Are the states that occlude rubidium obligatory intermediates of the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase reaction?

In the Albers-Post model, occlusion of K(+) in the E(2) conformer of the enzyme (E) is an obligatory step of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase reaction. If this were so the ratio (Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity)/(concentration of occluded species) should be equal to the rate constant for deocclusion. We tested this prediction in a partially purified Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase from pig kidney by means of rapid filtration to measure the occlusion using the K(+) congener Rb(+). Assuming that always two Rb(+) are occluded per enzyme, the steady-state levels of occluded forms and the kinetics of deocclusion were adequately described by the Albers-Post model over a very wide range of [ATP] and [Rb(+)]. The same happened with the kinetics of ATP hydrolysis. However, the value of the parameters that gave best fit differed from those for occlusion in such a way that the ratio (Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity)/(concentration of occluded species) became much larger than the rate constant for deocclusion when [Rb(+)] <10 mM. This points to the presence of an extra ATP hydrolysis that is not Na(+)-ATPase activity and that does not involve occlusion. A possible way of explaining this is to posit that the binding of a single Rb(+) increases ATP hydrolysis without occlusion.     

Eosin fluorescence changes during Rb+ occlusion in the Na+/K(+)-ATPase

We used suspensions of partially purified Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase from pig kidney to compare the effects of Rb(+), as a K(+) congener, on the time course and on the equilibrium values of eosin fluorescence and of Rb(+) occlusion. Both sets of data were collected under identical conditions in the same enzyme preparations. The incubation media lacked ATP so that all changes led to an equilibrium distribution between enzyme conformers with and without bound eosin and with and without bound or occluded Rb(+). Results showed that as Rb(+) concentration was increased, the equilibrium value of fluorescence decreased and occlusion increased along rectangular hyperbolas with similar half-maximal values. The time courses of attainment of equilibrium showed an initial phase which was so quick as to fall below the time resolution of our rapid-mixing apparatus. This phase was followed by the sum of at least two exponential functions of time. In the case of fluorescence the fast exponential term accounted for a larger fraction of the time course than in the case of occlusion. Comparison between experimental and simulated results suggests that fluorescence changes express a process that is coupled to Rb(+) occlusion but that is completed before occlusion reaches equilibrium.     

The pathway for spontaneous occlusion of Rb+ in the Na+/K+-ATPase

Occlusion of K (+) in the Na (+)/K (+)-ATPase can be achieved under two conditions: during hydrolysis of ATP, in media with Na (+) and Mg (2+), after the K (+)-stimulated dephosphorylation of E2P (physiological route) or spontaneously, after binding of K (+) to the enzyme (direct route). We investigated the sidedness of spontaneous occlusion and deocclusion of Rb (+) in an unsided, purified preparation of Na (+)/K (+)-ATPase. Our studies were based on two propositions: (i) in the absence of ATP, deocclusion of K (+) and its congeners is a sequential process where two ions are released according to a single file mechanism, both in the absence and in the presence of Mg (2+) plus inorganic orthophosphate (Pi), and (ii) in the presence of Mg (2+) plus Pi, exchange of K (+) would take place through sites exposed to the extracellular surface of the membrane. The experiments included a double incubation sequence where one of the two Rb (+) ions was labeled as (86)Rb (+). We found that, when the enzyme is in the E2 conformation, the first Rb (+) that entered the enzyme in media without Mg (2+) and Pi was the last to leave after addition of Mg (2+) plus Pi, and vice-versa. This indicates that spontaneous exchange of Rb (+) between E2(Rb 2) and the medium takes place when the transport sites are exposed to the extracellular surface of the membrane. Our results open the question if occlusion and deocclusion via the direct route participates in any significant degree in the transport of K (+) during the ATPase activity.     

The Occlusion of Rb(+) in the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. II. The effects of Rb(+), Na(+), Mg2(+), or ATP on the equilibrium between free and occluded Rb(+).

