Thiophosphoryl guanine nucleotide analogues inhibit the (Na+,K+)-ATPase.

The effects of several guanine nucleotide analogues on (Na+,K+)-ATPase activity of membranes isolated from several tissues were analyzed to determine if a G-protein might be involved in the hormonal regulation of the (Na+,K+)-ATPase. Submillimolar concentrations of GTP gamma S, but not GMPPNP, inhibit rat skeletal muscle and axolemma, but not kidney, (Na+,K+)-ATPase activity. Furthermore, GDP beta S does not reverse GTP gamma S inhibition, but rather itself slightly inhibits (Na+,K+)-ATPase activity. Dithiothreitol can block and reverse GTP gamma S inhibition of skeletal muscle (Na+,K+)-ATPase; the results obtained with axolemma membranes are complicated by the inhibition of (Na+,K+)-ATPase activity in these membranes by DTT. Results showing that high membrane concentrations can mute the inhibitory action of GTP gamma S suggest that a minor contaminant in GTP gamma S preparations is responsible for inhibiting (Na+,K+)-ATPase activity. Neither vanadate, a heavy metal, GDP, phosphate, nor thiophosphate, however, is responsible for this inhibition, and the inhibitory activity elutes with GTP gamma S from Sephadex G-10 columns. It is concluded that GTP gamma S or a structural derivative of GTP gamma S inhibits the (Na+,K+)-ATPase, in a tissue-specific manner, not by interaction with a G-protein as a GTP analogue, but through a direct chemical interaction with the (Na+,K+)-ATPase or some regulatory protein. The terminal SH group of the nucleotide analogue is probably required for this interaction.     

Modification of (Na+,K+)-ATPase function by purified antibodies to the holoenzyme. Effects on enzyme activity and (3H)ouabain binding.

Antibodies (abys) raised to (Na+,K+)-ATPase were purified by elution methods and shown to be cross-reactive with anti-gamma-globulin and the original antigen. Abys were isolated from two different antisera and the effects on (Na+,K+)-ATPase hydrolytic activity and [3H]ouabain binding were measured. The antisera fractions differed as to their maximum level of inhibition of hydrolytic activity and maximal [3H]ouabain binding, but both fractions caused inhibition of maximal [3H]ouabain binding to the same quantitative extent as inhibition of hydrolytic activity. Variable effects on the rate of [3H]ouabain binding were noted which were highly dependent on ligand conditions. During the "turnover state conditions" of the enzyme, the abys stimulated the rate of [3H]ouabain binding to the (Na+,K+)-ATPase. We conclude that effects of aby-(Na+,K+)-ATPase interaction depend upon degree of purity of aby, specificity, aby/enzyme ratios, and ligand conditions.     

Further biochemical characterization of an Na+ pump inhibitor purified from human urine

An increase in endogenous Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitor(s) with digitalis-like properties has been reported in chronic renal insufficiency, in Na+-dependent experimental hypertension and in some essential hypertensive patients. The present study specifies some properties and some biochemical characteristics of a semipurified compound from human urine having digitalis-like properties. The urine-derived inhibitor (endalin) inhibits Na+,K+-ATPase activity and [3H]-ouabain binding, and cross-reacts with anti-digoxin antibodies. The inhibitory effect on ATPases of endalin is higher on Na+,K+-ATPase than on Mg2+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase. The mechanism of endalin action on highly purified Na+,K+-ATPase was compared to that of ouabain and was similar in that it reversibly inhibited Na+,K+-ATPase activity; it inhibited Na+,K+-ATPase non-competitively with ATP; its inhibitory effect was facilitated by Na+; K+ decreased its inhibitory effect on Na+,K+-ATPase; it competitively inhibited ouabain binding to the enzyme; its binding was maximal in the presence of Mg2+ and Pi; it decreased the Na+ pump activity in human erythrocytes; it reduced serotonin uptake by human platelets; and it was diuretic and natriuretic in rat bioassay. The endalin differed from ouabain in only three aspects: its inhibitory effect was not really specific for Na+,K+-ATPase; its binding to the enzyme was undetectable in the presence of Mg2+ and ATP; it was not kaliuretic in rat bioassay. Endalin is a reversible and partial specific inhibitor of Na+,K+-ATPase, its Na+,K+-ATPase inhibition closely resembles that of ouabain and it could be considered as one of the natriuretic hormones.     

