Calcium transport across the sarcoplasmic reticulum: structure and function of Ca2+-ATPase and the ryanodine receptor.

Contraction of striated muscle results from a rise in cytoplasmic calcium concentration in a process termed excitation/contraction coupling. Most of this calcium moves back and forth across the sarcoplasmic-reticulum membrane in cycles of contraction and relaxation. The channel responsible for release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum is the ryanodine receptor, whereas Ca2+-ATPase effects reuptake in an ATP-dependent manner. The structures of these two molecules have been studied by cryoelectron microscopy, with helical crystals in the case of Ca2+-ATPase and as isolated tetramers in the case of ryanodine receptor. Structures of Ca2+-ATPase at 8-A resolution reveal the packing of transmembrane helices and have allowed fitting of a putative ATP-binding domain among the cytoplasmic densities. Comparison of ATPases in different conformations gives hints about the conformational changes that accompany the reaction cycle. Structures of ryanodine receptor at 30-A resolution reveal a multitude of isolated domains in the cytoplasmic portion, as well as a distinct transmembrane assembly. Binding sites for various protein ligands have been determined and conformational changes induced by ATP, calcium and ryanodine have been characterized. Both molecules appear to use large conformational changes to couple interactions in their cytoplasmic domains with calcium transport through their membrane domains, and future studies at higher resolution will focus on the mechanisms for this coupling.     

Structure of Na+,K+-ATPase at 11-A resolution: comparison with Ca2+-ATPase in E1 and E2 states

Na+,K+-ATPase is a heterodimer of alpha and beta subunits and a member of the P-type ATPase family of ion pumps. Here we present an 11-A structure of the heterodimer determined from electron micrographs of unstained frozen-hydrated tubular crystals. For this reconstruction, the enzyme was isolated from supraorbital glands of salt-adapted ducks and was crystallized within the native membranes. Crystallization conditions fixed Na+,K+-ATPase in the vanadate-inhibited E2 conformation, and the crystals had p1 symmetry. A large number of helical symmetries were observed, so a three-dimensional structure was calculated by averaging both Fourier-Bessel coefficients and real-space structures of data from the different symmetries. The resulting structure clearly reveals cytoplasmic, transmembrane, and extracellular regions of the molecule with densities separately attributable to alpha and beta subunits. The overall shape bears a remarkable resemblance to the E2 structure of rabbit sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase. After aligning these two structures, atomic coordinates for Ca2+-ATPase were fit to Na+,K+-ATPase, and several flexible surface loops, which fit the map poorly, were associated with sequences that differ in the two pumps. Nevertheless, cytoplasmic domains were very similarly arranged, suggesting that the E2-to-E1 conformational change postulated for Ca2+-ATPase probably applies to Na+,K+-ATPase as well as other P-type ATPases.     

Structural analysis of 2D crystals of gastric H+,K+-ATPase in different states of the transport cycle

The H+,K+-ATPase uses ATP to pump protons across the gastric membrane. We used electron crystallography and limited trypsin proteolysis to study conformational changes in the H+,K+-ATPase. Well-ordered 2D crystals were obtained with detergent-solubilized H+,K+-ATPase at low pH in the absence of nucleotides, E1 state, and in the presence of fluoroaluminate and ADP, mimicking the E1PADP state. Projection maps obtained with frozen-hydrated two-dimensional crystals of the H+,K+-ATPase in these two states looked very similar, suggesting only small conformational changes during the transition from the E1 to the E1P x ADP state. This result differs from the X-ray crystal structures of the related ATPase SERCA, which revealed substantially different conformations in the E1 and E1P x ADP states. To further characterize the conformational changes in the H+,K+-ATPase during its transport cycle, we performed limited proteolysis with trypsin. All examined states of the H+,K+-ATPase, including the E1 and E1P x ADP states present in the 2D crystals,showed characteristic differences in the digestion patterns. While the results from the limited proteolysis experiments thus show that the H+,K+-ATPase adopts distinct conformations during different stages of the transport cycle, the projection maps indicate that the structural rearrangements in the H+,K+-ATPase are much smaller than those observed in the related SERCA ATPase.     

