Chemical modification of sarcoplasmic reticulum. Stimulation of Ca2+ release.

Pretreatment of sarcoplasmic membranes with acetic or maleic anhydrides, which interact principally with amino groups, resulted in an inhibition of Ca2+ accumulation and ATPase activity. The presence of ATP, ADP or adenosine 5'-[beta, gamma-imido]triphosphate in the modification medium selectively protected against the inactivation of ATPase activity by the anhydride but did not protect against the inhibition of Ca2+ accumulation. Acetic anhydride modification in the presence of ATP appeared to increase specifically the permeability of the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane to Ca2+ but not to sucrose, Tris, Na+ or Pi. The chemical modification stimulated a rapid release of Ca2+ from sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles passively or actively loaded with calcium, from liposomes reconstituted with the partially purified ATPase fraction but not from those reconstituted with the purified ATPase. The inactivation of Ca2+ accumulation by acetic anhydride (in the presence of ATP) was rapid and strongly pH-dependent with an estimated pK value above 8.3 for the reactive group(s). The negatively charged reagents pyridoxal 5-phosphate and trinitrobenzene-sulphonate, which also interact with amino groups, did not stimulate Ca2+ release. Since these reagents do not penetrate the sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes, it is proposed that Ca2+ release is promoted by modification of internally located, positively charged amino group(s).     

Influence of nucleotides, cations and nucleoside triphosphatase inhibitors on the release of ribonucleic acid from isolated rat liver nuclei.

The reasons underlying reported discrepancies in the effects of ATP, ADP, adenosine 5'-[beta gamma-methylene]triphosphate, AMP + PPi, P-chloromercuribenzoate and F- on RNA efflux from isolated rat liver nuclei and on nuclear envelope nucleoside triphosphatase activity were investigated. The stimulatory effect of ADP was attributed to myokinase activity associated with the nuclei; this activity was eluted on repeated washing with nuclear incubation medium. In the absence of Ca2+ and Mn2+, ATP, adenosine 5'[beta gamma-methylene]triphosphate and AMP +PPi were found to promote release of both DNA and RNA. In the presence of 0.5 mM-Ca2+ and 9.3 mM-Mn2+, only ATP promoted RNA efflux to a significant extent. In the absence of spermidine, Ca2+ and Mn2+, nuclei released large quantities of DNA and RNA into the medium; this effect was promoted by p-chloromereuribenzoate. In the presence of the three cations, however, p-chloromercuribenzoate inhibited RNA efflux. F- caused a slight leakage of DNA from nuclei. The results are discussed in terms of models for the effects of ATP and analogues on RNA efflux and nuclear stability.     

Chemical modification of sarcoplasmic reticulum with methylbenzimidate. Stimulation of Ca2+ efflux.

Treatment of sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes with 12 mM-methylbenzimidate (MBI) for 5 min, in the presence of 5 mM-ATP at pH 8.5, resulted in a 2-3-fold stimulation of ATP hydrolysis and over 90% inhibition of Ca2+ accumulation. This phenomenon was strictly dependent upon the presence of nucleotides with the following order of effectiveness: adenosine 5'-[beta, gamma-imido]triphosphate greater than or equal to ATP greater than UTP greater than ADP greater than AMP. Divalent cations such as Ca2+, Mg2+ and Mn2+, when present during the MBI treatment, prevented both the stimulation of ATPase activity and the inhibition of Ca2+ accumulation. Modification with MBI had no effect on E-P formation from ATP, ADP-ATP exchange, Ca2+ binding or ATP-Pi exchange catalysed by the membranes. Membranes modified with MBI in the presence of ATP and then passively loaded with Ca2+ released about 80% of their Ca2+ content within 3 s. Control membranes released only 3% of their Ca2+ during the same time period. MBI modification inhibited Ca2+ accumulation by proteoliposomes reconstituted with the partially purified ATPase but not with the purified ATPase fraction. These results suggest that MBI in the presence of ATP stimulates Ca2+ release by modifying a protein factor(s) other than the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase.     