We used the direct route of occlusion to study the equilibrium between free and occluded Rb(+) in the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, in media with different concentrations of ATP, Mg(2+), or Na(+). An empirical equation, with the restrictions imposed by the stoichiometry of ligand binding was fitted to the data. This allowed us to identify which states of the enzyme were present in each condition and to work out the schemes and equations that describe the equilibria between the ATPase, Rb(+), and ATP, Mg(2+), or Na(+). These equations were fitted to the corresponding experimental data to find out the values of the equilibrium constants of the reactions connecting the different enzyme states. The three ligands decreased the apparent affinity for Rb(+) occlusion without affecting the occlusion capacity. With [ATP] tending to infinity, enzyme species with one or two occluded Rb(+) seem to be present and full occlusion seems to occur in enzymes saturated with the nucleotide. In contrast, when either [Mg(2+)] or [Na(+)] tended to infinity no occlusion was detectable. Both Mg(2+) and Na(+) are displaced by Rb(+) through a process that seems to need the binding and occlusion of two Rb(+), which suggests that in these conditions Rb(+) occlusion regains the stoichiometry of the physiological operation of the Na(+) pump.     

The Occlusion of Rb(+) in the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. I. The identity of occluded states formed by the physiological or the direct routes: occlusion/deocclusion kinetics through the direct route.

Occlusion of K(+) or its congeners in the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase occurs after K(+)-dependent dephosphorylation (physiological route) or in media lacking ATP and Na(+) (direct route). The effects of P(i) or ATP on the kinetics of deocclusion of the K(+)-congener Rb(+) formed by each of the above mentioned routes was independent of the route of occlusion, which suggests that both routes lead to the same enzyme intermediate. The time course of occlusion via the direct route can be described by the sum of two exponential functions plus a small component of very high velocity. At equilibrium, occluded Rb(+) is a hyperbolic function of free [Rb(+)] suggesting that the direct route results in enzyme states holding either one or two occluded Rb(+). Release of occluded Rb(+) follows the sum of two decreasing exponential functions of time, corresponding to two phases with similar sizes. These phases are not caused by independent physical compartments. The rate constant of one of the phases is reduced up to 30 times by free Rb(+). When Rb(+) is the only pump ligand, the kinetics of occlusion and deocclusion through the direct route are consistent with an ordered-sequential process with additional independent step(s) interposed between the uptake or the release of each occluded Rb(+).     

Chimeras of X+, K+-ATPases. The M1-M6 region of Na+, K+-ATPase is required for Na+-activated ATPase activity, whereas the M7-M10 region of H+, K+-ATPase is involved in K+ de-occlusion

In this study we reveal regions of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and H(+),K(+)-ATPase that are involved in cation selectivity. A chimeric enzyme in which transmembrane hairpin M5-M6 of H(+),K(+)-ATPase was replaced by that of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase was phosphorylated in the absence of Na(+) and showed no K(+)-dependent reactions. Next, the part originating from Na(+),K(+)-ATPase was gradually increased in the N-terminal direction. We demonstrate that chimera HN16, containing the transmembrane segments one to six and intermediate loops of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, harbors the amino acids responsible for Na(+) specificity. Compared with Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, this chimera displayed a similar apparent Na(+) affinity, a lower apparent K(+) affinity, a higher apparent ATP affinity, and a lower apparent vanadate affinity in the ATPase reaction. This indicates that the E(2)K form of this chimera is less stable than that of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, suggesting that it, like H(+),K(+)-ATPase, de-occludes K(+) ions very rapidly. Comparison of the structures of these chimeras with those of the parent enzymes suggests that the C-terminal 187 amino acids and the beta-subunit are involved in K(+) occlusion. Accordingly, chimera HN16 is not only a chimeric enzyme in structure, but also in function. On one hand it possesses the Na(+)-stimulated ATPase reaction of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, while on the other hand it has the K(+) occlusion properties of H(+),K(+)-ATPase.     

