The mechanism of regulation of actomyosin subfragment 1 ATPase

The mechanism of regulation of actin-subfragment 1 nucleoside triphosphatase is described in terms of the rate and equilibrium constants of a relatively simple kinetic scheme: (Formula: see text) where T, D, and Pi are nucleoside triphosphate, nucleoside diphosphate, and inorganic phosphate, respectively; Ka, Kb, and Kc are association constants; the ki are first-order rate constants; A is regulated actin (actin-tropomyosin-troponin); and M is subfragment 1. Calcium binding to regulated actin had little effect on step 2; k2 was almost unaffected, and k-2 increased, at most, 2-fold. k-1 and k3 increased 10-20-fold for ATP and 3-5-fold for 1-N6-ethenoadenosine triphosphate as substrates. Kb and Kc increased by less than 50%, whereas Ka increased 6-10-fold. The primary effect in regulation is on the rate of a conformational change which determines the rate of dissociation of ligands bound to the active site. The measurements probably underestimate the ratio of rate constants of product dissociation for active and relaxed states of actin because of heterogeneity. The kinetic evidence can be explained by a partial steric blocking mechanism or by a conformational (nonsteric) mechanism.     

Inhibition of actin-myosin subfragment 1 ATPase activity by troponin I and IC: relationship to the thin filament states of muscle

Troponin I (TnI) is the component of the troponin complex that inhibits actomyosin ATPase activity, and Ca(2+) binding to the troponin C (TnC) component reverses the inhibition. Effects of the binding of TnI and the TnI-TnC (TnIC) complex to actin-tropomyosin (actinTm) on ATPase and on the binding kinetics of myosin subfragment 1 (S1) were studied to clarify the mechanism of the inhibition. TnI and TnIC in the absence of Ca(2+) bind to actinTm and inhibit ATPase to similar levels with a stoichiometry of one TnI or one TnIC per one Tm and seven actin subunits. TnI also binds to actinTmTn in the presence of Ca(2+) with a stoichiometry and inhibition constant similar to those for the binding to actinTm of TnI and Tn in the absence of Ca(2+). Thus, in the presence of Ca(2+), the intrinsic TnI which is released from its binding site on actinTm does not interfere with the binding of an extra molecule of TnI to actinTmTn. The rate of S1 binding to actinTmTnI and to actinTmTnTnI in the presence of Ca(2+) was inhibited to the same extent as upon removal of Ca(2+) from actinTmTn. These studies show that TnI inhibits ATPase by the same mechanism as Tn in the absence of Ca(2+), by shifting the thin filament equilibria from the open state to the closed and blocked states.     

Intermediate reaction states of the red beet plasma membrane ATPase

The phosphorylation reaction for the plasma membrane ATPase of red beet (Beta vulgaris L.) was examined in order to further understand the mechanism of this enzyme. The level of steady-state phosphorylation had a pH optimum of about 6.0 while ATPase activity (32Pi production) measured under identical conditions had a pH optimum of 7.0. Phosphoenzyme decomposition was accelerated as both the pH and temperature were increased. The former effect may account for the observed difference between the pH optimum for phosphorylation and ATPase. Although the kinetics of K+ stimulation of ATP hydrolysis have been observed to be complex, the kinetics of K+ stimulation of phosphoenzyme turnover were observed to be simple Michaelis-Menten. An antagonism was observed between MgATP and K+ for the stimulation of phosphoenzyme turnover. Increased MgATP concentration reduced the degree of K+ stimulation of phosphoenzyme turnover and ATPase activity. These effects could be explained by the observation that two forms of phosphoenzyme occur during ATP hydrolysis. One form is discharged by ADP while the other form is ADP insensitive. Potassium stimulation of phosphoenzyme breakdown occurs primarily because of effects on the ADP-insensitive phosphoenzyme form. These results are consistent with a mechanism of ATP hydrolysis involving interconversions of conformational states.     

Effects of deletion of tropomyosin overlap on regulated actomyosin subfragment 1 ATPase.