A structural model for the catalytic cycle of Ca(2+)-ATPase

Ca(2+)-ATPase is responsible for active transport of calcium ions across the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane. This coupling involves an ordered sequence of reversible reactions occurring alternately at the ATP site within the cytoplasmic domains, or at the calcium transport sites within the transmembrane domain. These two sites are separated by a large distance and conformational changes have long been postulated to play an important role in their coordination. To characterize the nature of these conformational changes, we have built atomic models for two reaction intermediates and postulated the mechanisms governing the large structural changes. One model is based on fitting the X-ray crystallographic structure of Ca(2+)-ATPase in the E1 state to a new 6 A structure by cryoelectron microscopy in the E2 state. This fit indicates that calcium binding induces enormous movements of all three cytoplasmic domains as well as significant changes in several transmembrane helices. We found that fluorescein isothiocyanate displaced a decavanadate molecule normally located at the intersection of the three cytoplasmic domains, but did not affect their juxtaposition; this result indicates that our model likely reflects a native E2 conformation and not an artifact of decavanadate binding. To explain the dramatic structural effect of calcium binding, we propose that M4 and M5 transmembrane helices are responsive to calcium binding and directly induce rotation of the phosphorylation domain. Furthermore, we hypothesize that both the nucleotide-binding and beta-sheet domains are highly mobile and driven by Brownian motion to elicit phosphoenzyme formation and calcium transport, respectively. If so, the reaction cycle of Ca(2+)-ATPase would have elements of a Brownian ratchet, where the chemical reactions of ATP hydrolysis are used to direct the random thermal oscillations of an innately flexible molecule.     

Locating phospholamban in co-crystals with Ca(2+)-ATPase by cryoelectron microscopy.

Phospholamban (PLB) is responsible for regulating Ca(2+) transport by Ca(2+)-ATPase across the sarcoplasmic reticulum of cardiac and smooth muscle. This regulation is coupled to beta-adrenergic stimulation, and dysfunction has been associated with end-stage heart failure. PLB appears to directly bind to Ca(2+)-ATPase, thus slowing certain steps in the Ca(2+) transport cycle. We have determined 3D structures from co-crystals of PLB with Ca(2+)-ATPase by cryoelectron microscopy of tubular co-crystals at 8--10 A resolution. Specifically, we have used wild-type PLB, a monomeric PLB mutant (L37A), and a pentameric PLB mutant (N27A) for co-reconstitution and have compared resulting structures with three control structures of Ca(2+)-ATPase alone. The overall molecular shape of Ca(2+)-ATPase was indistinguishable in the various reconstructions, indicating that PLB did not have any global effects on Ca(2+)-ATPase conformation. Difference maps reveal densities which we attributed to the cytoplasmic domain of PLB, though no difference densities were seen for PLB's transmembrane helix. Based on these difference maps, we propose that a single PLB molecule interacts with two Ca(2+)-ATPase molecules. Our model suggests that PLB may resist the large domain movements associated with the catalytic cycle, thus inhibiting turnover.     

Modeling a dehalogenase fold into the 8-A density map for Ca(2+)-ATPase defines a new domain structure

Members of the large family of P-type pumps use active transport to maintain gradients of a wide variety of cations across cellular membranes. Recent structures of two P-type pumps at 8-A resolution have revealed the arrangement of transmembrane helices but were insufficient to reveal the architecture of the cytoplasmic domains. However, recent proposals of a structural homology with a superfamily of hydrolases offer a new basis for modeling these domains. In the current work, we have extended the sequence comparison for the superfamily and delineated domains in the 8-A density map of Ca(2+)-ATPase. The homology suggests a new domain structure for Ca(2+)-ATPase and, specifically, that the phosphorylation domain adopts a Rossman fold. Accordingly, the atomic structure of L-2 haloacid dehalogenase has been fitted into the relevant domain of Ca(2+)-ATPase. The resulting model suggests the existence of two ATP sites at the interface between two domains. Based on this new model, we are able to reconcile numerous results of mutagenesis and chemical cross-linking within the catalytic domains. Furthermore, we have used the model to predict the configuration of Mg.ATP at its binding site. Based on this prediction, we propose a mechanism, involving a change in Mg(2+) liganding, for initiating the domain movements that couple sites of ion transport to ATP hydrolysis.     