Affinity labeling of the digitalis receptor with p-nitrophenyltriazene-ouabain, a highly specific alkylating agent

Three derivatives of ouabain have been synthesized which alkylate the digitalis receptor. These derivatives were formed through reductive amination of p-nitrophenyltriazene (NPT) ethylenediamine to the periodate-oxidized rhamnose moiety of ouabain. The non-covalent binding of the ouabain derivatives (NPT-ouabain, designated I, II, and III) was followed (i) by their ability to inhibit the activity of sodium- and potassium-activated ATPase ((Na+,K+)-ATPase) purified from the electric organ of Electrophorus electricus, (ii) by the binding of [3H]NPT-ouabain I to the enzyme, and (iii) by the inhibition of [3H]ouabain binding with unlabeled NPT-ouabain I. Covalent modification of the digitalis site of (Na+,K+)-ATPase occurs after long periods of time. At pH 7.5 (25 degrees C) the best alkylating derivative, NPT-ouabain I, gives maximum covalent labeling after 6 h. Only the large polypeptide chain (Mr = 93,000) of the purified enzyme is specifically labeled with [3H]NPT-ouabain I while the glycoprotein chain (Mr = 47,000) is not significantly labeled. Labeling of a microsomal fraction of the electric organ with [3H]NPT-ouabain I gave the same type of gel pattern as that observed with the purified enzyme. [3H]NPT-ouabain I was also used to label the digitalis receptor in highly purified axonal membranes and in cardiac membranes prepared from embryonic chick heart. Although the (Na+,K+)-ATPase in both types of membranes has a low affinity for ouabain, [3H]NPT-ouabain I proved to be a very efficient affinity label for the digitalis receptor. In the complex mixture of polypeptides found in these membrane preparations, only a single polypeptide chain having a Mr = 93,000 is specifically labeled by [3H]NPT-ouabain I.     

Inhibition of (Na+,K+)-ATPase by dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Evidence for two carboxyl groups that are essential for enzymatic activity

N,N'-Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD), a reagent that reacts with carboxyl groups under mild conditions, irreversibly inhibits (Na+,K+)-ATPase activity (measured by using 1 mM ATP) with a pseudo-first-order rate constant of 0.084 min-1 (0.25 mM DCCD and 37 degrees C). The partial activities of the enzyme, including (Na+,K+)-ATPase at 1 microM ATP, Na+-ATPase, and the formation of enzyme-acyl phosphate (E-P), decayed at about one-third the rate at which (Na+,K+)-ATPase at 1 mM ATP was lost. The formation of E-P from inorganic phosphate was unaffected by DCCD while K+-phosphatase activity decayed at the same rate as (Na+,K+)-ATPase measured at 1 mM ATP. The enzyme's substrates (i.e., sodium, potassium, magnesium, and ATP) all decreased the rate of DCCD inactivation of (Na+,K+)-ATPase activity measured at either 1 mM or 1 microM ATP. The concentration dependence of the protection afforded by each substrate is consistent with its binding at a catalytically relevant site. DCCD also causes cross-linking of the enzyme into species of very high molecular weight. This process occurs at about one-tenth the rate at which (Na+,K+)-ATPase activity measured at 1 mM ATP is lost, too slowly to be related to the loss of enzymatic activity. Labeling of the enzyme with [14C]DCCD shows the incorporation of approximately 1 mol of DCCD per mole of large subunit; however, the incorporation is independent of the loss of enzymatic activity. The results presented here suggest that (Na+,K+)-ATPase contains two carboxyl groups that are essential for catalytic activity, in addition to the previously known aspartate residue which is involved in formation of E-P.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The thermodynamic essence of the reversible inactivation of Na+/K+-transporting ATPase by various digitalis derivatives is relaxation of enzyme conformational energy