The role of the overlap region at the ends of tropomyosin molecules in the properties of regulated thin filaments has been investigated by substituting nonpolymerizable tropomyosin for tropomyosin in a reconstituted troponin-tropomyosin-actomyosin subfragment 1 ATPase assay system. A previous study [Heeley, Golosinka & Smillie (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 9971-9978] has shown that at an ionic strength of 70 mM, troponin will induce full binding of nonpolymerizable tropomyosin to F-actin both in the presence and absence of calcium. At a myosin subfragment 1-to-actin ratio of 2:1 ([actin] = 4 microM) and an ionic strength of 50 mM, comparable levels of ATPase inhibition were observed with increasing levels of tropomyosin or the truncated derivative in the presence of troponin (-Ca2+). Large differences were noted, however, in the activation by Ca2+. Significantly lower ATPase activities were observed with nonpolymerizable tropomyosin and troponin (+Ca2+) over a range of subfragment 1-to-actin ratios from 0.25 to 2.5. The concentration of subfragment 1 required to generate ATPase activities exceeding those seen with actomyosin subfragment 1 alone under these conditions was 3-4-fold greater when nonpolymerizable tropomyosin was used. Similar effects were seen at the much lower ionic strength of 13 mM and are consistent with the reduced ATPase activity with nonpolymerizable tropomyosin observed previously [Walsh, Trueblood, Evans & Weber (1985) J. Mol. Biol. 182, 265-269] at low ionic strength and a subfragment 1-to-actin ratio of 1:100. Little cooperativity in activity as a function of subfragment 1 concentration with either intact tropomyosin or its truncated derivative was observed under the present conditions. Further studies are directed towards an understanding of these effects in terms of the two-state binding model for the attachment of myosin heads to regulated thin filaments.     

Nucleotide-induced states of myosin subfragment 1 cross-linked to actin

Actomyosin interactions and the properties of weakly bound states in carbodiimide-cross-linked complexes of actin and myosin subfragment 1 (S-1) were probed in tryptic digestion, fluorescence, and thiol modification experiments. Limited proteolysis showed that the 50/20K junction on S-1 was protected in cross-linked acto-S-1 from trypsin even under high-salt conditions in the presence of MgADP, MgAMPPNP, and MgPPi (mu = 0.5 M). The same junction was exposed to trypsin by MgATP and MgATP gamma S but mainly on S-1 cross-linked via its 50K fragment to actin. p-Phenylenedimaleimide-bridged S-1, when cross-linked to actin, yielded similar tryptic cleavage patterns to those of cross-linked S-1 in the presence of MgATP. By using p-nitrophenylenemaleimide, it was found that the essential thiols of cross-linked S-1 were exposed to labeling in the presence of MgATP and MgATP gamma S in a state-specific manner. In contrast to this, the reactive thiols were protected from modification in the presence of MgADP, MgAMPPNP, and MgPPi at mu = 0.5 M. These modifications were compared with similar reactions on isolated S-1. Experiments with pyrene-actin cross-linked to S-1 showed enhancement of fluorescence intensity upon additions of MgATP and MgATP gamma S, indicating the release of the pyrene probe on actin from the sphere of S-1 influence. The results of this study contrast the "open" structure of weakly bound actomyosin states to the "tight" conformation of rigor complexes.     

Dynamic reorganization of the motor domain of myosin subfragment 1 in different nucleotide states.

Atomic models of the myosin motor domain with different bound nucleotides have revealed the open and closed conformations of the switch 2 element [Geeves, M.A. & Holmes, K.C. (1999) Annu. Rev. Biochem.68, 687-728]. The two conformations are in dynamic equilibrium, which is controlled by the bound nucleotide. In the present work we attempted to characterize the flexibility of the motor domain in the open and closed conformations in rabbit skeletal myosin subfragment 1. Three residues (Ser181, Lys553 and Cys707) were labelled with fluorophores and the probes identified three fluorescence resonance energy transfer pairs. The effect of ADP, ADP.BeFx, ADP.AlF4- and ADP.Vi on the conformation of the motor domain was shown by applying temperature-dependent fluorescence resonance energy transfer methods. The 50 kDa lower domain was found to maintain substantial rigidity in both the open and closed conformations to provide the structural basis of the interaction of myosin with actin. The flexibility of the 50 kDa upper domain was high in the open conformation and further increased in the closed conformation. The converter region of subfragment 1 became more rigid during the open-to-closed transition, the conformational change of which can provide the mechanical basis of the energy transduction from the nucleotide-binding pocket to the light-chain-binding domain.     

Comparison of the effects of smooth and skeletal tropomyosin on skeletal actomyosin subfragment 1 ATPase

Chicken gizzard tropomyosin, like rabbit skeletal tropomyosin, inhibits and activates skeletal actomyosin subfragment 1 ATPase at low and high [subfragment 1], respectively, showing that both smooth and skeletal tropomyosin qualitatively produce similar cooperative effects on activity. For gizzard tropomyosin, however, the extent of the inhibition was less, and the activation curve rose more sharply at lower [subfragment 1]. In terms of a two-state cooperative activity model for the actin-tropomyosin filament (Hill, T. L., Eisenberg, E., and Chalovich, J. (1981) Biophys. J. 35, 99-112), these results qualitatively suggest that, for the gizzard tropomyosin system, more units are initially in the active state (in the absence of subfragment 1) and that the switching of units to the active state is more cooperative. The greater cooperativity indicated for the gizzard system may be a consequence of the greater rigidity of gizzard tropomyosin indicated from conformational studies.     

