Studies on the active site of the Neurospora crassa plasma membrane H+-ATPase with periodate-oxidized nucleotides

The Neurospora crassa plasma membrane H+-ATPase is inactivated by the periodate-oxidized nucleotides, oATP, oADP, and oAMP, with oAMP the most effective. Inhibition of the ATPase is essentially irreversible, because Sephadex G-50 column chromatography of the oAMP-treated ATPase does not result in a reversal of the inhibition. Inhibition of the ATPase by oAMP is protected against by the H+-ATPase substrate ATP, the product ADP, and the competitive inhibitors TNP (2',3'-O-(2,4,6-trinitrocyclohexadienylidine)-ATP and TNP-ADP, suggesting that oAMP inhibition occurs at the nucleotide binding site of the enzyme. The rate of inactivation of the ATPase by oAMP is only slightly affected by EDTA, indicating that the oAMP interaction with the nucleotide binding site of the H+-ATPase occurs in the absence of a divalent cation. The protection against oAMP inhibition by ADP is likewise unaffected by EDTA. The inhibition of the ATPase by oAMP is absolutely dependent on the presence of acidic phospholipids or acidic lysophospholipids known to be required for H+-ATPase activity, suggesting that these lipids either aid in the formation of the nucleotide binding site or render it accessible. Incubation of the ATPase with Mg2+ plus vanadate, which locks the enzyme in a conformation resembling the transition state of the enzyme dephosphorylation reaction, completely protects against inhibition by oAMP, suggesting that in this transition state conformation the nucleotide site either does not exist, or is inaccessible to oAMP. Labeling studies with [14C] oAMP indicate that the incorporation of 1 mol of oAMP is sufficient to cause complete inactivation of the ATPase.     

Inhibition of an ecto-ATP-diphosphohydrolase by azide.

Cell surface ATPases (ecto-ATPases or E-ATPases) hydrolyze extracellular ATP and other nucleotides. Regulation of extracellular nucleotide concentration is one of their major proposed functions. Based on enzymatic characterization, the E-ATPases have been divided into two subfamilies, ecto-ATPases and ecto-ATP-diphosphohydrolases (ecto-ATPDases). In the presence of either Mg2+ or Ca2+, ecto-ATPDases, including proteins closely related to CD39, hydrolyze nucleoside diphosphates in addition to nucleoside triphosphates and are inhibited by millimolar concentrations of azide, whereas ecto-ATPases appear to lack these two properties. This report presents the first systematic kinetic study of a purified ecto-ATPDase, the chicken oviduct ecto-ATPDase (Strobel, R.S., Nagy, A.K., Knowles, A.F., Buegel, J. & Rosenberg, M.O. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 16323-16331), with respect to ATP and ADP, and azide inhibition. Km values for ATP obtained at pH 6.4 and 7.4 are 10-30 times lower than for ADP and the catalytic efficiency is greater with ATP as the substrate. The enzyme also exhibits complicated behavior toward azide. Variable inhibition by azide is observed depending on nucleotide substrate, divalent ion, and pH. Nearly complete inhibition by 5 mm azide is obtained when MgADP is the substrate and when assays are conducted at pH 6-6.4. Azide inhibition diminishes when ATP is the substrate, Ca2+ as the activating ion, and at higher pH. The greater efficacy of azide in inhibiting ADP hydrolysis compared to ATP hydrolysis may be related to the different modes of inhibition with the two nucleotide substrates. While azide decreases both Vmax and Km for ADP, it does not alter the Km for ATP. These results suggest that the apparent affinity of azide for the E.ADP complex is significantly greater than that for the free enzyme or E.ATP. The response of the enzyme to three other inhibitors, fluoride, vanadate, and pyrophosphate, is also dependent on substrate and pH. Taken together, these results are indicative of a discrimination between ADP and ATP by the enzyme. A mechanism of azide inhibition is proposed.     

Regulation of the activity of mung bean (Phaseolus aureus) glutamine synthetase by amino acids and nucleotides.

