Coupling factor F1 ATPase with defective beta subunit from a mutant of Escherichia coli

The defective coupling factor F1 ATPase from a mutant strain (KF11) of Escherichia coli was purified to a practically homogeneous form. The final specific activity of Mg2+-ATPase was 6-9 units/mg protein, which is about 10-15 times lower than that of F1 ATPase from the wild-type strain. The mutant F1 had a ratio of Ca2+-ATPase to Mg2+-ATPase of about 3.5, whereas the wild-type F1 had ratio of about 0.8. The mutant F1 was more unstable than wild-type F1: on storage at -80 degrees C for 2 weeks, about 80% of its activity (dependent on Ca2+ or Mg2+) was lost, whereas none of the activity of the wild-type F1 was lost. The following results indicate that the mutation is in the beta subunit. (i) High Mg2+-ATPase activity (about 20 units/mg protein) was reconstituted when the beta subunit from wild type F1 was added to dissociated mutant F1 and the mixture was dialyzed against buffer containing ATP and Mg2+. (ii) Low ATPase activity having the same ratio of Ca2+-ATPase to Mg2+-ATPase as the mutant F1 was reconstituted when a mixture of the beta subunit from the mutant F1 and the alpha and gamma subunits from wild-type F1 was dialyzed against the same buffer. (iii) Tryptic peptide analysis of the beta subunit of the mutant showed a difference in a single peptide compared with the wild-type strain.     

Role of F1F0-ATPase in the growth of streptococcus mutans GS5

The role of F1F0-ATPase in Streptococcus mutans GS5 was investigated by isolating a mutant (NTS1) defective in enzyme activity by homologous recombination with a plasmid encoding the 5' terminal fragment of the F1F0-ATPase beta-subunit gene. The ATPase activity of NTS1 membranes was 49% that of GS5 membranes. The lag phase of the growth curve of NTS1 was longer than that for GS5, and the lag phase of GS5 and NTS1 were prolonged by the addition of ionophore gramicidin D; at stationary phase, the turbidity of the NTS1 culture was less than that of the GS5 culture. These results suggest that S. mutans F1F0-ATPase contributes to the generation of a stoichiometric electrogenic gradient effectively in the lag phase.     

Replacement of serine 373 by phenylalanine in the alpha subunit of Escherichia coli F1-ATPase results in loss of steady-state catalysis by the enzyme

The mutant allele (uncA401) of the gene for the alpha subunit of Escherichia coli F1-ATPase was cloned from the total DNA of the mutant AN120 on a hybrid plasmid pAN120. Determination of the DNA sequence of the alpha subunit gene from pAN120 revealed a single base change of cytosine at nucleotide residue 1118 to thymine and indicated that serine 373 was replaced by phenylalanine. It has been reported that the mutant F1 is defective in a step of steady-state catalysis, whereas its single turnover process is normal (Kanazawa, H., Noumi, T., Matsuoka, I., Hirata T., and Futai, M. (1984) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 228, 258-269). Thus, we concluded that serine 373 in the alpha subunit is essential for steady-state catalysis by F1-ATPase.     

The distribution of heavy-chain isoforms of myosin in airways smooth muscle from adult and neonate humans.

ATP synthesis by oxidative phosphorylation in Escherichia coli occurs in catalytic sites on the beta-subunits of F1-ATPase. Random mutagenesis of the beta-subunit combined with phenotypic screening is potentially important for studies of the catalytic mechanism. However, when applied to haploid strains, this approach is hampered by a preponderance of mutants in which assembly of F1-ATPase in vivo is defective, precluding enzyme purification. Here we mutagenized plasmids carrying the uncD (beta-subunit) gene with hydroxylamine or N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and isolated, by phenotypic screening and complementation tests, six plasmids carrying mutant uncD alleles. When the mutant plasmids were used to transform a suitable uncD- strain, assembly of F1-ATPase in vivo occurred in each case. Moreover, in one case (beta Gly-223----Asp) F1-ATPase assembly proceeded although it had previously been reported that this mutation, when present on the chromosome of a haploid strain, prevented assembly of the enzyme in vivo. Therefore, this work demonstrates an improved approach for random mutagenesis of the F1-beta-subunit. Six new mutant uncD alleles were identified: beta Cys-137----Tyr; beta Gly-142----Asp; beta Gly-146----Ser; beta Gly-207----Asp; beta-Gly-223----Asp; and a double mutant beta Pro-403----Ser,Gly-415----Asp which we could not separate. The first five of these lie within or very close to the predicted catalytic nucleotide-binding domain of the beta-subunit. The double mutant lies outside this domain; we speculate that the region around residues beta 403-415 is part of an alpha-beta intersubunit contact surface. Membrane ATPase and ATP-driven proton pumping activities were impaired by all six mutations. Purified F1-ATPase was obtained from each mutant and shown to have impaired specific ATPase activity.     