Replacement of several single amino acid side chains exposed to the inside of the ATP-binding pocket induces different extents of affinity change in the high and low affinity ATP-binding sites of rat Na/K-ATPase

To investigate the relationship between the high and the low affinity ATP-binding site, which appears during the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase reaction, four amino acids were mutated, the side chains of which are exposed to inside of the ATP-binding pocket. Six mutants, F475Y, K480A, K480E, K501A, K501E, and R544A, where the numbers correspond to the pig Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase alpha-chain, were expressed in HeLa cells. The apparent affinities were determined by high affinity ATP-dependent phosphorylation and by the low affinity activation of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase or low affinity ATP inhibition of K(+)-para-nitrophenylphosphatase (pNPPase). For the mutants K480A and K501A, little affinity change was detected for either the high affinity or the low affinity effect. In contrast, the other four mutants reduced both apparent affinities. Strikingly, R544A had a 30-fold greater effect on the high affinity ATP site than the low affinity site. For the F475Y mutant, it is likely that there was a greater effect on the low affinity site than the high affinity site, but for both F475Y and K480E the affinity for the low affinity ATP effect was reduced so much that it was not possible to estimate a K(0.5). However, both the affinities for the K480E were reduced to approximately 1/20. The turnover number of the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and the apparent affinity for Na(+) and pNPP was reduced slightly or not at all for these mutants, but the turnover number of K(+)-pNPPase and the apparent affinity for K(+) were increased. These and other data suggest the presence of only one ATP-binding site, which can change its conformation to accept ATP with a high and low affinity. The requirement of Arg-544 and possibly Lys-501 is more important in forming a high affinity ATP binding conformation, and Phe-475 and possibly Lys-480 are more important in forming the low affinity ATP binding conformation.     

Identification and function of a cytoplasmic K+ site of the Na+, K+ -ATPase

A cytoplasmic nontransport K(+)/Rb(+) site in the P-domain of the Na(+), K(+)-ATPase has been identified by anomalous difference Fourier map analysis of crystals of the [Rb(2)].E(2).MgF(4)(2-) form of the enzyme. The functional roles of this third K(+)/Rb(+) binding site were studied by site-directed mutagenesis, replacing the side chain of Asp(742) donating oxygen ligand(s) to the site with alanine, glutamate, and lysine. Unlike the wild-type Na(+), K(+)-ATPase, the mutants display a biphasic K(+) concentration dependence of E(2)P dephosphorylation, indicating that the cytoplasmic K(+) site is involved in activation of dephosphorylation. The affinity of the site is lowered significantly (30-200-fold) by the mutations, the lysine mutation being most disruptive. Moreover, the mutations accelerate the E(2) to E(1) conformational transition, again with the lysine substitution resulting in the largest effect. Hence, occupation of the cytoplasmic K(+)/Rb(+) site not only enhances E(2)P dephosphorylation but also stabilizes the E(2) dephosphoenzyme. These characteristics of the previously unrecognized nontransport site make it possible to account for the hitherto poorly understood trans-effects of cytoplasmic K(+) by the consecutive transport model, without implicating a simultaneous exposure of the transport sites toward the cytoplasmic and extracellular sides of the membrane. The cytoplasmic K(+)/Rb(+) site appears to be conserved among Na(+), K(+)-ATPases and P-type ATPases in general, and its mode of operation may be associated with stabilizing the loop structure at the C-terminal end of the P6 helix of the P-domain, thereby affecting the function of highly conserved catalytic residues and promoting helix-helix interactions between the P- and A-domains in the E(2) state.     

Interaction of SDS with Na+/K+-ATPase: SDS-solubilized enzyme retains partial structure and function

