Escherichia coli S-adenosylhomocysteine/5''-methylthioadenosine nucleosidase. Purification, substrate specificity and mechanism of action.

Ca2+-activated protein phosphatase activity was demonstrated in mouse pancreatic acinar cytosol with alpha-casein and skeletal-muscle phosphorylase kinase as substrates. This phosphatase activity preferentially dephosphorylated the alpha subunit of phosphorylase kinase. After DEAE-cellulose chromatography, the Ca2+-activated phosphatase activity became dependent on exogenous calmodulin for maximal activity. Half-maximal activation was achieved at 0.5 +/- 0.1 microM-Ca2+. Trifluoperazine completely inhibited Ca2+-activated phosphatase activity, with half-maximal inhibition occurring at 8.5 +/- 0.6 microM. Mn2+, but not Mg2+, at 1 mM concentration could substitute for Ca2+ in eliciting full enzyme activation. The apparent Mr of the phosphatase as determined by Sephadex G-150 chromatography was 93000 +/- 1000. Submitting active fractions obtained after Sephadex chromatography to calmodulin affinity chromatography resulted in the resolution of a major protein of Mr 55500 +/- 300. In conclusion, Ca2+-activated protein phosphatase activity has been identified in exocrine pancreas and has several features in common with Ca2+-activated calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatases previously isolated from brain and skeletal muscle. It is possible that this Ca2+-activated phosphatase may utilize as substrates certain acinar-cell phosphoproteins previously shown to undergo dephosphorylation in response to Ca2+-mediated secretagogues.     

Stimulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase activity by polyamines

Pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase requires Mg2+ or Mn2+, and its activity in the presence of Mg2+ is markedly stimulated by Ca2+. At saturating Mg2+ and Ca2+ concentrations, the polyamines spermine, spermidine and putrescine stimulated the activity of pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase 1.5- to 3-fold. Spermine was the most active of the polyamines. At a physiological concentration of Mg2+ (1 mM) and saturating Ca2+ concentration, the stimulation by 0.5 mM spermine was 4- to 5-fold, and at 0.3 mM Mg2+, the stimulation was 20- to 30-fold. In the absence of Mg2+ or Ca2+, spermine had no effect. These results suggest that a polybasic factor may be involved in the regulation of pyruvate dehydrogenase phosphatase activity.     

Pseudomonas aeruginosa acid phosphatase. Activation by divalent cations and inhibition by aluminium ion.

In Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the effect of different cations on the acid phosphatase activity was studied in order to acquire more information related to a previously proposed mechanism, involving the coordinated action of this enzyme with phospholipase C. Although the natural substrate of this enzyme is phosphorylcholine, in order to avoid the possible interaction of its positive charge and those of the different cations with the enzyme molecule, the artificial substrate p-nitrophenylphosphate was utilized. Kinetic studies of the activation of acid phosphatase (phosphorylcholine phosphatase) mediated by divalent cations Mg2+, Zn2+ and Cu2+ revealed that all these ions bind to the enzyme in a compulsory order (ordered bireactant system). The Km values obtained for p-NPP in the presence of Mg2+, Zn2+ and Cu2+ were 1.4 mM, 1.0 mM and 3.5 mM, respectively. The KA values for the same ions were 1.25 mM, 0.05 mM and 0.03 mM, respectively. The Vmax obtained in the presence of Cu2+ was about twofold higher than that obtained in the presence of Mg2+ or Zn2+. The inhibition observed with Al3+ seems to be a multi-site inhibition. The K'app and n values, from the Hill plot, were about 0.25 mM and 4.0 mM, respectively, which were independent of the metal ion utilized as activator. It is proposed that the acid phosphatase may exert its action under physiological conditions, depending on the availability of either one of these metal ions.     

