Direct activation of guanine nucleotide binding proteins through a high-energy phosphate-transfer by nucleoside diphosphate-kinase

An in vitro study of phosphate-transfer, from the high-energy phosphates on the phosphoenzyme (enzyme-bound high-energy phosphate intermediate) of NDP-kinase to GDP on various guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G1, elongation factor alpha 1, recombinant v-rasH p21 protein, transducin, Gi and Go), revealed that the GDP acts as a phosphate-acceptor, in the presence of divalent cations (Mg2+ and Ca2+). This finding suggests that via phosphate-transfer, NDP-kinase may be responsible for the direct activation of various guanine nucleotide binding proteins through phosphate-transfer by the enzyme.     

Physiological correlation between nucleoside-diphosphate kinases and the 21-kDa guanine-nucleotide binding proteins copurified with the enzymes from the cell membrane fractions of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

The physiological correlation between nucleoside-diphosphate kinases (NDP-kinases) and the 21-kDa guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G1 and G2) which are copurified with the enzymes from the cell membrane fractions of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells has been biochemically investigated in vitro. We found that: incubation of the phosphoenzyme (enzyme-bound high-energy phosphate intermediate) of NDP-kinases (F-I and F-II) with one of the nucleoside 5'-diphosphates in the presence of 1 mM Mg2+ or 0.25 mM Ca2+ results in the rapid formation of nucleoside 5'-triphosphates without strict base specificity; GDP on the guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G1, G2 and recombinant v-rasH p21) acts as a phosphate acceptor for the high-energy phosphates of the phosphoenzyme in the presence of 0.25 mM Ca2+; and [32P]GTP is preferentially formed from the 32P-labelled phosphoenzyme F-I and GDP-bound G1 or GDP-bound recombinant v-rasH p21 protein, even if any other nucleoside 5'-diphosphates are present in the reaction mixture. Although [32P]GTP formed was bound with the guanine nucleotide-binding proteins, it was immediately hydrolyzed by the proteins themselves in the presence of 5 mM Mg2+, but not in the presence of 0.25 mM Ca2+. Available evidence suggests that NDP-kinase may be responsible for the activation of the guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G1, G2 and p21 proteins) through phosphate transfer by the enzyme.     

Dissociation of guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate from guanine-nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins in native cardiac membranes. Regulation by nucleotides and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.

Binding of the poorly hydrolyzable GTP analog, guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP[S]), to purified guanine-nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins) has been shown to be nonreversible in the presence of millimolar concentrations of Mg2+. In porcine atrial membranes, binding of [35S]GTP[S] to G proteins was stable in the presence of 1 mM Mg2+. However, either large dilution or, even more strongly, addition of unlabelled guanine nucleotides, in the potency order, GTP[S] greater than GTP greater than or equal to guanosine 5'-[beta,gamma-imino]triphosphate greater than GDP greater than or equal to guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate greater than GMP, markedly enhanced the observed dissociation, with 20-30% of bound [35S]GTP[S] being released by unlabelled guanine nucleotide within 20 min at 25 degrees C. Most interestingly, dissociation of [35S]GTP[S] was rapidly and markedly stimulated by agonist (carbachol) activation of cardiac muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. Carbachol-stimulated release of [35S]GTP[S] was strictly dependent on the presence of Mg2+ and an unlabelled guanine nucleotide. Although having different potency and efficiency in releasing [35S]GTP[S] from the membranes by themselves, the guanine nucleoside triphosphates and diphosphates studied, at maximally effective concentrations, promoted the carbachol-induced dissociation to the same extent, while GMP and ATP were ineffective. GTP[S]-binding-saturation experiments indicated that one agonist-activated muscarinic acetylcholine receptor can cause release of bound GTP[S] from three to four G proteins. The data presented indicate that binding of GTP[S] to G proteins in intact membranes, in contrast to purified G proteins, is reversible, and that agonist-activated receptors can even, either directly or indirectly, interact with GTP[S]-bound G proteins, resulting in release of bound guanine nucleoside triphosphate.     

