Reaction mechanism of 21S dynein ATPase from sea urchin sperm. I. Kinetic properties in the steady state

21S Dynein ATPase [EC 3.6.1.3] from axonemes of a Japanese sea urchin, Pseudocentrotus depressus, and its subunit fractions were studied to determine their kinetic properties in the steady state, using [gamma-32P]ATP at various concentrations, 5 mM divalent cations, and 20 mM imidazole at pH 7.0 and 0 degrees C. The following results were obtained. 1. 21S Dynein had a latent ATPase activity of about 0.63 mumol Pi/(mg . min) in 1 mM ATP, 100 mM KCl, 4 mM MgSO4, 0.5 mM EDTA, and 30 mM Tris-HCl at pH 8.0 and 25 degrees C. Its exposure to 0.1% Triton X-100 for 5 min at 25 degrees C induced an increase in the ATPase activity to about 3.75 mumol Pi/(mg . min) and treatment at 40 degrees C for 5 min also induced a similar activation. 2. The double-reciprocal plot for the ATPase activity of dynein activated by the treatment at 40 degrees C consisted of two straight lines, while that of nonactivated 21S dynein fitted a single straight line. 3. In low ionic strength solution, the Mg- and Mn-ATPase of 21S dynein showed substrate inhibition at ATP concentrations above 0.1 mM; the inhibition decreased with increasing ionic strength. Ca- and Sr-ATPase showed no substrate inhibition. 4. Both the Vmax and Km values of dynein ATPase decreased reversibly upon addition of about 40% (v/v) glycerol. In the presence of glycerol, the dynein ATPase showed an initial burst of Pi liberation. The apparent Pi-burst size was 1.0 mol/(10(6) g protein) and the true size was calculated to be 1.6 mol/1,250 K after correcting for the effect of Pi liberation in the steady state and the purity of our preparation. 5. One of the subunit fractions of 21S dynein which was obtained by the method of Tang et al. showed substrate inhibition and an initial burst of Pi liberation of 1.4 mol/(10(6) g protein) in the presence of 54% (v/v) glycerol.     

Effect of inorganic phosphate on the Ca2+ sensitivity in skinned Taenia coli smooth muscle fibers. Comparison of tension, ATPase activity, and phosphorylation of the regulatory myosin light chains.

Inorganic phosphate (Pi) decreases maximal tension in contracted skeletal and heart muscle fibers. We investigated the effects of 10 mM Pi on the force-calcium relationship in Triton X-100-skinned Taenia coli smooth muscle fibers. Isometric force measurements show that the calcium sensitivity of the force depends on the phosphate concentration. Furthermore 10 mM Pi relaxes the fibers more at intermediate than at high calcium ion concentrations: At pCa 4.5 tension decreases in the presence of 10 mM Pi by approximately 12% but it decreases 70% at pCa 6.17. Removal of phosphate partially reverses the relaxation. Simultaneous determination of actomyosin ATPase activity and force (Güth, K., and J. Junge, 1982, Nature (Lond.), 300:775-776) shows that the ATPase activity does not correlate with the changes in force. In the presence of Pi, tension decreases more than the ATPase activity. The level of phosphorylation of the 20,000-D regulatory myosin light chain is not changed in the presence or absence of 10 mM Pi. The results are discussed in terms of slowly or noncycling myosin crossbridges formed at lower calcium concentrations, which contribute to the force development but not to the ATPase activity. These crossbridges are considered to be dissociated in the presence of phosphate.     