Characterization of the catalytic activities of the PhoQ histidine protein kinase of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium

Studies of Escherichia coli membranes that were highly enriched in the Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium PhoQ protein showed that the presence of ATP and divalent cations such as Mg2+, Mn2+, Ca2+, or Ba2+ resulted in PhoQ autophosphorylation. However, when Mg2) or Mn2+ was present at concentrations higher than 0.1 mM, the kinetics of PhoQ autophosphorylation were strongly biphasic, with a rapid autophosphorylation phase followed by a slower dephosphorylation phase. A fusion protein lacking the sensory and transmembrane domains retained the autokinase activity but could not be dephosphosphorylated when Mg2+ or Mn2+ was present at high concentrations. The instability of purified [32P]phospho-PhoP in the presence of PhoQ-containing membranes indicated that PhoQ also possesses a phosphatase activity. The PhoQ phosphatase activity was stimulated by increasing the Mg2+ concentration. These data are consistent with a model in which Mg2+ binding to the sensory domain of PhoQ coordinately regulates autokinase and phosphatase activities.     

Phosphatase activity and potassium transport in liposomes with Na+,K(+)-ATPase incorporated.

We have used liposomes with incorporated pig kidney Na+,K(+)-ATPase to study vanadate sensitive K(+)-K+ exchange and net K+ uptake under conditions of acetyl- and p-nitrophenyl phosphatase activities. The experiments were performed at 20 degrees C. Cytoplasmic phosphate contamination was minimized with a phosphate trapping system based on glycogen, phosphorylase a and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. In the absence of Mg2+ (no phosphatase activity) 5-10 mM p-nitrophenyl phosphate slightly stimulated K(+)-K+ exchange whereas 5-10 mM acetyl phosphate did not. In the presence of 3 mM MgCl2 (high rate of phosphatase activity) acetyl phosphate did not affect K(+)-K+ exchange whereas p-nitrophenyl phosphate induced a greater stimulation than in the absence of Mg2+; a further addition of 1 mM ADP resulted in a 35-65% inhibition of phosphatase activity with an increase in K(+)-K+ exchange, which sometimes reached the levels seen with 5 mM phosphate and 1 mM ADP. The net K+ uptake in the presence of 3 mM MgCl2 was not affected by acetyl phosphate or p-nitrophenyl phosphate, whereas it was inhibited by 5 mM phosphate (with and without 1 mM ADP). The results of this work suggest that the phosphatase reaction is not by itself associated to K+ translocation. The ADP-dependent stimulation of K(+)-K+ exchange in the presence of phosphatase activity could be explained by the overlapping of one or more step/s of the reversible phosphorylation from phosphate with the phosphatase cycle.     

The Influence of Divalent Cations and Substrate Concentration on the Incorporation of Myo-inositol into Phospholipids of Isolated Bovine Oligodendrocytes

The incorporation of myo-inositol into phosphatidylinositol by two routes (CTP-independent and CTP-independent) has been investigated in homogenates prepared from isolated bovine oligodendrocyte perikarya. The CTP-dependent route has the higher maximum velocity of inositol incorporation and can utilise either Mn2+ or Mg2+ as a divalent ion cofactor. This route of inositol incorporation is also strongly inhibited by Ca2+ ions at concentrations less than 1 mM. The primary site of the inhibitory action appears to be the enzyme CDP-diglyceride inositol phosphatidyl transferase (EC 2.7.8.11) though synthesis of CDP-diacylglycerol is also inhibited by endogenous Ca2+ present in the oligodendrocyte homogenate. In contrast, CTP-independent inositol incorporation into phosphatidylinositol is only stimulated by Mn2+ (Zn2+,Cu2+, Mg2+, Ca2+ and Co2+ are ineffective) and is not inhibited by Ca2+, at least up to a concentration of 1 mM.     

Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase in free-living Amoeba proteus

Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) of Amoeba proteus (strain B) was represented by 3 of 6 bands (= electromorphs) revealed after disc-electrophoresis in polyacrylamide gels with the use of 2-naphthyl phosphate as a substrate at pH 4.0. The presence of MgCl2, CaCl2 or ZnCl2 (50 mM) in the incubation mixture used for gel staining stimulated activities of all 3 TRAP electromorphs or of two of them (in the case of ZnCl2). When gels were treated with MgCl2, CaCl2 or ZnCl2 (10 and 100 mM, 30 min) before their staining activity of TRAP electromorphs also increased. But unlike 1 M MgCl2 or 1 M CaCl2, 1 M ZnCl2 partly inactivated two of the three TRAP electromorphs. EDTA and EGTA (5 mM), and H2O2 (10 mM) completely inhibited TRAP electromorphs after gel treatment for 10, 20 and 30 min, resp. Of 5 tested ions (Mg2+, Ca2+, Fe2+, Fe3+ and Zn2+), only the latter reactivated the TRAP electromorphs previously inactivated by EDTA or EGTA treatment. In addition, after EDTA inactivation, TRAP electromorphs were reactivated better than after EGTA. The resistance of TRAP electromorphs to okadaic acid and phosphatase inhibitor cocktail 1 used in different concentrations is indicative of the absence of PP1 and PP2A among these electromorphs. Mg2+, Ca2+ and Zn2+ dependence of TRAP activity, and the resistance of its electromorphs to vanadate and phosphatase inhibitor cocktail 2 prevents these electromorphs from being classified as PTP. It is suggested that the active center of A. proteus TRAP contains zinc ion, which is essential for catalytic activity of the enzyme. Thus, TRAP of these amoebae is metallophosphatase showing phosphomonoesterase activity in acidic medium. This metalloenzyme differs from both mammalian tartrate-resistant PAPs and tartrate-resistant metallophosphatase of Rana esculenta.     

Factors modulating filament formation by bovine glial fibrillary acidic protein, the intermediate filament component of astroglial cells

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is soluble in low ionic strength solutions but shows a strong tendency toward assembly with increasing ionic strength as revealed by electron microscopy and turbidity measurements. Increasing K+, Na+, and Li+ concentrations cause an increase followed by a decrease in GFAP turbidity with a maximum at 200 mM, but their effects are much weaker than effects of divalent cations at the same ionic strength. Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, and Ba2+ promote assembly at millimolar concentrations, and 10 microM Cu2+ causes rapid aggregation. The critical concentration for GFAP assembly was 0.08 +/- 0.04 mg/mL in 2 mM Tris-HCl, 60 mM KCl, and 1 mM CaCl2, pH 6.8. The Mr 38,000 rod domain of GFAP obtained by limited chymotryptic digestion is more soluble in 100 mM imidazole hydrochloride buffer, pH 6.8, than the intact molecule, and removal of the end pieces greatly reduces the ability of GFAP to form filaments. BNPS-skatole (2-[(2-nitrophenyl)sulfenyl]-3-methyl-3-bromoindolenine) treatment releases a Mr 30,000 N-terminus and a Mr 20,000 C-terminus. The Mr 30,000 polypeptide shows a higher affinity than the Mr 20,000 fragment for intact GFAP. Arginine and lysine at low concentrations slightly accelerate GFAP assembly, but above 100 mM both amino acids inhibit assembly. ATP, GTP, CTP, and UTP do not show significant effects on GFAP assembly. Dephosphorylation by alkaline phosphatase slightly reduces the assembly ability of GFAP, but phosphatase-treated GFAP still is assembly competent.     

Expression and characterization of recombinant thermostable alkaline phosphatase from a novel thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus XM

A gene （tap） encoding a thermostable alkaline phosphatase from the thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus XM was cloned and sequenced. It is 1506 bp long and encodes a protein of 501 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 54.7 kDa. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence with other alkaline phosphatases showed that the regions in the vicinity of the phosphorylation site and metal binding sites are highly conserved. The recombinant thermostable alkaline phosphatase was expressed as a His6-tagged fusion protein in Escherichia coli and its enzymatic properties were characterized after purification. The pH and temperature optima for the recombinant thermostable alkaline phosphatases activity were pH 12 and 75 ℃. As expected, the enzyme displayed high thermostability, retaining more than 50% activity after incubating for 6 h at 80 ℃. Its catalytic function was accelerated in the presence of 0.1 mM Co^2＋, Fe^2＋, Mg^2＋, or Mn^2＋ but was strongly inhibited by 2.0 mM Fe^2＋. Under optimal conditions, the Michaelis constant （Kin） for cleavage of p-nitrophenyl-phosphate was 0.034 mM. Although it has much in common with other alkaline phosphatases, the recombinant thermostable alkaline phosphatase possesses some unique features, such as high optimal pH and good thermostability.     

