Activation of brain calcineurin phosphatase towards nonprotein phosphoesters by Ca2+, calmodulin, and Mg2+

Calcineurin purified from bovine brain was found to be active towards beta-naphthyl phosphate greater than p-nitrophenyl phosphate greater than alpha-naphthyl phosphate much greater than phosphotyrosine. In its native state, calcineurin shows little activity. It requires the synergistic action of Ca2+, calmodulin, and Mg2+ for maximum activation. Ca2+ and Ca2+ X calmodulin exert their activating effects by transforming the enzyme into a potentially active form which requires Mg2+ to express the full activity. Ni2+, Mn2+, and Co2+, but not Ca2+ or Zn2+, can substitute for Mg2+. The pH optimum, and the Vm and Km values of the phosphatase reaction are characteristics of the divalent cation cofactor. Ca2+ plus calmodulin increases the Vm in the presence of a given divalent cation, but has little effect on the Km for p-nitrophenyl phosphate. The activating effects of Mg2+ are different from those of the transition metal ions in terms of effects on Km, Vm, pH optimum of the phosphatase reaction and their affinity for calcineurin. Based on the Vm values determined in their respective optimum conditions, the order of effectiveness is: Mg2+ greater than or equal to Ni2+ greater than Mn2+ much greater than Co2+. The catalytic properties of calcineurin are markedly similar to those of p-nitrophenyl phosphatase activity associated with protein phosphatase 3C and with its catalytic subunit of Mr = 35,000, suggesting that there are common features in the catalytic sites of these two different classes of phosphatase.     

Comparison of the reaction progress of calcineurin with Mn2+ and Mg2+

Activation of calcineurin by Mn2+ and Mg2+ was compared using a heavy atom isotope analogue of the substrate p-nitrophenyl phosphate (pNPP). Heavy atom isotope effects were measured for Mg2+ activation and compared to published results of the isotope effects with Mn2+ as the activating metal. Isotope effects were measured for the kinetic parameter Vmax/Km at the nonbridging oxygen atoms [18(V/K)nonbridge]; at the position of bond cleavage in the bridging oxygen atom [18(V/K)bridge]; and at the nitrogen atom in the nitrophenol leaving group [15(V/K)]. The isotope effects increased in magnitude upon changing from an optimal pH to a nonoptimal pH; the 18(V/K)bridge effect increased from 1.0154 (+/-0.0007) to 1.0198 (+/-0.0002), and the 15(V/K) effect increased from 1.0018 (+/-0. 0002) to 1.0021 (+/-0.0003). The value for 18(V/K)nonbridge is 0. 9910 (+/-0.0003) at pH 7.0. As with Mn2+, the 18(V/K)nonbridge isotope effect indicated that the dianion was the substrate for catalysis, and that a dissociative transition state was operative for the phosphoryl transfer. Comparison to results for Mn2+ activation suggested that chemistry was more rate-limiting with Mg2+ than with Mn2+. Changing the activating metal concentration showed opposite trends with increasing Mg2+ increasing the commitment factor and seemingly making the chemistry less rate-limiting. The influence of viscosity was evaluated as well to gauge the role of chemistry. The activation of calcineurin-catalyzed hydrolysis of pNPP1 by Mg2+ or Mn2+ at pH 7.0 was compared in the presence of viscogens, glycerol and poly(ethylene glycol). Increasing glycerol caused different effects with the two activators. With Mn2+ as the activator, calcineurin activity showed a normal response with kcat and kcat/Km decreasing with viscosity. There was an inverse response with Mg2+ as the activator as values of kcat/Km increased with viscosity. From values of the normalized kcat/Km with Mn2+, the chemistry was found to be partially rate-limiting, consistent with previous heavy atom isotope studies (22). The effect observed for Mg2+ seems consistent with a change in the rate-limiting step for the two different metals at pH 7.0.     