Mutations in the conserved proline 43 residue of the uncE protein (subunit c) of Escherichia coli F1F0-ATPase alter the coupling of F1 to F0

The conserved Pro43 residue of the uncE protein (subunit c) of the Escherichia coli F1F0-ATPase was changed to Ser or Ala by oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis, and the mutations were incorporated into the chromosome. The resultant mutant strains were capable of oxidative phosphorylation as indicated by their ability to grow on succinate and had growth yields on glucose that were 80-90% of wild type. Membrane vesicles from the mutants were slightly less efficient than wild type vesicles in ATP-driven proton pumping as indicated by ATP-dependent quenching of quinacrine fluorescence. The decreased quenching response was not due to increased H+ leakiness of the mutant membranes or to loss of F1-ATPase activity from the membrane. These results indicate that the mutant F1F0-ATPases are defective in coupling ATP hydrolysis to H+ translocation. The membrane ATPase activity of the mutants was inhibited less by dicyclohexylcarbodiimide than that of wild type. The decrease in sensitivity to inhibition by dicyclohexylcarbodiimide was caused primarily by dissociation of the F1-ATPase from the mutant F0 in the ATPase assay mixture. These results support the idea that Pro43, and neighboring conserved polar residues play an important role in the binding and functional coupling of F1 to F0. Although a Pro residue is found at position 43 in all species of subunit c studied, surprisingly, it is not absolutely essential to function.     

Replacement of arginine 246 by histidine in the beta subunit of Escherichia coli H+-ATPase resulted in loss of multi-site ATPase activity

A mutant strain KF43 of Escherichia coli defective in the beta subunit of H+-translocating ATPase (F0F1) was examined. In this mutant, replacement of Arg246 by His was identified by DNA sequencing of the mutant gene and confirmed by tryptic peptide mapping. The mutant F1-ATPase was defective in multi-site hydrolysis of ATP but was active in uni-site hydrolysis. Studies on the kinetics of uni-site hydrolysis indicated that the k1 (rate of ATP binding) was similar to that of the wild-type, but the k-1 (rate of release of ATP) could not be measured. The mutant enzyme had a k3 (rate of release of inorganic phosphate) about 15-fold higher than that of the wild-type and showed 3 orders of magnitude lower promotion from uni- to multi-site catalysis. These results suggest that Arg246 or the region in its vicinity is important in multi-site hydrolysis of ATP and is also related to the binding of inorganic phosphate. Reconstitution experiments using isolated subunits suggested that hybrid enzymes (alpha beta gamma complexes) carrying both the mutant and wild-type beta subunits were inactive in multi-site hydrolysis of ATP, supporting the notion that three intact beta subunits are required for activity of the F1 molecule.     

Role of the amino terminal region of the epsilon subunit of Escherichia coli H(+)-ATPase (F0F1).

Escherichia coli strain KF148(SD-) defective in translation of the uncC gene for the epsilon subunit of H(+)-ATPase could not support growth by oxidative phosphorylation due to lack of F1 binding to Fo (M. Kuki, T. Noumi, M. Maeda, A. Amemura, and M. Futai, 1988, J. Biol. Chem. 263, 17, 437-17, 442). Mutant uncC genes for epsilon subunits lacking different lengths from the amino terminus were constructed and introduced into strain KF148(SD-). F1 with an epsilon subunit lacking the 15 amino-terminal residues could bind to F0 in a functionally competent manner, indicating that these amino acid residues are not absolutely necessary for formation of a functional enzyme. However, mutant F1 in which the epsilon subunit lacked 16 amino-terminal residues showed defective coupling between ATP hydrolysis (synthesis) and H(+)-translocation, although the mutant F1 showed partial binding to Fo. These findings suggest that the epsilon subunit is essential for binding of F1 to F0 and for normal H(+)-translocation. Previously, Kuki et al. (cited above) reported that 60 residues were not necessary for a functional enzyme. However, the mutant with an epsilon subunit lacking 15 residues from the amino terminus and 4 residues from the carboxyl terminus was defective in oxidative phosphorylation, suggesting that both terminal regions affect the conformation of the region essential for a functional enzyme.     