This paper reports on the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters describing the interaction of selected digitalis derivatives with hog and guinea-pig cardiac (Na+ + K+)-ATPase (Na+/K+-transporting ATPase EC 3.6.1.37). 32 digitalis derivatives were characterized as to the values of the delta G0', delta G----not equal to, and delta G----not equal to quantities in their interaction with (Na+ + K+)-ATPase from hog cardiac muscle in the presence of ATP, Mg2+, Na+ and K+. Nine derivatives were additionally characterized as to the values of the delta H0', delta S0', delta H----not equal to, delta S----not equal to, delta H not equal to, and delta S not equal to quantities in their interaction with the hog enzyme promoted by ATP, Mg2+ and Na+ in the presence or absence of K+. The formation of the inhibitory complexes is in any case an endothermic, entropically driven process. The Gibbs energy barriers in the formation and dissociation of the complexes, delta G----not equal to and delta G----not equal to, are imposed by large, unfavourable delta H not equal to values. K+ decreases the delta G0' value by increasing the delta G----not equal to value more than the delta G----not equal to value. In comparison with hog (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, the interaction of three derivatives with guinea-pig cardiac enzyme in the presence of ATP, Mg2+, Na+ and K+ is characterized by lower delta G0' values caused by lower favourable delta S0' values, and is accompanied by lower delta G----not equal to values. The magnitude of the kinetic parameters and the characteristic of the thermodynamic quantities describing the interaction between various digitalis derivatives and (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, indicate the induction of substantial conformational changes in the enzyme protein. A large entropy gain in the enzyme protein, observed irrespective of enzyme origin and ligation, appears to be the common denominator of the inhibitory action of all digitalis derivatives studied, suggesting that the digitalis-elicited relaxation of high conformational energy (negentropy strain) of the enzyme protein is the thermodynamic essence of the reversible inactivation of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase.     

Antigenic differences in (Na+, K+)-ATPase preparations isolated from various organs and species.

Antisera to purified (Na+, K+)-ATPase raised in rabbits and in sheep were purified by an absorption procedure employing purified canine kidney (Na+, K+)-ATPase. The antibodies were fractionated into two components, one which inhibited catalytic activity, and a second which inhibited ouabain binding. Under certain conditions, the fraction that inhibited ouabain binding also inhibited catalytic activity, and the effectiveness of both was dependent to some extent on the ligands present in the incubation medium. Thus, both antibody fractions appeared to detect conformations of the enzyme that depended upon ligand-induced perturbations. When the antibody raised against catalytic activity was incubated with erythrocyte membrane fragments, an inhibition of the (Na+, K+)-ATPase occurred, but only minimal or no effect on potassium influx or on digoxin-induced inhibition of potassium flux in intact erythrocytes was noted. In a similar experiment, however, the antibody against ouabain binding significantly inhibited potassium influx, suggesting specificity in terms of the macromolecular surfaces of the pump which were exposed to the external medium. We concluded that there may be organ and species differences among (Na+, K+)-ATPase preparations. Antibodies prepared in rabbits and sheep were fractionated by absorption to dog brain enzyme. Both the antibody fraction which bound to the brain enzyme and that which did not bind inhibited the dog kidney (Na+, K+)-ATPase, but only the former inhibited dog brain (Na+, K+)-ATPase. When the two fractions were recombined, inhibition was restored to the extent of the unfractionated antibody.     

Activation of (Na+, K+)-ATPase by Nanomolar Concentrations of GM1 Ganglioside

GM1 ganglioside binding to the crude mitochondrial fraction of rat brain and its effect on (Na+, K+)-ATPase were studied, the following results being obtained: (a) the binding process followed a biphasic kinetics with a break at 50 nM-GM1; GM1 at concentrations below the break was stably associated, while over the break it was loosely associated; (b) stably bound GM1 activated (Na+, K+)-ATPase up to a maximum of 43%; (c) the activation was dependent upon the amount of bound GM1 and was highest at the critical concentration of 20 pmol bound GM1 X mg protein-1; (d) loosely bound GM1 suppressed the activating effect on (Na+, K+)-ATPase elicited by firmly bound GM1; (e) GM1-activated (Na+, K+)-ATPase had the same pH optimum and apparent Km (for ATP) as normal (Na+, K+)-ATPase but a greater apparent Vmax; (f) under identical binding conditions (2 h, 37 degrees C, with 40 nM substance) all tested gangliosides (GM1, GD1a, GD1b, GT1b) activated (Na+, K+)-ATPase (from 26-43%); NeuNAc, sodium dodecylsulphate, sulphatide and cerebroside had only a very slight effect. It is suggested that the ganglioside activation of (Na+-K+)-ATPase is a specific phenomenon not related to the amphiphilic and ionic properties of gangliosides, but due to modifications of the membrane lipid environment surrounding the enzyme.     

Specific sodium-22 binding to a purified sodium + potassium adenosine triphosphatase. Inhibition by ouabain.