Structural arrangement and conformational dynamics of the gamma subunit of the Na+/K+-ATPase

The Na+/K+-ATPase couples the chemical energy in ATP to transport Na+ and K+ across the plasma membrane against a concentration gradient. The ion pump is composed of two mandatory subunits: the alpha subunit, which is the major catalytic subunit, and the beta subunit, which is required for proper trafficking of the complex to the plasma membrane. In some tissues, the ion pump also contains an optional third subunit, gamma, which modulates the pump activity. To examine the conformational dynamics of the gamma subunit during ion transport and its position in relation to the alpha and the beta subunits, we have used fluorescence resonance energy transfer under voltage clamp conditions. From these experiments, evidence is provided that the gamma subunit is located adjacent to the M2-M6-M9 pocket of the alpha subunit at the transmembrane-extracellular interface. We have also used fluorescence resonance energy transfer to investigate the relative movement of the three subunits as the ion pump shuttles between the two main conformational states, E1 and E2, as described by the Albers-Post scheme. The results from this study suggest that there is no relative change in distance between the alpha and gamma subunits but there is a relative change in distance between the beta and gamma subunits during the E2 to E1 transition. It was also observed that labeling the gamma subunit at specific residues with fluorophores induces a decrease in K+-induced stationary current. This result could be due to a perturbation in the K+ branch of the reaction cycle of the pump, representing a new way to inhibit the pump.     

Cation sidedness in the phosphorylation step of Na+/K+-ATPase

Na+/K+ -ATPase, reconstituted into phospholipid vesicles, has been used to study the localisation of binding sites of ligands involved in the phosphorylation reaction. Inside-out oriented Na+/K+ -ATPase molecules are the only population in this system, which can be phosphorylated, as the rightside-out oriented as well as the non-incorporated enzyme molecules are inhibited by ouabain. In addition, the right-side-out oriented Na+/K+ -ATPase molecules have their ATP binding site intravesicularly and are thus not accessible to substrate added to the extravesicular medium. Functional binding sites for the following ligands have been demonstrated: (i) Potassium, acting at the extracellular side with high affinity (stimulating the dephosphorylation rate of the E2P conformation) and low affinity (inducing the non-phosphorylating E2K complex). (ii) Potassium, acting at the cytoplasmic side with both high and low affinity. The latter sites are also responsible for the formation of an E2K complex and complete with Na+ for its binding sites. (iii) Sodium at the cytoplasmic side responsible for stimulation of the phosphorylation reaction. (iv) Sodium (and amine buffers) at the extracellular side enhancing the phosphorylation level of Na+/K+ -ATPase where choline chloride has no effect. (v) Magnesium at the cytoplasmic side, stimulating the phosphorylation reaction and inhibiting it above optimal concentrations.     

Locating the thapsigargin-binding site on Ca(2+)-ATPase by cryoelectron microscopy

Thapsigargin (TG) is a potent inhibitor of Ca(2+)-ATPase from sarcoplasmic and endoplasmic reticula. Previous enzymatic studies have concluded that Ca(2+)-ATPase is locked in a dead-end complex upon binding TG with an affinity of <1 nM and that this complex closely resembles the E(2) enzymatic state. We have studied the structural effects of TG binding by cryoelectron microscopy of tubular crystals, which have previously been shown to comprise Ca(2+)-ATPase molecules in the E(2) conformation. In particular, we have compared 3D reconstructions of Ca(2+)-ATPase in the absence and presence of either TG or its dansylated derivative. The overall molecular shape of Ca(2+)-ATPase in the reconstructions is very similar, demonstrating that the TG/Ca(2+)-ATPase complex does indeed physically resemble the E(2) conformation, in contrast to massive domain movements that appear to be induced by Ca(2+) binding. Difference maps reveal a consistent difference on the lumenal side of the membrane, which we conclude corresponds to the thapsigargin-binding site. Modeling the atomic structure for Ca(2+)-ATPase into our density maps reveals that this binding site is composed of the loops between transmembrane segments M3/M4 and M7/M8. Indirect effects are proposed to explain the effects of the S3 stalk segment on thapsigargin affinity as well as thapsigargin-induced changes in ATP affinity. Indeed, a second difference density was observed at the decavanadate-binding site within the three cytoplasmic domains, which we believe reflects an altered affinity as a result of the long-range conformational coupling that drives the reaction cycle of this family of ATP-dependent ion pumps.     