H+-ATPase of Escherichia coli. An uncE mutation impairing coupling between F1 and Fo but not Fo-mediated H+ translocation

The uncE114 mutation from Escherichia coli strain KI1 (Nieuwenhuis, F. J. R. M., Kanner, B. I., Gutnick, D. L., Postma, P. W., and Van Dam, K. (1973) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 325, 62-71) was characterized after transfer to a new genetic background. A defective H+-ATPase complex is formed in strains carrying the mutation. Based upon the genetic complementation pattern of other unc mutants by a lambda uncE114 transducing phage, and complementation of uncE114 recipients by an uncE+ plasmid (pCP35), the mutation was concluded to lie in the uncE gene. The uncE gene codes for the omega subunit ("dicyclohexylcarbodiimide binding protein") of the H+-ATPase complex. The mutation was defined by sequencing the mutant gene. The G----C transversion found results in a substitution of Glu for Gln at position 42 of the omega subunit in the Fo sector of the H+-ATPase. The substitution did not significantly impair H+ translocation by Fo or affect inhibition of H+ translocation by dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. Wild-type F1 was bound by uncE114 Fo with near normal affinity, but the functional coupling between F1 and Fo was disrupted. The uncoupling was indicated by an H+-leaky membrane, even when saturating levels of wild-type F1 were bound. Disassociation of F1 from Fo under conditions of assay did partially contribute to the H+ leakiness, but the major contributor to the high H+ conductance was Fo with bound F1. The F1 bound to uncE114 membranes exhibited normal ATPase activity, but ATP hydrolysis was uncoupled from H+ translocation and was resistant to inhibition by dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. The F1 isolated from the uncE114 mutant was modified with partial loss of coupling function. However, this modification did not account for the uncoupled properties of the mutant Fo described above, since these properties were retained after reconstitution of mutant membrane (Fo) with wild-type F1.     

F1F0-ATPase from Escherichia coli with mutant F0 subunits. Partial purification and immunoprecipitation of F1F0 complexes

Previously identified mutations in subunits a and b of the F0 sector of the F1F0-ATPase from Escherichia coli are further characterized by isolating detergent-solubilized, partially purified F1F0 complexes from cells bearing these mutations. The composition of the various F1F0 complexes was judged by quantitating the amount of each subunit present in the detergent-solubilized preparations. The composition of the F0 sectors containing altered polypeptides was determined by quantitating the F0 subunits that were immunoprecipitated by antibodies directed against the F1 portion. In this way, the relative amounts of F0 subunits (a, b, c) which survived the isolation procedure bound to F1 were determined for each mutation. This analysis indicates that both missense mutations in subunit a (aser206----leu and ahis245----tyr) resulted in the isolation of F1F0 complexes with normal subunit composition. The nonsense mutation in subunit a (atyr235----end) resulted in isolation of a complex containing the b and c subunits. The bgly131----asp mutation in the b subunit results in an F0 complex which does not assemble or survive the isolation. The isolated F1F0 complex containing the mutation bgly9----asp in the b subunit was defective in two regards: first, a reduction in F1 content relative to F0 and second, the absence of the a subunit. Immunoprecipitations of this preparation demonstrated that F1 interacts with both c and mutant b subunits. A strain carrying the mutation, bgly9----asp, and the compensating suppressor mutation apro240----leu (previously shown to be partially unc+) yielded an F1F0 ++ complex that remained partially defective in F1 binding to F0 but normal in the subunit composition of the F0 sector. The assembly, structure, and function of the F1F0-ATPase is discussed.     

