Studies on ouabain-complexed (Na+ +K+)-ATPase carried out with vanadate

Vanadate is able to promote the binding of ouabain to (Na+ +K+)-ATPase and it is shown that vanadate is trapped in the enzyme-ouabain complex. Also ouabain-bound enzyme, the formation of which was facilitated by (Mg2+ +Na+ +ATP) or (Mg2+ +Pi), is accessible to vanadate when washed free of competing ligands used for the promotion of ouabain binding. For vanadate binding to (Na+ +K+)-ATPase and to enzyme-ouabain complexes a divalent cation (Mg2+ or Mn2+) is indispensable, indicating that the cation does not remain attached to the ouabain-bound enzyme. K+ further increases vanadate binding in the absence of ouabain, but seems to have no additional role in case of vanadate binding to enzyme-ouabain complexes. Mn2+ is more efficient than Mg2+ in promoting binding of vanadate and ouabain to (Na+ +K+)-ATPase. That K+ in combination with Mn2+, in analogy with the effect in combination with Mg2+, increases the equilibrium binding level of vanadate and decreases that of ouabain does not seem to favour the hypothesis of selection of a special E2-subconformation by Mn2+. The vanadate-trapped enzyme-ouabain complex was examined for simultaneous nucleotide binding which could demonstrate a two-substrate mechanism per functional unit of the enzyme. The acceleration by (Na+ +ATP) of ouabain release from the (Mg2+ +Pi)-facilitated enzyme-ouabain complex does not, as anticipated, support such a mechanism. On the other hand, the deceleration of vanadate release as well as of ouabain release from a (Mg2+ +vanadate)-promoted complex could be consistent with a two-substrate mechanism working out-of-phase.     

Effect of Fatty Acids on [3H]Ouabain Binding to Cerebromicrovascular (Na++ K+)-ATPase

The effects of short- and long-chain fatty acids on the cerebromicrovascular (Na+ + K+)-ATPase were investigated using specific [3H]ouabain binding to the enzyme. Specific binding increased linearly with total microvessel protein (37-110 micrograms) and was time-dependent with maximum binding obtained by 10 min. Arachidonic acid, but not palmitic acid, stimulated [3H]ouabain binding in a dose-dependent manner, with a 105% increase over basal levels at 100 microM arachidonic acid. Preincubation of the microvessels with arachidonic acid did not alter the stimulation observed. 4-Pentenoic acid stimulated [3H]ouabain binding only at high concentrations (10 mM). Scatchard analysis of [3H]ouabain binding to untreated microvessels yielded a single class of "high-affinity" binding sites with an apparent binding affinity (KD) of 64.7 +/- 2.0 nM and a binding capacity (Bmax) of 10.1 +/- 1.5 pmol/mg protein. In the presence of 100 microM arachidonic acid, a monophasic Scatchard plot also was obtained, but the KD significantly decreased to 51.9 +/- 2.7 nM (p less than 0.01), whereas the Bmax remained virtually unchanged (12.5 +/- 1.2 pmol/mg protein). The stimulation of [3H]ouabain binding in the presence of arachidonic acid was potentiated by 4-pentenoic acid, but not by indomethacin or eicosatetraynoic acid. These data suggest that long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids may be involved in the regulation of blood-brain barrier (Na+ + K+)-ATPase and may play a role in the cerebral dysfunction associated with diseases in which plasma levels of nonesterified fatty acids are elevated.     

Identification of linoleic and oleic acids as endogenous Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitors from acute volume-expanded hog plasma

Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitors have been found to exist in acutely saline-infused hog plasma, which also inhibit the specific binding of ouabain to Na+,K+-ATPase and the binding of digoxin to specific anti-digoxin antibody. Two of these inhibitors were purified by a combination of Amberlite XAD-2 adsorption chromatography and 3 steps of high-performance liquid chromatography. Reverse phase, high-performance liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry identified these substances as linoleic (18:2) and oleic acids (18:1). A significant increase in the ouabain-displacing activity was observed in hog plasma during saline infusion. The maximal level reached was approximately 10 times higher than that of the preinfusion plasma sample. The two unsaturated fatty acids contributed to approximately 52% of the total ouabain-displacing activity after 120 min of saline infusion. The increased fatty acid levels in volume-expanded plasma are sufficient for an extensive inhibition of Na+,K+-ATPase activity. These results strongly suggest that free unsaturated fatty acids in plasma regulate extracellular fluid volume in a pathological volume-expanded condition through modulation of Na+,K+-ATPase activity.     