An equilibrium study of metal ion binding to human plasma coagulation factor XIII.

1. The binding of Ca2+ to plasma coagulation Factor XIII from man and from cow caused a small decrease in the intrinsic fluorescence of the protein with a dissociation constant of 0.1 mM. A similar decrease was observed with the thrombin-activated Factors (Factors XIIa). The decrease in protein fluorescence was also caused by both Ni2+ and Mn2+ but not by Mg2+. 2. 45Ca2+ binding was directly demonstrated by equilibrium dialysis. Ca2+ at 0.2 mM bound to Factor XIII (a2b2) and Factor XIIIa (a'2b2) but not to isolated b2-protein. A tight-binding site for Ca2+ is associated with the a-subunits. 3. The Ca2+ essential for the enzyme activity of Factor XIII from man, pig and cow can be replaced by Ni2+, Cu2+, La3+, Mn2+, Fe3+, Y3+, Co2+, Sr2+ or Tb3+, but not by Mg2+.     

Enzymic characteristics of ecto-phosphoprotein phosphatase in goat epididymal intact spermatozoa

Intact washed spermatozoa from goat cauda epididymis possess an ecto-phosphoprotein phosphatase that causes dephosphorylation of phosphoserine and phosphothreonine residues of exogenous 32P-labelled histones. The cell-bound ecto-enzyme has high affinity for proteins (histones, casein, phosvitin, and protamine) rather than phosphate esters, such as p-nitrophenyl phosphate, beta-glycerophosphate, AMP, and ATP. The activity of the enzyme is inhibited by 4 mM Mg2+, Ca2+, Mn2+, or Co2+. Pi (10 mM), NaF (10 mM), and Zn2+ (1 mM) inhibit the enzyme by approximately 50, 35, and 100%, respectively. Polyamines such as spermine and spermidine at 10 mM each caused significant inhibition (60 and 30%, respectively) of the cell-bound phosphoprotein phosphatase activity, whereas cAMP, orthovanadate, and calmodulin (with or without Ca2+) had no appreciable effect. Under the standard assay conditions, spermatozoa remain intact as evidenced by assay of cytosolic enzyme markers. Both the washed and "native" intact spermatozoa showed nearly the same specific activity of the ectoenzyme. The product of the reaction (Pi) was found in the extracellular medium. Sonication doubled the enzymic activity of the intact cells. The specific activity of the enzyme was nearly fourfold higher in the intact forwardly motile cells than the "composite" spermatozoa. These data provide further support for the localization of a phosphoprotein phosphatase on the external surface of spermatozoa and that the ectoenzyme may have a role in the regulation of flagellar motility.     

Purification and characterization of a smooth muscle myosin phosphatase from turkey gizzards

A phosphoprotein phosphatase that dephosphorylates smooth muscle myosin has been purified to apparent homogeneity from turkey gizzards. Smooth muscle phosphatase (SMP) IV has a molecular weight of 150,000 as determined by gel filtration on a Sephadex G-200 column and is composed of two subunits (Mr = 58,000 and 40,000). Although it is active toward a number of proteins, its activities toward the contractile proteins, intact myosin, heavy meromyosin, and isolated myosin light chains are higher than its activities toward phosphorylase alpha, histone IIA, and phosphorylase kinase. SMP-IV preferentially dephosphorylates the beta-subunit of phosphorylase kinase. The properties of the enzyme have been studied using heavy meromyosin, a soluble chymotryptic fragment of myosin, and isolated myosin light chains as substrates. SMP-IV has high affinity for both substrates and is optimally active at neutral pH. Divalent cations, Ca2+ and Mg2+, activate the dephosphorylation of heavy meromyosin but inhibit the activity toward myosin light chains. Low concentrations of ATP (1-5 mM) activate SMP-IV but concentrations higher than 5 mM are inhibitory. Inhibition of 50% of the activity of the enzyme by NaF and PPi requires concentrations higher than 10 mM. Rabbit skeletal muscle heat stable inhibitor-2 has no effect on the activity of SMP-IV toward heavy meromyosin, myosin light chains, and phosphorylase alpha.     