Because nearly all structure/function studies on Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase have been done on enzymes prepared in the presence of SDS, we have studied previously unrecognized consequences of SDS interaction with the enzyme. When the purified membrane-bound kidney enzyme was solubilized with SDS or TDS concentrations just sufficient to cause complete solubilization, but not at concentrations severalfold higher, the enzyme retained quaternary structure, exhibiting alpha,alpha-, alpha,beta-, beta,beta-, and alpha,gamma-associations as detected by chemical cross-linking. The presence of solubilized oligomers was confirmed by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. This solubilized enzyme had no ATPase activity and was not phosphorylated by ATP, but it retained the ability to occlude Rb(+) and Na(+). This, and comparison of cross-linking patterns obtained with different reagents, suggested that the transmembrane domains of the enzyme are more resistant to SDS-induced unfolding than its other domains. These findings (a). indicate that the partially unfolded oligomer(s) retaining partial function is the intermediate in the SDS-induced denaturation of the native membrane enzyme having the minimum oligomeric structure of (alpha,beta,gamma)(2) and (b). suggest potential functions for Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase with intrinsically unfolded domains. Mixtures of solubilized/partially unfolded enzyme and membrane-bound enzyme exhibited cross-linking patterns and Na(+) occlusion capacities different from those of either enzyme species, suggesting that the two interact. Formation of the partially unfolded enzyme during standard purification procedure for the preparation of the membrane-bound enzyme was shown, indicating that it is necessary to ensure the separation of the partially unfolded enzyme from the membrane-bound enzyme to avoid the distortion of the properties of the latter.     

Mutant Phe788 --> Leu of the Na+,K+-ATPase is inhibited by micromolar concentrations of potassium and exhibits high Na+-ATPase activity at low sodium concentrations.

Mutant Phe788 --> Leu of the rat kidney Na+,K(+)-ATPase was expressed in COS cells to active-site concentrations between 40 and 60 pmol/mg of membrane protein. Analysis of the functional properties showed that the discrimination between Na+ and K+ on the two sides of the system is severely impaired in the mutant. Micromolar concentrations of K+ inhibited ATP hydrolysis (K(0.5) for inhibition 107 microM for the mutant versus 76 mM for the wild-type at 20 mM Na+), and at 20 mM K+, the molecular turnover number for Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity was reduced to 11% that of the wild-type. This inhibition was counteracted by Na+ in high concentrations, and in the total absence of K+, the mutant catalyzed Na(+)-activated ATP hydrolysis ("Na(+)-ATPase activity") at an extraordinary high rate corresponding to 86% of the maximal Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity. The high Na(+)-ATPase activity was accounted for by an increased rate of K(+)-independent dephosphorylation. Already at 2 mM Na+, the dephosphorylation rate of the mutant was 8-fold higher than that of the wild-type, and the maximal rate of Na(+)-induced dephosphorylation amounted to 61% of the rate of K(+)-induced dephosphorylation. The cause of the inhibitory effect of K+ on ATP hydrolysis in the mutant was an unusual stability of the K(+)-occluded E2(K2) form. Hence, when E2(K2) was formed by K+ binding to unphosphorylated enzyme, the K(0.5) for K+ occlusion was close to 1 microM in the mutant versus 100 microM in the wild-type. In the presence of 100 mM Na+ to compete with K+ binding, the K(0.5) for K+ occlusion was still 100-fold lower in the mutant than in the wild-type. Moreover, relative to the wild-type, the mutant exhibited a 6-7-fold reduced rate of release of occluded K+, a 3-4-fold increased apparent K+ affinity in activation of the pNPPase reaction, a 10-11-fold lower apparent ATP affinity in the Na+,K(+)-ATPase assay with 250 microM K+ present (increased K(+)-ATP antagonism), and an 8-fold reduced apparent ouabain affinity (increased K(+)-ouabain antagonism).     

Evidence for tryptophan residues in the cation transport path of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase

A family of aryl isothiouronium derivatives was designed as probes for cation binding sites of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase. Previous work showed that 1-bromo-2,4,6-tris(methylisothiouronium)benzene (Br-TITU) acts as a competitive blocker of Na(+) or K(+) occlusion. In addition to a high-affinity cytoplasmic site (K(D) < 1 microM), a low-affinity site (K(D) approximately 10 microM) was detected, presumably extracellular. Here we describe properties of Br-TITU as a blocker at the extracellular surface. In human red blood cells Br-TITU inhibits ouabain-sensitive Na(+) transport (K(D) approximately 30 microM) in a manner antagonistic with respect to extracellular Na(+). In addition, Br-TITU impairs K(+)-stimulated dephosphorylation and Rb(+) occlusion from phosphorylated enzyme of renal Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, consistent with binding to an extracellular site. Incubation of renal Na(+),K(+)-ATPase with Br-TITU at pH 9 irreversibly inactivates Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity and Rb(+) occlusion. Rb(+) or Na(+) ions protect. Preincubation of Br-TITU with red cells in a K(+)-free medium at pH 9 irreversibly inactivates ouabain-sensitive (22)Na(+) efflux, showing that inactivation occurs at an extracellular site. K(+), Cs(+), and Li(+) ions protect against this effect, but the apparent affinity for K(+), Cs(+), or Li(+) is similar (K(D) approximately 5 mM) despite their different affinities for external activation of the Na(+) pump. Br-TITU quenches tryptophan fluorescence of renal Na(+),K(+)-ATPase or of digested "19 kDa membranes". After incubation at pH 9 irreversible loss of tryptophan fluorescence is observed and Rb(+) or Na(+) ions protect. The Br-TITU appears to interact strongly with tryptophan residue(s) within the lipid or at the extracellular membrane-water interface and interfere with cation occlusion and Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity.     