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.     

Facilitation of ouabain binding to (Na+ + K+)-ATPase by vanadate at in vivo concentrations.

In the presence of Mg2+ vanadate was shown to facilitate ouabain binding to (Na+ + K+)-ATPase in much the same way as Pi does. Thus the hypothesis that vanadate interacts with the phosphate site of the enzyme seems to be supported by ouabain binding experiments. At given ouabain concentrations maximum binding is achieved at microM concentrations of vanadate whereas mM concentrations of Pi are needed. Na+ as well as K+ counteract ouabain binding but some cardiac glycoside binding is still possible at in vivo concentrations of these cations. A minor contamination of the enzyme preparations with vanadate could explain the in vitro binding of ouabain that can be obtained with Mg2+ and in the absence of Pi.     

Identification of Na+/K+-ATPase inhibitors in bovine plasma as fatty acids and hydrocarbons

A preparative purification of endogenous inhibitors of the Na+/K+-ATPase has been carried out from bovine blood. Dried plasma was deproteinized, hexane-extracted and desalted, followed by further purification through a series of reverse-phase HPLC fractionations. Fractions active in inhibiting Na+/K+-ATPase activity and displacing ouabain were collected and purified further. By comparison with ouabain, the final extract was found to have a steeper concentration-effect curve in the inhibition of Na+/K+-ATPase. In displacement of [3H]ouabain, the extract had again a steeper concentration-effect curve than does ouabain, and in addition it enhanced ouabain binding at high dilutions. These properties are indicative of nonspecific interactions with the Na+/K+-ATPase. The active fraction was identified by TLC, HPLC, NMR, GLC and GC-MS, to be a mixture of three unesterified fatty acids, mainly oleic acid (72% of the total) and three saturated hydrocarbons. The assignment of structures was corroborated by comparison with authentic samples.     

Binding of Src to Na+/K+-ATPase forms a functional signaling complex

We have shown that ouabain activates Src, resulting in subsequent tyrosine phosphorylation of multiple effectors. Here, we tested if the Na+/K+-ATPase and Src can form a functional signaling complex. In LLC-PK1 cells the Na+/K+-ATPase and Src colocalized in the plasma membrane. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer analysis indicated that both proteins were in close proximity, suggesting a direct interaction. GST pulldown assay showed a direct, ouabain-regulated, and multifocal interaction between the 1 subunit of Na+/K+-ATPase and Src. Although the interaction between the Src kinase domain and the third cytosolic domain (CD3) of 1 is regulated by ouabain, the Src SH3SH2 domain binds to the second cytosolic domain constitutively. Functionally, binding of Src to either the Na+/K+-ATPase or GST-CD3 inhibited Src activity. Addition of ouabain, but not vanadate, to the purified Na+/K+-ATPase/Src complex freed the kinase domain and restored the Src activity. Consistently, exposure of intact cells to ouabain apparently increased the distance between the Na+/K+-ATPase and Src. Concomitantly, it also stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the proteins that are associated with the Na+/K+-ATPase. These new findings illustrate a novel molecular mechanism of signal transduction involving the interaction of a P-type ATPase and a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase.     

Effects of soybean lipoxygenase on Na+/K+-ATPase activity in vitro

Oxidized metabolites of polyunsaturated fatty acids produced by lipoxygenase are among the endogenous regulators of Na+/K+-ATPase. The direct effect of lipoxygenase on Na+/K+-ATPase activity was assessed in vitro using soybean lipoxygenase. Treatment of 4.2 microg/mL Na+/K+-ATPase (from dog kidneys) with 4.2 microg/mL of soybean lipoxygenase caused 20+/-2% inhibition of ATPase activity. A 10-fold increase in lipoxygenase concentration (41.6 microg/mL) led to 30+/-0.3% inhibition. In the presence of 12 microg/mL phenidone (a lipoxygenase inhibitor) and 15.4 microg/mL glutathione (a tripeptide containing a cysteine residue) inhibition of Na+/K+-ATPase activity was blocked and an increase in ATPase activity was observed. The presence of lipoxygenase enhanced the inhibition of Na+/K+-ATPase activity caused by 20 ng/mL ouabain (31+/-2 vs. 19+/-2) but had little or no effect with higher concentrations of ouabain. These findings suggest that lipoxygenase may regulate Na+/K+-ATPase by acting directly on the enzyme.     