Analysis of sodium-22 binding to purified sodium + potassium ion-activated adenosine triphosphatase (Na+, K+)-ATPase reveals the presence of two classes of binding sites. The higher affinity site (Kd = 0.2 mM) binds 6 to 7 nmol of sodium per mg of protein. Pretreatment of (Na+, K+)-ATPase with ouabain blocks the binding of sodium to this higher affinity site. Neither heat-denatured enzyme nor phospholipids extracted from the (Na+, K+)-ATPase contain a ouabain-inhibitable, higher affinity sodium binding site. The ouabain enzyme complex therefore appears to contain altered binding sites for cations.     

Free fatty acids and (Na+,K+)-ATPase: effects on cation regulation, enzyme conformation, and interactions with ethanol

Effects of free fatty acids on parameters of (Na+,K+)-ATPase regulation related to enzyme conformation were examined. Sensitivity to inhibition by free fatty acid increased as the number of double bonds increased. Free fatty acids reduced affinity for K+ or Na+ at their regulatory sites without altering apparent K+ affinity at its high-affinity site, and increased apparent affinity for ATP. The apparent E2/E1 ratio and apparent delta H and delta S for the E1-E2 transition were reduced by fatty acid. High K+ or low temperature reduced the sensitivity of enzyme to inhibition by free fatty acid. In the presence of low K+, arachidonic acid potentiated inhibition of phosphatase activity by ethanol. Arachidonic acid alone had little effect on the rate of ouabain binding, but accelerated ouabain binding in the presence of K+. These data suggest that fatty acids alter (Na+,K+)-ATPase by preventing the univalent cation-mediated transition to E2, the K+-sensitive form of enzyme. (Na+,K+)-ATPase could potentially be influenced in vivo by free fatty acids released by phospholipases or during hypoxia, or by changes in membrane lipid saturation.     

Modulation of Na+-K+-ATPase by calcium ions

The modulatory effects of calcium ions on highly active Na+, K(+)-ATPase from calf brain and pig kidney tissues have been studied. The inhibitory action of Ca2+free on this enzyme depends on the level of ATP (but not AcP). The reduction of pH from 7.4 to 6.0 noticeably increases, but the elevation of pH to 8.0, in its turn, decreases the inhibition of ATP-hydrolyzing activity by calcium. With the increase of K+ concentration (in contrast to Na+) the sensibilization of Na+, K(+)-ATPase to Ca ions is observed. In the presence of potassium ions Mg2+free effectively modifies the inhibitory action of Ca2+free on this enzyme. Ca2+free (0.16-0.4 mM) decreases the sensitivity of Na+, K(+)-ATPase to action of the specific inhibitor ouabain in the presence of ATP. In the presence of AcP (phosphatase reaction) such a change of enzyme sensitivity to ouabain isn't observed. The influence of membranous effects of Ca2+ on the interaction of Na+, K(+)-ATPase with the essential ligands and cardiosteroids is discussed.     

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 measurement of ouabain binding and some related properties of digitonin-treated (Na+,K+)-ATPase.

1. Digitonin treated membrane preparations purified from dog kidney lose their (Na+,K+)-ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3) activity, but the K+-phosphatase and Na+-dependent ADP-ATP exchange activities survive and remain ouabain-sensitive. Because the enzyme preparations consist largely of pure (Na+,K+)-ATPase, these effects of digitonin must be intrinsic to the Na+ pump. 2. Concomitant with these enzymatic changes, digitonin treatment alters the sensitivity of the phosphatase and exchange activities to ouabain. 3. Attempts to measure ouabain binding by the usual centrifugation or filtration methods proved unsuccessful. A filtration method involving a double 0.01 mum filter and omitting water washes is necessary to demonstrate ouabain binding. Under these conditions, ouabain binding capacity appears to be unchanged in the presence of digitonin, but the apparent dissociation constant is doubled. 4. Ouabain binding is rendered more reversible by digitonin treatment, since washing filters with water removes a large fraction of bound ouabain without affecting the retention of exchange activity. 5. The double filter method traps essentially all of the ADP-ATP exchange activity on the filter. However, a large and somewhat variable proportion of the K+-phosphatase activity passes through the filter. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel analysis of the filtrate shows that a small amount of filtrable protein catalyzed this phosphatase activity at greatly increased turnover rates. Both subunits of the (Na+, K+)-ATPase are present in this latter protein fraction.     

