Quaternary structure of (Na+ + K+)-dependent adenosine triphosphatase.

(Na+ + K+)-dependent adenosine triphosphatase (NaK-ATPase) consists of two polypeptide chains, a large polypeptide with a molecular weight of about 100,000, and a sialoglycoprotein with a molecular weight of about 40,000. Cross-linking of purified NaK-ATPase with the (o-phenanthroline)2-cupric ion complex (CP) results in the reversible formation of dimers, trimers, tetramers, and pentamers of the large polypeptide and loss of NaK-ATPase activity. ATPase activity is partially recovered if NaK-ATPase is incubated with beta-mercaptoethanol after treatment with CP. In contrast to these results, if NaK-ATPase is cross-linked in crude canine kidney microsomes, only a dimer of the large polypeptide is formed. No cross-linking of the sialoglycoprotein to the large polypeptide is detected when NaK-ATPase is cross-linked in purified form. However, when NaK-ATPase is reacted with CP in either purified or microsomal form, the sialoglycoprotein cross-links to itself yielding a high molecular weight aggregate. The results show that the functional subunit structure of NaK-ATPase consists of at least two large polypeptides.     

Purification of cardiac (Na+,K+)-activated adenosine triphosphatase from rat

A procedure is described for preparation of highly active (Na+,K+)-ATPase from rat heart which has a specific activity of 200-600 mumol Pi/mg/h. The procedure is simple and can be applied to small amounts of heart muscle (approximately 1 g). The ATPase activity was more than 90% sensitive to ouabain (at concentrations up to 1 mM). The ouabain sensitivity is biphasic with about 20% of the ATPase activity being inhibited at approximately 3 X 10(-7) M ouabain.     

Structural and biosynthetic studies on the two molecular forms of the (Na+ + K+)-activated adenosine triphosphatase large subunit in Artemia salina Nauplii

The large subunit of (Na+ + K+)-activated ATPase from brine shrimp, Artemia salina, migrates as two bands in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels. The slower migrating band, as observed in neutral or alkaline gel systems, is designated alpha 1 and the faster, alpha 2. Structural and biosynthetic studies have been performed to determine if these two bands represent independent molecular forms or precursor products. Peptide mapping of partial proteolytic digests of alpha 1 and alpha 2 showed no distinguishable difference between them whereas this technique produced very distinct differences in the large subunit derived from three different species. The two large subunit bands also behaved identically when cross linked with cupric phenanthroline either in the presence or absence of digitonin, whereas other proteins in these preparations were unaffected. The peptide mapping and cross-linking experiments demonstrate that alpha 1 and alpha 2 have identical or nearly identical primary and probably higher order structure. Their different mobilities may be due to post-translational modification leading, for example, to different oligosaccharide composition. During development of the brine shrimp nauplius, alpha 1 increases in relative abundance while alpha 2 decreases. NaH14CO3 incorporation and pulse-chase experiments indicate that alpha 1 and alpha 2, as well as the small subunit of the brine shrimp (Na+ + K+)-activated ATPase, are synthesized at the same time during development and that all changes in the rates of synthesis of these subunits occur at the same time. The apparent rates of degradation of the subunits are also similar. These results are inconsistent with a precursor-product relationship between alpha 1 and alpha 2.     

K+-independent active transport of Na+ by the (Na+ and K+)-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase

The (Na+ and K+)-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase (Na+,K+)-ATPase) from canine kidney reconstituted into phospholipid vesicles showed an ATP-dependent, ouabain-inhibited uptake of 22Na+ in the absence of added K+. This transport occurred against a Na+ concentration gradient, was not affected by increasing the K+ concentration to 10 microM (four times the endogenous level), and could not be explained in terms of Na+in in equilibrium Na+out exchange. K+-independent transport occurred with a stoichiometry of 0.5 mol of Na+ per mol of ATP hydrolyzed as compared with 2.9 mol of Na+ per mol of ATP for K+-dependent transport.     