Effect of Mn2+ and Mg2+ ions on DNA conformation

The DNA conformation was studied at different relation between Na+ and Me2+ (Mn2+ or Mg2+) ions in solution at the fixed total ionic strength mu. At low mu the intrinsic viscosity of DNA [eta] decreased to the limited fixed value with the increasing of Mn2+ or Mg2+ concentration (CMe2+). At higher mu greater than or equal to 0.1 M [eta] doesn't depend on CMe2+. The presence of Mn2+ in solution caused a decrease of the optical anisotropy of DNA and the value of epsilon 260 (p) independent on ionic strengths. In contrary, these parameters of DNA didn't change in solution with Mg2+-concentration. The observed differences in the effects of Mn2+ and Mg2+ on the optical properties of the macromolecule suggest that there are different modes of binding of these ions to DNA. It has been concluded, that Mn2+ interacts with bases and phosphate groups of DNA, but Mg2+--only with phosphates. The persistence length of DNA doesn't depend on Me2+ concentration under the conditions of the experiment (mu greater than or equal to 0.005 M).     

Mn2+-dependent endonuclease activity of chromatin

The endogenous endonuclease activity of chromatin in isolated rat liver nuclei in the presence of Mn2+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ + Mg2+ was studied. The existence of a Mn2+-dependent endonuclease activity not coupled with the Ca2+, Mg2+-dependent endonuclease was demonstrated, which was weaker than the former one in isolated cell nuclei but higher than in the preparation of Ca2+, Mg2+-dependent nuclease obtained by gel filtration through Toyopearl HW 60F. The Mn2+-dependent splitting of chromatin predominantly occurs at linker DNA of distal parts of chromatin loops. A split-off of purified DNA was more universal than in the presence of Ca2+, Mg2+-dependent endonuclease; the hydrolysis rate of native and denaturated DNA appeared to be the same.     

Metal-nucleotide structural characteristics during catalysis by beef heart mitochondrial F1

This study examined the nature of the metal-nucleotide complexes which serve as substrates, products, and intermediates in the beef heart mitochondrial ATPase reaction. The two methods employed involved the use of phosphorothioate ATP analogs as substrates in the presence of Mg2+ or Cd2+ and the use of substitution inert Cr X ATP complexes (the isolated diastereomers of the bidentate complexes) along with the newly synthesized Cr X ITP complexes as inhibitors of both the F1-ATPase and F1-ITPase activities. Little stereoselectivity was observed in the inhibition of F1-ATPase and F1-ITPase activities by the isolated diastereomers of beta,gamma-bidentate CrATP, while the inhibition by the delta,alpha,beta-bidentate CrADP diastereomer was greater than that of the lambda epimer. gamma-Monodentate CrITP was a weak inhibitor of both the ATPase and ITPase activities, whereas beta,gamma-bidentate CrITP failed to show any inhibition at all up to a concentration of 3.2 mM. When adenosine 5'-O-(2-thiotriphosphate) (ATP beta S) was used as the substrate, (VmSp]/(Vm(Rp] with Mg2+ present was 2.7 at 31 degrees C and 3.5 at 13 degrees C. The (Vm/Km(Sp]/(Vm/Km(Rp] ratios with Mg2+ present were 15.3 at 31 degrees C and 73.3 at 13 degrees C. With Cd2+ present, the (Vm(Sp]/(Vm(Rp] ratios were 0.81 and 0.65 at 31 and 13 degrees C, respectively. The (Vm/Km(Sp]/(Vm/Km(Rp] ratios with Cd2+ present were 1.17 at 31 degrees C and 1.34 at 13 degrees C. The large activation energy observed for the isomers of CdATP beta S was not observed for MgATP beta S, MgATP, or CdATP. The Vm for Cd adenosine 5'-O-thiotriphosphate (ATP gamma S) hydrolysis was the largest of all the metal-phosphorothioate nucleotide complexes, while that for MgATP gamma S was the smallest. The results are interpreted in terms of a catalytic model for F1-catalyzed nucleotide hydrolysis describing metal-nucleotide chelation during the reaction.     

Hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonate catalysed by bovine pancreatic deoxyribonuclease.

The ability of bovine pancreatic DNAase to hydrolyse the synthetic substrate p-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonate (NPPP) is intrinsic and is not due to the contamination of the DNAase preparation by nonspecific phosphodiesterases because the activities of DNA and NPPP hydrolysis are co-eluted from a DEAE-cellulose column with use of the Ca2+-affinity elution method and because the two activities are decreased simultaneously when the purified enzyme is treated with Cu2+/iodoacetate, an active-site-labelling agent for DNAase. NPPP hydrolysis is facilitated by the metal ion-DNAase. At relatively high Na+ concentrations, where the metal ion-DNA interaction is weak, DNA hydrolysis is also facilitated by the metal ion-DNAase. With NPPP as substrate the Michaelis constants are Km 3.7 mM for Mn2+ and Km 49 mM for Mg2+ in 0.2 M-Tris/HCl buffer, pH 7.2. Ca2+ competes with Mn2+, with Ki 64 mM. Free Cu2+ ions non-competitively inhibit DNAase-catalysed DNA or NPPP hydrolysis in the presence of Mn2+ or Mg2+ and the inhibition is not relieved by Ca2+. The affinity of Cu2+ for free DNAase is higher than that for Mn2+-DNAase. Mn2+ is not bound to DNAase via a simple ionic interaction, as Mn2+ remains bound in the presence of relatively high Na+ concentrations and induces a near-u.v. difference absorption spectrum. The kinetics of NPPP hydrolysis catalysed by Mn2+-DNAase are sigmoidal. From the Hill equation, h = 2.0 is obtained, suggesting that more than two NPPP molecules are bound per molecule of DNAase with a certain amount of co-operativity. Because DNAase in solution is a monomer with a single catalytic site, the multiple NPPP molecules on a single protein molecule are probably in one location, resulting in a co-operative interaction that may resemble that in the stacked base-pairs of double-helical DNA.     

Ca2+-activated ATPase of rat liver plasma membrane.

Rat liver plasma membranes hydrolyze ATP in the presence of Ca2+. The rate of hydrolysis is different when Mg2+ions are present in the incubation system. Several parameters differentiate Ca2+-ATPase from Mg2+-ATPase: a) the Km of ATP hydrolysis for Ca2+ (2.25 x 10(-4) M) is lower than for Mg2+ (2.14 x 10(-3) M); b) the shape of the activation curve is hyperbolic in the presence of Ca2+ and sigmoid in the presence of Mg2+; c) Mg2+-ATPase shows two different values of activation energy while Ca2+-ATPase presents only a single value; d) Ca2+-ATPase is inhibited, while Mg2+-ATPase is unaffected by cyclic AMP. Ca2+-ATPase is localized on the plasma membrane and is not inhibited by cysteine. It does not hydrolyze substrates different from nucleotides triphosphate, such as glucose-1-phosphate or alpha-glycero-phosphate. The enzyme is probably related to a mechanism of calcium transport.     

Kinetics of Ca 2+ or Mg 2+ activated ATPase from lymphocyte plasma membranes]

The kinetic study of the C2+ ATPase activity of lymphocyte plasma memebranes allowed some properties of this enzyme to be evidenced. The Ca2+-activated hydrolysis of ATP is independent of a non-specific alkaline phosphatase. The substrate of the ATPase activity is the chelate Ca2+- ATP. Mg2+ may substitute for Ca2+ both as chelating ion and as activating ion. Several results suggest that we have only one ATPase, activated either by Ca2+-, or by Mg2+ with less efficiency; both chelates hve the same Km; pH values for maximum activity and transition temperatures are identical; the effects of free ions are also the same, activation at low concentration and inhibition at high concentration.     