Gramicidin A directly inhibits mammalian Na+/K+-ATPase

The linear pentadecapeptide gramicidin A forms an ion channel in the lipid bilayer to selectively transport monovalent cations. Nevertheless, we have surprisingly found that gramicidin A directly inhibits mammalian Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. Gramicidin A inhibited ATP hydrolysis by Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase from porcine cerebral cortex at the IC(50) value of 8.1 microM, while gramicidin S was approximately fivefold less active. The synthetic gramicidin A analog lacking N-terminal formylation and C-terminal ethanolamine exhibited a weaker inhibitory effect on the ATP-hydrolyzing activity of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase than gramicidin A, indicating that these end modifications are necessary for gramicidin A to inhibit Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity. Moreover, Lineweaver-Burk analysis showed that gramicidin A exhibits a mixed type of inhibition. In addition to the most well-studied ionophore activity, our present study has disclosed a novel biological function of gramicidin A as a direct inhibitor of mammalian Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity.     

Effects of fluorescent pseudo-ATP and ATP-metal analogs on secondary structure of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase

The secondary structure of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase after modification of the ATP-binding sites was analyzed. Consistently with recent reports, we found in trypsin-treated Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase additionally to alpha-helix also beta-sheet structures in the transmembrane segments. However, binding of fluorescein 5'-isothiocyanate (FITC), the pseudo-ATP analog, to the ATP-binding site did not affect the secondary structure of undigested Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. Consequently, fluorescence intensity changes of FITC-labeled Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase commonly used to observe conformational transitions of the enzyme reflect physiological changes of the native structure. The metal complex analogues of ATP, Cr(H(2)O)(4)ATP and Co(NH(3))(4)ATP, on the other hand, affected the secondary structure of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. We propose that these changes in the secondary structure are responsible for inhibition of backdoor phosphorylation.     

Guanidinium derivatives act as high affinity antagonists of Na+ ions in occlusion sites of Na+,K(+)-ATPase.