Investigation of the preferred Mg(II)-adenine-nucleotide complex at the active site of ectonucleotidases in intact vascular cells using phosphorothioate analogues of ADP and ATP

In the presence of Mg2+ the ecto-(nucleoside diphosphatase) on intact vascular endothelial or smooth muscle cells in culture selectively catabolizes the PS diastereoisomer of adenosine 5'-[alpha-thio]diphosphate, (PS)-ADP [alpha S], and the ecto-(nucleoside triphosphatase) selectively catabolizes the PS isomer of adenosine 5'-[beta-thio]triphosphate, (PR)-ATP[beta S], but exhibits no selectivity towards ATP[alpha S] isomers. In the presence of Cd2+ selectivity to ADP[alpha S] and to ATP[beta S] isomers is reversed; in the presence of Co2+, selectivity is lost. We conclude that each enzyme preferentially recognises the lambda (screw-sense) bidentate Mg(II)-nucleotide complex at its active site.     

Free pyrimidine nucleotide pool of Ehrlich ascites-tumour cells. Characteristics related to quantitative studies of RNA metabolism

The atractyloside-insensitive accumulation of adenine nucleotides by rat liver mitochondria (as opposed to the exchange-diffusion catalysed by the adenine nucleotide translocase) has been measured by using the luciferin/luciferase assay as well as by measuring [14C]ATP uptake. In foetal rat liver mitochondria ATP is accumulated more rapidly than ADP, whereas AMP is not taken up. The uptake of ATP occurs against a concentration gradient, and the rate of ATP uptake is greater in foetal than in adult rat liver mitochondria. The accumulated [14C]ATP is shown to be present within the mitochondrial matrix space and is freely available to the adenine nucleotide translocase for exchange with ATP present in the external medium. The uptake is specific for ATP and ADP and is not inhibited by adenosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido] triphosphate, GTP, CTP, cyclic AMP or Pi, whereas dATP and AMP do inhibit ATP accumulation. The ATP accumulation is also inhibited by carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, KCN and mersalyl but is insensitive to atractyloside. The ATP uptake is concentration-dependent and exhibits Michaelis-Menten kinetics. The divalent cations Mg2+ and Ca2+ greatly enhance ATP accumulation, and the presence of hexokinase inhibits the uptake of ATP by foetal rat liver mitochondria. These latter effects provide an explanation for the low adenine nucleotide content of foetal rat liver mitochondria and the rapid increase that occurs in the mitochondrial adenine nucleotide concentration in vivo immediately after birth.     

Inhibition of foetal pulmonary choline-phosphate cytidylyltransferase under conditions favouring protein phosphorylation.

Choline-phosphate cytidylyltransferase (EC 2.7.7.15) activity from 25- and 29-day-foetal rabbit lungs was inhibited in both the cytosolic and the microsomal fractions by preincubation with MgATP. The inhibition of the cytosolic enzyme was greater when measured with added phosphatidylglycerol (PG) than without (78-89% versus 50-55%), whereas the inhibition of the microsomal enzyme did not exhibit this distinction (66-72% versus 60-70%). When preincubated with the buffer alone, the cytosolic enzyme was activated to a greater extent by added PG than was the microsomal enzyme (13-14-fold versus 2-3-fold). However, after preincubation with MgATP, the cytosolic enzyme was activated to a smaller extent by added PG (3-6-fold). The inhibition of the enzyme by MgATP required a preincubation and was absent when ADP or AMP was substituted for ATP. Moreover, ATP analogues such as adenosine 5'-[beta, gamma-methylene]triphosphate and adenosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate also failed to inhibit the enzyme when substituted for ATP in the preincubation. The inhibition by MgATP was not affected by including cyclic AMP in the preincubation, but Ca2+ ions alone or plus diacylglycerol in the preincubation increased the inhibition slightly. The inhibition was abolished by including an inhibitor of cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase in the preincubation. These observations, taken collectively, point to the inhibition of foetal pulmonary cytidylyltransferase through the phosphorylation of a protein and suggest that this key enzyme in lung surfactant production may be regulated through this mechanism.     