Interaction of divalent cations with beta-galactosidase (Escherichia coli).

Although the addition of various divalent metals to beta-galactosidase resulted in apparent activation, only Mg2+ and Mn2+ actually did activate. The apparent activation by the other divalent metals was shown to be due to Mg2+ impurities. Calcium did not activate, but experiments suggested that it did bind. Other divalent metals which were studied failed to bind. The dissociation constants for Mg2+ and Mn2+ were 2.8 X 10(-7) and 1.1 X 10(-8) M, respectively, and in each case one ion bound per monomer. These constants corresponded very closely to apparent values which were obtained from activation studies. The apparent binding constant for Ca2+, obtained from competition studies, was 1.5 X 10(-5) M. Data were obtained which showed that Mg2+, Mn2+, and Ca2+ all compete for binding at a single site. Of interest and of possible molecular biological importance was the observation that, while Mg2+ bound noncooperatively (n = 1.0), Mn2+ did so in a highly cooperative manner (n = 3.4). The binding of Mn2+ (as compared to Mg2+) resulted in a twofold drop in the Vmax for the hydrolysis and transgalactosylis reactions of lactose but had little effect on the Vmax of hydrolysis of allolactose, p-nitrophenyl beta-D-galactopyranoside (PNPG), or o-nitrophenyl beta-D-galactopyranoside (ONPG); Km values were not effected differently for any of the substrates by Mn2+ as compared to Mg2+. When very low levels of divalent metal ions were present (0.01 M EDTA added) or when Ca2+ was bound with lactose as the substrate, a greater decrease was observed in the rate of the transgalactosylic reaction than in the rate of the hydrolytic reaction, and the Km values for lactose and ONPG were increased. Of the three divalent metal ions which bound to beta-galactosidase, only Mn2+ had significant stabilizing effects toward denaturing urea and heat conditions.     

Conductimetric study of the binding of Mn2+ to bovine pancreatic deoxyribonuclease

The binding of Mn2+ on bovine pancreatic deoxyribonuclease has been studied by a conductimetric method. At low ionic strengths, a high-affinity single binding site is demonstrated. The association constant value (K = 1.2 x 10(5) M-1 at pH 8) is high enough to conclude that, in standard experimental conditions for DNA hydrolysis, the reacting species is the DNAase-cation complex. Competitive binding studies in presence of Mg++ and Ca++ show that these cations do not bind on the Mn++ site.     

DNA fragmentation in permeabilized cells and nuclei. The role of (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-dependent endodeoxyribonuclease.

Permeabilized mammalian cells and isolated nuclei were used to study various aspects of DNA replication and repair. The present paper describes a progressive fragmentation of parental DNA in human lymphoblastoid cells that were permeabilized with L-alpha-lysophosphatidylcholine or with saponin and incubated at 37 degrees C in a DNA-synthesis mixture. The formation of DNA single-strand breaks (measured by alkaline elution) was linear with the time of incubation and was temperature-dependent. It was prevented by deleting Mg2+ or both Mg2+ and Ca2+ from the incubation mixture, or by the addition of EDTA. It was increased by deleting the components necessary for DNA synthesis, and by substituting Mn2+ for Mg2+ and Ca2+. DNA strand breaks also accumulated in isolated nuclei incubated in a DNA synthesis mixture, but not when Mg2+ was omitted. These results suggest that DNA fragmentation in permeabilized cells and nuclei was due to an activation of (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-dependent endodeoxyribonucleases. The integrity of template DNA needs to be ascertained when the conditions for measuring DNA synthesis in permeabilized cells or in nuclei are formulated.     