Nucleosidediphosphate kinase from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

A phosphate-incorporating protein has been highly purified from the cytosol of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells (EAT cells). The nitrocellulose membrane method was used to follow the progress of the purification by quantitation of the [32P]phosphorylated form of the protein. The purified protein was identified as an NDP-kinase since it exhibited NDP-kinase activity and had enzyme characteristics in common with other NDP-kinases from various mammalian cells. The purified NDP-kinase was found to have a molecular weight of approximately 76,000 daltons. Moreover, the enzyme appears to consist of two distinct polypeptides (18,000 and 20,000 daltons). This enzyme contained 19 amino acids, with high levels of glycine (9.8%) and lysine (9.0%). The enzyme rapidly formed a [32P]phosphoenzyme when incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP in the presence of Mg2+ (1 mM) at the optimum pH of 7.5 even at low temperature (below 4 degrees C). This phosphoenzyme is an enzyme-bound, high-energy-phosphate intermediate, because ATP was formed from it on incubation with ADP in the presence of Mg2+ (1 mM). This finding suggests that the phosphoenzyme functions as an intermediate in NDP-kinase action.     

Effects of Mg2+ and the beta gamma-subunit complex on the interactions of guanine nucleotides with G proteins

Mg2+ interacts with the alpha subunits of guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins) in the presence of guanosine-5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP-gamma S) to form a highly fluorescent complex from which nucleotide dissociates very slowly. The apparent Kd for interaction of G alpha X GTP gamma S with Mg2+ is approximately 5 nM, similar to the Km for G protein GTPase activity X G beta gamma increases the rate of dissociation of GTP gamma S from G alpha X GTP gamma S or G alpha X GTP gamma S X Mg2+ at low concentrations of Mg2+. When the concentration of Mg2+ exceeds 1 mM, G beta gamma dissociates from G beta gamma X G alpha X GTP gamma S X Mg2+. Compared with the dramatic effect of Mg2+ on binding of GTP gamma S to G alpha, the metal has relatively little effect on the binding of GDP. However, G beta gamma increases the affinity of G alpha for GDP by more than 100-fold. High concentrations of Mg2+ promote the dissociation of GDP from G beta gamma X G alpha X GDP, apparently without causing subunit dissociation. The steady-state rate of GTP hydrolysis is strictly correlated with the rate of dissociation of GDP from G alpha under all conditions examined. Thus, there are at least two sites for interaction of Mg2+ with G protein-nucleotide complexes. Furthermore, binding of G beta gamma and GTP gamma S to G alpha is negatively cooperative, while the binding interaction between G beta gamma and GDP is strongly positive.     

Characterization of nucleoside-diphosphate kinase-associated guanine nucleotide-binding proteins from HeLa S3 cells

Nucleoside-diphosphate (NDP) kinase-associated [alpha-32P]GTP-incorporating proteins from HeLa S3 cells have been biochemically characterized. Two distinct NDP-kinases (F-I and F-II) had been partially purified from HeLa S3 cells by Sephacryl S-300 gel filtration and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The [alpha-32P]GTP-incorporating proteins (approx. Mr 20,000) could be separated from NDP-kinases (approx. Mr 80,000) by 5-25% glycerol density-gradient centrifugation analysis after treatment with 7 M urea in the presence of 1 mM EDTA. [alpha-32P]GTP incorporation into these two proteins (G1 and G2) from NDP-kinases required 5 mM Mg2+ and was highly inhibited by either GDP or GTP analogues, such as guanylyl imidodiphosphate and guanylyl methylenediphosphate. [3H]GDP, but no other nucleoside 5'-diphosphates, was also bound to these two proteins in the presence of Mg2+ (5 mM). Moreover, incubation of [alpha-32P]GTP with either G1 or G2 in the presence of Mg2+ (5 mM) resulted in the formation of [32P]GDP and Pi. The data presented here indicated that the guanine nucleotide-binding activity, the GTPase activity, and the molecular weight (approx. Mr 20,000) of NDP-kinase-associated proteins from HeLa S3 cells are similar to those reported for ras oncogene products (p21 proteins).     

Effects of magnesium ion on the interaction of atrial muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and GTP-binding regulatory proteins.