The activity of glutamine synthetase isolated from the germinated seedlings of Phaseolus aureus was regulated by feedback inhibition by alanine, glycine, histidine, AMP, and ADP. When glutamate was the varied substrate, alanine, histidine, and glycine were partial noncompetitive, competitive, and mixed-type inhibitors, respectively. The type of inhibition by these amino acids was confirmed by fractional inhibition analysis. The adenine nucleotides, AMP and ADP, completely inhibited the enzyme activity and were competitive with respect to ATP. Multiple inhibition analyses revealed the presence of separate and nonexclusive binding sites for the amino acids and mutually exclusive sites for adenine nucleotides. Cumulative inhibition was observed with these end products.     

The equilibrium constant and the reversibility of the reaction catalysed by nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide kinase from pigeon liver.

The reversibility of the NAD+ kinase reaction was established, and the kinetic parameters of the rate equation in the reverse direction were determined. The equilibrium constant of the reaction was determined by using the purified pigeon liver enzyme and radioactively labelled nicotinamide nucleotides. The relationship between kinetic parameters of the forward and reverse reactions is in reasonable agreement with the measured equilibrium constant. As expected from the proposed mechanism of action, the enzyme does not catalyse isotope exchange between NAD+ and NADP+ in the absence of ADP and ATP. Although homogeneous as judged by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, the enzyme preparation exhibits ADP/ATP isotope-exchange activity which could not be separated from NAD+ kinase activity, but kinetic evidence suggests that this is probably due to a contaminant.     

Kinetic mechanism of phosphofructokinase-2 from Escherichia coli. A mutant enzyme with a different mechanism

The kinetic mechanisms of Escherichia coli phosphofructokinase-2 (Pfk-2) and of the mutant enzyme Pfk-2 were investigated. Initial velocity studies showed that both enzymes have a sequential kinetic mechanism, indicating that both substrates must bind to the enzyme before any products are released. For Pfk-2, the product inhibition kinetics was as follows: fructose-1,6-P2 was a competitive inhibitor versus fructose-6-P at two ATP concentrations (0.1 and 0.4 mM), and noncompetitive versus ATP. The other product inhibition patterns, ADP versus either ATP or fructose-6-P were noncompetitive. Dead-end inhibition studies with an ATP analogue, adenylyl imidodiphosphate, showed uncompetitive inhibition when fructose-6-P was the varied substrate. For Pfk-2, the product inhibition studies revealed that ADP was a competitive inhibitor versus ATP at two fructose-6-P concentrations (0.05 and 0.5 mM), and noncompetitive versus fructose-6-P. The other product, fructose-1, 6-P2, showed noncompetitive inhibition versus both substrates, ATP and fructose-6-P. Sorbitol-6-P, a dead-end inhibitor, exhibited competitive inhibition versus fructose-6-P and uncompetitive versus ATP. These results are in accordance with an Ordered Bi Bi reaction mechanism for both enzymes. In the case of Pfk-2, fructose-6-P would be the first substrate to bind to the enzyme, and fructose-1,6-P2 the last product to be released. For Pfk-2, ATP would be the first substrate to bind to the enzyme, and APD the last product to be released.     

Membrane bound and soluble adenosine triphosphatase of Escherichia coli K 12. kinetic properties of the basal and trypsin-stimulated activities