Purification and characterization of cyclic GMP-stimulated cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase from calf liver. Effects of divalent cations on activity

Cyclic GMP-stimulated cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase purified greater than 13,000-fold to apparent homogeneity from calf liver exhibited a single protein band (Mr approximately 102,000) on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under denaturing conditions. Enzyme activity comigrated with the single protein peak on analytical polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, sucrose density gradient centrifugation, and gel filtration. From the sedimentation coefficient of 6.9 S and Stokes radius of 67 A, an Mr of 201,000 and frictional ratio (f/fo) of 1.7 were calculated, suggesting that the native enzyme is a nonspherical dimer of similar, if not identical, peptides. The effectiveness of Mg2+, Mn2+, and Co2+ in supporting catalytic activity depended on the concentration of cGMP and cAMP present as substrate or effector. Over a wide range of substrate concentrations, optimal concentrations for Mg2+, Mn2+, and Co2+ were about 10, 1, and 0.2 mM, respectively. At concentrations higher than optimal, Mg2+ inhibited activity somewhat; inhibition by Co2+ (and in some instances by Mn2+) was virtually complete. At low substrate concentrations, activity with optimal Mn2+ was equal to or greater than that with Co2+ and always greater than that with Mg2+. With greater than or equal to 0.5 microM cGMP or 20 to 300 microM cAMP and for cAMP-stimulated cGMP or cGMP-stimulated cAMP hydrolysis, activity with Mg2+ greater than Mn2+ greater than Co2+. In the presence of Mg2+, the purified enzyme hydrolyzed cGMP and cAMP with kinetics suggestive of positive cooperativity. Apparent Km values were 15 and 33 microM, and maximal velocities were 200 and 170 mumol/min/mg of protein, respectively. Substitution of Mn2+ for Mg2+ increased apparent Km and reduced Vmax for cGMP with little effect on Km or Vmax for cAMP. Co2+ increased Km and reduced Vmax for both. cGMP stimulated cAMP hydrolysis approximately 32-fold in the presence of Mg2+, much less with Mn2+ or Co2+. In the presence of Mg2+, Mn2+ and Co2+ at concentrations that increased activity when present singly inhibited cGMP-stimulated cAMP hydrolysis. It appears that divalent cations as well as cyclic nucleotides affect cooperative interactions of this enzyme. Whereas Co2+ effects were observed in the presence of either cyclic nucleotide, Mn2+ effects were especially prominent when cGMP was present (either as substrate or effector).     

High affinity Ca2+ -Mg2+ ATPase in the distal tubule of the mouse kidney

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether Ca2+ -Mg2+ ATPase in the distal tubule (where calcium transport is active, against a gradient, and hormone dependent) presents some characteristics different from those observed in the proximal tubule, and whether these characteristics are likely to shed light on the respective roles of this enzyme at the two sites of the nephron. The Ca2+ - and Mg2+-dependent ATP hydrolysis was measured in microdissected segments of the distal nephron, the kinetic parameters were determined, and the influence of magnesium upon the sensitivity to calcium was examined. Results were compared with those obtained in the proximal tubule, and in purified membranes as reported by others. In the distal tubule, low concentrations of Mg2+ (less than 10(-7) M) did not influence ATP hydrolysis. At concentrations above 10(-7) M, Mg2+ increased ATP hydrolysis according to Michaelis kinetics (apparent Km = 11.3 +/- 2.4 microM, Vmax = 219 +/- 26 pmol.mm-1.20 min-1). The addition of 1 microM Ca2+ decreased the apparent Km for Mg2+ and the Vmax for Mg2+. Similar results were obtained in the proximal tubule. At low Mg2+ concentrations, Ca2+ also stimulated ATP hydrolysis according to Michaelis kinetics with an apparent Km value for Ca2+ of 0.18 +/- 0.06 and 0.10 +/- 0.03 microM Ca2+ (ns) and a Vmax of 101 +/- 12 and 89 +/- 9 pmol.mm-1.20 min-1 (ns) in the distal and proximal tubules, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Ca2+- or Mg2+-Dependent Enzymic ATP Hydrolysis Associated with the Microsomal Fraction of Frog Sciatic Nerves