Fluorometric measurements of intermolecular distances between the alpha- and beta-subunits of the Na+/K+-ATPase

The Na+/K+-ATPase maintains the physiological Na+ and K+ gradients across the plasma membrane in most animal cells. The functional unit of the ion pump is comprised of two mandatory subunits including the alpha-subunit, which mediates ATP hydrolysis and ion translocation, as well as the beta-subunit, which acts as a chaperone to promote proper membrane insertion and trafficking in the plasma membrane. To examine the conformational dynamics between the alpha- and beta-subunits of the Na+/K+-ATPase during ion transport, we have used fluorescence resonance energy transfer, under voltage clamp conditions on Xenopus laevis oocytes, to differentiate between two models that have been proposed for the relative orientation of the alpha- and beta-subunits. These experiments were performed by measuring the time constant of irreversible donor fluorophore destruction with fluorescein-5-maleimide as the donor fluorophore and in the presence or absence of tetramethylrhodamine-6-maleimide as the acceptor fluorophore following labeling on the M3-M4 or M5-M6 loop of the alpha-subunit and the beta-subunit. We have also used fluorescence resonance energy transfer to investigate the relative movement between the two subunits as the ion pump shuttles between the two main conformational states (E1 and E2) as described by the Albers-Post scheme. The results from this study have identified a model for the orientation of the beta-subunit in relation to the alpha-subunit and suggest that the alpha- and beta-subunits move toward each other during the E2 to E1 conformational transition.     

骨骼肌内质网Ca2+泵转运Ca2+的结构基础

Ca2 泵(Ca2 -ATPase)是调节细胞内Ca2 浓度的重要蛋白质之一.Ca2 泵在转运Ca2 的过程中经历一系列构象变化.其中,E1状态为外向的Ca2 高亲和状态,E2状态则为内向的Ca2 低亲和状态.目前,骨骼肌内质网Ca2 泵转运Ca2 过程中的几个中间状态,包括E1-2Ca2 ,E1-ATP,E1-P-ADP,E2-Pi和E2状态的三维晶体结构已经解析.介绍这几种状态的晶体结构,并分析Ca2 泵在执行功能过程中结构与功能的关系.     

Syntaxin isoform specificity in the regulation of renal H+-ATPase exocytosis

Intercalated and inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD) cells of the kidney mediate the transport of H+ by a plasma membrane H+-ATPase. The rate of H+ transport in these cells is regulated by exocytic insertion of H+-ATPase-laden vesicles into the apical membrane. We have shown that the exocytic insertion of proton pumps (H+-ATPase) into the apical membrane of rat IMCD cells, in culture, involves SNARE proteins (syntaxin (synt), SNAP-23, and VAMP). The membrane fusion complex observed in IMCD cells with the induction of proton pump exocytosis not only included these SNAREs but also the H+-ATPase. Based on these observations, we suggested that the targeting of these vesicles to the apical membrane is mediated by an interaction between the H+-ATPase and a specific t-SNARE. To evaluate this hypothesis, we utilized a "pull-down" assay in which we identified, by Western analysis, the proteins in a rat kidney medullary homogenate that complexed with glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion syntaxin isoforms attached to Sepharose 4B-glutathione beads. The syntaxin isoforms employed were 1A, 1B, 2, 4, 5, and also 1A that was truncated to exclude the H3 SNARE binding domain (synt-1ADeltaH3). All full-length syntaxin isoforms formed complexes with SNAP-23 and VAMP. Neither GST nor synt-1ADeltaH3 formed complexes with these SNAREs. H+-ATPase (subunits E, a, and c) bound to syntaxin-1A and to a lesser extent to synt-1B but not to synt-1ADeltaH3 or synt-2, -4, and -5. In cultured IMCD cells transfected to express syntaxin truncated for the membrane binding domain (synt-DeltaC), expression of synt-1ADeltaC, but not synt-4DeltaC, inhibited H+-ATPase exocytosis. In conclusion, because all full-length syntaxins examined bound VAMP-2 and SNAP-23, but only non-H3-truncated syntaxin-1 bound H+-ATPase, and synt-1ADeltaC expression by intact IMCD cells inhibited H+-ATPase exocytosis, it is likely that the H+-ATPase binds directly to the H3 domain of syntaxin-1 and not through VAMP-2 or SNAP-23. Interaction between the syntaxin-1A and H+-ATPase is important in the targeted exocytosis of the proton pump to the apical membrane of intercalated cells.     