The F1F0-ATPase of Escherichia coli. The substitution of alanine by threonine at position 25 in the c-subunit affects function but not assembly

A mutant strain of Escherichia coli carrying a mutation in the uncE gene which codes for the c-subunit of the F1F0-ATPase has been isolated and examined. The mutant allele, designated uncE513, results in alanine at position 25 of the c-subunit being replaced by threonine. The mutant F1F0-ATPase appears to be fully assembled and is partially functional with respect to oxidative phosphorylation. The ATPase activity of membranes from the mutant strain is resistant to the inhibitor dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, but this is due to the F1-ATPase being lost from the membranes in the presence of the inhibitor. Mutant membranes from which the F1-ATPase has been removed have a greatly reduced proton permeability compared with similarly treated normal membranes. The results are discussed in relation to a previously proposed mechanism of oxidative phosphorylation.     

A nuclear mutation conferring aurovertin resistance to yeast mitochondrial adenosine triphosphatase.

A single gene nuclear yeast mutant was isolated whose mitochondrial F1-ATPase was resistant to the specific F1 inhibitor aurovertin. The mutant enzyme was not cross-resistant to other F1 inhibitors. The binding of aurovertin to F1 and to the two largest F1 subunits (alpha and beta) was measured by enhancement of aurovertin fluorescence. Aurovertin bound to wild type F1-ATPase and to its monomeric beta subunit with about the same binding constant. It failed to bind to wild type alpha subunit or to either F1 or F1 subunits from the mutant. The aurovertin-resistant mutant thus contains an altered nuclear gene which specifies the structure of the beta subunit of F1.     

Epsilon subunit, an endogenous inhibitor of bacterial F(1)-ATPase, also inhibits F(0)F(1)-ATPase

Since the report by Sternweis and Smith (Sternweis, P. C., and Smith, J. B. (1980) Biochemistry 19, 526-531), the epsilon subunit, an endogenous inhibitor of bacterial F(1)-ATPase, has long been thought not to inhibit activity of the holo-enzyme, F(0)F(1)-ATPase. However, we report here that the epsilon subunit is exerting inhibition in F(0)F(1)-ATPase. We prepared a C-terminal half-truncated epsilon subunit (epsilon(DeltaC)) of the thermophilic Bacillus PS3 F(0)F(1)-ATPase and reconstituted F(1)- and F(0)F(1)-ATPase containing epsilon(DeltaC). Compared with F(1)- and F(0)F(1)-ATPase containing intact epsilon, those containing epsilon(DeltaC) showed uninhibited activity; severalfold higher rate of ATP hydrolysis at low ATP concentration and the start of ATP hydrolysis without an initial lag at high ATP concentration. The F(0)F(1)-ATPase containing epsilon(DeltaC) was capable of ATP-driven H(+) pumping. The time-course of pumping at low ATP concentration was faster than that by the F(0)F(1)-ATPase containing intact epsilon. Thus, the comparison with noninhibitory epsilon(DeltaC) mutant shed light on the inhibitory role of the intact epsilon subunit in F(0)F(1)-ATPase.     

The presence of phosphate at a catalytic site suppresses the formation of the MgADP-inhibited form of F(1)-ATPase.

F1-ATPase is inactivated by entrapment of MgADP in catalytic sites and reactivated by MgATP or P(i). Here, using a mutant alpha(3)beta(3)gamma complex of thermophilic F(1)-ATPase (alpha W463F/beta Y341W) and monitoring nucleotide binding by fluorescence quenching of an introduced tryptophan, we found that P(i) interfered with the binding of MgATP to F(1)-ATPase, but binding of MgADP was interfered with to a lesser extent. Hydrolysis of MgATP by F(1)-ATPase during the experiments did not obscure the interpretation because another mutant, which was able to bind nucleotide but not hydrolyse ATP (alpha W463F/beta E190Q/beta Y341W), also gave the same results. The half-maximal concentrations of P(i) that suppressed the MgADP-inhibited form and interfered with MgATP binding were both approximately 20 mm. It is likely that the presence of P(i) at a catalytic site shifts the equilibrium from the MgADP-inhibited form to the enzyme-MgADP-P(i) complex, an active intermediate in the catalytic cycle.     