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR) purified from porcine atrium were reconstituted into lipid vesicles with GTP-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins, Gi, Go, or Gn) purified from porcine cerebrum. Apparent affinities of the reconstituted mAChR and G proteins for carbachol and GDP, respectively, were estimated from the effects of these ligands on the binding of [3H]-L-quinuclidinyl benzilate ([3H]QNB) to mAChR and [35S]guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) ([35S]GTP gamma S) to G proteins in the presence of different concentrations of MgCl2. A total of 30-35% of reconstituted mAChRs exhibited low affinity for carbamylcholine, irrespective of the presence or absence of guanine nucleotides, and the remainder of the mAChRs showed high affinities for carbamylcholine in the absence of GTP or GDP and a low affinity in their presence. The affinity for carbamylcholine in the absence of guanine nucleotides, but not in their presence, increased with increases in MgCl2 concentration. Apparent Kd's for carbamylcholine were estimated to be approximately 100 microM in the presence of guanine nucleotides, 1.5 microM in the absence of guanine nucleotide and Mg2+ (< 0.1 microM), and 0.1 microM in the absence of guanine nucleotide and the presence of MgCl2 (10 mM). These results indicate that mAChRs may assume at least three different conformations that are characterized by different affinities for agonists. Furthermore, the data suggest that MgCl2 is not necessary for the formation of the mAChR-G protein complex, but can induce a conformational change in the complex. On the other hand, the presence of MgCl2 was necessary for carbamylcholine to influence the binding of guanine nucleotides.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The Caulobacter crescentus CgtA Protein Displays Unusual Guanine Nucleotide Binding and Exchange Properties

The Caulobacter crescentus CgtA protein is a member of the Obg-GTP1 subfamily of monomeric GTP-binding proteins. In vitro, CgtA specifically bound GTP and GDP but not GMP or ATP. CgtA bound GTP and GDP with moderate affinity at 30 degrees C and displayed equilibrium binding constants of 1.2 and 0.5 microM, respectively, in the presence of Mg(2+). In the absence of Mg(2+), the affinity of CgtA for GTP and GDP was reduced 59- and 6-fold, respectively. N-Methyl-3'-O-anthranoyl (mant)-guanine nucleotide analogs were used to quantify GDP and GTP exchange. Spontaneous dissociation of both GDP and GTP in the presence of 5 to 12 mM Mg(2+) was extremely rapid (k(d) = 1.4 and 1.5 s(-1), respectively), 10(3)- to 10(5)-fold faster than that of the well-characterized eukaryotic Ras-like GTP-binding proteins. The dissociation rate constant of GDP increased sevenfold in the absence of Mg(2+). Finally, there was a low inherent GTPase activity with a single-turnover rate constant of 5.0 x 10(-4) s(-1) corresponding to a half-life of hydrolysis of 23 min. These data clearly demonstrate that the guanine nucleotide binding and exchange properties of CgtA are different from those of the well-characterized Ras-like GTP-binding proteins. Furthermore, these data are consistent with a model whereby the nucleotide occupancy of CgtA is controlled by the intracellular levels of guanine nucleotides.     

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.     

Conformational changes occurring in N-ras p21 in response to binding of guanine nucleotide and metal ions probed by proteolysis performed under controlled conditions

Variations in susceptibility to proteolysis by trypsin and chymotrypsin have been used as indicators of conformational changes taking place in N-ras p21 in response to ligand binding. It has been observed that changes occur in undenatured protein, rendering it more resistant to degradation, in the presence of divalent cations such as Mg2+ and Ca2+ (suggesting direct binding of metals to the polypeptide) and even more markedly in the presence of GDP and/or Mg2+ GDP. Monovalent cations (Na+ or K+) cannot substitute for Mg2+ or Ca2+. Some capacity to bind guanine nucleotide is also retained by p21 treated with 7 M urea, as evidenced by increased resistance to proteolytic degradation, but the ability to bind divalent cations is irreversibly lost following denaturation. Protein prepared under denaturing conditions from a eukaryotic source, however, never regains the resistance to proteolysis shown by the bacterial p21 indicating irreversible changes in secondary and tertiary structure produced under these conditions.     

Studies on ras proteins. Catalytic properties of normal and activated ras proteins purified in the absence of protein denaturants