Basal and trypsin-stimulated adenosine triphosphatase activities of Escherichia coli K 12 have been characterized at pH 7.5 in the membrane-bound state and in a soluble form of the enzyme. The saturation curve for Mg2+/ATP = 1/2 was hyperbolic with the membrane-bound enzyme and sigmoidal with the soluble enzyme. Trypsin did not modify the shape of the curves. The kinetic parameters were for the membrane-bound ATPase: apparent Km = 2.5 mM, Vmax (minus trypsin) = 1.6 mumol-min-1-mg protein-1, Vmax (plus trypsin) = 2.44 mumol-min-1-mg protein-1; for the soluble ATPase: [S0.5] = 1.2 mM, Vmax (-trypsin) = 4 mumol-min-1-mg protein-1; Vmax (+ trypsin) = 6.6 mumol-min-1-mg protein-1. Hill plot analysis showed a single slope for the membrane-bound ATPase (n = 0.92) but two slopes were obtained for the soluble enzyme (n = 0.98 and 1.87). It may suggest the existence of an initial positive cooperativity at low substrate concentrations followed by a lack of cooperativity at high ATP concentrations. Excess of free ATP and Mg2+ inhibited the ATPase but excess of Mg/ATP (1/2) did not. Saturation for ATP at constant Mg2+ concentration (4 mM) showed two sites (groups) with different Kms: at low ATP the values were 0.38 and 1.4 mM for the membrane-bound and soluble enzyme; at high ATP concentrations they were 17 and 20 mM, respectively. Mg2+ saturation at constant ATP (8 mM) revealed michealian kinetics for the membrane-bound ATPase and sigmoid one for the protein in soluble state. When the ATPase was assayed in presence of trypsin we obtained higher Km values for Mg2+. These results might suggest that trypsin stimulates E. coli ATPase by acting on some site(s) involved in Mg2+ binding. Adenosine diphosphate and inorganic phosphate (Pi) act as competitive inhibitors of Escherichia coli ATPase. The Ki values for Pi were 1.6 +/- 0.1 mM for the membrane-bound ATPase and 1.3 +/- 0.1 mM for the enzyme in soluble form, the Ki values for ADP being 1.7 mM and 0.75 mM for the membrane-bound and soluble ATPase, respectively. Hill plots of the activity of the soluble enzyme in presence of ADP showed that ADP decreased the interaction coefficient at ATP concentrations below its Km value. Trypsin did not modify the mechanism of inhibition or the inhibition constants. Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (0.4 mM) inhibited the membrane-bound enzyme by 60-70% but concentrations 100 times higher did not affect the residual activity nor the soluble ATPase. This inhibition was independent of trypsin. Sodium azide (20 muM) inhibited both states of E. coli ATPase by 50%. Concentrations 25-fold higher were required for complete inhibition. Ouabain, atebrin and oligomycin did not affect the bacterial ATPase.     

Adenine nucleotides as allosteric effectors of pea seed glutamine synthetase

The effects of adenine nucleotides on pea seed glutamine synthetase (EC 6.3.1.2) activity were examined as a part of our investigation of the regulation of this octameric plant enzyme. Saturation curves for glutamine synthetase activity versus ATP with ADP as the changing fixed inhibitor were not hyperbolic; greater apparent Vmax values were observed in the presence of added ADP than the Vmax observed in the absence of ADP. Hill plots of data with ADP present curved upward and crossed the plot with no added ADP. The stoichiometry of adenine nucleotide binding to glutamine synthetase was examined. Two molecules of [gamma-32P]ATP were bound per subunit in the presence of methionine sulfoximine. These ATP molecules were bound at an allosteric site and at the active site. One molecule of either [gamma-32P]ATP or [14C]ADP bound per subunit in the absence of methionine sulfoximine; this nucleotide was bound at an allosteric site. ADP and ATP compete for binding at the allosteric site, although ADP was preferred. ADP binding to the allosteric site proceeded in two kinetic phases. A Vmax value of 1.55 units/mg was measured for glutamine synthetase with one ADP tightly bound per enzyme subunit; a Vmax value of 0.8 unit/mg was measured for enzyme with no adenine nucleotide bound at the allosteric site. The enzyme activation caused by the binding of ADP to the allosteric sites was preceded by a lag phase, the length of which was dependent on the ADP concentration. Enzyme incubated in 10 mM ADP bound approximately 4 mol of ADP/mol of native enzyme before activation was observed; the activation was complete when 7-8 mol of ADP were bound per mol of the octameric, native enzyme. The Km for ATP (2 mM) was not changed by ADP binding to the allosteric sites. ADP was a simple competitive inhibitor (Ki = 0.05 mM) of ATP for glutamine synthetase with eight molecules of ADP tightly bound to the allosteric sites of the octamer. Binding of ATP to the allosteric sites led to marked inhibition.     

Binding of adenine nucleotides to the purified 13S coupling factor of bacterial oxidative phosphorylation.