Influence of magnesium in the homogenization medium on the state of a divalent cation-stimulated, diethylstilbestrol-sensitive adenylnucleotidyl phosphatase activity from pea stem microsomal preparations

The amount of divalent cation-activated, diethylstilbestrol-sensitive adenylnucleotidyl phosphatase activity recovered in the 'microsomes' (13000-80000 X g sediment) from pea stem tissue is strongly influenced by concentration of Mg2+ in the homogenization medium. The absence of Mg2+ during homogenization results in a marked decrease of the activity found in the microsomal fraction, compensated by its increase in the soluble fraction. Part of the solubilized activity becomes sedimentable at 80000 X g upon addition of 5-10 mM Mg2+ (or Mn2+, Ca2+, Zn2+) to the supernatant. This sediment shows a very high specific activity, and can be re-solubilized by treatment with either EDTA or 0.3 M monovalent salts, or deoxycholate. When the supernatant containing the solubilized activity is incubated together with low-adenylnucleotidyl phosphatase microsomes and with 10 mM MgCl2 the activity recovered in the sediment is much larger than the sum of the activity of the microsomes plus that of the sediment obtained by incubating the same supernatant with Mg2+. Microsomes prepared with Mg2+ in the homogenization medium do not show this effect. The supernatant/microsomes saturation curves as well as a change of the temperature coefficient of the activity following combination of the soluble preparation with the microsomal particles suggest an at least partial reconstitution of the original enzyme-membrane structure.     

Endogenous digitalis-like substance in pig left ventricle

A crude fraction was isolated from pig heart left ventricle (150 g) homogenates after extraction of lipids, chromatographic separation and desalting. The extract contained an ionic content of 0.21, 0.27, 0.33 and 1.7 mM respectively for Mg2+, Ca2+, K+, and Na+. The albumin extract, used as a reference control, contained an ionic content of 0.88 and 2.1 mM respectively for K+ and Na+ and negligible amounts of Mg2+ and Ca2+. The isolated fraction exhibited digitalis-like properties in the inhibition of sarcolemmal Na+, K+-ATPase in a dose dependent manner, the displacement of [3H]-ouabain binding from membrane receptor sites and produced +ve inotropic response in isolated perfused heart in a dose dependent manner. The albumin extract tested in the same manner showed no digitalis-like properties. The ventricular fraction was unable to displace (-) 3H-DHA binding from membrane sites and its inotropic action was not blocked by propranolol. The data suggests that the fraction isolated from pig heart left ventricle contains a substance which has some properties like digitalis.     

Purification and characterization of intestinal alkaline phosphatase from harp seal

1. Alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1.) from harp seal (Phagophilus groenlandicus) has been purified by concanavalin A-Sepharose chromatography to homogeneity with a specific activity of 1200-1500 units/mg of protein. 2. The mol. wt of the enzyme and its subunits were estimated as 260,000 and 70,000, respectively. By chromatofocusing the isoelectric point of this enzyme is 5.5. 3. With p-nitrophenylphosphate, pH-optimum and KM for the enzyme are 9.8 and 0.9 mM, respectively. 4. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by Sn4+, Fe3+ and Zn2+, whereas Mg2+ and Mn2+ were effective activators of the enzyme. Seal alkaline phosphatase was slightly inhibited by high concentrations of Ca2+ and Cr3+. 5. The enzyme activity reached a maximum at 55-60 degrees C. It was shown that the heat stability of seal and calf intestinal alkaline phosphatases were equal at 37 and 56 degrees C.     

Partial purification and characterization of human erythrocyte phosphoglycollate phosphatase.

Human erythrocytes contain a phosphatase that is highly specific for phosphoglycollate. It shows optimum pH of 6.7 and has Km 1 mM for phosphoglycollate. The molecular weight appears to be about 72000. The enzyme is a dimeric molecule having subunits of mol. wt. about 35000. It could be purified approx. 4000-fold up to a specific activity of 5.98 units/mg of protein. The activity of the enzyme is Mg2+-dependent. Co2+, and to a smaller extent Mn2+, may substitute for Mg2+. Half-maximum inhibition of the phosphatase by 5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoate), EDTA and NaF is obtained at 0.5 microM, 1 mM and 4 mM respectively. Moreover, it needs a univalent cation for optimum activity. Phosphoglycollate phosphatase is a cytoplasmic enzyme. Approx. 5% of its total activity is membrane-associated. This part of activity can be approx. 70% solubilized by freezing, thawing and treatment with 0.25% Triton X-100.     

