Regional enzyme development in rat brain. Enzymes associated with glucose utilization.

Inhibition of rat liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase by AMP was uncompetitive with respect to fructose 1,6-bisphosphate in the absence of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, but non-competitive in its presence. AMP was unable to bind to the enzyme except in the presence of one of the fructose bisphosphates; the binding stoicheiometry was 2 molecules/tetramer. Increasing concentrations of Mg2+ increased the Hill coefficient h and the apparent Ki for AMP, whereas fructose 2,6-bisphosphate had the opposite effect. Increasing concentrations of both AMP and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate decreased h and increased the apparent Ka for Mg2+. AMP slightly decreased, and Mg2+ slightly increased, the apparent Ki for fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, but each had only small effects on h. These results are interpreted in terms of a new three-state model for the allosteric properties of the enzyme, in which fructose 2,6-bisphosphate can bind both to the catalytic site and to an allosteric site and AMP can bind to the enzyme only when the catalytic site is occupied.     

Effects of monovalent cations on AMP nucleosidase from Azotobacter vinelandii.

The effect of monovalent cations on the purified AMP nucleosidase (AMP phosphoribohydrolase, EC 3.2.2.4) from Azotobacter vinelandii was investigated. All the monovalent cations were activators of the enzyme: Rb+ and Cs+ were the most effective, followed by K+, Na+, NH4+ and Li+ in that order. The apparent Ka for MgATP and nH values (Hill's interaction coefficient) decreased from 0.9 to 0.1 mM, and from 4 to 1, respectively, with the increase in K+ concentration, suggesting that the cation effects are on MgATP binding rather than catalysis. Gel filtration studies have revealed that the enzyme forms a non-dissociable enzyme species with a Stokes radius of 6.0--6.2 nm in the presence of saturating concentrations of monovalent cations, which can be distinguished from the 5.5-nm enzyme species showing temperature-dependent dissociation of the molecule in sulfate or phosphate. These results suggest that these ligands affect the association of the subunits through changes in the environment of the hydrophobic side chains of the enzyme molecules.     

The allosteric properties of beef-liver fructose bisphosphatase.

1. The activity of beef liver fructose bisphosphatase has been shown to respond cooperatively to increasing concentrations of the activating cations Mg2+ and Mn2+. The allosteric inhibitor AMP caused an increase in this cooperativity and a decrease in the apparent affinity of the enzyme for the activating cation. 2. The cooperative response of the enzyme to AMP is similarly increased by increasing cation concentrations with a concomitant decrease in the apparent affinity. 3. Direct binding experiments indicated that in the absence of either Mg2+ or Mn2+ the enzyme bound AMP non-cooperatively up to a maximum of two molecules per molecule of enzyme, a result that is indicative of half-sites reactivity. The binding became increasingly cooperative as the concentration of the activating cation was increased. 4. The substrate fructose bisphosphate had no effect on any of these cooperative responses. 5. These results may be most simply interpreted in terms of concerted model in which the activating cation functions both as an allosteric activator and as an essential cofactor for the reaction.     

Ion-binding to phospholipids. Interaction of calcium with phosphatidylserine.

The binding of Ca2+ to monolayers and bilayers of phosphatidylserine has been investigated as a function of pH, ionic strength (NaCl concentration) and Ca2+ concentration using surface and colloid chemical techniques. The molar ratio of lipid to bound calcium decreases to 2 as the Ca2+ concentration is increased to about 0.1 mM. At [Ca2+] greater than 0.1 mM a 1:1 complex is formed. The apparent binding constant Ka ranges from about approximately 10(6) - 10(4) l/mol depending on the Ca2+ concentration. After allowing for electrostatic effects and neighbour group interactions, the intrinsic binding constant Ki of the phosphorylserine polar group at pH 7 (I = 0.01 M), where it carries a net negative charge of one, is approximately 10(4) l/mol; consistent values for Ki were obtained using several independent approaches. Ka for Ca2+ binding decreases with increasing NaCl concentration because the monovalent cations compete with Ca2+ for the same binding site. Na+ and K+ are equally effective in displacing 45Ca2+ adsorbed to monolayers of phosphatidylserine, both with respect to the kinetics and the equilibrium of the displacement. Ka for the reaction between phosphatidylserine and monovalent cations is about 10(3)-fold smaller than that of Ca2+. An investigation of the binding of Mn2+ to phosphatidylserine by both surface chemical and nuclear magnetic resonance methods shows that this cation has a similar binding constant to that of Ca2+. The Ca2+-binding capabilities of monolayers containing only carboxyl groups (i.e. arachidic acid) and phosphodiester groups (i.e. dicetyl phosphate) have also been determined; the apparent pK for the - COOH group in monolayers is larger than or equal to 9 and that for the phosphodiester group is less than 4. Since these groups do not retain the same pK values when they are in close proximity in the phosphorylserine group, the relative contributions of the two groups to the binding of Ca2+ to phosphatidylserine is not obvious.     