Identification of P2Y purinoceptors associated with voltage-activated cation channels in cardiac ventricular myocytes of the rat

Extracellular ATP has vasodilatory and inotropic effects in the heart. We have demonstrated that extracellular ATP, in a concentration-dependent manner (10 nM-0.1 mM), increased [Ca2+]i in suspensions of isolated fura-2-loaded rat cardiac ventricular myocytes (maximum 96 +/- 10% increase over basal levels, SEM, n = 12, P less than 0.01). The increase in [Ca2+]i was often biphasic, with an initial fast phase (less than 1 s) of low amplitude, followed by a slower phase of higher amplitude. A second application of ATP had little effect, and ATP abolished the effect of subsequent electrical stimulations, even through the cells were still able to respond with an increase in [Ca2+]i to KCl-induced depolarization or stimulation by caffeine. Pretreatment of cells with nifedipine, verapamil, caffeine, ryanodine, or 8-(N,N-diethylamino)octyl 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate hydrochloride attenuated the effect of extracellular ATP on [Ca2+]i, and binding of extracellular free calcium by excess EGTA completely abolished the effects of extracellular ATP and electrical stimulation. Extracellular ATP increased bisoxonol fluorescence in ventricular myocytes, indicating depolarization of the sarcolemma. Pretreatment of the myocytes with tetrodotoxin (50 microM), or replacement of NaCl in the incubation buffer with the impermeant cation N-methyl-D-glucamine, suppressed the extracellular ATP effect on [Ca2+]i. ADP and AMP had smaller effects on [Ca2+]i than ATP; adenosine had no effect. ATP analogues showed the following rank order of potency in increasing [Ca2+]i or bisoxonol fluorescence: ATP greater than or equal to 2-methylthioATP much greater than adenosine 5'-O-[3-thio]triphosphate greater than adenosine 5'-[alpha, beta-methylene]triphosphate approximately adenosine 5'-[beta, gamma-methylene]triphosphate approximately adenosine 5'-[beta, gamma-imino]triphosphate greater than adenosine. These data are consistent with the presence of purinoceptors (P2Y subtype) on the sarcolemma of cardiac ventricular myocytes of the rat, which upon activation lead to depolarization and activation of cation channels of the sarcolemma and flux of extracellular Ca2+ into the cells. This may result in further flux of Ca2+ into the cytosol from intracellular stores. The effects of extracellular ATP on [Ca2+]i in rat cardiac ventricular myocytes may, in part, explain the direct inotropic effects of extracellular ATP on the mammalian heart.     

Cell-free lutropin-dependent desensitization of the lutropin-sensitive adenylate cyclase of pig ovarian follicles is dependent on ATP.

Experiments were conducted to clarify the nucleotide requirements for lutropin (LH)-dependent adenylate cyclase desensitization in a cell-free membrane preparation derived from a thecal-cell-enriched component of preovulatory pig ovarian follicles. The follicular membranes were extensively washed in 2M-urea to remove endogenously bound GTP, and ATP devoid of GTP was utilized. Results conducted in the presence of 60 microM-GTP and various concentrations of ATP confirm the dependence of LH-stimulated adenylate cyclase activation and desensitization on millimolar concentrations of ATP. In experiments in which adenylate cyclase activation was supported by Mg2+, LH and adenosine 5'-[beta, gamma-imido]triphosphate, GTP did not support the desensitization response. Moreover, although GTP increased both basal and LH-stimulable adenylate cyclase activities in a concentration-dependent manner, the percentage desensitization was not significantly modified by the presence of 10nM-10mM-GTP. These results demonstrate that, even in the presence of exogenous GTP and Mg2+, activation of adenylate cyclase by saturating concentrations of LH in the presence of adenosine 5'-[beta, gamma-imido]triphosphate is not sufficient to initiate desensitization; millimolar concentrations of ATP are also required for the adenylate cyclase desensitization response.     