We have screened various alkyl- and arylguanidinium derivatives as possible competitors of Na+ or Rb+ for the cation sites on renal Na+,K(+)-ATPase. Alkyl-monoguanidinium or alkylbisguanidinium (BisG) compounds (chain lengths of C3 to C10) competitively inhibit the occlusion of Rb+ and Na+ with an order of affinities C10 greater than C8 greater than C6 greater than C4 greater than C3. BisG compounds are approximately twice as effective as the equivalent alkylmonoguanidinium compounds. In media of high ionic strength, affinities of tens of micromolar are observed, e.g. 26 microM for BisG 8. m-(mXBG)- and p-xylylenebisguanidinium were synthesized and were found to compete with Rb+ or Na+ with intrinsic affinities of 7.7 and 8.2 microM, respectively. The hydrophobicity rather than the degree of proximity of the guanidinium groups in all BisG compounds appears to determine the binding affinity. A systematic search has been made of conditions in occlusion assays for which the inhibitor affinities are highest. When the pH is raised from 7.0 to 8.5, a 5-fold increase in affinity is observed, suggesting that the guanidinium derivatives compete with protons at sites of pKa approximately 7.5. Replacing Tris-HCl with choline chloride-containing media raised apparent affinities approximately 2-fold. All guanidinium derivatives stabilize the E1 conformation of fluorescein-labeled Na+,K(+)-ATPase, acting as competitive Na+ analogues. In media containing only 1 mM Tris-HCl, pH 8.55, very high affinities were observed for binding to the fluorescein-labeled enzyme (e.g. 0.08 microM for mXBG). In very low ionic strength medium, the inhibition was still competitive with Rb+ ions. However, there was also evidence for nonspecific adsorption to the membranes. The following findings show that mXBG, a typical guanidinium derivative, behaves as a Na(+)-like antagonist. (a) It inhibits Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity, competing strongly with Na+ but only weakly with K+ ions. (b) It inhibits phosphorylation from ATP, competing with Na+ ions. (c) Like Na+ ions, it blocks phosphorylation from inorganic phosphate. Based on these results, we propose that the guanidinium group binds to a relatively wide vestibule at the cytoplasmic surface; but, unlike Na+ or K+ ions, it cannot pass into a narrower region of the cation transport path within the membrane. Therefore, it blocks the occlusion and active transport of cations. In the future, high affinity guanidinium derivatives may serve the purpose of locating cation-binding domains of the pump protein after being converted to reactive affinity or photoaffinity covalent labels.     

Ouabain assembles signaling cascades through the caveolar Na+/K+-ATPase

Based on the observation that the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase alpha subunit contains two conserved caveolin-binding motifs, we hypothesized that clustering of the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and its partners in caveolae facilitates ouabain-activated signal transduction. Glutathione S-transferase pull-down assay showed that the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase bound to the N terminus of caveolin-1. Significantly, ouabain regulated the interaction in a time- and dose-dependent manner and stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of caveolin-1 in LLC-PK1 cells. When added to the isolated membrane fractions, ouabain increased tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins from the isolated caveolae but not other membrane fractions. Consistently, ouabain induced the formation of a Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase-Src-caveolin complex in the isolated caveolae preparations as it did in live cells. Finally, depletion of either cholesterol by methyl beta-cyclodextrin or caveolin-1 by siRNA significantly reduced the caveolar Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase and Src. Concomitantly, cholesterol depletion abolished ouabain-induced recruitment of Src to the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase signaling complex. Like depletion of caveolin-1, it also blocked the effect of ouabain on ERKs, which was restored after cholesterol repletion. Clearly, the caveolar Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase represents the signaling pool of the pump that interacts with Src and transmits the ouabain signals.     

Rb+ occlusion in renal (Na+ + K+)-ATPase characterized with a simple manual assay

This paper describes properties of a simple manual assay for Rb+ occlusion on renal (Na+ + K+)-ATPase. Rb+ occlusion is measured by applying the enzyme plus Rb+ (86Rb) mixture to a Dowex-50 cation exchange column at 0 degree C, and eluting the enzyme with occluded Rb+ using an ice-cold sucrose solution. The enzyme-Rb+ complex is quite stable at 0 degree C. This method is useful for measuring Rb+ occlusion under equilibrium binding conditions and slow rates of dissociation of the enzyme-Rb+ complex. The stoichiometry of Rb+ occluded per phosphorylation site is 2. Rb+ saturation curves are strictly hyperbolic, suggesting that the two Rb+ sites have very different affinities, one in the micromolar range and one in the tens of millimolar range. ATP shifts the Rb+ saturation curves to the right (control K0.5 100-200 microM; plus ATP, K0.5 0.8-1.4 mM, in a 100 mM Tris-HCl medium, pH 7.0) and reduces the maximal level occluded (control approx. 4 nmol/mg; plus ATP approx. 3 nmol/mg protein). Thus, as expected, ATP shifts the E(1)2Rb+-E2(2Rb+)occ equilibrium towards E1. Sodium ions at concentrations of up to 30 mM compete with the rubidium ions, KNa = 1.86 mM in the Tris-HCl medium. Na+ at higher concentrations (30-100 mM) has an added non-competitive antagonistic effect. At room temperature, Rb+ dissociates slowly from the enzyme, kobs = 0.08 s-1, in the presence of either Rb+ (20 mM) or Na, (100 mM). As expected, dissociation is greatly accelerated by ATP, the rate being to fast to be measured by this technique. (Na+ + K+)-ATPase proteolyzed selectively by chymotrypsin in a Na+ medium, occludes Rb+. For control and proteolyzed (Na+ + K+)-ATPase the Rb+ saturation curves are similar and the rates of dissociation of the enzyme-Rb+ complex are identical. The chymotryptic split appears to disrupt antagonistic interactions between cation and ATP binding domains, while the E1-E2 conformational transition of the unphosphorylated protein probably remains.     