The microsomal fraction of frog sciatic nerves was found to contain Ca2+- or Mg2+-dependent hydrolytic activity toward different nucleoside di- and triphosphates. In the presence of Ca2+ substrate specificity was in the order CTP > UTP > GTP > ATP. When Mg2+ was used, the triphosphates were approximately equally good substrates. ATP hydrolytic activity was very similar with Ca2+ or Mg2+ as the cofactor, whereas Ca2+ was the more potent activator of hydrolysis of the other triphosphates tested. The preparation showed some activity toward the nucleoside diphosphates but none toward the monophosphates or p-nitrophenylphosphate. The enzymic properties of ATP hydrolysis were more closely studied. The hydrolysis was optimal at 18--24 degrees C in the presence of 1 mM-Ca2+ or 1 mM-Mg2+. Ca2+- and Mg2+-ATP hydrolysis displayed pH maxima around 8.0--8.5 and 7.4--8.0, respectively. Vmax values for Ca2+- and Mg2+-ATP hydrolysis similar: approx. 12 mumol Pi per h per mg protein with a Km value of approx. 0.05 mM. The ATP hydrolysis activity was inhibited by NaF but unaffected by ouabain, vanadate, cytochalasin B, and various drugs known to influence ATPase activity of mitochondria. Zn2+ stimulated the ATP hydrolysis activity at low concentrations (10(-6)-10(-5) M) and inhibited it at higher concentrations. The possibility that these observations account for stimulation and inhibition of axonal transport in frog sciatic nerves exposed to similar concentrations of Zn2+ is discussed.     

The essential role of Ca2+ in the activity of bovine pancreatic deoxyribonuclease.

DNase requires Ca2+ for activity against DNA with Mg2+. The Ca2+ selective chelating agent, ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N, N'-tetraacetic acid, (EGTA) inhibits DNase completely at pH 7 or 8, and subsequent addition of excess Ca2+ reverses inhibition in less than one second. DNase action can be stopped at any point by the addition of excess EGTA over Ca2+. Ca2+ is required for DNase to bind substrate. Gel filtration experiments fail to show DNase binding to 0.2 mg per ml of DNA at 5 mm Mg2+ and 10-4 M EGTA. The concentration of Ca2+ needed for half of maximum DNase activity decreases with increases DNA concentration, from 1.2 times 10-5 M Ca2+ at 2.3 times 10-5 M DNA-P to about 4 times 10-7 M Ca2+ at 2.3 DNA-P. Kinetic analysis by the titrametic assay of protons releases shows that V max is independent of Ca2+ concentration while Km increases from 7.7 times 10-5 M DNA-P at 5 times 10-4 M Ca2+ to 3.4 times 10-4 M DNA-P at 5 times 10-6 M Ca2+. Both of these results are predicted by a rate equation which is derived from the assumption that DNase must bind Ca2+ before it can bind DNA. The essential Ca2+ atom probably binds to the one of two high affinity Ca2+ binding sites on DNase which cannont bind Mg2+ or Mn2+. The only other divalent metal ions which can bind to this site, Sr2+ and Ba2+, are also the only metal ions which can substitute for Ca2+ in DNase action against DNA with Mg2+. Some DNase activity is obtained in the absence of added Ca2+ with Mg2+ at pH 6 or below and with Mn2+ or Co2+ at pH 8. These assay solutions are contaminated by 1 to 3 muM Ca2+, which may be sufficient to account for the observed activity.     