Extracellular ATP4- promotes cation fluxes in the J774 mouse macrophage cell line

Extracellular ATP stimulates transmembrane ion fluxes in the mouse macrophage cell line J774. In the presence of Mg2+, nonhydrolyzable ATP analogs and other purine and pyrimidine nucleotides do not elicit this response, suggesting the presence of a specific receptor for ATP on the macrophage plasma membrane. One candidate for such a receptor is the ecto-ATPase expressed on these cells. We, therefore, investigated the role of this enzyme in ATP-induced 86Rb+ efflux in J774 cells. The ecto-ATPase had a broad nucleotide specificity and did not hydrolyze extracellular ATP in the absence of divalent cations. 86Rb+ efflux was not blocked by inhibition of the ecto-ATPase and did not require Ca2+ or Mg2+. In fact, ATP-stimulated 86Rb+ efflux was inhibited by Mg2+ and correlated with the availability of ATP4- in the medium. In the absence of divalent cations, the slowly hydrolyzable ATP analogs adenosine 5'-(beta, gamma-imido)triphosphate (AMP-PNP) and adenosine 5'-O-(3-thio)triphosphate (ATP-gamma-S) also stimulated 86Rb+ efflux, albeit at higher concentrations than that required for ATP4-. Exposure of J774 cells to 10 mM ATP for 45 min caused death of 95% of cells. By this means we selected variant J774 cells that did not exhibit 86Rb+ efflux in the presence of extracellular ATP but retained ecto-ATPase activity. These results show that the ecto-ATPase of J774 cells does not mediate the effects of ATP on these cells; that ATP4- and not MgATP2- promotes 86Rb+ efflux from these cells; and that hydrolysis of ATP is not required to effect this change in membrane permeability. These findings suggest that J774 cells possess a plasma membrane receptor which binds ATP4-, AMP-PNP, and ATP-gamma-S, and that the ecto-ATPase limits the effects of ATP on these cells by hydrolyzing Mg-ATP2-.     

Transient state kinetic studies of phosphorylation by ATP and Pi of the calcium-dependent ATPase from sarcoplasmic reticulum.

The ATPase of the sarcoplasmic reticulum is phosphorylated by ATP in the presence of Ca2+. A rapid phosphorylation was observed when the enzyme was preincubated with Ca2+ prior to the addition of 0.1 or 1 mM ATP. The rate of phosphorylation was decreased when Ca2+ was omitted from the preincubation medium and added with ATP when the reaction was started. The rate of phosphorylation by ATP was further decreased when Pi was included in the preincubation medium without Ca2+. In this case, the enzyme was phosphorylated by Pi during the preincubation. When Ca2+ and ATP were added, a burst of phosphorylation by ATP was observed in the initial 16 ms. In the subsequent incubation intervals, the phosphorylation by ATP was synchronous with the hydrolysis of the phosphoenzyme formed by Pi. The rate of hydrolysis of the phosphoenzyme formed by Pi was measured when either the Pi concentration was decreased 10 fold, or when Ca2+, ATP or ATP plus Ca2+ was added to the medium. Upon the single addition of Ca2+, the time for half-maximal decay was in the range 500--1000 ms. In all other conditions it was in the range 70--90 ms.     

Metabolism of D-myo-inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate by rat liver, including the synthesis of a novel isomer of myo-inositol tetrakisphosphate.