Normal (Gly12) and activated (Val12) Ha-ras proteins were produced in Escherichia coli, and purified to an apparent homogeneity without using any protein denaturants. The purified proteins contained an equimolar amount of GDP. They were stable in the presence of 5 mM Mg2+ and 25% (v/v) glycerol when incubated at 60 degrees C for 5 min. The binding of GDP to the protein was greatly stabilized by Mg2+. In the presence of 10 mM Mg2+, the bound GDP hardly exchanged with external guanine nucleotides, even at 30 degrees C. The exchange reaction was markedly enhanced in the presence of 10 mM EDTA or 120 mM ammonium sulfate. The rate-limiting step of the exchange reaction was the dissociation of the bound GDP from the ras protein, and this step was facilitated 40- to 100-fold by the addition of EDTA or ammonium sulfate. The dissociation rate of the normal (Gly12) ras protein was 2- to 3-fold faster than that of the activated (Val12) protein. The dissociation constants (Kd) for GDP of the normal and activated ras proteins were 1.2 X 10(-8) and 3.1 X 10(-9) M, respectively. The overall turnover rate of GTPase activity of the normal ras protein (10.8 mmol.mol-1.min-1) was about 10-fold higher than that of the activated protein (1.1 mmol.mol-1.min-1) in the absence of Mg2+ (less than 10(-8) M).     

The substitution of calcium for magnesium in H+,K+-ATPase catalytic cycle. Evidence for two actions of divalent cations

In order to determine the role of divalent cations in the reaction mechanism of the H+,K+-ATPase, we have substituted calcium for magnesium, which is required by the H+,K+-ATPase for phosphorylation from ATP and from PO4. Calcium was chosen over other divalent cations assayed (barium and manganese) because in the absence of magnesium, calcium activated ATP hydrolysis, generated sufficiently high levels of phosphoenzyme (573 +/- 51 pmol.mg-1) from [gamma-32P]ATP to study dephosphorylation, and inhibited K+-stimulated ATP hydrolysis. The Ca2+-ATPase activity of the H+,K+-ATPase was 40% of the basal Mg2+-ATPase activity. However, the Ca2+,K+-ATPase activity (minus the Ca2+ basal activity) was only 0.7% of the Mg2+,K+-ATPase, indicating that calcium could partially substitute for Mg2+ in activating ATP hydrolysis but not in K+ stimulation of ATP hydrolysis. Approximately 0.1 mM calcium inhibited 50% of the Mg2+-ATPase or Mg2+,K+-ATPase activities. Inhibition of Mg2+,K+-ATPase activity was not competitive with respect to K+. Inhibition by calcium of Mg2+,K+ activity p-nitrophenyl phosphatase activity was competitive with respect to Mg2+ with an apparent Ki of 0.27 mM. Proton transport measured by acridine orange uptake was not detected in the presence of Ca2+ and K+. In the presence of Mg2+ and K+, Ca2+ inhibited proton transport with an apparent affinity similar to the inhibition of the Mg2+, K+-ATPase activity. The site of calcium inhibition was on the exterior of the vesicle. These results suggest that calcium activates basal turnover and inhibits K+ stimulation of the H+,K+-ATPase by binding at a cytosolic divalent cation site. The pseudo-first order rate constant for phosphoenzyme formation from 5 microM [gamma-32P]ATP was at least 22 times slower in the presence of calcium (0.015 s-1) than magnesium (greater than 0.310 s-1). The Ca.EP (phosphoenzyme formed in the presence of Ca2+) formed dephosphorylated four to five times more slowly that the Mg.EP (phosphoenzyme formed in the presence of Mg2+) in the presence of 8 mm trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (CDTA) or 250 microM ATP. Approximately 10% of the Ca.EP formed was sensitive to a 100 mM KCl chase compared with greater than 85% of the Mg.EP. By comparing the transient kinetics of the phosphoenzyme formed in the presence of magnesium (Mg.EP) and calcium (Ca.EP), we found two actions of divalent cations on dephosphorylation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Inhibition of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase by Mg2+ at high pH

Steady state turnover of Ca2+-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum has generally been reported to have a bell-shaped pH profile, with an optimum near pH 7.0. While a free [Mg2+] of 2 mM is optimal for activity at pH 7.0, it was found that this level was markedly inhibitory (K1/2 = 2 mM) at pH 8.0, thus accounting for the generally observed low activity at high pH. High activity was restored at pH 8.0 using an optimum free [Mg2+] of 0.2 mM. The mechanism of the Mg2+-dependent inhibition at pH 8.0 was probed. Inhibition was not due to Mg2+ competition with Ca2+ for cytoplasmic transport sites nor to inhibition of formation of steady state phosphoenzyme from ATP. Mg2+ inhibited (K1/2 = 1.8 mM) decay of steady state phosphoenzyme; thus, the locus of inhibition was one of the phosphoenzyme interconversion steps. Transient kinetic experiments showed that Mg2+ competitively inhibited (Ki = 0.7 mM) binding of Ca2+ to lumenal transport sites, blocking the ability of Ca2+ to reverse the catalytic cycle to form ADP-sensitive, from ADP-insensitive, phosphoenzyme. The data were consistent with a hypothesis in which Mg2+ binds lumenal Ca2+ transport sites with progressively higher affinity at higher pH to form a dead-end complex; its dissociation would then be rate-limiting during steady state turnover.     