Energetics of the calcium-transporting ATPase

A thermodynamic cycle for catalysis of calcium transport by the sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase is described, based on equilibrium constants for the microscopic steps of the reaction shown in Equation 1 under a single set of experimental (formula; see text) conditions (pH 7.0, 25 degrees C, 100 mM KCl, 5 mM MgSO4): KCa = 5.9 X 10(-12) M2, K alpha ATP = 15 microM, Kint = 0.47, K alpha ADP = 0.73 mM, K'int = 1.7, K"Ca = 2.2 X 10(-6) M2, and Kp = 37 mM. The value of K"Ca was calculated by difference, from the free energy of hydrolysis of ATP. The spontaneous formation of an acylphosphate from Pi and E is made possible by the expression of 12.5 kcal mol-1 of noncovalent binding energy in E-P. Only 1.9 kcal mol-1 of binding energy is expressed in E X Pi. There is a mutual destabilization of bound phosphate and calcium in E-P X Ca2, with delta GD = 7.6 kcal mol-1, that permits transfer of phosphate to ADP and transfer of calcium to a concentrated calcium pool inside the vesicle. It is suggested that the ordered kinetic mechanism for the dissociation of E-P X Ca2, with phosphate transfer to ADP before calcium dissociation outside and phosphate transfer to water after calcium dissociation inside, preserves the Gibbs energies of these ligands and makes a major contribution to the coupling in the transport process. A lag (approximately 5 ms) before the appearance of E-P after mixing E and Pi at pH 6 is diminished by ATP and by increased [Pi]. This suggests that ATP accelerates the binding of Pi. The weak inhibition by ATP of E-P formation at equilibrium also suggests that ATP and phosphate can bind simultaneously to the enzyme at pH 6. Rate constants are greater than or equal to 115 s-1 for all the steps in the reaction sequence to form E-32P X Ca2 from E-P, Ca2+ and [32P]ATP at pH 7. E-P X Ca2 decomposes with kappa = 17 s-1, which shows that it is a kinetically competent intermediate. The value of kappa decreases to 4 s-1 if the intermediate is formed in the presence of 2 mM Ca2+. This decrease and inhibition of turnover by greater than 0.1 mM Ca2+ may result from slow decomposition of E-P X Ca3.     

The effects of cytochalasins on actin polymerization and actin ATPase provide insights into the mechanism of polymerization

Substoichiometric concentrations of cytochalasin D inhibited the rate of polymerization of actin in 0.5 mM MgCl2, increased its critical concentration and lowered its steady state viscosity. Stoichiometric concentrations of cytochalasin D in 0.5 mM MgCl2 and even substoichiometric concentrations of cytochalasin D in 30 mM KCl, however, accelerated the rate of actin polymerization, although still lowering the final steady state viscosity. Cytochalasin B, at all concentrations in 0.5 mM MgCl2 or in 30 mM KCl, accelerated the rate of polymerization and lowered the final steady state viscosity. In 0.5 mM MgCl2, cytochalasin D uncoupled the actin ATPase activity from actin polymerization, increasing the ATPase rate by at least 20 times while inhibiting polymerization. Cytochalasin B had a very much lower stimulating effect. Neither cytochalasin D nor B affected the actin ATPase activity in 30 mM KCl. The properties of cytochalasin E were intermediate between those of cytochalasin D and B. Cytochalasin D also stimulated the ATPase activity of monomeric actin in the absence of MgCl2 and KCl and, to a much greater extent, stimulated the ATPase activity of monomeric actin below its critical concentration in 0.5 mM MgCl2. Both above and below its critical concentration and in the presence and absence of cytochalasin D, the initial rate of actin ATPase activity, when little or no polymerization had occurred, was directly proportional to the actin concentration and, therefore, apparently was independent of actin-actin interactions. To rationalize all these data, a working model has been proposed in which the first step of actin polymerization is the conversion of monomeric actin-bound ATP, A . ATP, to monomeric actin-bound ADP and Pi, A* . ADP . Pi, which, like the preferred growing end of an actin filament, can bind cytochalasins.     

Properties of the cyanobacterial coupling factor ATPase from Spirulina platensis. II. Activity of the purified and membrane-bound enzymes