Effect of Mg2, ATP and some analogs on phosphorylase phosphatase from adrenal cortex.

The effect of Mg2, ATP and some of its analogs was studied on the spontaneously active and the ATP-Mg-dependent forms of phosphorylase phosphatase extracted from adrenal cortex. Inhibition of the spontaneously active form was observed with Mg2 (Ki - 9mM), ATP (Ki = 9micronM), 2'-doxy-ATP (Ki = 8 micronM), AtetraP (Ki = 9 micronM), AMP(CH2)PP (Ki = 11 micronM), ADP(CH2)P (Ki = 19 micronM), ADP(NH)P (Ki = 16micronM) and ADP (Ki = 25micronM). Activation of the ATP-Mg-dependent form was obtained with Mg2 (Ka = 0.55mM) (to a lower extent) and with ATP (Ka = 2micronM), 2'-deoxy-ATP (Ka = 6micronM) or AtetraP (Ka = 15micronM) in the presence of 0.5mM Mg2. Activation with AMP(CH2)PP was only observed in the presence of high concentrations (5mM) of Mg2 (Ka = 13micronM). No activation at all was observed with ADP(CH2)P or ADP(NH)P. Even though the activation of the ATP-Mg-dependent form does not seem to involve a kinase reaction, the stimulation by ATP or its analogs is rather specific, since it does not occur with analogs in which a methylene group or a nitrogen is substituted for the oxygen between the beta- and gamma-phosphates.     

Cationic modulation of follicle-stimulating hormone binding to granulosa cell receptor

Magnesium (Mg2+) increases binding of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) to membrane-bound receptors and increases adenylyl cyclase activity. We examined the effects of divalent and monovalent cations on FSH binding to receptors in granulosa cells from immature porcine follicles. Divalent and monovalent cations increased binding of [125I]iodo-porcine FSH (125I-pFSH). The divalent cations Mg2+, calcium (Ca2+) and manganese, (Mn2+) increased specific binding a maximum of 4- to 5-fold at added concentrations of 10 mM. Mg2+ caused a half-maximal enhancement of binding at 0.6 mM, whereas Ca2+ and Mn2+ had half-maximal effects at 0.7 mM and 0.8 mM, respectively. The monovalent cation potassium (K+) increased binding a maximum of 1.5-fold at an added concentration of 50 mM, whereas the monovalent cation (Na+) did not increase binding at any concentration tested. The difference between K+ and Na+ suggested that either enhancement of binding was not a simple ionic effect or Na+ has a negative effect that suppresses its positive effect. Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, a chelator of Mg2+, prevented binding of 125I-pFSH only in the presence of Mg2+, whereas pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin, a competitor with FSH for the receptor, prevented binding in both the absence and the presence of Mg2+. Guanyl-5-ylimidodiphosphate (Gpp[NH]p) inhibited binding of 125I-pFSH in the absence or presence of Mg2+, but only at Gpp(NH)p concentrations greater than 1 mM. We used Mg2+ to determine if divalent cations enhanced FSH binding by increasing receptor affinity or by increasing the apparent number of binding sites.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The effect of monovalent and divalent cations on the activity of Streptococcus lactis C10 pyruvate kinase.