The 13S coupling factor of oxidative phosphorylation from Alcaligenes faecalis forms an unusually stable complex with ADP which can be isolated by simple gel filtration. Most preparations of enzyme exhibit an apparent binding ratio of 1 mol of ADP per mol of enzyme with a dissociation constant of approximately 15 μm. One mol of adenylyl imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP) also binds, with a dissociation constant of about 3 μm. A constant could not be obtained from ATP binding studies because this nucleotide is hydrolyzed by the enzyme. Competition studies suggest that both ADP and AMP-PNP bind to the same site. Bound nucleotides are in a very slow equilibrium with free nucleotides, with a turnover time of 1–2 h. The rate of radionucleotide dissociation from the isolated enzyme-nucleotide complex increases when unlabeled nucleotide is added, suggesting that binding of nucleotide to one site on the enzyme allosterically promotes dissociation of nucleotide from another site. A nucleotide-induced “flip-flop” type of oscillation of the properties of the nucleotide binding sites on the coupling factor is proposed. From a comparison of the kinetic parameters of the intrinsic adenosinetriphosphatase activity and the nucleotide binding parameters of the enzyme population in toto, it is suggested that the enzyme exhibits functional polymorphism.     

Isolation and properties of porcine thyroid fucokinase.

A 23 000-fold purification of porcine fucokinase (ATP:6-deoxy-L-galactose 1-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.52) has been achieved using a combination of ion-exchange, hydrophobic ligand, affinity, hydroxyapatite and molecular sieve chromatography. The enzyme was determined to have a subunit molecular weight of 78 180 +/- 4260 by sodium dodecyl sulfate chromatography and a tetrameric molecular weight of 309 200 +/- 4100 in the active state as determined by molecular sieve chromatography. The enzyme exhibits a single pH optimum at a pH value of 6.5 and gives evidence of a high order of specificity for L-fucose and ATP. The enzyme requires a divalent metal ion and this need is best satisfied by Mg2+. The activity of the enzyme is modified by a number of nucleotides. ADP is an enzyme inhibitor competitive with ATP. GDP-beta-L-fucose is also an inhibitor and appears to compete with L-fucose. GDP-alpha-D-mannose stimulates the enzyme. A possible role for the actions of these nucleotide sugars is discussed.     

Steady state kinetic studies of purified yeast plasma membrane proton-translocating ATPase

The plasma membrane H+-ATPase from bakers' yeast was purified and reconstituted with phosphatidylserine. The steady state kinetics of ATP hydrolysis catalyzed by the H+-ATPase were studied over a wide range of Mg2+ and ATP concentrations. Whereas MgATP was the substrate hydrolyzed, excess concentrations of either Mg2+ or ATP were inhibitory. The dependence of the steady state initial velocity of ATP hydrolysis on the concentration of MgATP at a fixed concentration of Mg2+ was sigmoidal rather than hyperbolic. This precluded mechanisms involving only activation and inhibition by Mg2+ and competitive inhibition by ATP. Two alternative interpretations of these results are: 1) the enzyme possesses multiple catalytic sites which interact cooperatively; or 2) the enzyme can exist in multiple conformational states which catalyze MgATP hydrolysis by parallel pathways. The rate laws for both mechanisms are identical so that the two mechanisms cannot be distinguished on the basis of the kinetic data. The data are well fit by the rate law for these mechanisms with the inclusion of competitive inhibition by Mg2+ and ATP and an independent inhibition site for Mg2+.     

Energy-dependent exchange of adenine nucleotides on chloroplast coupling factor (CF1)

1. [¹⁴C]ADP is incorporated into washed broken chloroplasts in the light. The bound labelled nucleotides which cannot be removed by washing are almost exclusively related to coupling factor CF₁. [¹⁴C]ADP binding exhibits a monophasic concentration curve with a K_m of 2 μM.2. By illumination of the chloroplasts, previously incorporated labelled nucleotides are released. A fast release is obtained in the presence of unlabelled ADP and ATP, indicating an energy-dependent exchange. A slow and incomplete release is induced by light in the absence of unlabelled adenine nucleotides. Obviously, under those conditions, an adenine nucleotide depleted CF₁ conformation is established.3. Re-binding of [¹⁴C]ADP by depleted membranes is an energy-independent process. Even after solubilization of adenylate-depleted CF₁, [¹⁴C]ADP is incorporated into the protein. By re-binding of ADP in the dark, CF₁ is converted to a non-exchangeable form.4. Energy-dependent adenine nucleotide exchange on CF₁ is suggested to include three different conformational states of the enzyme: (1) a stable, non-exchangeable form which contains firmly bound nucleotides, is converted to (2), an unstable form containing loosely bound adenine nucleotides. This conformation allows adenylate exchange; it is in equilibrium with (3) a metastable, adenylate-depleted form. The transition from state (1) to state (2) is the energy-requiring step.     