Cyanobacterial (Spirulina platensis) photosynthetic membranes and isolated F1 ATPase were characterized with respect to ATP activity. The following results indicate that the regulation of expression of ATPase activity in Spirulina platensis is similar to that found in chloroplasts: the ATPase activity of Spirulina membranes and isolated F1 ATPase is mostly latent, a characteristic of chloroplast ATPase activity; treatments that elicit ATPase activity in higher plant chloroplast thylakoids and isolated chloroplast coupling factor (CF1) greatly stimulate the activity of Spirulina membranes and F1, and the cation specificity of chloroplast ATPase activity, e. g., light-induced membrane activity that is magnesium dependent and trypsin-activated CF1 activity that is calcium dependent, is also observed in Spirulina. Thus, an 8- to 15-fold increase in specific activity (to 13-15 mumol Pi min-1 mg chl-1) is obtained when Spirulina membranes are treated with trypsin (CaATPase) or with methanol (MgATPase): a light-induced, dithiothreitol-dependent MgATPase activity is also found in the membranes. Purified Spirulina F1 is a CaATPase when activated with trypsin (endogenous activity increases from 4 to 27-37 mumol Pi min-1 mg protein-1) or with dithiothreitol (5.6 mumol Pi min-1 mg-1), but a MgATPase when assayed with methanol (18-20 mumol Pi min-1 mg-1). The effects of varying calcium and ATP concentrations on the kinetics of trypsin-induced CaATPase activity of Spirulina F1 were examined. When the calcium concentration is varied at constant ATP concentration, the velocity plot shows a marked sigmoidicity. By varying Ca-ATP metal-nucleotide complex concentration at constant concentrations of free calcium or ATP, it is shown that the sigmoidicity is due to the effect of free ATP, which changes the Hill constant to 1.6 from 1.0 observed when the free calcium concentration is kept constant at 5 mM. Therefore not only is ATP an inhibitor but it is also an allosteric effector of Spirulina F1 ATPase activity. At 5 mM free calcium, the Km for teh Ca-ATP metal-nucleotide complex is 0.42 mM.     

Ca2+ translocation and catalytic activity of the sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase. Modulation by ATP, Ca2+, and Pi

The ratio between Ca2+ uptake and Ca(2+)-dependent ATP hydrolysis measured in sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles of rabbit skeletal muscle was found to vary greatly depending on the concentrations of oxalate or Pi used. In the presence of 5 mM oxalate, 20 mM Pi, and 1 mM Pi, the ratios found were in the range of 1.4-2.3, 0.6-0.8, and 0.01-0.10, respectively. The rates of Ca2+ exchange and ATP synthesis were measured at the steady state by adding trace amounts of 45Ca and 32Pi, after the vesicles had been loaded with Ca2+. In the presence of 1 mM Pi, 10 mM MgCl2, and 0.2 mM CaCl2, the ratio between Ca2+ exchange and ATP synthesis varied from 9 to 14. This ratio approached two when Ca2+ in the medium was reduced to a very low level, or when in the presence of Ca2+, dimethyl sulfoxide was added to the assay medium, or when the Pi concentration was raised from 1 to 20 mM. A ratio of two was also measured when the steady state was attained using ITP instead of ATP. In all the conditions that led to a ratio close to two, there was an increase in the fraction of enzyme phosphorylated by Pi. It is proposed that the coupling between Ca2+ translocation and ATP hydrolysis or synthesis is modulated by the phosphorylation of the ATPase by Pi.     

Properties of the N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide resistant ATPase of Streptococcus cremoris

1. The specific activity of the membrane-bound ATPase of Streptococcus cremoris HA was 1.30 mumol Pi/mg protein/min. 2. Km for ATP as substrate was 0.8 mM. 3. The pH optimum was 8.0 at +37 degrees C. 4. The ATPase was maximally activated with Mg2+/ATP molar ratio of 1:2. 5. Cations activated the enzyme in order: Mg2+ greater than Co2+ greater than Mn2+ greater than Zn2+ greater than Ca2+ greater than K+ greater than Na+. 6. The enzyme was inhibited by oligomycin (27-77%), sodium azide (13-33%) and ouabain (15-22%). N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide had no effect on the enzyme activity.     