The pyruvate kinase (ATP: pyruvate 2-O-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.40) from Streptococcus lactis C10 had an obligatory requirement for both a monovalent cation and divalent cation. NH+4 and K+ activated the enzyme in a sigmoidal manner (nH =1.55) at similar concentrations, whereas Na+ and Li+ could only weakly activate the enzyme. Of eight divalent cations studied, only three (Co2+, Mg2+ and Mn2+) activated the enzyme. The remaining five divalent cations (Cu2+, Zn2+, Ca2+, Ni2+ and Ba2+) inhibited the Mg2+ activated enzyme to varying degrees. (Cu2+ completely inhibited activity at 0.1 mM while Ba2+, the least potent inhibitor, caused 50% inhibition at 3.2 mM). In the presence of 1 mM fructose 1,6-diphosphate (Fru-1,6-P2) the enzyme showed a different kinetic response to each of the three activating divalent cations. For Co2+, Mn2+ and Mg2+ the Hill interaction coefficients (nH) were 1.6, 1.7 and 2.3 respectively and the respective divalent cation concentrations required for 50% maximum activity were 0.9, 0.46 and 0.9 mM. Only with Mn2+ as the divalent cation was there significatn activity in the absence of Fru-1,6-P2. When Mn2+ replaced Mg2+, the Fru-1,6-P2 activation changed from sigmoidal (nH = 2.0) to hyperbolic (nH = 1.0) kinetics and the Fru-1,6-P2 concentration required for 50% maximum activity decreased from 0.35 to 0.015 mM. The cooperativity of phosphoenolpyruvate binding increased (nH 1.2 to 1.8) and the value of the phosphoenolpyruvate concentration giving half maximal velocity decreased (0.18 to 0.015 mM phosphoenolyruvate) when Mg2+ was replaced by Mn2+ in the presence of 1 mM Fru-1,6-P2. The kinetic response to ADP was not altered significantly when Mn2+ was substituted for Mg2+. The effects of pH on the binding of phosphoenolpyruvate and Fru-1,6-P2 were different depending on whether Mg2+ or Mn2+ was the divalent cation.     

Role of inosine 5'-phosphate in activating glucose-bisphosphatase

Glucose-bisphosphate (G1c-1,6-P2) phosphatase has been purified greater than 200-fold from the cytosol of mouse brain. As reported earlier, the enzyme requires inosine monophosphate (IMP) and Mg2+ for activity [Guha, S.K., & Rose, Z. B. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 6634-6637]. Kinetic parameters and the role of IMP have been further investigated. When Glc-1,6-P2 and IMP are both varied, double-reciprocal plots of the data form a parallel line pattern. With 2 mM Mg2+, the Km obtained for G1c-1,6-P2 is 20 microM and the Ka for IMP is 9 microM. Co2+, Mn2+, and Ni2+ activate less effectively than Mg2+. The apparent Ka for Mg2+ decreases with increasing G1c-1,6-P2, and the observed Km of G1c-1,6-P2 decreases with increasing Mg2+. The extrapolated value of the Ka of Mg2+ at infinite substrate is 86 microM. Mg2+ does not affect the Ka of IMP. The phosphatase activity is optimal at pH 7. The phosphatase is not completely specific since mannose 1,6-bisphosphate is hydrolyzed and guanosine monophosphate activates. However, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate is no more than a poor inhibitor, and adenine nucleotides are neither activators nor inhibitors. The products of the reaction are glucose-1-P and glucose-6-P, in a ratio of 2:3, and Pi. Both glucose-P's are competitive inhibitors with respect to IMP [Ki(glucose-1-P) = 5 microM; Ki(glucose-6-P) = 18 microM]. Neither glucose-P competes with G1c-1,6-P2. The demonstration of an exchange reaction between G1c-1,6-P2 and glucose-6-P is evidence for the phosphorylation of the enzyme by the substrate. The exchange reaction requires Mg2+ and is inhibited by IMP. The observation of the exchange reaction and its elimination by IMP indicates that the low level of phosphoglucomutase activity that remains with the phosphatase throughout purification is an inherent property of the phosphatase. The requirement of glucose-bisphosphatase for the nucleotide IMP is consistent with possible roles for both G1c-1,6-P2 and IMP in the control of the ATP level in the brain.     

Functional consequences of modifying highly reactive arginyl residues of fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase. Loss of monovalent cation activation.