The inhibition of isocitrate oxidation by palmitoyl-l-carnitine and palmitoyl-C0 A in rat liver mitochondria.

Palmitoyl-L carnitine decreases the oxidation of isocitrate in rat liver mitochondria in state 3 by 25-30%. Palmitoyl-L-carnitine acts as an additional substrate raising the rate of oxidative phosphorylation, NAD reduction and ATP/ADP ratio in mitochondria. Palmitoyl-CoA added to mitochondria oxidizing isocitrate in state 3 causes a strong inhibition of isocitrate oxidation and of oxidative phosphorylation and a considerable elevation of intramitochondrial NADH/NAD and ATP/ADP ratios. The effect of palmitoyl-CoA is dependent on its concentration and is competitive with ADP. Carnitine restores only oxidative phosphorylation, but the oxidation of isocitrate remains inhibited. Evidence is presented that the transport of isocitrate is not affected by palmitoyl-CoA is due to the inhibition of adenine nucleotide translocation. The kinetic studies of NAD-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase in the soluble fraction of sonicated mitochondria revealed that the enzyme is very sensitive towards the inhibition by NADH and only very slightly affected by ATP (Ki for NADH and ATP are 0.017 and 3.6 mM respectively). On the basis of the kinetic data the relative contribution of NADH and ATP in the inhibition of isocitrate oxidation by fatty acids was calculated. It is concluded that the inhibition of isocitrate oxidation caused by palmitoyl-L-carnitine and palmitoyl-CoA is primarily due to the increased reduction of NAD, whereas the increase of ATP/ADP ratio is much less important.     

Steady state kinetics of soluble and membrane-bound mitochondrial ATPase

Steady state kinetic measurements of the rate of hydrolysis of ATP to ADP and inorganic phosphate by beef heart mitochondrial ATPase have been performed with both the solubilized enzyme and with the enzyme attached to a mitochondrial membrane fraction at 25° in 0.1 M NaCl with Mg²⁺ as the metal ion activator. These studies indicate the ATP Michaelis constants are somewhat larger for the soluble enzyme and the turnover numbers are considerably larger. In addition, the steady state parameters are essentially independent of pH over the range 7–9 for the membrane-bound enzyme, while the turnover number for the soluble enzyme varies considerably with pH. The product, ADP, is a competitive inhibitor of ATP and inhibits the soluble enzyme much more strongly than the membrane-bound enzyme. Oligomycin inhibits the membrane-bound enzyme very strongly, but has no effect on the activity of the soluble enzyme. The oligomycin inhibition is noncompetitive in nature.     

ATPase of bovine heart mitochondria. Modulation of ITPase activity by ATP, ADP, acetyl ATP and acetyl AMP

(1) Mitochondrial ATPase (F1) is influenced by specific nucleotides in its kinetic behavior towards its substrates. In this work, initial hydrolysis rates, as well as continuous reaction progress, were measured by recording proton production (equivalent to triphosphate hydrolysis). (2) After preincubation with ATP, F1 hydrolyzes MgITP partly as if it were MgATP, with respect to temperature dependence and 2,4-dinitrophenol inhibition/stimulation. (3) Acetyl ATP is a competitive inhibitor versus ATP on the F1-ATPase. With F1 which has been freed of ambient ATP by repeated precipitations with ammonium sulfate the Ki of acetyl ATP is 400 nM. (4) F1-ATPase which was depleted of bound nucleotides in the presence of glycerol (Garret, N.E. and Penefsky, H.S. (1975) J. Biol. Chem. 250, 6640-6647) was preincubated with ADP and acetyl ATP. These preparations were assayed for hydrolytic activity with MgITP as substrate. Compared to a nonpreincubated control enzyme, the hydrolysis with these preparations was first stimulated, then inhibited. This stimulation/inhibition effect is most pronounced at 10 degrees C, but is also observed at 20 degrees C. (5) When nucleotide-depleted enzyme is preincubated with acetyl AMP, its ability to hydrolyze MgITP slowly decreases to approx. 50% after 60 min. This effect is reversed by further preincubation with acetyl ATP. It is speculated that under appropriate conditions AMP may exist or arise in a buried position on F1-ATPase, and act there as an inhibitor of MgITP hydrolysis.     