The enhanced ATPase activity of glutathione-substituted actin provides a quantitative approach to filament stabilization

[Cys374]glutathionyl-actin was prepared by isolation of the reaction product of G-actin with Ellman's reagent (5,5'-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid], followed by reaction with glutathione. Filaments of this actin disulfide are susceptible to even weak shearing stress as exerted, for example, by heating to 37 degrees C. This treatment produces a 25-fold enhanced steady-state ATPase activity as compared to unsubstituted F-actin at room temperature. Monitoring the reduction of this enhanced ATPase activity is a reliable method for quantifying the effectiveness of filament-stabilizing agents and for determining their apparent dissociation constants. A detailed comparative study of filament-stabilizing agents was performed, and some hitherto unknown filament-protecting effects were revealed. Inorganic phosphate provides stabilization only to a maximum of 45% ATPase inhibition, but reaches this effect already at cytoplasmic Pi concentrations (approximately 4 mM). Arsenate seems to bind with similar affinity, but with distinctly less protective activity (maximum of 16%). High concentrations of alkali ions provide a more effective protection (maximum of 95%), Li+ being more efficient than Na+ and K+. Divalent cations (Ca2+, Mg2+) had a strong stabilizing effect on KCl-polymerized actin; we confirmed the presence of two distinct classes of binding sites for divalent metal ions with moderate and low affinities, apparent in a strong stabilizing effect on KCl-polymerized actin. The stabilizing effects of KCl and Pi are independent and additive. Correspondingly, at K2HPO4 concentrations greater than 4 mM, K+ ions contribute considerably to stabilization. In the presence of 100 mM KCl plus 4 mM Pi, conditions which mimic the physiological environment, filament protection is nearly as effective as with the mushroom toxin phalloidin. The strong stabilizing effect of phalloidin occurred at concentrations far below stoichiometric, suggesting a very high degree of cooperativity in its interaction with actin filaments.     

Oxalate, calcium uptake and ATPase activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles.

Ca++-uptake and Mg++-Ca++-dependent ATPase activity of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles were reciprocally affected by increasing the oxalate concentration from 0 to 4 mM. At 0-0.1 mM oxalate approximately 17% of the calcium was removed by the vesicles from the medium while the ATPase activity was maximal (approximately 0.66 mumoles Pi mg-1 protein min-1). Between 0.1 to 0.2 mM oxalate the ATPase activity was reduced to one-fifth but the uptake rose sharply and 100% of the 45Ca++ was removed from the medium. The uptake was maintained at this level at oxalate concentrations greater than 0.4 mM but the ATPase activity remained inhibited. The kinetics of Ca++-uptake and ATPase activity were also differentially affected by oxalate. In the presence of oxalate, ruthenium red had only a very slight inhibitory effect on the calcium uptake. Addition of 0.1 mM EGTA removed 80% of the Ca++ from preloaded vesicles within 10 min. The formation of insoluble Ca-oxalate salt on the surface of the vesicle is suggested by these results. Calculations based on the Ksp of the calcium oxalate salt are presented to show its formation and the possible speciation of a Ca-oxalate complex which may affect the Ca++-uptake and ATPase activity.     

An RNA-dependent ATPase from Chlamydomonas reinhardII

An RNA-dependent ATPase has been isolated from extracts of Chlamydomonas reinhardii. The enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of ATP, dATP, CTP and dCTP to the corresponding nucleoside diphosphate and Pi in the presence of Mg2+ or Mn2+ and an RNA cofactor. In 1 mM MgCl2 it displays the greatest activity with poly(A), poly(I) and poly(U); and somewhat lower activity with poly(C) and T7 RNA. Although the enzyme is active with single-stranded DNA, all the single-stranded RNAs tested were significantly more effective cofactors than any of the single or double-stranded DNAs tested. A comparison of this ATPase with other RNA-dependent ATPases indicates that is has more in common with the ATPase isolated from the nuclei of animal cells than with the RNA synthesis termination protein rho, the major RNA-dependent ATPase from Escherichia coli. Although chloroplasts of C. reinhardii are known to contain many bacterial-like gene expression components, the presence of an enzyme with close homology to the E. coli rho protein was not detected.     