1. We have studied the metabolism of Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 (inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate) by rat liver homogenates incubated in a medium resembling intracellular ionic strength and pH. 2. Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 was dephosphorylated to a single inositol trisphosphate product, Ins(1,3,4)P3 (inositol 1,3,4-trisphosphate), the identity of which was confirmed by periodate degradation, followed by reduction and dephosphorylation to yield altritol. 3. The major InsP2 (inositol bisphosphate) product was inositol 3,4-bisphosphate [Shears, Storey, Morris, Cubitt, Parry, Michell & Kirk (1987) Biochem. J. 242, 393-402]. Small quantities of a second InsP2 product was also detected in some experiments, but its isomeric configuration was not identified. 4. The Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 5-phosphatase activity was primarily associated with plasma membranes. 5. ATP (5 mM) decreased the membrane-associated Ins(1,4,5)P3 5-phosphatase and Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 5-phosphatase activities by 40-50%. This inhibition was imitated by AMP, adenosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido]triphosphate, adenosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate or PPi, but not by adenosine or Pi. A decrease in [ATP] from 7 to 3 mM halved the inhibition of Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 5-phosphatase activity, but the extent of inhibition was not further decreased unless [ATP] less than 0.1 mM. 6. Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 5-phosphatase was insensitive to 50 mM-Li+, but was inhibited by 5 mM-2,3-bisphosphoglycerate. 7. The Ins(1,3,4,5)P4 5-phosphatase activity was unchanged by cyclic AMP, GTP, guanosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido]triphosphate or guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate, or by increasing [Ca2+] from 0.1 to 1 microM. 8. Ins(1,3,4)P3 was phosphorylated in an ATP-dependent manner to an isomer of InsP4 that was partially separable on h.p.l.c. from Ins(1,3,4,5)P4. The novel InsP4 appears to be Ins(1,3,4,6)P4. Its metabolic fate and function are not known.     

Chromium(III)ATP inactivating (Na+ + K+)-ATPase supports Na+-Na+ and Rb+-Rb+ exchanges in everted red blood cells but not Na+,K+ transport

The chromium(III) complex of ATP, an MgATP complex analogue, inactivates (Na+ + K+)-ATPase by forming a stable chromo-phosphointermediate. The rate constant k2 of inactivation at 37 degrees C of the beta, gamma-bidentate of CrATP is enhanced by Na+ (K0.5 = 1.08 mM), imidazole (K0.5 = 15 mM) and Mg2+ (K0.5 = 0.7 mM). These cations did not affect the dissociation constant of the enzyme-chromium-ATP complex. The inactive chromophosphoenzyme is reactivated slowly by high concentrations of Na+ at 37 degrees C. The half-maximal effect on the reactivation was reached at 40 mM NaCl, when the maximally observable reactivation was studied. However, 126 mM NaCl was necessary to see the half-maximal effect on the apparent reactivation velocity constant. K+ ions hindered the reactivation with a Ki of 70 microM. Formation of the chromophosphoenzyme led to a reduction of the Rb+ binding sites and of the capacity to occlude Rb+. The beta, gamma-bidentate of chromium(III)ATP (Kd = 8 microM) had a higher than the alpha, beta, gamma-tridentate of chromium(III)ATP (Kd = 44 microM) or the cobalt tetramine complex of ATP (Kd = 500 microM). The beta, gamma-bidentate of the chromium(III) complex of adenosine 5'-[beta, gamma-methylene]triphosphate also inactivated (Na+ + K+)ATPase. Although CrATP could not support Na+, K+ exchange in everted vesicles prepared from human red blood cells, it supported the Na+-Na+ and Rb+-Rb+ exchange. It is concluded that CrATP opens up Na+ and K+ channels by forming a relatively stable modified enzyme-CrATP complex. This stable complex is also formed in the presence of the chromium complex of adenosine 5'-[beta, gamma-methylene]triphosphate. Because the beta, gamma-bidentate of chromium ATP is recognized better than the alpha, beta, gamma-tridentate, it is concluded that the triphosphate site recognizes MgATP with a straight polyphosphate chain and that the Mg2+ resides between the beta- and the gamma-phosphorus. The enhancement of inactivation by Mg2+ and Na+ may be caused by conformational changes at the triphosphate site.     