Calcium binding to the H+,K(+)-ATPase. Evidence for a divalent cation site that is occupied during the catalytic cycle

The binding and conformational properties of the divalent cation site required for H+,K(+)-ATPase catalysis have been explored by using Ca2+ as a substitute for Mg2+. 45Ca2+ binding was measured with either a filtration assay or by passage over Dowex cation exchange columns on ice. In the absence of ATP, Ca2+ was bound in a saturating fashion with a stoichiometry of 0.9 mol of Ca2+ per active site and an apparent Kd for free Ca2+ of 332 +/- 39 microM. At ATP concentrations sufficient for maximal phosphorylation (10 microM), 1.2 mol of Ca2+ was bound per active site with an apparent Kd for free Ca2+ of 110 +/- 22 microM. At ATP concentrations greater than or equal to 100 microM, 2.2 mol of Ca2+ were bound per active site, suggesting that an additional mole of Ca2+ bound in association with low affinity nucleotide binding. At concentrations sufficient for maximal phosphorylation by ATP (less than or equal to 10 microM), APD, ADP + Pi, beta,gamma-methylene-ATP, CTP, and GTP were unable to substitute for ATP. Active site ligands such as acetyl phosphate, phosphate, and p-nitrophenyl phosphate were also ineffective at increasing the Ca2+ affinity. However, vanadate, a transition state analog of the phosphoenzyme, gave a binding capacity of 1.0 mol/active site and the apparent Kd for free Ca2+ was less than or equal to 18 microM. Mg2+ displaced bound Ca2+ in the absence and presence of ATP but Ca2+ was bound about 10-20 times more tightly than Mg2+. The free Mg2+ affinity, like Ca2+, increased in the presence of ATP. Monovalent cations had no effect on Ca2+ binding in the absence of ATP but dit reduce Ca2+ binding in the presence of ATP (K+ = Rb+ = NH4 + greater than Na+ greater than Li+ greater than Cs+ greater than TMA+, where TMA is tetramethylammonium chloride) by reducing phosphorylation. These results indicate that the Ca2+ and Mg2+ bound more tightly to the phosphoenzyme conformation. Eosin fluorescence changes showed that both Ca2+ and Mg2+ stabilized E1 conformations (i.e. cytosolic conformations of the monovalent cation site(s)) (Ca.E1 and Mg.E1). Addition of the substrate acetyl phosphate to either Ca.E1 or Mg.E1 produced identical eosin fluorescence showing that Ca2+ and Mg2+ gave similar E2 (extracytosolic) conformations at the eosin (nucleotide) site. In the presence of acetyl phosphate and K+, the conformations with Ca2+ or Mg2+ were also similar. Comparison of the kinetics of the phosphoenzyme and Ca2+ binding showed that Ca2+ bound prior to phosphorylation and dissociated after dephosphorylation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Activation of partial reactions of the Ca2+-ATPase from human red cells by Mg2+ and ATP.

(1) At ATP concentrations up to 30 micrometer addition of 0.5 mM MgCl2 in the reaction mixture increases both the rate of formation and the steady-state level of the phosphoenzyme of the Ca2+-ATPase from human red cell membranes. Under these conditions Mg2+ has no effect on the rate of dephosphorylation, which remains slow. (2) In the presence of Mg2+ the rate of dephosphorylation is increased 5 to 10 times by high (1 mM) concentrations of ATP. (3) Provided Mg2+ has reacted with the phosphoenzyme, acceleration of dephosphorylation by ATP takes place in the absence of Mg2+. This suggests that the role of Mg2+ on dephosphorylation is to convert the phosphoenzyme into a form that, after combination with ATP, reacts rapidly with water. (4) The results are consistent with the idea that combination of ATP at a non-catalytic site is needed for rapid dephosphorylation of the Ca2+-ATPase.     