Defective conformational response in a selectively trypsinized (Na+ + K+)-ATPase studied with tryptophan fluorescence

1. Monitoring protein conformations of purified (Na+ + K+)-ATPase with intrinsic fluorescence we have examined if altered conformational responses accompany the defective catalytic and transport processes in selectively modified 'invalid' (Na+ + K+)-ATPase which is obtained by graded tryptic digestion of the Na+ form of the protein. 2. The protein fluorescence intensity of the K+ form (E2K) of both control and invalid (Na+ + K+)-ATPase is 2--3% higher than that of the Na+ form (E1Na). By varying the NaCl concentration we found evidence for different fluorescence intensities of the two phosphoenzymes; E2P has the same fluorescence intensity as E2K and the intensity of E1P is similar to that of E1Na. The fraction of phosphoenzyme present as E2P can therefore be determined as the amplitude of the fluorescence change accompanying phosphorylation in the absence of K+ divided by the amplitude of the full response to K+. 3. Titration of the fluorescence responses of the invalid (Na+ + K+)-ATPase shows that the tryptic split alters the noise of the equilibria between the cation-bound conformations, E1Na and E2K, and between the phosphoforms, E1P and E2P, in the direction of the E1 forms. 4. Vanadate binds to the Mg2+-bound form of E2K and prevents further changes in fluorescence intensity of the protein. The conformative responses of invalid (Na+ + K+)-ATPase are insensitive to vanadate in agreement with the reduced vanadate binding affinity of this enzyme. 5. The defective conformative response of the invalid (Na+ + K+)-ATPase in relation to its catalytic defects, reduced Na+ transport, and insensitivity to vanadate suggest that the transitions between Na+ forms (E1) and K+ forms (E2) of the protein are coupled to the catalytic and transport reactions of the (Na+ + K+)-pump.     

Calcium transport mechanism in crayfish gastrolith epithelium correlated with the molting cycle. II. Cytochemical demonstration of Ca2+-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase

Periodical changes in Ca2+-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase activity were observed cytochemically in the crayfish gastrolith epithelium during the molting cycle in relation to the calcium transport mechanism. The ATPase activity was demonstrated by a new one-step lead citrate method. The reaction products were mainly restricted to the matrix of type II cell mitochondria. The Ca2+-ATPase activity was intensely observed in two calcium moving stages, the small gastrolith period which indicates the beginning of gastrolith formation, and the aftermolt , when the calcified gastrolith has been dissolved in the stomach and then reabsorbed from the stomach epithelium into the newly formed soft exoskeleton through the blood. Although the intensity of reaction products of Mg2+-ATPase varied in each stage, the enzymatic activity was observed throughout all molting stages. Reaction products were observed in all mitochondria, basement membranes, apical cytoplasmic membranes, and in some lysosomes. In conclusion, periodical changes in the two types of ATPase activity were seen in the mitochondria of gastrolith epithelium during the molting cycle, but Ca2+-ATPase activity seemed to be more prominently synchronized to the calcium movement in the gastrolith epithelium than Mg2+-ATPase activity. There results provide the strong evidence that Ca2+-ATPase may act strongly in the calcium transport system of crayfish molting.     