Selective activation of Ca2+ influx by extracellular ATP in a pancreatic beta-cell line (HIT)

The action of exogenous ATP on cytoplasmic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) was studied in insulin secreting cells using fura-2. Stimulation of clonal pancreatic beta-cells (HIT) with ATP (range 2-20 microM) evoked a sustained elevation in [Ca2+]i. ATP selectively promoted Ca2+ influx and not Ca2+ mobilization since (1) the effect required external Ca1+ and (2) was observed in cells in which internal stores were depleted with ionomycin (3) the rate of Mn2+ influx, measured as the quenching of the fura-2 signal, was accelerated by ATP. The action of ATP was unaffected by the voltage-sensitive Ca2+ channel blockers nifedipine and verapamil as well as by a depolarizing concentration of K+. The effect on [Ca2+]i was highly specific for ATP since AMP, ADP, adenosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate, adenosine 5'-[beta, gamma-methylene]triphosphate, GTP and adenosine were ineffective. In normal pancreatic islet cells, both exogenous ATP (range 0.2-2 microM) and ADP induced a transient Ca2+ elevation that did not require external Ca2+. The nucleotide specificity of the effect on [Ca2+]i suggests that ATP activates P2 gamma purinergic receptors in normal beta-cells. Thus, ATP evokes a Ca2+ signal in clonal HIT cells and normal islet cells by different transducing systems involving distinct purinoreceptors. A novel mechanism for increasing [Ca2+]i by extracellular ATP is reported in HIT cells, since the nucleotide specificity and the selective activation of Ca2+ influx without mobilization of internal Ca2+ stores cannot be explained by mechanisms already described in other cell systems.     

Histamine and a guanine nucleotide increase calcium permeability in pig aortic microsomal fractions.

ATP-dependent Ca2+ accumulation was measured in pig aortic microsomal fractions containing plasmalemma and endoplasmic reticulum. In vesicles sonicated with histamine, to allow access to internally located receptor sites, guanosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido]triphosphate (p[NH]ppG), added to activate externally located guanine-nucleotide-transducing proteins, caused a concentration-dependent decrease in steady-state Ca2+ accumulation that was reversed by guanosine 5'-[beta-thio]diphosphate. In the presence of p[NH]ppG, sonication with histamine produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of Ca2+ accumulation that could be antagonized by the H1 antagonist mepyramine, but not by the H2 antagonist cimetidine. The inhibition of steady-state Ca2+ accumulation could have resulted from an inhibition of ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake or a stimulation of Ca2+ release. We observed, however, that p[NH]ppG plus histamine stimulated, rather than inhibited, Ca2(+)-ATPase activity. We concluded that p[NH]ppG and histamine acted together to increase Ca2+ permeability. In support of this, p[NH]ppG accelerated efflux of Ca2+ from passively loaded vesicles sonicated with, but not without, histamine. The effect of p[NH]ppG was unlikely to be due to Ins(1,4,5)P3 (and hence release from endoplasmic-reticulum vesicles), since addition of Ins(1,4,5)P3 to vesicles sonicated with histamine did not alter steady-state Ca2+ accumulation. Our results therefore suggest that histamine and p[NH]ppG increased the permeability of the plasmalemma vesicles and may thus model the process of receptor-mediated Ca2+ entry into intact cells.     

Mechanism of activation of phenylalanine and synthesis of P1, P4-bis(5'-adenosyl) tetraphosphate by yeast phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase

The activation of L-phenylalanine by yeast phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase using adenosine 5'-[(S)-alpha-17O,alpha,alpha-18O2]triphosphate is shown to proceed with inversion of configuration at P alpha of ATP. This observation taken together with the lack of positional isotope exchange when adenosine 5'-[beta,beta-18O2]triphosphate is incubated with the enzyme in the absence of phenylalanine and in the presence of the competitive inhibitor phenylalaninol indicates that activation of phenylalanine occurs by a direct "in-line" adenylyl-transfer reaction. In the presence of Zn2+, yeast phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase also catalyzes the phenylalanine-dependent hydrolysis of ATP to AMP and the synthesis of P1,P4-bis(5'-adenosyl) tetraphosphate (Ap4A). With adenosine 5'-[(S)-alpha-17O,alpha,alpha-18O2]triphosphate, the formation of AMP and Ap4A is shown to occur with inversion and retention of configuration, respectively. It is concluded that phenylalanyl adenylate is an intermediate in both processes, Zn2+ promoting AMP formation by hydrolytic cleavage of the C-O bond and Ap4A formation by displacement at phosphorus of phenylalanine by ATP.     