Oxidative phosphorylation in Escherichia coli. Characterization of mutant strains in which F1-ATPase contains abnormal beta-subunits.

To facilitate study of the role of the beta-subunit in the membrane-bound proton-translocating ATPase of Escherichia coli, we identified mutant strains from which an F1-ATPase containing abnormal beta-subunits can be purified. Seventeen strains of E. coli, characterized by genetic complementation tests as carrying mutations in the uncD gene (which codes for the beta-subunit), were studied. The majority of these strains (11) were judged to be not useful, as their membranes lacked ATPase activity, and were either proton-permeable as prepared or remained proton-impermeable after washing with buffer of low ionic strength. A further two strains were of a type not hitherto reported, in that their membranes had ATPase activity, were proton-impermeable as prepared, and were not rendered proton-permeable by washing in buffer of low ionic strength. Presumably in these two strains F1-ATPase is not released in soluble form by this procedure. F1-ATPase of normal molecular size were purified from strains AN1340 (uncD478), AN937 (uncD430), AN938 (uncD431) and AN1543 (uncD484). F1-ATPase from strain AN1340 (uncD478) had 15% of normal specific Mg-dependent ATPase activity and 22% of normal ATP-synthesis activity. The F1-ATPase preparations from strains AN937, AN938 and AN1543 had respectively 1.7%, 1.8% and 0.2% of normal specific Mg-dependent ATPase activity, and each of these preparations had very low ATP-synthesis activity. The yield of F1-ATPase from the four strains described was almost twice that obtained from a normal haploid strain. The kinetics of Ca-dependent ATPase activity were unusual in each of the four F1-ATPase preparations. It is likely that these four mutant uncD F1-ATPase preparations will prove valuable for further experimental study of the F1-ATPase catalytic mechanism.     

Preparation and properties of amphipathic enzyme-polymer conjugates.

Five uncoupled mutant strains of Escherichia coli carrying mutations in the uncD gene have been studied. In each of these mutant strains the beta-subunit of the F1 portion of the membrane-bound adenosine triphosphatase is abnormal. In one of the mutant strains (carrying the uncD12 allele) in F1-ATPase aggregate was formed which was purified and found to have low ATPase activity. ATPase activity was absent in the other four strains and the abnormal beta-subunits were tightly bound to the membranes. However, membranes from these strains exhibited various proton permeabilities as indicated by NADH-dependent atebrin-fluorescence quenching and bound different amounts of normal F1-ATPase. The amounts of reconstitution of energy-linked reactions after the addition of normal F1-ATPase also varied depending on the mutant allele. It is apparent that considerable phenotypic variations can occur between strains carrying mutations in the same unc gene.     

F1ATPase of Escherichia coli: a mutation (uncA401) located in the middle of the alpha subunit affects the conformation essential for F1 activity

F1ATPase from the Escherichia coli mutant of H+-ATPase, AN120 (uncA401), has less than 1% of the wild type activity and has been shown to be defective in the alpha subunit by in vitro reconstitution experiments. In the present study, the mutation site was located within a domain of the subunit by recombinant DNA technology. For this, a series of recombinant plasmids carrying various portions of the alpha subunit gene were constructed and used for genetic recombination with AN120. Analysis of the recombinants indicated that the mutation site could be located between amino acid residues 370 and 387. The biochemical properties of the mutant F1 were analyzed further using the fluorescent ATP analog DNS-ATP (2'-(5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulfonyl)-amino-2'-deoxy ATP). The single turnover process of E. coli F1ATPase proposed by Matsuoka et al. [(1982) J. Biochem. 92, 1383-1398.] was compared in the mutant and wild type F1's. Mutant F1 bound DNS-ATP and hydrolyzed it as efficiently as wild type F1. Results showed that binding of ATP to a low affinity site, possibly in the beta subunit, caused decrease of fluorescence of DNS-ATP in the wild type F1 and that this effect of ATP binding was inhibited by DCCD (dicyclohexyl carbodiimide). However, this effect was not inhibited by DCCD in the mutant F1, suggesting that in the proposed process some step(s) after ATP binding to the low affinity site differed in the mutant and wild F1's. When Pi was added to F1 bound to DNS-ATP or to aurovertin, a fluorescent probe capable of binding to the beta subunit, the opposite changes of fluorescence of these probes in the mutant and wild type F1's were observed, suggesting that the conformational change induced by phosphate binding was altered in the mutant F1. On the basis of the estimated mutation site and the biochemical properties of the mutant F1, the correlation of the domain of this site in the alpha subunit with the function of F1 ATPase is discussed.     