Kinetics of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase: analysis of the influence of Na+ and K+ by steady-state kinetics

The influence of Na+ and K+ on the steady-state kinetics at 37 degrees C of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase was investigated. From an analysis of the dependence of slopes and intercepts (from double-reciprocal plots or from Hanes plots) of the primary data on Na+ and K+ concentrations a detailed model for the interaction of the cations with the individual steps in the mechanism may be inferred and a set of intrinsic (i.e. cation independent) rate constants and cation dissociation constants are obtained. A comparison of the rate constants with those obtained from an analogous analysis of Na+-ATPase kinetics (preceding paper) provides evidence that the ATP hydrolysis proceeds through a series of intermediates, all of which are kinetically different from those responsible for the Na+-ATPase activity. The complete model for the enzyme thus involves two distinct, but doubly connected, hydrolysis cycles. The model derived for (Na+ + K+)-ATPase has the following properties: The empty, substrate free, enzyme form is the K+-bound form E2K. Na+ (Kd = 9 mM) and MgATP (Kd = 0.48 mM), in that order, must be bound to it in order to effect K+ release. Thus Na+ and K+ are simultaneously present on the enzyme in part of the reaction cycle. Each enzyme unit has three equivalent and independent Na+ sites. K+ binding to high-affinity sites (Kd = 1.4 mM) on the presumed phosphorylated intermediate is preceded by release of Na+ from low-affinity sites (Kd = 430 mM). The stoichiometry is variable, and may be Na:K:ATP = 3:2:1. To the extent that the transport properties of the enzyme are reflected in the kinetic ATPase model, these properties are in accord with one of the models shown by Sachs ((1980) J. Physiol. 302, 219-240) to give a quantitative fit of transport data for red blood cells.     

The beta subunit of the Na+/K+-ATPase follows the conformational state of the holoenzyme

The Na+/K+-ATPase is a ubiquitous plasma membrane ion pump that utilizes ATP hydrolysis to regulate the intracellular concentration of Na+ and K+. It is comprised of at least two subunits, a large catalytic alpha subunit that mediates ATP hydrolysis and ion transport, and an ancillary beta subunit that is required for proper trafficking of the holoenzyme. Although processes mediated by the alpha subunit have been extensively studied, little is known about the participation of the beta subunit in conformational changes of the enzyme. To elucidate the role of the beta subunit during ion transport, extracellular amino acids proximal to the transmembrane region of the sheep beta1 subunit were individually replaced for cysteines. This enabled sulfhydryl-specific labeling with the environmentally sensitive fluorescent dye tetramethylrhodamine-6-maleimide (TMRM) upon expression in Xenopus oocytes. Investigation by voltage-clamp fluorometry identified three reporter positions on the beta1 subunit that responded with fluorescence changes to alterations in ionic conditions and/or membrane potential. These experiments for the first time show real-time detection of conformational rearrangements of the Na+/K+-ATPase through a fluorophore-labeled beta subunit. Simultaneous recording of presteady-state or stationary currents together with fluorescence signals enabled correlation of the observed environmental changes of the beta subunit to certain reaction steps of the Na+/K+-ATPase, which involve changes in the occupancy of the two principle conformational states, E1P and E2P. From these experiments, evidence is provided that the beta1-S62C mutant can be directly used to monitor the conformational state of the enzyme, while the F64C mutant reveals a relaxation process that is triggered by sodium transport but evolves on a much slower time scale. Finally, shifts in voltage dependence and kinetics observed for mutant K65C show that this charged lysine residue, which is conserved in beta1 isoforms, directly influences the effective potential that determines voltage dependence of extracellular cation binding and release.     

Regulation of Na+-K+-ATPase: effect of Mg and Ca ions

The participation of Mg2+ and Ca2+ in complicated mechanisms of Na+, K(+)-ATPase regulation is discussed in the survey. The regulatory actions of Mg2+ on Na+, K(+)-ATPase such as its participation in phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of the enzyme, ADP/ATP-exchange inhibition, cardiac glycosides and vanadate binding with the enzyme, conformational changes induction during ATPase cycle are reviewed in detail. Some current views of mechanisms of above mentioned Mg2+ regulatory effects are discussed. The experimental evidence of Ca2+ immediate influence on the functional activity of Na+, K(+)-ATPase (catalytic, transport and glycoside-binding) are given. It's noted that these effects are based on the conformational changes in the enzyme and also on the phase transition in membrane induced by Ca2+. Unimmediate action of Ca2+ on Na+, K(+)-ATPase is also discussed, especially due to its effect on other membrane systems functionally linked with Na(+)-pump (for instance, due to Na+/Ca(+)-exchanger activation). It's concluded that Mg2+ and Ca2+ as "universal regulators" of the cell effectively influence the functional activity and conformational states of Na+, K(+)-ATPase.     