Distances between functional sites in cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (Ca2+ +Mg2+)-ATPase. Inter-lanthanide energy transfer

The high-affinity Ca2+-binding sites of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (Ca2+ +Mg2+)-ATPase have been probed using trivalent lanthanide ions. Non-radiative energy-transfer studies, using luminescent probe Eu3+ as a donor and Nd3+ or Pr3+ as acceptor, were carried out to estimate the distance between two high-affinity Ca2+-binding/transport sites. Eu3+ was excited directly with pulsed laser light and the energy-transfer efficiency to Nd3+ or Pr3+ was measured, under the conditions in which most donor-acceptor pairs occupied the high-affinity Ca2+ sites. The distance between two high-affinity Ca2+ sites is about 0.89 nm. In the presence of ATP the distance between the high-affinity sites is about 0.855 nm, whereas in the presence of adenosine 5'-[beta, gamma-methylene]triphosphate or adenosine 5'-[beta, gamma-imino]triphosphate the distance is about 0.895 nm. To estimate the distance between the high-affinity Ca2+ sites and ATP-binding/hydrolytic site, we have measured the energy-transfer efficiency between Eu3+ and Cr3+-ATP with Eu3+ at the high-affinity Ca2+ sites and Cr3+-ATP at the ATP-binding/hydrolytic site. Our results show that ATP-binding/hydrolytic site is separated by about 2.2 nm from each high-affinity Ca2+ site.     

ATP-Evoked Ca2+ Mobilisation and Prostanoid Release from Astrocytes: P2-Purinergic Receptors Linked to Phosphoinositide Hydrolysis

Astrocyte cultures prelabelled with either [3H]inositol or 45Ca2+ were exposed to ATP and its hydrolysis products. ATP and ADP, but not AMP and adenosine, produced increases in the accumulation of intracellular 3H-labelled inositol phosphates (IP), efflux of 45Ca2+, and release of thromboxane A2 (TXA2). Whereas ATP-stimulated 3H-IP accumulation was unaffected, its ability to promote TXA2 release was markedly reduced by mepacrine, an inhibitor of phospholipase A2 (PLA2). ATP-evoked 3H-IP production was also spared following treatment with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin. We conclude that ATP-induced phosphoinositide (PPI) breakdown and 45 Ca2+ mobilisation occurred in parallel with, if not preceded, the release of TXA2. Following depletion of intracellular Ca2+ with a brief preexposure to ATP in the absence of extracellular Ca2+, the release of TXA2 in response to a subsequent ATP challenge was greatly reduced when compared with control. These results suggest that mobilisation of cytosolic Ca2+ may be the stimulus for PLA2 activation and, thus, TXA2 release. Stimulation of alpha 1-adrenoceptors also caused PPI breakdown and 45 Ca2+ efflux but not TXA2 release. The effects of ATP and noradrenaline (NA) on 3H-IP accumulation were additive, but their combined ability to increase 45Ca2+ efflux was not. Interestingly, in the presence of NA, ATP-stimulated TXA2 release was reduced. Our data provide evidence that functional P2-purinergic receptors are present on astrocytes and that ATP is the first physiologically relevant stimulus found to initiate prostanoid release from these cells.     