Increasing glycolytic flux in Torulopsis glabrata by redirecting ATP production from oxidative phosphorylation to substrate-level phosphorylation

AIMS: This study aimed at further increasing the pyruvate productivity of a multi-vitamin auxotrophic yeast Torulopsis glabrata by redirecting ATP production from oxidative phosphorylation to substrate-level phosphorylation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We examined two strategies to decrease the activity of F0F1-ATPase. The strategies were to inhibit F0F1-ATPase activity by addition of oligomycin, or to disrupt F0F1-ATPase by screening neomycin-resistant mutant. The addition of 0.05 mmol l(-1) oligomycin to the culture broth of T. glabrata CCTCC M202019 resulted in a significantly decreased intracellular ATP level (35.7%) and a significantly increased glucose consumption rate (49.7%). A neomycin-resistant mutant N07 was screened and selected after nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis of the parent strain T. glabrata CCTCC M202019. Compared with the parent strain, the F0F1-ATPase activity of the mutant N07 decreased about 65%. As a consequence, intracellular ATP level of the mutant N07 decreased by 24%, which resulted in a decreased growth rate and growth yield. As expected, glucose consumption rate and pyruvate productivity of the mutant N07 increased by 34% and 42.9%, respectively. Consistently, the activities of key glycolytic enzymes of the mutant N07, including phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, increased by 63.7%, 28.8% and 14.4%, respectively. In addition, activities of the key enzymes involved in electron transfer chain of the mutant N07 also increased. CONCLUSIONS: Impaired oxidative phosphorylation in T. glabrata leads to a decreased intracellular ATP production, thereby increasing the glycolytic flux. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The strategy of redirecting ATP production from oxidative phosphorylation to substrate-level phosphorylation provides an alternative approach to enhance the glycolytic flux in eukaryotic micro-organisms.     

Aurovertin binds to the beta subunit of yeast mitochondrial ATPase.

Isolated beta subunit of ATPase (F1) from yeast mitochondria does not catalyze an ATPase reaction but still binds the specific F1 inhibitor aurovertin. Binding was measured by enhancement of aurovertin fluorescence; it was as tight as that to F1-ATPase. No binding was observed with F1 or with isolated beta subunit from a single-gene nuclear yeast mutant whose F1-ATPase was resistant to aurovertin.     

The defective proton-ATPase of uncA mutants of Escherichia coli. Identification by DNA sequencing of residues in the alpha-subunit which are essential for catalysis or normal assembly

A group of mutant uncA alleles, affecting essential residues of the alpha-subunit of Escherichia coli proton-ATPase, have been identified by intragenic complementation mapping, cloning, and DNA sequencing. One of the mutations, uncA450, abolishes normal assembly of F1-ATPase. The amino acid substitution found was Glu-299----Lys, which is predicted to lie in an alpha-helix in alpha-subunit. The reversal of the charge at residue 299 is a likely cause of defective assembly. The uncA462 allele causes impairment of catalysis while allowing normal assembly of membrane-bound F1-ATPase. The amino acid substitution found was Ser-347----Phe. Three mutations which impair catalysis but do not cause structural perturbation of either membrane-bound or solubilized F1ATPase were characterized as follows: uncA401, Ser-373----Phe; uncA447, Gly-351----Asp; uncA453, Ser-375----Phe. We predict here that the nucleotide-binding domain of alpha-subunit is formed by the amino acids in the sequence from residue 160 to approximately residue 340. The mutations which cause impairment of catalysis lie in a short segment between residues 347-375 of alpha-subunit, at the C-terminal end of the predicted nucleotide-binding domain. This segment is suggested to be important for beta-alpha-beta intersubunit conformational interaction involved in positive catalytic cooperativity in F1-ATPase.