DNAses of the cell nuclei: Mn2+-dependent endonuclease

Comparison of catalytic properties of a Mn2(+)-dependent and a Ca2+, Mg2+ dependent endonucleases of rat liver cell nuclei was carried out. The Mn2(+)-dependent endonuclease has Mr 31 kDa by SDS-PAAG-electrophoresis; pH optimum 5.5; calcium-magnesium synergism less than 3 in rat liver DNA, RF M13 DNA and phage M13 DNA. The rate of hydrolysis of single strand and double strand circular DNA was the same. The Mn2(+)-dependent endonuclease split DNA by double hit manner, and didn't change the manner in the presence of different divalent cations. Ca2+, Mg2(+)-dependent endonuclease has pH optimum 6.5; calcium-magnesium synergism up to 40 in rat liver DNA and 175 in RF M13 DNA. The rate of hydrolysis of single strand DNA was higher than double-strand DNA.     

Thermostable DNA polymerase from Thermus thermophilus B35: influence of divalent metal ions on the interaction with deoxynucleoside triphosphates

The interaction of DNA polymerase from Thermus thermophilus B35 (Tte-pol) with deoxynucleoside triphosphates in the presence of different divalent metal ions has been studied. DNA synthesis and competitive inhibition of the polymerase reaction by non-complementary dNTPs are described with corresponding kinetic schemes. The co-factor properties of some metals (Mg2+, Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Ca2+, Cd2+, and Zn2+) were investigated, and their activating concentration ranges were determined. It was found that kcat values are significantly decreased and Km values slowly decrease when Mn2+ displaces Mg2+. The value of Kd for DNA template-primer is Me2+-independent, whereas Kd values for non-complementary dNTPs decrease in the presence of Mn2+. Tte-pol processivity but not DNA synthesis efficiency is Me2+-type independent.     

Bovine kidney alkaline phosphatase. Catalytic properties, subunit interactions in the catalytic process, and mechanism of Mg2+ stimulation.

Kidney alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme which requires two types of metals for maximal activity: zinc, which is essential, and magnesium, which is stimulatory. The main features of the Mg2+ stimulation have been analyzed. The stimulation is pH-dependent and is observed mainly between pH 7.5 and 10.5. Mg2+ binding to native alkaline phosphatase is characterized by a dissociation constant of 50 muM at pH 8.5,25 degrees. Binding of Zn2+ is an athermic process. Both the rate constants of association, ka, and of dissociation, kd, have low values. Typical values are 7 M(-1) at pH 8.0, 25 degrees, for ka and 4.10(-4) S(-1) at pH 8.0, 25 degrees, for kd. The on and off processes have high activation energies of 29 kcal mol (-1). Mg2+ can be replaced at its specific site by Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+, and Zn2+. Zinc binding to the Mg2+ site inhibits the native alkaline phosphatase. Mn2+, Co2+, and Ni2+ also bind to the Mg2+ site with a stimulatory effect which is nearly identic-al with that of Mg2+, Mn2+ is the stimulatory cation which binds most tightly to the Mg2+ site; the dissociation constant of the Mn2+ kidney phosphatase complex is 2 muM at pH 8.5. The stoichiometry of Mn2+ binding has been found to be 1 eq of Mn2+ per mol of dimeric kidney phosphatase. The native enzyme displays absolute half-site reactivity for Mn2+ binding. Mg2+ binding site and the substrate binding sites are distinct sites. The Mg2+ stimulation corresponds to an allosteric effect. Mg2+ binding to its specific sites does not affect substrate recognition, it selectively affects Vmax values. Quenching of the phosphoenzyme formed under steady state conditions with [32P]AMP as a substrate as well as stopped flow analysis of the catalyzed hydrolysis of 2,4-dinitrophenyl phosphate or p-nitrophenyl phosphate have shown that the two active sites of the native and of the Mg2+-stimulated enzyme are not equivalent. Stopped flow analysis indicated that one of the two active sites was phosphorylated very rapidly whereas the other one was phosphorylated much more slowly at pH 4.2. Half of the sites were shown to be reactive at pH 8.0. Quenching experiments have shown that only one of the two sites is phosphorylated at any instant; this result was confirmed by the stopped flow observation of a burst of only 1 mol of nitrophenol per mol of dimeric phosphatase in the pre-steady state hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl phosphate. The half-of-the-sites reactivity observed for the native and for the Mg2+-stimulated enzyme indicates that the same type of complex, the monophosphorylated complex, accumulates under steady state conditions with both types of enzymes. Mg2+ binding to the native enzyme at pH 8.0 increases considerably the dephosphorylation rate of this monophosphorylated intermediate. A possible mechanism of Mg2+ stimulation is discussed.     