Presence of a low-affinity nucleotide binding site on the (K+ + H+)-ATPase phosphoenzyme

The effects of Mg2+ and nucleotides on the dephosphorylation process of the (K+ + H+)-ATPase phosphoenzyme have been studied. Phosphorylation with [gamma-32P]ATP is stopped either by addition of non-radioactive ATP or by complexing of Mg2+ with EDTA. The dephosphorylation process is slow and monoexponential when dephosphorylation is initiated with ATP. When phosphorylation is stopped by complexing of Mg2+ the dephosphorylation process is fast and biexponential. The discrepancy could be explained by a nucleotide mediated inhibition of the dephosphorylation process. The I0.5 for ATP for this inhibition is 0.1 mM and that for ADP is 0.7 mM, suggesting that a low-affinity binding site is involved. When Mg2+ is present in millimolar concentrations in addition to the nucleotides the dephosphorylation process is enhanced. Evidence has been obtained that Mg2+ acts through lowering the affinity for ATP. In contrast to K+, Mg2+ does not stimulate dephosphorylation in the absence of nucleotides. Mg2+ and nucleotides show the same interaction in the dephosphorylation process of a phosphoenzyme generated from inorganic phosphate. These findings suggest the presence of a low-affinity nucleotide binding site on the phosphoenzyme, as is found in the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase phosphoenzyme. This low-affinity binding site may function as a feed-back mechanism in proton transport.     

Concerted conformational effects of Ca2+ and ATP are required for activation of sequential reactions in the Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) catalytic cycle

We relate solution behavior to the crystal structure of the Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA). We find that nucleotide binding occurs with high affinity through interaction of the adenosine moiety with the N domain, even in the absence of Ca2+ and Mg2+, or to the closed conformation stabilized by thapsigargin (TG). Why then is Ca2+ crucial for ATP utilization? The influence of adenosine 5'-(beta,gamma-methylene) triphosphate (AMPPCP), Ca2+, and Mg2+ on proteolytic digestion patterns, interpreted in the light of known crystal structures, indicates that a Ca2+-dependent conformation of the ATPase headpiece is required for a further transition induced by nucleotide binding. This includes opening of the headpiece, which in turn allows inclination of the "A" domain and bending of the "P" domain. Thereby, the phosphate chain of bound ATP acquires an extended configuration allowing the gamma-phosphate to reach Asp351 to form a complex including Mg2+. We demonstrate by Asp351 mutation that this "productive" conformation of the substrate-enzyme complex is unstable because of electrostatic repulsion at the phosphorylation site. However, this conformation is subsequently stabilized by covalent engagement of the -phosphate yielding the phosphoenzyme intermediate. We also demonstrate that the ADP product remains bound with high affinity to the transition state complex but dissociates with lower affinity as the phosphoenzyme undergoes a further conformational change (i.e., E1-P to E2-P transition). Finally, we measured low-affinity ATP binding to stable phosphoenzyme analogues, demonstrating that the E1-P to E2-P transition and the enzyme turnover are accelerated by ATP binding to the phosphoenzyme in exchange for ADP.     

Lanthanum inhibits steady-state turnover of the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase by replacing magnesium as the catalytic ion