Modification of pig kidney fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase with 2,3-butanedione (in the presence of AMP) results in the loss of activation of the enzyme by monovalent cations. Under these conditions about 8 arginyl residues per mole of enzyme were modified. No other residues were modified. No loss of monovalent cation activation occurs when modification with 2,3-butanedione is carried out in the presence of AMP plus the substrate fructose 1,6-bisphosphate and 3.2 less arginyl residues were modified. Since fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase contains 4 subunits, it is suggested that one arginyl residue per subunit plays an essential role in monovalent cation activation of the enzyme. Studies on sulfhydryl group reactivity toward 5,5'-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) explain the protection exerted by fructose 1,6-bisphosphate against the loss of monovalent cation activation in terms of an enzyme conformational change induced by substrate, which makes unreactive the essential arginyl residue. The results of the present paper, as well as previous evidence, are discussed in terms of the mechanism of monovalent cation activation of fructose 1,6-biphosphatase.     

Additional effects of monovalent cations on the lysine-sensitive aspartokinase of E. coli B

The apparent specificity of activation of lysine-sensitive aspartokinase (E.C.2.7.2.4) from E. coli by monovalent cations differs depending on the assay used and on the Mg2+ concentration. Activity is nearly absolutely dependent on and is highly specific for a monovalent cation in the aspartate semialdehyde dehydrogenase coupled assay or the adenosine triphosphate-adenosine diphosphate exchange assay. Little specificity for monovalent cations is observed using the aspartyl hydroxamate assay. Activation and specificity are also altered by Mg2+ concentrations at a constant 5 mM nucleotide concentration. At a low (1.25 or 1.6 mM)Mg2+ concentration, monovalent cation activation and specificity are nearly absolute. Less dependence on monovalent cations and less specificity are observed at a higher Mg2+ concentration (6 mM). Li+ inhibits aspartokinase competitively with respect to either K+ or NH4+. Monovalent cations are also thermoprotective and differential thermal inactivation experiments at 56 degrees C reveal that NH4+ and K+, either of which will produce maximum catalytic activity, interact differently with aspartokinase. K+ interacts with positive cooperativity, whereas NH4+ does not. K+, NH4+, and Na+ are about equally effective in enhancing the dissociation of the aspartokinase-aspartylphosphate complex. Li+ is less effective.     

Potentiation of TRPM7 inward currents by protons

TRPM7 is unique in being both an ion channel and a protein kinase. It conducts a large outward current at +100 mV but a small inward current at voltages ranging from -100 to -40 mV under physiological ionic conditions. Here we show that the small inward current of TRPM7 was dramatically enhanced by a decrease in extracellular pH, with an approximately 10-fold increase at pH 4.0 and 1-2-fold increase at pH 6.0. Several lines of evidence suggest that protons enhance TRPM7 inward currents by competing with Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) for binding sites, thereby releasing blockade of divalent cations on inward monovalent currents. First, extracellular protons significantly increased monovalent cation permeability. Second, higher proton concentrations were required to induce 50% of maximal increase in TRPM7 currents when the external Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) concentrations were increased. Third, the apparent affinity for Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) was significantly diminished at elevated external H(+) concentrations. Fourth, the anomalous-mole fraction behavior of H(+) permeation further suggests that protons compete with divalent cations for binding sites in the TRPM7 pore. Taken together, it appears that at physiological pH (7.4), Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) bind to TRPM7 and inhibit the monovalent cationic currents; whereas at high H(+) concentrations, the affinity of TRPM7 for Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) is decreased, thereby allowing monovalent cations to pass through TRPM7. Furthermore, we showed that the endogenous TRPM7-like current, which is known as Mg(2+)-inhibitable cation current (MIC) or Mg nucleotide-regulated metal ion current (MagNuM) in rat basophilic leukemia (RBL) cells was also significantly potentiated by acidic pH, suggesting that MIC/MagNuM is encoded by TRPM7. The pH sensitivity represents a novel feature of TRPM7 and implies that TRPM7 may play a role under acidic pathological conditions.     