Adenylate deaminase from rat muscle. Regulation by purine nucleotides and orthophosphate in the presence of 150 mM KCl.

Adenylate deaminase from rat skeletal muscle has been studied with the objective of understanding how the activity of the enzyme is regulated in vivo. ATP and GTP inhibit the enzyme at low concentrations in the presence of 150 mM KCl. The ATP inhibition is reversed as the ATP concentration is raised to physiological levels. The GTP inhibition is reversed as the GTP concentration is raised to unphysiologically high levels. In the presence of physiological concentrations of ATP, the GTP inhibition is also greatly diminished, but inhibition by orthophosphate remains strong. The apparent affinities of the enzyme for GTP, ATP, and orthophosphate are reduced as the pH is decreased from 7.0 to 6.2. ADP also reduces the apparent affinities of the enzyme for the inhibitors. The regulatory effects of GTP, ATP, and ADP are produced primarily by their unchelated forms. Comparison of the kinetic behavior of the enzyme in vitro with metabolite concentrations in vivo indicates that the major variables that regulate the activity of adenylate deaminase of muscle in vivo are the concentrations of AMP, ADP, orthophosphate, and H+.     

Steady state kinetics of soluble and membrane-bound mitochondrial ATPase

Steady state kinetic measurements of the rate of hydrolysis of ATP to ADP and inorganic phosphate by beef heart mitochondrial ATPase have been performed with both the solubilized enzyme and with the enzyme attached to a mitochondrial membrane fraction at 25° in 0.1 M NaCl with Mg²⁺ as the metal ion activator. These studies indicate the ATP Michaelis constants are somewhat larger for the soluble enzyme and the turnover numbers are considerably larger. In addition, the steady state parameters are essentially independent of pH over the range 7–9 for the membrane-bound enzyme, while the turnover number for the soluble enzyme varies considerably with pH. The product, ADP, is a competitive inhibitor of ATP and inhibits the soluble enzyme much more strongly than the membrane-bound enzyme. Oligomycin inhibits the membrane-bound enzyme very strongly, but has no effect on the activity of the soluble enzyme. The oligomycin inhibition is noncompetitive in nature.     

Some regulatory properties of pea leaf carbamoyl phosphate synthetase

Carbamoyl phosphate synthetase of pea shoots (Pisum sativum L.) was purified 101-fold. Its stability was greatly increased by the addition of substrates and activators. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by micromolar amounts of UMP (Ki less than 2 mum). UDP, UTP, TMP, and ADP were also inhibitory. AMP caused either slight activation (under certain conditions) or was inhibitory. Uridine nucleotides were competitive inhibitors, as was AMP, while ADP was a noncompetitive inhibitor. Enzyme activity was increased manyfold by the activator ornithine. Ornithine acted by increasing the affinity for Mg.ATP by a factor of 8 or more. Other activators were IMP, GMP, ITP, and GTP, IMP, like ornithine, increased the Michaelis constant for Mg.ATP. The activators ornithine, GMP, and IMP (but not GTP and ITP) completely reversed inhibition caused by pyrimidine nucleotides while increasing the inhibition caused by ADP and AMP.     

Extracellular ATP formation on vascular endothelial cells is mediated by ecto-nucleotide kinase activities via phosphotransfer reactions.