Interaction of the 56,000-dalton phosphoprotein phosphatase from reticulocytes with regulin and inhibitor 2

The interaction of divalent metal ions with a homogeneous 56,000-dalton phosphoprotein phosphatase isolated from rabbit reticulocytes was studied. The effects of the ions on enzymatic activity and on fluorescence from a 3-(4-maleimidylphenyl)-4-methyl-7-(diethylamino)coumarin derivative of the protein were compared. Enzymatic activity is dependent on Mn2+. The apparent association constant for Mn2+ is about 0.5 mM-1 as judged from enzymatic activity and from changes in fluorescence caused by binding of the metal ion; Ca2+ and Mg2+ do not affect enzymatic activity and appear not to bind tightly to the enzyme; however, Co2+, Fe2+, and Zn2+ bind to the protein and inhibit the Mn2+-activated enzyme. The 56,000-dalton phosphoprotein phosphatase was found to interact with regulin, a spectrin-associated protein also isolated from reticulocytes, and with skeletal muscle phosphatase inhibitor 2. The interaction was followed by changes in the enzymatic activity and by quenching of fluorescence from the coumarin derivative of the phosphatase. Homogeneous regulin (Mr approximately 230,000) increases the activity of the enzyme severalfold; this stimulation is Mn2+-dependent. Inhibitor 2 decreases enzyme activity but only if the two proteins are preincubated in the absence of Mn2+. Comparable differences in the effect of Mn2+ were also observed in parallel experiments in which changes in fluorescence from the coumarin-labeled 56,000-dalton phosphatase were measured. In these experiments, it was shown that Mn2+ enhances the interaction between regulin and the 56,000-dalton phosphatase, but inhibits the interaction between the phosphatase and inhibitor 2.     

Calcium and magnesium regulation of phosphorylation by ATP and ITP in sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles.

Membrane phosphorylation and nucleoside triphosphatase activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles isolated from rabbit skeletal muscle were studied using ATP and ITP as substrates. The Ca2+ concentration was varied over a range large enough to saturate either the high affinity Ca2+-binding site or both high and low affinity binding sites. In intact vesicles, which are able to accumulate Ca2+, the steady state level of enzyme phosphorylated by either ATP or ITP is already high in 0.02 mM Ca2+ and does not vary as the Ca2+ concentration is increased to 10 mM. Essentially the same pattern of membrane phosphorylation by ATP is observed when leaky vesicles, which are unable to accumulate Ca2+, are used. However, for leaky vesicles, when ITP is used as substrate, the phosphoenzyme level increases 3- to 4-fold when the Ca2+ concentration is raised from 0.02 to 20 mM. When Mg2+ is omitted from the assay medum, the degree of membrane phosphorylation by ATP varies with Ca2+ in the same way as when ITP is used in the presence of Mg2+. Membrane phosphorylation of leaky vesicles by either ATP or ITP is observed in the absence of added Mg2+. When these vesicles are incubated in media containing ITP and 0.1 mM Ca2+, addition of Mg2+ up to 10 mM simultaneously decreases the steady state level of phosphoenzyme and increases the rate of ITP hydrolysis. When ATP is used, the addition of 10 mM Mg2+ increases both the steady state level of phosphoenzyme and the rate of ATP hydrolysis. When the Ca2+ concentration is raised to 10 or 20 mM, the degree of membrane phosphorylation by either ATP or ITP is maximal even in the absence of added Mg2+ and does not vary with the addition of 10 mM Mg2+. In these conditions the ATPase and ITPase activities are activated by Mg2+, although not to the level observed in 0.1 mM Ca2+. An excess of Mg2+ inhibits both the rate of hydrolysis and membrane phosphorylation by either ATP or ITP.     