Synthesis of ATP by soluble mitochondrial F1 ATPase and F1-inhibitor-protein complex in the presence of organic solvents

The F1 and F1-inhibitor-protein complex synthesized tightly bound ATP from ADP and Pi when the organic solvents dimethylsulfoxide (20-50% v/v), ethylene glycol (20-60% v/v) or poly(ethylene glycol) 4000 and 8000 (30-50% w/v) were included in the assay media. There was no synthesis of tightly bound ATP in the absence of organic solvents. In the presence of 50% dimethylsulfoxide, maximal synthesis of ATP was obtained at pH values between 6.5 and 7.7. In both F1 and F1-inhibitor-protein there was no synthesis of ATP in the absence of MgCl2. The rate of ATP synthesis became faster as the MgCl2 concentration in the medium was raised from 0.1-10 mM. The Km for Pi of F1 was in the range of 0.8-1.5 mM. The Km for Pi of the F1-inhibitor-protein was much higher than that of F1 and could not be measured. In the presence of 10 mM MgCl2 and 2 mM Pi, the rate constants of ATP synthesis by F1 and F1-inhibitor-protein were 5.2-10.4 h-1 and 3.5-5.9 h-1 respectively. For both enzymes the rate constant of ATP hydrolysis was 0.69 h-1. The tightly bound ATP of F1 and F1-inhibitor-protein were hydrolyzed at a much slower rate when either the Pi concentration or the MgCl2 concentration was suddenly decreased. Both in presence and absence of Mg2+, 40-60% of the radioactive tightly bound ATP synthesized by F1 was hydrolyzed when non-radioactive ATP was added to the assay medium. This was not observed when F1-inhibitor-protein was used.     

Ouabain-insensitive Na+ stimulation of an Mg-2+ -dependent ATPase in kidney tissue.

1. Freshly prepared microsomal fractions of the outermost cortex of guinea pig kidney show an Mg-2+-dependent ATPase activity which is partially inhibited by 100 mM NaCl, LiCl, KCl, RbCl, CsCl, NH4Cl or choline chloride. 2. If the microsomal preparation is aged by storage at 4 degrees C for 10-15 days, the Mg-2+-dependent activity shows stimulation by Na-+ and Li-+ but not by K-+, Rb-+, Cs-+, NH4-+ or choline. 3. Stimulation is similar with sodium salts of Cl-minus, HCO3-minus, CH3COO-minus, BR-minus, SO4-2-minus or methylsulphonate. 4. Stimulation is insensitive to 1 mM and 10 mM ouabain. 5. Stimulation is unaltered by the presence of 0.5 mM ethyleneglycol-bis-(beta-aminoethyl ether)N,N'-tetracetic acid. 6. Stimulation is 100% inhibited by 2 mM ethacrynic acid, a concentration which inhibits only 30% of the Mg-2+-dependent ATPase and 50% of the (Na-++K-+)-stimulated ATPase. 7. Some of these characteristics coincide with those of an ouabain-resistant, K-+-independent, ethacrynic acid-sensitive mode of Na-+ extrusion out of guinea pig kidney cortex cells.     

Interactions of inorganic phosphate with spinach coupling factor 1. Effects on ATPase and ADP binding activities

Illumination of chloroplast thylakoid membranes results in both the release of adenine nucleotides from the tight nucleotide binding site(s) on chloroplast coupling factor 1 (CF1) and the activation of a light-triggered ATPase activity of CF1. Because inorganic phosphate stabilizes the light-triggered ATPase activity of CF1 in the dark, the effects of Pi on the rebinding of ADP to CF1 and on the light-triggered ATPase activity have been studied. Pi appears to be a partial noncompetitive inhibitor, with respect to ADP, of adenine nucleotide binding to the tight nucleotide binding site(s) on CF1 and induces negative cooperativity. The latter result suggests the existence of heterogeneous ADP binding sites in the presence of Pi. However, even under conditions where Pi causes a 50% reduction of tightly bound ADP, the ADP-induced dark decay of the ATPase activity is still complete. It was found that Pi inhibition of the light-induced dark binding of ADP can be reversed by the removal of the Pi. Removal of Pi also induces a small but significant ATPase activity. A model for the roles of the adenine nucleotide tight binding site(s) and Pi in the modulation of the spinach CF1 ATPase activity is proposed.     