The susceptibility of the glycoprotein from the purified (Na+, K+)-activated adenosine triphosphatase to tryptic and chymotryptic degradation with and without Na+ and K+.

Purified (Na+, K+)-activated adenosine triphosphatase ((Na+, K+)-ATPase, ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3) has been subjected to trypsin and chymotrypsin hydrolysis. The glycoprotein is much more resistant to proteolysis than the large chain. This differential susceptibility to proteolysis is not due to differences in the number of trypsin or chymotrypsin sensitive bonds because the two subunits are equally susceptible to proteolysis after isolation by preparative gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate. It is also not due to steric "shielding" of the glycoprotein by the large chain or its proteolytic products: (1) The rate of digestion of the glycoprotein is not increased after 90% of the large chain is digested. (2) The majority of the large chain peptides are released into the supernatant upon degradation. It is concluded that the greater resistance of the glycoprotein to proteolysis is due to its native conformation. In the absence of the large chain, the susceptibility of the glycoprotein to tryptic degradation by K+ and Na+. The evidence suggests that this decreased susceptibility was due to conformational changes in the glycoprotein. These specific ligand effects on proteolysis of the glycoprotein suggests that the glycoprotein may participate in Na+ and K+ binding by (Na+, K+)-ATPase.     

Histochemical and cytochemical localization of (Na+-K+)-activated adenosine triphosphatase in the acini of dog submandibular glands.

p-Nitrophenyl phosphatase (p-NPPase) activity of (Na+-K+)-activated adenosine triphosphatase ((Na+-K+)-ATPase) on the acinar cells of dog submandibular gland was demonstrated by using light microscopy. The reaction products of p-NPPase of fresh frozen sections were seen to be localized on the basal parts of acini, and disappeared when the sections were incubated in medium containing 10(-3) Mouabain or in a K-free medium. Under the electron microscope, the reaction products of ATPase were found to be localized on the basolateral plasma membrane of both serous and mucous cells. On the microvilli of the luminal plasma membrane of the acinar cell, a small quantity of the reaction products was also present. This localization of ATPase reaction products on the serous and mucous cells seemed to coincide well with that of p-NPPase activity observed on the acini under light microscopy. Possible explanations are given regarding distribution of the above mentioned enzymes in relation to the cation transport of the plasma membrane. Structural and functional asymmetrical properties of acinar cells of the dog submandibular gland are also discussed.     

Disruption of the quaternary structure of (Na+ + K+)-dependent adenosine triphosphatase by Triton X-100.

(Na⁺ + K⁺)-dependent adenosine triphosphatase (NaK ATPase) consists of two polypeptide chains, a large polypeptide with a molecular weight of about 100,000, and a sialoglycoprotein with a molecular weight of about 40,000. In the presence of Triton X-100 both polypeptides react to form high molecular weight aggregates with apparent molecular weights of 168,000, 200,000 and 260,000. These aggregates arise as a result of disulfide bond formation which results from the autooxidation of sulfhydryl groups on the two polypeptides of NaK ATPase. These data are discussed in light of studies aimed at determining the size and subunit structure of membrane proteins with Triton X-100.     

Control of brain slice respiration by (Na+ + K+)-activated adenosine triphosphate and the effects of enzyme inhibitors.