Regulation of the interaction between actin and myosin subfragment 1: evidence for three states of the thin filament.

Equilibrium titrations and kinetic experiments were used to define the cooperative binding of myosin subfragment 1 (S1) to actin-troponin-tropomyosin. Both types of experiment require an equilibrium between two states of the thin filament in which one state (the off state) binds S1 less readily than the other. Equilibrium titrations are compatible with > 95% of the actin7.Tn.Tm units being in the off state in the absence of calcium and 80% in the off state in the presence of calcium. Kinetic binding data suggest that the presence of calcium switches the thin filament from 70% in the off state to < 5%. The two experiments, therefore, define quite different populations of the off states. We propose a three-state model of the thin filament. A "blocked state" which is unable to bind S1, a "closed state" which can only bind S1 relatively weakly and an "open state" in which the S1 can both bind and undergo an isomerization to a more strongly bound rigor-like conformation. The equilibrium between the three states is calcium-dependent; KB = [closed]/[blocked] = 0.3 and > or = 16 and KT = [open]/[closed] = 0.09 and 0.25 in the absence and presence of calcium, respectively. This model can account for both types of experimental data.     

Synthetic peptide of the sequence 632-642 on myosin subfragment 1 inhibits actomyosin ATPase activity.

A synthetic peptide corresponding to a sequence 632-642 (S632-642) on the myosin subfragment 1 (S-1) heavy chain and spanning the 50/20 kDa junction of S-1 binds to actin in the presence and absence of S-1. The binding of 1.0 mole of peptide per actin causes almost complete inhibition of actomyosin ATPase activity and only partial inhibition of S-1 binding to actin. The binding of S632-642 to the N-terminal segment of actin is supported by competitive carbodiimide cross-linking of S-1 and S632-642 to actin and the catalytic properties of cross-linked acto-S-1 and actin-peptide complexes. These results show that the sequence 632-642 on S-1 is an autonomous binding site for actin and confirm the catalytic importance of its interactions with the N-terminal segment of actin.     

Kinetic mechanism of 1-N6-etheno-2-aza-ATP hydrolysis by bovine ventricular myosin subfragment 1 and actomyosin subfragment 1. The nucleotide binding steps

The large change in fluorescence emission of 1-N6-etheno-2-aza-ATP (epsilon-aza-ATP) has been used to investigate the kinetic mechanism of etheno-aza nucleotide binding to bovine cardiac myosin subfragment 1 (myosin-S1) and actomyosin subfragment 1 (actomyosin-S1). The time course of nucleotide fluorescence enhancement observed during epsilon-aza-ATP hydrolysis is qualitatively similar to the time course of tryptophan fluorescence enhancement observed during ATP hydrolysis. In single turnover experiments, the nucleotide fluorescence rapidly increases to a maximum level, then decreases with a rate constant of 0.045 s-1 to a final level, which is about 30% of the maximal enhancement; a similar fluorescence enhancement is obtained by adding epsilon-aza-ADP to cardiac myosin-S1 or actomyosin-S1 under the same conditions (100 mM KCl, 10 mM 4-morpholinepropanesulfonic acid, 5 mM MgCl2, 0.1 mM dithiothreitol, pH 7.0, 15 degrees C). The kinetic data are consistent with a mechanism in which there are two sequential (acto)myosin-S1 nucleotide complexes with enhanced nucleotide fluorescence following epsilon-aza-ATP binding. The apparent second order rate constants of epsilon-aza-ATP binding to cardiac myosin subfragment 1 and actomyosin subfragment 1 are 2-12 times slower than those for ATP. Actin increases the rate of epsilon-aza-ADP dissociation from bovine cardiac myosin-S1 from 1.9 to 110 s-1 at 15 degrees C which can be compared to 0.3 and 65 s-1 for ADP dissociation under similar conditions. Although there are quantitative differences between the rate and equilibrium constants of epsilon-aza- and adenosine nucleotides to cardiac actomyosin-S1 and myosin-S1, the basic features of the nucleotide binding steps of the mechanism are unchanged.     

Reaction mechanism of the magnesium ion-dependent adenosine triphosphatase of frog muscle myosin and subfragment 1.