Binding of spermidine to transfer ribonucleic acid

The binding of spermidine to yeast tRNAPhe and Escherichia coli tRNAGlu2 at low and high ionic strength was studied by equilibrium dialysis. Once corrected for the expected Donnan effect, the binding at low ionic strength obeys the simple relationship of equivalent binding sites, and cooperative binding of spermidine to tRNA could not be detected. At low ionic strength (0.013 M Na+ ion), tRNAPhe (yeast) has 13.9 +/- 2.3 strong spermidine binding sites per molecule with Kd = 1.39 X 10(-6) M and a few weak spermidine binding sites which were inaccessible to experimentation; tRNAGlu2 (E. coli) has 14.8 +/- 1.6 strong spermidine binding sites and 4.0 +/- 0.1 weak spermidine binding sites with Kd = 1.4 X 10(-6) M and Kd = 1.23 X 10(-4) M, respectively. At high ionic strength (0.12 M monovalent cation) and 0.01 M Mg2+, tRNAPhe (yeast) has approximately 13 strong spermidine binding sites with an apparent Kd = 3.4 X 10(-3) M while the dimeric complex tRNAPhe X tRNAGlu2 has 10.4 +/- 1.2 strong spermidine binding sites per monomer with an apparent Kd = 2.0 X 10(-3) M. In the presence of increasing Na+ ion or K+ ion concentration, spermidine binding data do not fit a model for competitive binding to tRNA by monovalent cations. Rather, analysis of binding data by the Debye-Hückel approximation results in a good fit of experimental data, indicating that monovalent cations form a counterion atmosphere about tRNA, thus decreasing electrostatic interactions. On the basis of equilibrium binding analyses, it is proposed that the binding of spermidine to tRNA occurs predominantly by electrostatic forces.     

Selectivity of pyruvate kinase for Na+ and K+ in water/dimethylsulfoxide mixtures.

In aqueous media, muscle pyruvate kinase is highly selective for K+ over Na+. We now studied the selectivity of pyruvate kinase in water/dimethylsulfoxide mixtures by measuring the activation and inhibition constants of K+ and Na+, i.e. their binding to the monovalent and divalent cation binding sites of pyruvate kinase, respectively [Melchoir J.B. (1965) Biochemistry 4, 1518-1525]. In 40% dimethylsulfoxide the K0.5 app for K+ and Na+ were 190 and 64-fold lower than in water. Ki app for K+ and Na+ decreased 116 and 135-fold between 20 and 40% dimethylsulfoxide. The ratios of Ki app/K0.5 app for K+ and Na+ were 34-3.5 and 3.3-0.2, respectively. Therefore, dimethylsulfoxide favored the partition of K+ and Na+ into the monovalent and divalent cation binding sites of the enzyme. The kinetics of the enzyme at subsaturating concentrations of activators show that K+ and Mg2+ exhibit high selectivity for their respective cation binding sites, whereas when Na+ substitutes K+, Na+ and Mg2+ bind with high affinity to their incorrect sites. This is evident by the ratio of the affinities of Mg2+ and K+ for the monovalent cation binding site, which is close to 200. For Na+ and Mg2+ this ratio is approximately 20. Therefore, the data suggest that K+ induces conformational changes that prevent the binding of Mg2+ to the monovalent cation binding site. Circular dichroism spectra of the enzyme and the magnitude of the transfer and apparent binding energies of K+ and Na+ indicate that structural arrangements of the enzyme induced by dimethylsulfoxide determine the affinities of pyruvate kinase for K+ and Na+.     

Stabilization of RNA tertiary structure by monovalent cations

The effects of monovalent cations (Li(+), Na(+), K(+), Rb(+), Cs(+), and NH4(+)) on the thermal stability of RNA tertiary structure were investigated by UV melting. We show that with the RNA used here (nucleotides 1051-1108 of Escherichia coli 23 S rRNA with four base substitutions), monovalent cations and Mg(2+) compete in stabilizing the RNA tertiary structure, and that the competition takes place between two boundaries: one where Mg(2+) concentration is zero and the other where it is maximally stabilizing ("saturating"). The pattern of competition is the same for all monovalent cations and depends on the cation's ability to displace Mg(2+) from the RNA, its ability to stabilize tertiary structure in the absence of Mg(2+), and its ability to stabilize tertiary structure at saturating Mg(2+) concentrations. The stabilizing ability of a monovalent cation depends on its unhydrated ionic radius, and at a low monovalent cation concentration and saturating Mg(2+), there is a (calculated) net release of a single monovalent cation/RNA molecule when tertiary structure is denatured. The implications are that under these conditions there is at least one binding site for monovalent cations on the RNA, the site is specifically associated with formation of stable tertiary structure, K(+) is the most effective of the tested cations, and Mg(2+) appears ineffective at this site. At high ionic strength, and in the absence of Mg(2+), stabilization of tertiary structure is still monovalent-cation specific and ionic-radius dependent, but a larger number of cations ( approximately eight) are released upon RNA tertiary structure denaturation, and NH(4)(+) appears to be the most effective cation in stabilizing tertiary structure under these conditions. In the majority of the experiments, methanol was added as a cosolvent to the buffer. Its use allowed the examination of the behavior of monovalent ions under conditions where their effects would otherwise have been too weak to be observed. Methanol stabilizes tertiary but not secondary structure of the RNA. There was no evidence that it either causes qualitative changes in cation-binding properties of the RNA or a change in the pattern of monovalent cation/Mg(2+) competition.     