The involvement of membrane (Na+ + K+)-ATPase (Mg2+-dependent, (Na+ + K+)-activated ATP phosphohydrolase, E.C. 3.6.1.3) in the oxygen consumption of rat brain cortical slices was studied in order to determine whether (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity in intact cells can be estimated from oxygen consumption. The stimulation of brain slice respiration with K+ required the simultaneous presence of Na+. Ouabain, a specific inhibitor of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, significantly inhibited the (Na+ + K+)-stimulation of respiration. These observations suggest that the (Na+ + K+)-stimulation of brain slice respiration is related to ADP production as a result of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity. However, ouabain also inhibited non-K+ -stimulated respiration. Additionally, ouabain markedly reduced the stimulation of respiration by 2,4-dinitrophenol in a high (Na+ + K+)-medium. Thus, ouabain depresses brain slice respiration by reducing the availability of ADP through (Na+ + K+)-ATPase inhibition and acts additionally by increasing the intracellular Na+ concentration. These studies indicate that the use of ouabain results in an over-estimation of the respiration related to (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity. This fraction of the respiration can be estimated more precisely from the difference between slice respiration in high Na+ and K+ media and that in choline, K+ media. Studies were performed with two (Na+ + K+)-ATPase inhibitors to determine whether administration of these agents to intact rats would produce changes in brain respiration and (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity. The intraperitoneal injection of digitoxin in rats caused an inhibition of brain (Na+ + K+)-ATPase and related respiration, but chlorpromazine failed to alter either (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity or related respiration.     

Inhibition of (Na+, K+)adenosine triphosphatase and its partial reactions by quercetin.

The bioflavonoid, quercetin, inhibited the (Na+, K+)adenosine triphosphatase purified from the electric organ of electric eel (Electrophorus electricus) or from lamb kidney. An analysis of its mode of action revealed that the formation of phosphoenzyme from Pi but not from ATP was inhibited. Quercetin increased the amount of ADP-sensitive phosphoenzyme (E1--P), indicating an inhibition of the conversion of E1--P to the ADP-insensitive form (E2--P). The rate of dephosphorylation of the phosphoenzyme formed from ATP was slowed by quercetin. These results suggest that quercetin inhibits the formation of E2--P from either Pi or E1-P as well as the hydrolysis of the phosphoenzyme. Its mode of action is therefore different from that of ouabain and other inhibitors of the Na+, K+)adenosine triphosphatase.     

No major thermogenic role for (Na+ + K+)-dependent adenosine triphosphatase apparent in hepatocytes from hyperthyroid rats.

(Na+ + K+)-dependent ATPase activity, heat production and oxygen consumption were increased by 59%, 62% and 75% respectively in hepatocytes from tri-iodothyronine-treated rats. Ouabain at concentrations of 1 and 10 mM decreased oxygen uptake by 2--8% in hepatocytes from euthyroid rats and by 5--15% in hepatocytes from hyperthyroid animals. Heat output was decreased by 4--9% with the glycoside in isolated liver parenchymal cells from the control animals and by 11% in the cells from the tri-iodothyronine-treated animals. These results do not support the hypothesis that hepatic (Na+ + K+)-ATPase plays a major role in increased heat production in hepatocytes from hyperthyroid rats.     

Myometrial (Na+ + K+)-activated ATPase and its Ca2+ sensitivity

Ouabain-sensitive (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity in the rat myometrial microsome fraction could only be determined following detergent treatment. The (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity manifested by detergent treatment proved very stable even to high concentrations of NaN3, in contrast Mg+-ATPase activity was reduced to about 30 percent of the control. The major part of the Mg2+-ATPase in the myometrial membrane preparation was found to be identical with the NaN3-sensitive ATP diphosphohydrolase capable of ATP and ADP hydrolysis. This monovalent-cation-insensitive ATP hydrolysis could be extensively reduced by DMSO. Furthermore DMSO prevented the inactivation of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity. 10-100 microM Ca2+ inhibited the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity obtained in the presence of SDS by 15-50 percent. The Ca2+ sensitivity of the enzyme was considerably decreased if the proteins solubilized by the detergent had been separated from the membrane fragments by ultracentrifugation. The inhibitory effect could be regained by combining the supernatant with the pellet. Ca2+ sensitivity of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity was preserved even after removal of the solubilized proteins provided that DMSO had been applied. It appears that a factor in the plasma membrane solubilized by SDS may be responsible for the loss of Ca2+ sensitivity of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity, the solubilization of which can be prevented by DMSO.