Activation of P2Y2 purinoceptor inhibits the activity of the Na+/K+-ATPase in HeLa cells

The role of ATP on regulation of the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity in the human cancerous HeLa cells was investigated. HeLa cells stimulated with increasing ATP concentrations showed a dose-dependent inhibition of the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity. These effects were also obtained by UTP. ATP and UTP provoked a rise in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) persisting for at least 4 min. The inhibitor of phospholipase C, U73122, blocked the elevation of [Ca(2+)](i) provoked by ATP/UTP. The expression of mRNA for P2Y2 and P2Y6 receptors was demonstrated by RT-PCR. ATP/UTP activated PKC-alpha, -betaI and -epsilon isoforms, but not PKC-delta and -zeta. The inhibition of the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity by ATP/UTP was blocked by G?6976, a specific inhibitor of the calcium-dependent PKCs. In conclusion, our results suggest that ATP/UTP modulate Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity in HeLa cells through the P2Y2 purinoceptor via calcium mobilisation and activation of calcium-dependent PKCs.     

Effect of palytoxin on the sodium-potassium pump: model and simulation

We propose a reaction model for the palytoxin-sodium-potassium (PTX-Na(+)/K(+)) pump complex. The model, which is similar to the Albers-Post model for Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, is used to elucidate the effect of PTX on Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase during the enzyme interactions with Na(+) and/or K(+) ions. Conformational substates and reactions for the pump are incorporated into the Albers-Post model to represent enzymes with or without bound PTX. A mathematical model based on the reaction scheme is used in simulations modeling experimental studies of PTX-induced ionic currents. Our simulations suggest that (i) extracellular Na(+) as well as K(+) promotes PTX-induced channel blockage; (ii) extracellular K(+) accelerates PTX unbinding; and (iii) K(+) occlusion in the PTX-pump complex is essential for describing the PTX-induced current dynamics.     

Comparative properties of caveolar and noncaveolar preparations of kidney Na+/K+-ATPase

To evaluate previously proposed functions of renal caveolar Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, we modified the standard procedures for the preparation of the purified membrane-bound kidney enzyme, separated the caveolar and noncaveolar pools, and compared their properties. While the subunits of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase (α,β,γ) constituted most of the protein content of the noncaveolar pool, the caveolar pool also contained caveolins and major caveolar proteins annexin-2 tetramer and E-cadherin. Ouabain-sensitive Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activities of the two pools had similar properties and equal molar activities, indicating that the caveolar enzyme retains its ion transport function and does not contain nonpumping enzyme. As minor constituents, both caveolar and noncaveolar pools also contained Src, EGFR, PI3K, and several other proteins known to be involved in stimulous-induced signaling by Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, indicating that signaling function is not limited to the caveolar pool. Endogenous Src was active in both pools but was not further activated by ouabain, calling into question direct interaction of Src with native Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase. Chemical cross-linking, co-immunoprecipitation, and immunodetection studies showed that in the caveolar pool, caveolin-1 oligomers, annexin-2 tetramers, and oligomers of the α,β,γ-protomers of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase form a large multiprotein complex. In conjunction with known roles of E-cadherin and the β-subunit of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase in cell adhesion and noted intercellular β,β-contacts within the structure of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase, our findings suggest that interacting caveolar Na(+)/K(+)-ATPases located at renal adherens junctions maintain contact of two adjacent cells, conduct essential ion pumping, and are capable of locus-specific signaling in junctional cells.