Regulation of rabbit liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase by metals, nucleotides, and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate as determined from fluorescence studies

The fluorescent nucleotide analogue formycin 5'-monophosphate (FMP) inhibits rabbit liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (I50 = 17 microM, Hill coefficient = 1.2), as does the natural regulator AMP (I50 = 13 microM, Hill coefficient = 2.3), but exhibits little or no cooperativity of inhibition. Binding of FMP to fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase can be monitored by the increased fluorescence emission intensity (a 2.7-fold enhancement) or the increased fluorescence polarization of the probe. A single dissociation constant for FMP binding of 6.6 microM (4 sites per tetramer) was determined by monitoring fluorescence intensity. AMP displaces FMP from the enzyme as evidenced by a decrease in FMP fluorescence and polarization. The substrates, fructose 6-phosphate and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, and inhibitors, methyl alpha-D-fructofuranoside 1,6-bisphosphate and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate, all increase the maximal fluorescence of enzyme-bound FMP but have little or no effect on FMP binding. Weak metal binding sites on rabbit liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase have been detected by the effect of Zn2+, Mn2+, and Mg2+ in displacing FMP from the enzyme. This is observed as a decrease in FMP fluorescence intensity and polarization in the presence of enzyme as a function of divalent cation concentration. The order of binding by divalent cations is Zn2+ = Mn2+ greater than Mg2+, and the Kd for Mn2+ displacement of FMP is 91 microM. Methyl alpha-D-fructofuranoside 1,6-bisphosphate, as well as fructose 6-phosphate and inorganic phosphate, enhances metal-mediated FMP displacement from rabbit liver fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Interaction of Tl+ with product complexes of fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase

Fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase requires divalent cations (Mg2+, Mn2+, or Zn2+) for catalysis, but a diverse set of monovalent cations (K+, Tl+, Rb+, or NH(4)(+)) will further enhance enzyme activity. Here, the interaction of Tl+ with fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase is explored under conditions that support catalysis. On the basis of initial velocity kinetics, Tl+ enhances catalysis by 20% with a K(a) of 1.3 mm and a Hill coefficient near unity. Crystal structures of enzyme complexes with Mg2+, Tl+, and reaction products, in which the concentration of Tl+ is 1 mm or less, reveal Mg2+ at metal sites 1, 2, and 3 of the active site, but little or no bound Tl+. Intermediate concentrations of Tl+ (5-20 mm) displace Mg2+ from site 3 and the 1-OH group of fructose 6-phosphate from in-line geometry with respect to bound orthophosphate. Loop 52-72 appears in a new conformational state, differing from its engaged conformation by disorder in residues 61-69. Tl+ does not bind to metal sites 1 or 2 in the presence of Mg2+, but does bind to four other sites with partial occupancy. Two of four Tl+ sites probably represent alternative binding sites for the site 3 catalytic Mg2+, whereas the other sites could play roles in monovalent cation activation.     

A cation channel for K+ and Ca2+ from Tetrahymena cilia in planar lipid bilayers

The single-channel properties for monovalent and divalent cations of a voltage-independent cation channel from Tetrahymena cilia were studied in planar lipid bilayers. The single-channel conductance reached a maximum value as the K+ concentration was increased in symmetrical solutions of K+. The concentration dependence of the conductance was approximated to a simple saturation curve (a single-ion channel model) with an apparent Michaelis constant of 16.3 mM and a maximum conductance of 354 pS. Divalent cations (Ca2+, Ba2+, Sr2+, and Mg2+) also permeated this channel. The sequence of permeability determined by zero current potentials at high ionic concentrations was Ba2+ greater than or equal to K+ greater than or equal to Sr2+ greater than Mg2+ greater than Ca2+. Single-channel conductances for Ca2+ were nearly constant (13.9 pS-20.5 pS) in the concentrations between 0.5 mM and 50 mM Ca-gluconate. In the experiments with mixed solutions of K+ and Ca2+, a maximum conductance of Ca2+ (gamma Camax) and an apparent Michaelis constant of Ca2+ (K Cam) were obtained by assuming a simple competitive relation between the cations. Gamma Camax and K Cam were 14.0 pS and 0.160 mM, respectively. Single-channel conductances in mixed solutions were well-fitted to this competitive model supporting that this cation channel behaves as a single-ion channel. This channel had relatively high-affinity Ca2+-binding sites.     