Phenytoin Dephosphorylates the Catalytic Subunit of the (Na+,K+)-ATPase in C57/BL Mice

The effects of phenytoin, a potent antiepileptic drug, on the active transport of cations within membranes remain controversial. To assess the direct effects of phenytoin on the Na+,K+ pump, we studied the drug's influence on the phosphorylation of partially purified (Na+,K+)-ATPase from mouse brain. (Na+,K+)-ATPase subunits were resolved by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Phenytoin, in vitro, decreased net phosphorylation of the (Na+,K+)-ATPase catalytic subunit in a dose-dependent manner (approximately 50% at 10(-4) M). When the conversion of E1-P to E2-P, e.g., the two major phosphorylated conformational states of (Na+,K+)-ATPase, was blocked by oligomycin or N-ethylmaleimide, phenytoin had no effect. The results suggest that phenytoin acts on the phosphatasic component of the reaction cycle, decreasing the phosphorylation level of the enzyme.     

Effects of an ATP site affinity analog on some conformational and enzymatic properties of the canine kidney (Na+ + K+)-ATPase

We have shown previously that the canine kidney Na+,K+ pump [Na+ + K+)-ATPase) reacts with the ATP affinity analog p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine (FSBA). At 20 degrees C, we find the time-course of this reaction to be that predicted for a first-order reaction accompanied by competing solvolysis of the reagent. The FSBA-inactivated (Na+ + K+)-ATPase retains the ability to move between the E1 and E2 conformations that predominate in Na+ and K+ medium, respectively. Therefore, FSBA reaction with the enzyme does not interfere significantly with either its alkali metal cation binding or its conformational freedom. The ability of ATP to influence the enzyme's conformation by binding to the high-affinity nucleotide site is decreased, however, in proportion to the degree of inhibition of enzyme activity by FSBA. In addition, the ability of the enzyme to shift from the E1 to the E2 conformation through the (ATP + Na+)-dependent phosphorylation cycle is inhibited by FSBA treatment, as shown by the decreased ability of these substrates to stimulate the K+-dependent p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity. Both of these effects are consistent with specific reaction of FSBA with the ATP binding site of the enzyme. An additional effect of FSBA treatment is that it causes loss of p-nitrophenylphosphatase activity, but to a lesser extent than (Na+ + K+)-ATPase or Na+-ATPase activity. Binding of p-nitrophenylphosphate to the enzyme is apparently unaffected by FSBA treatment, since the Km for p-nitrophenylphosphate is not changed.     

The effect of cytoplasmic K+ on the activity of the Na+/K(+)-ATPase.

Experiments with the reconstituted (Na+ + K+)-ATPase show that besides the ATP-dependent cytoplasmic Na(+)-K+ competition for Na+ activation there is a high affinity inhibitory effect of cytoplasmic K+. In contrast to the high affinity K+ inhibition seen with the unsided preparation at a low ATP especially at a low temperature, the high affinity inhibition by cytoplasmic K+ does not disappear when the ATP concentration an-or the temperature is increased. The high affinity inhibition by cytoplasmic K+ is also observed with Cs+, Li+ or K+ as the extracellular cation, but the fractional inhibition is much less pronounced than with Na+ as the extracellular cation. The results suggest that either there are two populations of enzyme, one with the normal ATP dependent cytoplasmic Na(+)-K+ competition, and another which due to the preparative procedure has lost this ATP sensitivity. Or that the normal enzyme has two pathways for the transition from E2-P to E1ATP. One on which the enzyme with the translocated ion binds cytoplasmic K+ with a high affinity but not ATP, and another on which ATP is bound but not K+. A kinetic model which can accommodate this is suggested.