Partial purification and characterization of an anion-activated ATPase from radish microsomes

Previous investigation showed two distinct ATP-dependent proton-transporting systems in microsomal vesicle from radish seedlings, one inhibited by vanadate and one inhibited by NO-3. On the bases of the effects of these inhibitors we could discriminate two distinct ATPase activities in the same material. The NO-3 sensitive activity was separated from the vanadate-sensitive activity and partially purified by a single-step chromatographic method, which lead to approx 35-fold purification from the microsomes and to a specific activity of 2.3 mumol Pi X min-1 X mg protein-1, at 30 degrees C. The partially purified activity was specific for ATP, some activity being observed toward GTP, and even less toward CTP, UTP and ITP. No significant Pi hydrolysis was found with ADP, AMP, p-nitrophenylphosphate and glucose 6-phosphate. ADP but not AMP was inhibiting in the presence of ATP. The activity was dependent on divalent cations in the order of preference: Mg2+ greater than Mn2+ greater than Co2+ greater than Ca2+ greater than Zn2+. The activity was unaffected by monovalent cations, strongly activated by Cl-, inhibited by 90% by 50 mM NO-3, virtually unaffected by oligomycin and NaN3. At least 90% of the activity was abolished in the presence of each: 10 microM N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, 10 microM erythrosin B, 10 mu mersalyl, 100 microM trimethyltin, 100 microM diethylstilbestrol, 100 microM N-ethylmaleimide. No inhibition has been found in the presence of Ca2+, at a concentration blocking the vanadate-sensitive activity. Nigericin, gramicidin and carbonylcyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone stimulated the activity of this preparation after it was incubated in the presence of sonicated phospholipids, suggesting the capacity of the ATPase to function as a H+-transporting system. All characteristics mentioned were closely similar to those described in the vacuolar ATPases.     

Characterization of human erythrocyte cytoskeletal ATPase

Human erythrocyte cytoskeletal ATPase was extracted with 0.2 mM ATP (pH 8.0) from Triton X-100 treated ghosts. The ATPase fraction contained mainly spectrin, actin, and band 4.1. When the ATPase fraction was applied to a Sepharose 4B column, 90% of the ATPase activity was recovered in a spectrin, actin, and band 4.1 complex fraction and none was detected in the spectrin fraction. A specific activity of the complex ATPase was 60-120 nmol/(mg protein X h). No ATPase activity was detected in the presence of EDTA. The presence of magnesium in the incubation medium was essential for the ATPase activity. The activity was activated by KCl and was almost completely inhibited by 10(-5) M free calcium in the presence of 0.2 mM MgCl2. The Ki for Ca2+ was 7 X 10(-7) M. Phalloidin and DNase 1, which affect actin, inhibited this K,Mg-ATPase activity by 95%, but cytochalasin B did not inhibit it. N-Ethylmaleimide activated the ATPase 1.6-fold. The order of affinity for nucleotides was ATP greater than ITP greater than CTP, ADP, AMP-PNP, GTP. A specific ATPase activity of purified actin was 50 nmol/(mg X h). These results suggest that the cytoskeletal ATPase is actin ATPase and the actin ATPase is activated by spectrin and band 4.1.     

Measurement of myosin adenosinetriphosphatase and myosin content in cultured heart cells

An assay specific for myosin ATPase in whole-cell extracts of cultured heart cells has been developed. Myosin ATPase is measured by the production of Pi from ATP in the presence of high ionic strength (0.5 M KCl) at pH 9.1. Enzyme activity is maximal with 10 mM CaCl2 and completely inhibited with 5 mM MgCl2. Spontaneously beating myocytes grown in the presence of 10% newborn calf serum and 0.1 mM 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine show a significant rise in myosin ATPase between Days 1 and 4 in culture. The measurement of myosin ATPase allows for the quantitation of cellular myosin content, and can be used to assess changes in myosin content that occur during growth, development, and cellular repair.     