Alkaline phosphatase in Amoeba proteus

In free-living Amoeba proteus (strain B), 3 phosphatase were found after disc-electrophoresis of 10 microg of protein in PAGE and using 1-naphthyl phosphate as a substrate a pH 9.0. These phosphatases differed in their electrophoretic mobilities - "slow" (1-3 bands), "middle" (one band) and "fast" (one band). In addition to 1-naphthyl phosphate, "slow" phosphatases were able to hydrolyse 2-naphthyl phosphate and p-nitrophenyl phosphate. They were slightly activated by Mg2+, completely inhibited by 3 chelators (EDTA, EGTA and 1,10-phenanthroline), L-cysteine, sodium dodecyl sulfate and Fe2+, Zn2+ and Mn2+ (50 mM), considerably inactivated by orthovanadate, molybdate, phosphatase inhibitor cocktail 1, p-nitrophenyl phosphate, Na2HPO4, DL-dithiothreitol and urea and partly inhibited by H2O2, DL-phenylalanine, 2-mercaptoethanol, phosphatase inhibitor cocktail 2 and Ca2+. Imidazole, L-(+)-tartrate, okadaic acid, NaF and sulfhydryl reagents -p-(hydroxy-mercuri)benzoate and N-ethylmaleimide - had no influence on the activity of "slow" phosphatases. "Middle" and "fast" phosphatases, in contrast to "slow" ones, were not inactivated by 3 chelators. The "middle" phosphatase differed from the "fast" one by smaller resistance to urea, Ca2+, Mn2+, phosphates and H2O2 and greater resistance to dithiothreitol and L-(+)-tartrate. In addition, the "fast" phosphatase was inhibited by L-cysteine but the "middle" one was activated by it. Of 5 tested ions (Mg2+, Cu2+, Mn2+, Ca2+ and Zn2+), only Zn2+ reactivated "slow" phosphatases after their inactivation by EDTA treatment. The reactivation of apoenzyme was only partial (about 35 %). Thus, among phosphatases found in amoebae at pH 9.0, only "slow" ones are Zn-metalloenzymes and may be considered as alkaline phosphatases (EC 3.1.3.1). It still remains uncertain, to which particular phosphatase class "middle" and "fast" phosphatases (pH 9.0) may belong.     

Activation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Purification and properties of a Mn2+-dependent phosphatase

Acetyl-CoA carboxylase was isolated from rat liver by polyethylene glycol precipitation and avidin affinity chromatography. Sodium dodecyl sulfate electrophoresis of the enzyme gives one protein band (Mr 250,000). Phosphate analysis of the carboxylase showed the presence of 8.3 mol of phosphate/mol of subunit (Mr 250,000). The purified carboxylase has low activity in the absence of citrate (specific activity = 0.3 units/mg). However, addition of 10 mM citrate activates the carboxylase 10-fold, with half-maximal activation observed at 2 mM citrate, well above the physiological citrate level. Using this carboxylase as a substrate, we have isolated from rat liver a protein that activates the enzyme about 10-fold. This protein has been purified to near homogeneity (Mr 90,000). Incubation of this protein with 32P-labeled acetyl-CoA carboxylase results in a time-dependent activation of carboxylase with concomitant release of 32Pi, indicating that this protein is a phosphoprotein phosphatase. Both activation and dephosphorylation are dependent on Mn2+, but not citrate. This phosphatase does not hydrolyze p-nitrophenyl phosphate but does show high affinity for acetyl-CoA carboxylase (Km = 0.2 microM) as compared to its action on phosphorylase a (Km = 5.5 microM) and phosphohistone (Km = 20 microM). Activated acetyl-CoA carboxylase was isolated after dephosphorylation by the phosphatase. Such preparations contain about 5 mol of phosphate/mol of subunit and have specific activities of 2.6-3.0 units/mg in the absence of citrate. These activities are comparable to those of the phosphorylated carboxylase in the presence of 10 mM citrate. Thus, dephosphorylation by the Mn2+-dependent phosphatase renders the carboxylase citrate-independent, as compared to the phosphorylated form, which is citrate-dependent. To our knowledge this is the first report of a preparation of animal acetyl-CoA carboxylase that has substantial catalytic activity independent of citrate.