The Mg2+-dependent ATPase (adenosine 5'-triphosphatase) mechanism of myosin and subfragment 1 prepared from frog leg muscle was investigated by transient kinetic technique. The results show that in general terms the mechanism is similar to that of the rabbit skeletal-muscle myosin ATPase. During subfragment-1 ATPase activity at 0-5 degrees C pH 7.0 and I0.15, the predominant component of the steady-state intermediate is a subfragment-1-products complex (E.ADP.Pi). Binary subfragment-1-ATP (E.ATP) and subfragment-1-ADP (E.ADP) complexes are the other main components of the steady-state intermediate, the relative concentrations of the three components E.ATP, E.ADP.Pi and E.ADP being 5.5:92.5:2.0 respectively. The frog myosin ATPase mechanism is distinguished from that of the rabbit at 0-5 degrees C by the low steady-state concentrations of E.ATP and E.ADP relative to that of E.ADP.Pi and can be described by: E + ATP k' + 1 in equilibrium k' - 1 E.ATP k' + 2 in equilibrium k' - 2 E.ADP.Pi k' + 3 in equilibrium k' - 3 E.ADP + Pi k' + 4 in equilibrium k' - 4 E + ADP. In the above conditions successive forward rate constants have values: k' + 1, 1.1 X 10(5)M-1.S-1; k' + 2 greater than 5s-1; k' + 3, 0.011 s-1; k' + 4, 0.5 s-1; k'-1 is probably less than 0.006s-1. The observed second-order rate constants of the association of actin to subfragment 1 and of ATP-induced dissociation of the actin-subfragment-1 complex are 5.5 X 10(4) M-1.S-1 and 7.4 X 10(5) M-1.S-1 respectively at 2-5 degrees C and pH 7.0. The physiological implications of these results are discussed.     

A comparison of the effect of vanadate on the binding of myosin-subfragment-1.ADP to actin and on actomyosin subfragment 1 ATPase activity

Equilibrium binding studies were used to determine the binding constant of vanadate ion (Vi), to the complex of actomyosin subfragment 1 (S1) with ADP and Vi and of actin to the myosin S1.ADP.Vi complex. The proteins used were obtained from rabbit skeletal muscle. Pre-steady-state measurements were also performed to determine the rates of Vi association and dissociation from the actomyosin S1.ADP.Vi complex. Using these measured values in a simple model, the steady-state actomyosin S1 ATPase activity was predicted over a range of Vi concentrations. This model predicted that Vi would have little effect on the actomyosin S1 ATPase activity. In agreement with this prediction, the measured ATPase activity of actomyosin S1 was not greatly inhibited by Vi, except at high concentrations at which polymeric species of Vi may occur (greater than 900 microM).     

Pressure-relaxation studies of pyrene-labelled actin and myosin subfragment 1 from rabbit skeletal muscle. Evidence for two states of acto-subfragment 1.

We have used actin labelled at Cys-374 with N-(1-pyrenyl)iodoacetamide [Kouyama & Mihashi (1981) Eur. J. Biochem. 114, 33-38] to monitor pressure-induced relaxations of acto-myosin subfragment 1. This label greatly increases the sensitivity of measurement of dissociated actin and reveals the presence of two relaxations. The experimental data can be fitted by a model in which actin binds subfragment 1 relatively weakly (K = 5.9 X 10(4) M-1) and then isomerizes to a more tightly bound complex (K = 1.7 X 10(7) M-1). This directly observed isomerization supports the model of Geeves, Goody & Gutfreund [(1984) J. Muscle Res. Cell. Motil. 5, 351-361]. The rate of the isomerization is too high to be observed in the pressure-jump apparatus (less than 200 microseconds), but analysis of the amplitudes allows estimation of the equilibrium constant of the isomerization as 280 (20 degrees C, 0.1 M-KCl, pH 7). The equilibrium is sensitive to temperature, pressure, ionic strength and the presence of ethylene glycol. The pressure-sensitivity of the isomerization suggests a significant conformational change of the acto-myosin subfragment 1 complex.     

Intermediate states of actomyosin adenosine triphosphatase.

The early kinetic steps of actomyosin subfragment 1 (acto-S1) adenosine triphosphatase have been investigated by simultaneous monitoring of fluorescence and light scattering and also by observation of the time course of the production of phosphate. The results show that fluorescence enhancement occurs after the dissociation of actomyosin and that the rate of enhancement is similar to the maximum rate of enhancement for S1 alone, under similar conditions of pH and temperature. The maximum rate of the phosphate burst for acto S1 is also approximately the same as that for S1 alone. The maximum rates for fluorescence enhancement or phosphate formation are reached at much lower adenosine triphosphate concentrations for acto-S1 than for S1. An extension of the actomyosin scheme is presented which accounts for these results.     