Regulation of ciliary adenylate cyclase by Ca2+ in Paramecium.

In the ciliated protozoan Paramecium, Ca2+ and cyclic nucleotides are believed to act as second messengers in the regulation of the ciliary beat. Ciliary adenylate cyclase was activated 20-30-fold (half-maximal at 0.8 microM) and inhibited by higher concentrations (10-20 microM) of free Ca2+ ion. Ca2+ activation was the result of an increase in Vmax., not a change in Km for ATP. The activation by Ca2+ was seen only with Mg2+ATP as substrate; with Mn2+ATP the basal adenylate cyclase activity was 10-20-fold above that with Mg2+ATP, and there was no further activation by Ca2+. The stimulation by Ca2+ of the enzyme in cilia and ciliary membranes was blocked by the calmodulin antagonists calmidazolium (half-inhibition at 5 microM), trifluoperazine (70 microM) and W-7 (50-100 microM). When ciliary membranes (which contained most of the ciliary adenylate cyclase) were prepared in the presence of Ca2+, their adenylate cyclase was insensitive to Ca2+ in the assay. However, the inclusion of EGTA in buffers used for fractionation of cilia resulted in full retention of Ca2+-sensitivity by the ciliary membrane adenylate cyclase. The membrane-active agent saponin specifically suppressed the Ca2+-dependent adenylate cyclase without inhibiting basal activity with Mg2+ATP or Mn2+ATP. The ciliary adenylate cyclase was shown to be distinct from the Ca2+-dependent guanylate cyclase; the two activities had different kinetic parameters and different responses to added calmodulin and calmodulin antagonists. Our results suggest that Ca2+ influx through the voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channels in the ciliary membrane may influence intraciliary cyclic AMP concentrations by regulating adenylate cyclase.     

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (guanosine 5'-triphosphate) from rat liver cytosol. Divalent cation involvement in the decarboxylation reactions

The presence of a divalent metal ion together with a catalytic amount of inosine 5'-diphosphate (IDP) is essential for the formation of pyruvate from oxalacetate catalyzed by purified rat liver cytosol phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). With decreasing order of effectiveness, this pyruvate-forming activity was supported by micromolar levels of Cd2+, Zn2+, Mn2+, and Co2+. At the same concentrations, Mg2+ or Ca2+ was not effective. Combinations of Cd2+ with either Zn2+, Mn2+ or Co2+ were not additive with respect to the pyruvate-forming activity of PEPCK. Kinetic determination, with Cd2+ as the supporting cation, showed a 1:1 stoichiometry of interaction between each enzyme molecule and the nonconsumable substrate IDP. With 10 muM added Cd2+, the apparent Km for oxalacetate was 41 muM, and the apparent Ka for IDP was 0.25 muM. With Zn2+ or Mn2+, the apparent Ka for IDP was 0.2 or 0.13 muM, respectively. The effect of divalent transition-metal ions on PEPCK-catalyzed formation of phosphoenolpyruvate from oxalacetate was also investigated. Under steady-state conditions, the basal activity with MgITP was effectively enhanced with micromolar levels of Mn2+, Cd2+, or Co2+ included in the assay. The Vm increased 7- and 3.6-fold, and the apparent Km for MgITP changed by about a factor of 2 with the optimal concentrations of Mn2+ and Co2+, respectively. The most striking changes were in the apparent Km values for oxalacetate, which decreased to one-third and one-tenth when either Mn2+ or Co2+ was present in the assay together with Mg2+. The possible physiological importance of this kinetic effect is discussed.