-12 FPLC (V _e=0.7), to trypsinized solubilized brush border membrane proteins restored the inhibitory response to PKA-mediated protein phosphorylation. Similarly, the addition of the 0.1m NaCl fraction from an anion exchange column, Mono Q-FPLC, also restored the inhibitory response to PKA. Both protein fractions contained a common 42–43 kDa protein which was preferentially phosphorylated by PKA.These results indicate that limited trypsin digestion dissociates the activity of the renal Na⁺–H⁺ exchanger from its regulation by PKA. It is suggested that trypsin cleaves an inhibitory component of the transporter and that this component is the site of PKA-mediated regulation. Phosphoprotein analysis of fractions that restored PKA regulation raises the possibility that a polypeptide of 42–43 kDa is involved in the inhibition of the renal Na⁺–H⁺ exchanger by PKA-mediated, protein phosphorylation.     

Palytoxin Acts on Na+,K+-ATPase but not Nongastric H+,K+-ATPase

Palytoxin (PTX) opens a pathway for ions to pass through Na,K-ATPase. We investigate here whether PTX also acts on nongastric H,K-ATPases. The following combinations of cRNA were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes: Bufo marinus bladder H,K-ATPase α₂- and Na,K-ATPase β₂-subunits; Bufo Na,K-ATPase α₁- and Na,K-ATPase β₂-subunits; and Bufo Na,K-ATPase β₂-subunit alone. The response to PTX was measured after blocking endogenous Xenopus Na,K-ATPase with 10 μm ouabain. Functional expression was confirmed by measuring ⁸⁶Rb uptake. PTX (5 nm) produced a large increase of membrane conductance in oocytes expressing Bufo Na,K-ATPase, but no significant increase occurred in oocytes expressing Bufo H,K-ATPase or in those injected with Bufo β₂-subunit alone. Expression of the following combinations of cDNA was investigated in HeLa cells: rat colonic H,K-ATPase α₁-subunit and Na,K-ATPase β₁-subunit; rat Na,K-ATPase α₂-subunit and Na,K-ATPase β₂-subunit; and rat Na,K-ATPase β₁- or Na,K-ATPase β₂-subunit alone. Measurement of increases in ⁸⁶Rb uptake confirmed that both rat Na,K and H,K pumps were functional in HeLa cells expressing rat colonic HKα₁/NKβ₁ and NKα₂/NKβ₂. Whole-cell patch-clamp measurements in HeLa cells expressing rat colonic HKα₁/NKβ₁ exposed to 100 nm PTX showed no significant increase of membrane current, and there was no membrane conductance increase in HeLa cells transfected with rat NKβ₁- or rat NKβ₂-subunit alone. However, in HeLa cells expressing rat NKα₂/NKβ₂, outward current was observed after pump activation by 20 mm K⁺ and a large membrane conductance increase occurred after 100 nm PTX. We conclude that nongastric H,K-ATPases are not sensitive to PTX when expressed in these cells, whereas PTX does act on Na,K-ATPase.     

Sodium ATPase and Sodium/proton Antiporter Are Not Obligatory for Sodium Homeostasis of Enterococcus hirae at Acid pH

Enterococcus hirae grows in a broad pH range from 5 to 11. An E. hirae mutant 7683 lacking the activities of two sodium pumps, Na⁺-ATPase and Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter, does not grow in high Na⁺ medium at pH above 7.5. We found that 7683 grew normally in high Na⁺ medium at pH 5.5. Although an energy-dependent sodium extrusion at pH 5.5 was missing, the intracellular levels of Na⁺ and K⁺ were normal in this mutant. The Na⁺ influx rates of 7683 and two other strains at pH 5.5 were much slower than those at pH 7.5. These results suggest that Na⁺ elimination of this bacterium at acid pH is achieved by a decrease in Na⁺ entry and a normal K⁺ uptake.     

血清IL-6、IL-8、IgM抗体及T细胞亚群水平对新生儿先天性梅毒的诊断价值

目的:探讨血清白介素-6(IL-6)、白介素-8(IL-8)、IgM抗体及T细胞亚群对先天性梅毒新生儿的诊断价值。方法:选择2015年5月至2017年5月在我院进行临床治疗的先天性梅毒新生儿81例为观察组,另选同期来我院进行健康体检81例新生儿为对照组。比较两组患者血清IL-6、IL-8、T细胞亚群中CD~(3+)、CD~(4+)、CD~(8+)、CD~(4+)/CD~(8+)细胞及IgM抗体的阳性率。结果:治疗后,观察组血清IL-6、IL-8水平均明显高于对照组(P0.05),T细胞亚群中CD~(3+)、CD~(4+)、CD~(4+)/CD~(8+)明显低于对照组,而CD~(8+)T细胞比例高于对照组(P0.05)。19S-IgM-TP ELISA法检测出IgM的阳性率92.59%,明显高于TRUST法(74.07%)及TP-ELSA法(70.37%)(P0.05)。ROC曲线中,血清IL-8特异度为88.34%明显高于血清IL-6特异度81.48%、IgM抗体特异度60.13%、T细胞亚群特异度65.34%;IgM抗体的曲线面积88.91 cm~2明显大于IL-6的曲线面积45.09 cm~2、IL-8的曲线面积76.19 cm~2、T细胞亚群的曲线面积77.35 cm~2;T细胞亚群准备性67.89%明显高于IL-6准确性60.39%、IL-8准确性51.09%、IgM抗体准确性50.12;IgM抗体的灵敏度60.13%高于IL-6灵敏度59.19%、IL-8灵敏度42.35%、T细胞亚群灵敏度59.37%。具有比较意义(P0.05)。结论:血清IL-6、IL-8水平、T细胞亚群中CD~(3+)、CD~(4+)、CD~(8+)、CD~(4+)/CD~(8+)及IgM抗体阳性率是诊断先天性梅毒新生儿的重要指标。