Cell surface ecto-nucleotidases are considered the major effector system for inactivation of extracellular adenine nucleotides, whereas the alternative possibility of ATP synthesis has received little attention. Using a TLC assay, we investigated the main exchange activities of 3H-labeled adenine nucleotides on the cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Stepwise nucleotide degradation to adenosine occurred when a particular nucleotide was present alone, whereas combined cell treatment with ATP and either [3H]AMP or [3H]ADP caused unexpected phosphorylation of 3H-nucleotides via the backward reactions AMP --> ADP --> ATP. The following two groups of nucleotide-converting ecto-enzymes were identified based on inhibition and substrate specificity studies: 1) ecto-nucleotidases, ATP-diphosphohydrolase, and 5'-nucleotidase; 2) ecto-nucleotide kinases, adenylate kinase, and nucleoside diphosphate kinase. Ecto-nucleoside diphosphate kinase possessed the highest activity, as revealed by comparative kinetic analysis, and was capable of using both adenine and nonadenine nucleotides as phosphate donors and acceptors. The transphosphorylation mechanism was confirmed by direct transfer of the gamma-phosphate from [gamma-32P]ATP to AMP or nucleoside diphosphates and by measurement of extracellular ATP synthesis using luciferin-luciferase luminometry. The data demonstrate the coexistence of opposite, ATP-consuming and ATP-generating, pathways on the cell surface and provide a novel mechanism for regulating the duration and magnitude of purinergic signaling in the vasculature.     

Mitochondrial F1-ATPase will bind and cleave ATP but only slowly release ADP after N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide or 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole derivatization

The ATPase from the inner mitochondrial membrane is known to be inhibited by modification of one of the three catalytic subunits with N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) or 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole. An experimental approach described in this paper shows that most of the residual ATPase activity observed after the usual DCCD or 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole modification is due to the presence of unmodified enzyme, although the large fraction of modified enzyme retains a weak catalytic activity. This weak catalytic activity can be stimulated by methanol or dimethyl sulfoxide. When the modified enzymes are exposed to Mg2+ and [3H]ATP, about equal amounts of [3H]ATP and [3H]ADP appear at catalytic sites. The turnover rate for these enzymes is less than 1/1000 that of the native enzyme when it is calculated from the rate at which the enzyme becomes labeled at the catalytic sites with [3H]ATP and [3H]ADP during steady state hydrolysis. In addition, a higher ATP concentration is required for steady state turnover and, after ATP binding, the principal rate-limiting step is the capacity of the derivatized enzyme to undergo the binding changes necessary for the release of ADP and Pi. When the modified enzymes are not hydrolyzing ATP, they convert to form(s) that show a distinct lag in the replacement of bound nucleotides at catalytic sites. The replacement of bound nucleotides is still promoted by MgATP, even though the enzymes have been converted to sluggish forms. Contrary to a recent suggestion based on the study of the DCCD-modified enzyme (Soong, K.S., and Wang, J.H. (1984) Biochemistry 23, 136-141), our data provide evidence for the existence of catalytic cooperatively between at least two alternating sites in the modified enzyme and are consistent with continued sequential participation of all three sites.     

Evaluation by steady-state enzyme kinetics of the role of tightly bound nucleotides during photophosphorylation

The ATP synthetase of chloroplast membranes binds ADP and ATP with high affinity, and the binding becomes quasi-irreversible under certain conditions. One explanation of the function of these nucleotides is that they are transiently tightly bound during ATP synthesis as part of the catalytic process, and that the release of tightly bound ATP from one catalytic site is promoted when ADP and P(i) bind to a second catalytic site on the enzyme. Alternatively, it is possible that the tightly bound nucleotides are not catalytic, but instead have some regulatory function. We developed steady-state rate equations for both these models for photophosphorylation and tested them with experiments where two alternative substrates, ADP and GDP, were phosphorylated simultaneously. It was impossible to fit the results to the equations that assumed a catalytic role for tightly bound nucleotides, whether we assumed that both ADP and GDP, or only ADP, are phosphorylated by a mechanism involving substrate-induced release of product from another catalytic site. On the other hand, the equations derived from the regulatory-site model that we tested were able to fit all the results relatively well and in an internally consistent manner. We therefore conclude that the tightly bound nucleotides most likely do not derive from catalytic intermediates of ATP synthesis, but that substrate (and possibly also product) probably bind both to catalytic sites and to noncatalytic sites. The latter may modulate the transition of the ATP-synthesizing enzyme complex between its active and inactive states.