Biochemical and cytochemical evidence for ATPase activity in basal bodies isolated from oviduct

Biochemical and cytochemical techniques were used to determine whether oviduct basal bodies have ATPase activity. All studies were carried out on basal bodies isolated and purified from the chicken oviduct. These preparations contained structurally intact basal bodies with basal feet, rootlet, and alar sheet accessory structures. Whereas the specific activity of the basal body ATPase in 2 mM Ca++ or 2 mM Mg++, 1 mM ATP, pH 8.0, averaged 0.04 mumol Pi/min per mg protein, higher concentrations of either cation inhibited the enzyme activity. Furthermore, the pH optimum for this reaction was pH 8.5. In comparison, the ATPase activity in cilia purified and measured under conditions identical to those for determining the basal body ATPase activity averaged 0.07 mumol Pi/min per mg protein. However, the activity increased at higher concentrations of divalent cation, and the pH optimum was pH 10.0. By cytochemical procedures for localizing ATPase activity, ATP-dependent reaction product in isolated basal bodies was found to be confined to: (a) the cross-striations of the rootlet; (b) the outer portion of the basal foot; (c) the alar sheets; and (d) the triplet microtubules. It is concluded that basal bodiesve an intrinsic ATPase activity that, by a variety of criteria, can be distinguished from the ATPase activity found in cilia.     

Unique Ca2+-activated ATPase in the nervous ganglia of Phyllocaulis soleiformis (Mollusca)

Nucleotide-metabolizing enzymes play important roles in the regulation of intracellular and extracellular nucleotide levels. We studied ATPase activity in the nervous ganglia of Phyllocaulis soleiformis, a terrestrial slug. The ATPase was divalent cation-dependent, with a maximal rate for ATP hydrolysis at pH 6.0 and 7.2 in the presence of Ca²⁺ (5 mM). Mg²⁺-ATPase activity was only 26% of the activity observed in the presence of Ca²⁺ (5 mM). ZnCl₂ (10 mM) produced a significant inhibition of 70%. Ca²⁺-ATPase activity was insensitive to the classical ATPase inhibitors ouabain, N-ethylmaleimide, orthovanadate and sodium azide. Levamisole, an inhibitor of alkaline phosphatase, was ineffective. Among nucleotides, ATP was the best substrate. The apparent K_{m (ATP)} for Ca²⁺-ATPase was 348±84 μM ATP and the V_max was 829±114 nmol Pi min⁻¹ mg⁻¹ protein. The P. soleiformis ganglial ATPase does not appear to fit clearly into any of the previously described types of Ca²⁺-ATPases.     

RNA-dependent ATPase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae

A new RNA-dependent ATPase has been isolated from yeast chromatin extracts and partially characterized. The protein has a sedimentation coefficient of about 7 S. The enzyme hydrolyzes specifically ATP (or dATP) to ADP (or dADP) and Pi in the presence of Mg2+ or Mn2+ ions and requires a single-stranded polynucleotide as cofactor. The order of efficiency of synthetic polymers is poly(rU) > poly(rI) greater than or equal to poly(dU) > poly(rA) greater than or equal to poly(rC). Among natural polymers, single-stranded DNA and poly(rA)-containing mRNA from yeast are also active but less so than poly(rU). The enzyme exhibits a pH optimum of 8 and is fully inhibited by 0.25 M NaCl. The Km for ATP is0.2 mM. The resemblance between this ATPase and DNA-dependent ATPases from other sources, as well as the termination factor rho, is discussed.     

The role of ATPase in glycolysis of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells

Glycolysis in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells suspended in buffer containing 5 mM Pi was 50% inhibited by ouabain. In the absence of Pi the inhibition was less striking. Permeabilization of the cells with filipin abolished glycolysis, but glycolysis was restored by addition of Pi and AMP. Neither ouabain nor quercetin inhibited glycolysis in these permeabilized cells. We conclude that quercetin did not inhibit hexokinase sufficiently to affect glycolysis. An extract of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells glycolyzed weakly unless either Pi or an ATPase (e.g. (Na+K+)-ATPase) was added. The low rate of glycolysis of the extract was even further reduced when an endogenous ATPase was removed by precipitation with CaATP. The glycolytic activity of this ATPase-deficient extract was restored by addition of purified (Na+K+)-ATPase or of CaATP-precipitable ATPase. Addition of hexokinase without Pi did not restore glycolytic activity to the extract. An explanation for the contradictory conclusions by Bustamante, E., Morris, H.P., and Pedersen, P.L. (J. Biol. Chem. (1981) 265, 8699-8704) is presented.