Reversible inhibition of (Na+, K+) ATPase by Mg2+, adenosine triphosphate, and K+.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis catalyzed by the plasma membrane (Na+,K+)ATPase isolated from several sources was inhibited by Mg+, provided that K+ and ATP were also present. Phosphorylation of the adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) by ATP and by inorganic phosphate was also inhibited, as was p-nitrophenyl phosphatase activity. (Ethylenedinitrilo)tetraacetic acid (EDTA) and catecholamines protected from and reversed the inhibition of ATP hydrolysis by Mg2+, K+ and ATP. EDTA was protected by chelation of Mg2+ but catecholamines acted by some other mechanism. The specificities of various nucleotides as inhibitors (in conjunction with Mg2+ and K+) and as substrates for the (Na+, K+) ATPase were strikingly different. ATP, ADP, beta,gamma-CH2-ATP and alpha,beta-CH2-ADP were active as inhibitors, whereas inosine, cytidine, uridine, and guanosine triphosphates (ITP, CTP, UTP, and GTP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) were not. On the other hand, ATP and CTP were substrates and beta,gamma-NH-ATP was a competitive inhibitor of ATP hydrolysis, but not an inhibitor in conjunction with Mg2+ and K+. The Ca2+-ATPase from sarcoplasmic reticulum and F1, the Mg2+-ATPase from the inner mitochondrial membrane, were also inhibited by Mg2+. Catecholamines reversed inhibition of the Ca2+-ATPase, but not that of F1.     

Interaction of cerebral-cortical membranes with exogenously added phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate. Effects on measured phospholipase C activity.

Exogenously added phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdInsP2) is rapidly associated with cerebral-cortical membranes. Substrate association with membranes was promoted by Mg2+, but inhibited by bivalent chelators. Once associated with the membrane, the PtdInsP2 was resistant to displacement by EDTA. The apparent phospholipase C activity was dependent on the degree of association of substrate with membranes. After preincubation of membranes with substrate, PtdInsP2 hydrolysis was independent of the incubation volume, indicating that substrate and membrane-associated phospholipase C were not independently diluted. Hydrolysis of the membrane-associated substrate was stimulated by Ca2+, guanosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido]triphosphate (p[NH]ppG), guanosine 5'[gamma-thio]triphosphate and carbachol in the presence of p[NH]ppG. Carbachol in the absence of guanine nucleotides, GDP, GTP, ATP and pyrophosphate was ineffective. These results demonstrate that exogenously added PtdInsP2 substrate is rapidly associated with membranes and hydrolysed by a phospholipase C whose activity is regulated by guanine nucleotides and agonist in the presence of guanine nucleotides. Use of exogenously added substrate for studies on the regulation of membrane phospholipase C requires consideration as to possible effects of incubation conditions on the partitioning of substrate into membranes.     

Reversal of the sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase cycle by substituting various cations for magnesium. Phosphorylation and ATP synthesis when Ca2+ replaces Mg2+

Reversal of the cycle of sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase starts from ATPase phosphorylation by Pi, in the presence of Mg2+, and leads to ATP synthesis. We show here that ATP can also be synthesized when Ca2+ replaces Mg2+. In the absence of a calcium gradient and in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide, ATPase phosphorylation from Pi and Ca2+ led to the formation of an unstable phosphoenzyme. This instability was due to a competition between the phosphorylation reaction induced by Pi and Ca2+ and the transition induced by Ca2+ binding to the transport sites, which led to a conformation that could not be phosphorylated from Pi. Dimethyl sulfoxide and low temperature stabilized the calcium phosphoenzyme, which under appropriate conditions, subsequently reacted with ADP to synthesize ATP. Substitution of Co2+, Mn2+, Cd2+, or Ni2+ for Mg2+ induced ATPase phosphorylation from Pi, giving phosphoenzymes of various stabilities. However, substitution of Ba2+, Sr2+, or Cr3+ produced no detectable phosphoenzymes, under the same experimental conditions. Our results show that ATPase phosphorylation from Pi, like its phosphorylation from ATP, does not have a strict specificity for magnesium.