Binding between maleimidobenzoyl-G-actin and myosin subfragment 1.

It is well known that the structural interactions between S-1 moieties of myosin molecules ("cross bridges") and actin molecules in polymerized ("F") form are thought to underlie muscle contraction. It is surmised that such interactions are unitary (actin:S-1 = 1:1), but actual demonstration thereof is handicapped by intrinsic properties of the proteins. Recently, it has been reported that chemically modified [with m-maleimidobenzoyl-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester (MBS)] actin maintains its monomeric ("G") form and makes a stable unitary complex with S-1 but does not activate the S-1 ATPase [Bettache, N., Bertrand, R., & Kassab, R. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 86, 6028-6032]. However, we recently showed that when MBS-G-actin and S-1 are covalently cross-linked by 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-carbodiimide (EDC), ATPase activity is restored [Hozumi, T. (1991) Biochem. Int. 23, 835-843]. Here we investigated the interface between MBS-G-actin and S-1 using the techniques of tryptic digestion and EDC-cross-linking. MBS-G-actin specifically protected the N-terminal region of S-1 heavy chain against tryptic cleavage at the 25 kDa/50 kDa junction, which is different from the effect that a protomer within F-actin has on the protection of the 25 kDa/50 kDa junction. In addition, the cross-linking pattern between MBS-G-actin and S-1 was different from that between F-actin and S-1. When MBS-G actin was cross-linked to trypsin-treated S-1, no cross-linked product was observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Cell-penetrating peptides. A reevaluation of the mechanism of cellular uptake

Cellular uptake of a family of cationic cell-penetrating peptides (examples include Tat peptides and penetratin) have been ascribed in the literature to a mechanism that does not involve endocytosis. In this work we reevaluate the mechanisms of cellular uptake of Tat 48-60 and (Arg)(9). We demonstrate here that cell fixation, even in mild conditions, leads to the artifactual uptake of these peptides. Moreover, we show that flow cytometry analysis cannot be used validly to evaluate cellular uptake unless a step of trypsin digestion of the cell membrane-adsorbed peptide is included in the protocol. Fluorescence microscopy on live unfixed cells shows characteristic endosomal distribution of peptides. Flow cytometry analysis indicates that the kinetics of uptake are similar to the kinetics of endocytosis. Peptide uptake is inhibited by incubation at low temperature and cellular ATP pool depletion. Similar data were obtained for Tat-conjugated peptide nucleic acids. These data are consistent with the involvement of endocytosis in the cellular internalization of cell-penetrating peptides and their conjugates to peptide nucleic acids.     

o-Iodosobenzoic oxidation and cleavage of myosin subfragment 1.

1. o-Iodosobenzoic acid (IOB) caused the formation of a disulfide bridge between SH1 and SH2 groups of myosin SF1 rendering inactive its ATPase activity. 2. IOB at high concentrations provoked fragmentation of SF1 at its tryptophan residues. 3. The main fragmentation point was located at 15 K from the amino terminus of the myosin heavy chain. 4. Actin was not fragmented by IOB. It protected SF1 tryptophans from IOB attack. 5. These results suggest a possible use of IOB as a reagent to study protein tryptophan under nondenaturing conditions.     

Transient kinetics of the binding of ATP to actomyosin subfragment 1: evidence that the dissociation of actomyosin subfragment 1 by ATP leads to a new conformation of subfragment 1

The initial steps by which ATP dissociates and binds to actomyosin subfragment 1 (acto-SF-1) were studied. Two techniques were used: stopped-flow (for acto-SF-1 dissociation kinetics) and rapid-flow quench with ATP chase quenching (for ATP binding kinetics). The experiments were carried out in 40% ethylene glycol-5 mM KCI, pH 8, at 15 degrees C. Under these conditions, the binding of SF-1 to actin remains very tight. As with SF-1, the ATP chase technique could be used, first, to titrate active sites and, second, to study the kinetics of ATP binding to acto-SF-1. The kinetic constants obtained were compared with those of SF-1 alone and with the acto-SF-1 dissociation kinetics under identical conditions. The kinetics of the acto-SF-1 dissociation did not vary with the actin to SF-1 ratio, but the ATP binding kinetics did, and a maximum value was reached at a mole ratio of 2.5. At high ATP (100 microM), kdiss = 300 s-1, which compares with 49 s-1 and 13 s-1 for the ATP binding kinetics for acto-SF-1 (actin to SF-1 = 1:1) and SF-1, respectively. As with SF-1, the ATP binding to acto-SF-1 follows a hyperbolic law with the ATP concentration. This suggests a rapid equilibrium (K) followed by an essentially irreversible step (k).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)