Evidence that mammalian lignans show endogenous digitalis-like activities

Enterolactone, a lignan that has been identified in biological samples from man and several mammals, shares with ascorbic acid and cardiac glycosides a gamma-butyrolactone. It displaces 3H-ouabain from its binding sites on cardiac digitalis receptor and inhibits, dose dependently, the Na+, K+-ATPase activity of human and guinea-pig heart. The time dependence of this inhibition resembles that of dihydroouabain, a cardiac glycoside in which the lactone ring does not contain conjugated double bonds. The active concentrations of enterolactone as inhibitor of Na+,K+-ATPase are in the 10(-4) M range and, at those concentrations, the cross-reactivity with antidigoxin antibodies is low. Lignans may contribute to the putative digitalis-like activity found in tissues, blood and urine of several mammals including man.     

K+ and NH4(+) modulate gill (Na+, K+)-ATPase activity in the blue crab, Callinectes ornatus: fine tuning of ammonia excretion

To better comprehend the mechanisms of ionic regulation, we investigate the modulation by Na+, K+, NH4(+) and ATP of the (Na+, K+)-ATPase in a microsomal fraction from Callinectes ornatus gills. ATP hydrolysis obeyed Michaelis-Menten kinetics with KM=0.61+/-0.03 mmol L(-1) and maximal rate of V=116.3+/-5.4 U mg(-1). Stimulation by Na+ (V=110.6+/-6.1 U mg(-1); K0.5=6.3+/-0.2 mmol L(-1)), Mg2+ (V=111.0+/-4.7 U mg(-1); K0.5=0.53+/-0.03 mmol L(-1)), NH4(+) (V=173.3+/-6.9 U mg(-1); K0.5=5.4+/-0.2 mmol L(-1)) and K+ (V=116.0+/-4.9 U mg(-1); K0.5=1.5+/-0.1 mmol L(-1)) followed a single saturation curve, although revealing site-site interactions. In the absence of NH4(+), ouabain (K(I)=74.5+/-1.2 micromol L(-1)) and orthovanadate inhibited ATPase activity by up to 87%; the inhibition patterns suggest the presence of F0F1 and K+-ATPases but not Na+-, V- or Ca2+-ATPase as contaminants. (Na+, K+)-ATPase activity was synergistically modulated by K+ and NH4(+). At 10 mmol L(-1) K+, increasing NH4(+) concentrations stimulated maximum activity to V=185.9+/-7.4 U mg(-1). However, at saturating NH4(+) (50 mmol L(-1)), increasing K+ concentrations did not stimulate activity further. Our findings provide evidence that the C. ornatus gill (Na+, K+)-ATPase may be particularly well suited for extremely efficient active NH4(+) excretion. At elevated NH4(+) concentrations, the enzyme is fully active, regardless of hemolymph K+ concentration, and K+ cannot displace NH4(+) from its exclusive binding sites. Further, the binding of NH4(+) to its specific sites induces an increase in enzyme apparent affinity for K+, which may contribute to maintaining K+ transport, assuring that exposure to elevated ammonia concentrations does not lead to a decrease in intracellular potassium levels. This is the first report of modulation by ammonium ions of C. ornatus gill (Na+, K+)-ATPase, and should further our understanding of NH4(+) excretion in benthic crabs.     

The C-terminal 165 amino acids of the plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase confer Ca2+/calmodulin sensitivity on the Na+,K(+)-ATPase alpha-subunit.

The C-terminal 165 amino acids of the rat brain plasma membrane (PM) Ca(2+)-ATPase II containing the calmodulin binding auto-inhibitory domain was connected to the C-terminus of the ouabain sensitive chicken Na+,K(+)-ATPase alpha 1 subunit. Expression of this chimeric molecule in ouabain resistant mouse L cells was assured by the high-affinity binding of [3H]ouabain. In the presence of Ca2+/calmodulin, this chimeric molecule exhibited ouabain inhibitable Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity; the putative chimeric ATPase activity was absent in the absence of Ca2+/calmodulin and activated by Ca2+/calmodulin in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, this chimeric molecule could bind monoclonal IgG 5 specific to the chicken Na+,K(+)-ATPase alpha 1 subunit only in the presence of Ca2+/calmodulin, suggesting that the epitope for IgG 5 in this chimera is masked in the absence of Ca2+/calmodulin and uncovered in their presence. These results propose a direct interaction between the calmodulin binding auto-inhibitory domain of the PM Ca(2+)-ATPase and the specific regions of the Na+,K(+)-ATPase alpha 1 subunit that are structurally homologous to the PM Ca(2+)-ATPase. A comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences revealed several possible regions within the Na+,K(+)-ATPase that might interact with the auto-inhibitory domain of the PM Ca(2+)-ATPase.     

Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation of cardiac (Na+ + K+)-ATPases. Effect on calcium binding.

1. Calcium binding to (Na+ + K+)-ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3) preparations from beef and pig heart preparations of varying degrees of purity was measured. 2. Binding was inhibited by Mg2+, Na+ and K+. Inhibition by Na+ and K+ appeared to be due to an ionic strength effect. 3. Four classes of binding sites were identified with Kd values for calcium of about 0.03, 1, 15 and 200 micrometer. 4. Cyclic AMP-dependent phosphorylation of the enzyme by protein kinase (ATP: protamine O-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.70) had no effect on (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity. 5. Phosphorylation also had no effect on either Kd or Bmax for calcium binding at any of the four sites whether measured in the presence of absence of NaCl or KCl. 6. It is concluded that previous reports of an effect of phosphorylation on calcium binding to a (Na+ + K+)-ATPase preparation may have been due to the presence of membrane material not directly associated with (Na+ + K+)-ATPase.     

Identification of the segment of the catalytic subunit of (Na+,K+)ATPase containing the digitalis binding site

Digitalis compounds that are extensively used in the treatment of cardiovascular disorders are known to bind specifically at the extracellular side of (Na+,K+)ATPase. We have recently reported the synthesis of [3H]p- nitrophenyltriazene -ouabain, a derivative of ouabain, which specifically alkylates the catalytic chain of the (Na+,K+)ATPase at a defined region of the sequence. The peptidic segment involved in the binding of digitalis to (Na+,K+)ATPase has been located after mild trypsin treatment of the labeled enzyme. In the presence of 100 mM KCl, tryptic fragmentation results in two peptide fragments of mol. wt. 58 000 and 41 000, respectively. The radioactive probe labeled only the 41 000 fragment indicating that the digitalis binding site is located on the 41 000 domain situated at the N-terminal part of the sequence of the alpha-subunit.     

Topological localization of proteolytic sites of sodium and potassium ion stimulated adenosinetriphosphatase

The (Na+ and K+)-stimulated adenosinetriphosphatase [(Na+,K+)-ATPase] consists of two different polypeptides, alpha and beta, both of which are embedded in the plasma membrane. The alpha chain from dog kidney (Na+,K+)-ATPase can be hydrolyzed at specific sites by trypsin and chymotrypsin [Castro, J., & Farley, R. A. (1979) J. Biol. Chem. 254, 2221-2228]. In order to position these sites with respect to the lipid bilayer, we have treated sealed, inside out vesicles from human red cells and unsealed kidney enzyme membranes with trypsin and chymotrypsin and have used ouabain-stimulated phosphorylation to identify the (Na+,K+)-ATPase and its fragments. All of the proteolytic sites observed in the kidney membranes are accessible in the inside out vesicles. The ouabain-inhibitable uptake of 86Rb+ in human red blood cells is resistant to externally added chymotrypsin. These results indicate that the proteolytic sites of the (Na+,K+)-ATPase are exposed on the cytoplasmic side of the membrane.     

Effects of cholesterol on (Na+,K+)-ATPase ATP hydrolyzing activity in bovine kidney

The (Na+,K+)-ATPase ATP hydrolyzing activity from rabbit kidney medulla basolateral membrane vesicles was studied as a function of the cholesterol content of the basolateral membranes. The cholesterol content of the membranes was modified by incubation with phospholipid vesicles. When the cholesterol content was increased above that found in the native membrane, the (Na+,K+)-ATPase ATP hydrolyzing activity was inhibited. When the cholesterol content was decreased from that found in the native membranes, the (Na+,K+)-ATPase ATP hydrolyzing activity was inhibited. Analogous effects were found with the K+-activated phosphatase activity of the same membrane vesicles. Therefore, at low cholesterol contents, cholesterol was stimulatory, and at high cholesterol contents, cholesterol was inhibitory. The structural specificity of this effect was tested by introducing lanosterol and ergosterol as 50% of the membrane sterol. Ergosterol was the least effective at supporting (Na+,K+)-ATPase ATP hydrolyzing activity, while lanosterol was more effective, but still not as effective as cholesterol.