LaATP is shown to be an effective inhibitor of the calcium ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum because the binding of LaATP to cE.Ca2 results in the formation of lanthanum phosphoenzyme, which decays slowly. Steady-state activity of the calcium ATPase in leaky sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles is inhibited 50% by 0.16 microM LaCl3 (15 nM free La3+, 21 nM LaATP) in the presence of 25 microM Ca2+ and 49 microM MgATP (5 mM MgSO4, 100 mM KCl, 40 mM 4-morpholinepropanesulfonic acid, pH 7.0, 25 degrees C). However, 50% inhibition of the uptake of 45Ca and phosphorylation by [gamma-32P]ATP in a single turnover experiment requires 100 microM LaCl3 (28 microM free La3+) in the presence of 25 microM Ca2+; this inhibition is reversed by calcium but inhibition of steady-state turnover is not. Therefore, binding of La3+ to the cytoplasmic calcium transport site is not responsible for the inhibition of steady-state ATPase activity. The addition of 6.7 microM LaCl3 (1.1 microM free La3+) has no effect on the rate of dephosphorylation of phosphoenzyme formed from MgATP and enzyme in leaky vesicles, while 6.7 mM CaCl2 slows the rate of phosphoenzyme hydrolysis as expected; 6.7 microM LaCl3 and 6.7 mM CaCl2 cause 95 and 98% inhibition of steady-state ATPase activity, respectively. This shows that inhibition of ATPase activity in the steady state is not caused by binding of La3+ to the intravesicular calcium transport site of the phosphoenzyme. Inhibition of ATPase activity by 2 microM LaCl3 (0.16 microM free La3+, 0.31 microM LaATP) requires greater than 5 s, which corresponds to approximately 50 turnovers, to reach a steady-state level of greater than or equal to 80% inhibition. Inhibition by La3+ is fully reversed by the addition of 0.55 mM CaCl2 and 0.50 mM EGTA; this reactivation is slow with t1/2 approximately 9 s. Two forms of phosphoenzyme are present in reactions that are partially inhibited by La3+: phosphoenzyme with Mg2+ at the catalytic site and phosphoenzyme with La3+ at the catalytic site, which undergo hydrolysis with observed rate constants of greater than 4 and 0.05 s-1, respectively. We conclude, therefore, that La3+ inhibits steady-state ATPase activity under these conditions by replacing Mg2+ as the catalytic ion for phosphoryl transfer. The slow development of inhibition corresponds to the accumulation of lanthanum phosphoenzyme. Initially, most of the enzyme catalyzes MgATP hydrolysis, but the fraction of enzyme with La3+ bound to the catalytic site gradually increases because lanthanum phosphoenzyme undergoes hydrolysis much more slowly than does magnesium phosphoenzyme.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Mg2+ and a key lysine modulate exchange activity of eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1B alpha

To sustain efficient translation, eukaryotic elongation factor B alpha (eEF1B alpha) functions as the guanine nucleotide exchange factor for eEF1A. Stopped-flow kinetics using 2'-(or 3')-O-N-methylanthraniloyl (mant)-GDP showed spontaneous release of nucleotide from eEF1A is extremely slow and accelerated 700-fold by eEF1B alpha. The eEF1B alpha-stimulated reaction was inhibited by Mg2+ with a K(1/2) of 3.8 mM. Previous structural studies predicted the Lys-205 residue of eEF1B alpha plays an important role in promoting nucleotide exchange by disrupting the Mg2+ binding site. Co-crystal structures of the lethal K205A mutant in the catalytic C terminus of eEF1B alpha with eEF1A and eEF1A.GDP established that the lethality was not due to a structural defect. Instead, the K205A mutant drastically reduced the nucleotide exchange activity even at very low concentrations of Mg2+. A K205R eEF1B alpha mutant on the other hand was functional in vivo and showed nearly wild-type nucleotide dissociation rates but almost no sensitivity to Mg2+. These results indicate the significant role of Mg2+ in the nucleotide exchange reaction by eEF1B alpha and establish the catalytic function of Lys-205 in displacing Mg2+ from its binding site.     

Ca2+ binding to chromaffin vesicle matrix proteins: effect of pH, Mg2+, and ionic strength

Recently we found that Ca2+ within chromaffin vesicles is largely bound [Bulenda, D., & Gratzl, M. (1985) Biochemistry 24, 7760-7765]. In order to explore the nature of these bonds, we analyzed the binding of Ca2+ to the vesicle matrix proteins as well as to ATP, the main nucleotide present in these vesicles. The dissociation constant at pH 7 is 50 microM (number of binding sites, n = 180 nmol/mg of protein) for Ca2+-protein bonds and 15 microM (n = 0.8 mumol/mumol) for Ca2+-ATP bonds. When the pH is decreased to more physiological values (pH 6), the number of binding sites remains the same. However, the affinity of Ca2+ for the proteins decreases much less than its affinity for ATP (dissociation constant of 90 vs. 70 microM). At pH 6 monovalent cations (30-50 mM) as well as Mg2+ (0.1-0.5 mM), which are also present within chromaffin vesicles, do not affect the number of binding sites for Ca2+ but cause a decrease in the affinity of Ca2+ for both proteins and ATP. For Ca2+ binding to ATP in the presence of 0.5 mM Mg2+ we found a dissociation constant of 340 microM and after addition of 35 mM K+ a dissociation constant of 170 microM. Ca2+ binding to the chromaffin vesicle matrix proteins in the presence of 0.5 mM Mg2+ is characterized by a Kd of 240 microM and after addition of 15 mM Na+ by a Kd of 340 microM.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)