Cation-induced aggregation and fusion of N-acyl-N-methyl-phosphatidylethanolamine vesicles.

Aggregation and fusion of unilamellar vesicles consisting of N-acyl-N-methylphosphatidylethanolamine were studied as a function of mono- and divalent cation concentrations. The aggregation reactions were irreversible processes, as demonstrated by changes in monovalent ion concentrations and by the addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) to chelate divalent cations, suggesting the possibility of some cation-induced vesicle fusion. An increase in the NaCl ionic strength of the vesicle suspension solutions diminishes the threshold concentration for Li+ and K+ and increases that corresponding to Mn2+, Mg2+ and Ca2+. However NaCl concentrations above 300 mM yield smaller threshold values for the divalent cation-induced processes, probably due to the increased size of phospholipid vesicles as the ionic strength of the medium increases.     

Na+/Ca2+ antiport in cultured arterial smooth muscle cells. Inhibition by magnesium and other divalent cations

Cultured smooth muscle cells from rat aorta were loaded with Na+, and Na+/Ca2+ antiport was assayed by measuring the initial rates of 45Ca2+ influx and 22Na+ efflux, which were inhibitable by 2',4'-dimethylbenzamil. The replacement of extracellular Na+ with other monovalent ions (K+, Li+, choline, or N-methyl-D-glucamine) was essential for obtaining significant antiport activity. Mg2+ competitively inhibited 45Ca2+ influx via the antiporter (Ki = 93 +/- 7 microM). External Ca2+ or Sr2+ stimulated 22Na+ efflux as would be expected for antiport activity. Mg2+ did not stimulate 22Na+ efflux, which indicates that Mg2+ is probably not transported by the antiporter under the conditions of these experiments. Mg2+ inhibited Ca2+-stimulated 22Na+ efflux as expected from the 45Ca2+ influx data. The replacement of external N-methyl-D-glucamine with K+, but not other monovalent ions (choline, Li+), decreased the potency of Mg2+ as an inhibitor of Na+/Ca2+ antiport 6.7-fold. Other divalent cations (Co2+, Mn2+, Cd2+, Ba2+) also inhibited Na+/Ca2+ antiport activity, and high external potassium decreased the potency of each by 4.3-8.6-fold. The order of effectiveness of the divalent cations as inhibitors of Na+/Ca2+ antiport (Cd2+ greater than Mn2+ greater than Co2+ greater than Ba2+ greater than Mg2+) correlated with the closeness of the crystal ionic radius to that of Ca2+.     

Effects of different cations on the hydrodynamic radius of DNA.

The effects of different cations on the hydrodynamic radius (RH) of a 48-bp synthetic DNA are measured by time-resolved fluorescence polarization anisotropy of intercalated ethidium. Relative statistical errors in RH are only approximately 1%. With increasing cation concentration, Na+ causes a small decrease in RH, Cs+ causes a somewhat larger decrease by up to 0.5 A at 100 mM, and (CH3CH2)4N+ causes an increase in RH by approximately 0.5 A at 100 mM. The qualitatively different effects of these monovalent cations indicates that the changes in RH with cation concentration do not arise primarily from electrolyte friction. Divalent cations cause much larger increases in RH with increasing cation concentration. Mg2+ causes an increase in RH by up to 1.0 A at 24.4 mM, and Mn2+ causes an increase in RH by up to 1.6 A at 24.4 mM. These effects are independent of DNA concentration. There is some positive correlation between the order of effects of the different cations on RH and the order of their effects on interhelical hydration forces. It is suggested that these different ions affect RH either by altering the hydration layer or possibly by some effect on DNA structure, such as stabilizing bends.