Isolation and characterization of a specific endogenous Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitor from bovine adrenal

In order to identify a specific endogenous Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitor which could possibly be related to salt-dependent hypertension, we looked for substances in the methanol extract of bovine whole adrenal which show all of the following properties: (i) inhibitory activity for Na+,K+-ATPase; (ii) competitive displacing activity against [3H]ouabain binding to the enzyme; (iii) inhibitory activity for 86Rb uptake into intact human erythrocytes; and (iv) cross-reactivity with sheep anti-digoxin-specific antibody. After stepwise fractionation of the methanol extract of bovine adrenal glands by chromatography on a C18 open column, a 0-15% acetonitrile fraction was fractionated by high-performance liquid chromatography on a Zorbax octadecylsilane column. One of the most active fractions in 0-15% acetonitrile was found to exhibit all of the four types of the activities. It was soluble in water and was distinct from various substances which have been known to inhibit Na+,K+-ATPase such as unsaturated free fatty acids, lysophosphatidylcholines, vanadate, dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, dopamine, lignan, ascorbic acid, etc. This substance was further purified by using an additional five steps of high-performance liquid chromatography with five different types of columns. Molecular mass was estimated as below 350 by fast atom bombardment mass spectroscopy and ultrafiltration. Heat treatment at 250 degrees C for 2 h and acid treatment with 6 N HCl at 115 degrees C for 21 h almost completely destroyed the inhibitory activity of the purified substance for Na+ pump activity. Additionally, alkaline treatment with 0.2 N NaOH at 23 degrees C for 2 h destroyed approximately 70% of the inhibitory activity, whereas boiling for 10 min and various enzyme digestion did not destroy the activity. The dose dependency for the four types of the activities for this substance paralleled those of ouabain, spanning 2 orders of magnitude in concentration range. The inhibitory potencies of the purified substance for Na+,K+-ATPase, Na+ pump, and ouabain binding activities were diminished with increasing K+ concentration, exhibiting a characteristic typical of cardiac glycosides. This substance had no effect on the Ca2+-ATPase activity or the Ca2+ loading rate into the vesicle prepared from skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum. These results strongly suggest that this water-soluble nonpeptidic Na+,K+-ATPase inhibitor may be a specific endogenous regulator for the ATPase.     

Phe783, Thr797, and Asp804 in transmembrane hairpin M5-M6 of Na+,K+-ATPase play a key role in ouabain binding

Ouabain is a glycoside that binds to and inhibits the action of Na+,K+-ATPase. Little is known, however, about the specific requirements of the protein surface for glycoside binding. Using chimeras of gastric H+,K+-ATPase and Na+,K+-ATPase, we demonstrated previously that the combined presence of transmembrane hairpins M3-M4 and M5-M6 of Na+,K+-ATPase in a backbone of H+,K+-ATPase (HN34/56) is both required and sufficient for high affinity ouabain binding. Since replacement of transmembrane hairpin M3-M4 by the N terminus up to transmembrane segment 3 (HNN3/56) resulted in a low affinity ouabain binding, hairpin M5-M6 seems to be essential for ouabain binding. To assess which residues of M5-M6 are required for ouabain action, we divided this transmembrane hairpin in seven parts and individually replaced these parts by the corresponding sequences of H+,K+-ATPase in chimera HN34/56. Three of these chimeras failed to bind ouabain following expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Altogether, these three chimeras contained 7 amino acids that were specific for Na+,K+-ATPase. Individual replacement of these 7 amino acids by the corresponding amino acids in H+,K+-ATPase revealed a dramatic loss of ouabain binding for F783Y, T797C, and D804E. As a proof of principle, the Na+,K+-ATPase equivalents of these 3 amino acids were introduced in different combinations in chimera HN34. The presence of all 3 amino acids appeared to be required for ouabain action. Docking of ouabain onto a three-dimensional-model of Na+,K+-ATPase suggests that Asp804, in contrast to Phe783 and Thr797, does not actually form part of the ouabain-binding pocket. Most likely, the presence of this amino acid is required for adopting of the proper conformation for ouabain binding.     

Two classes of ouabain receptors in chick ventricular cardiac cells and their relation to (Na+,K+)-ATPase inhibition, intracellular Na+ accumulation, Ca2+ influx, and cardiotonic effect

The biochemical and pharmacological properties of the (Na+,K+)-ATPase have been studied at different stages of chick embryonic heart development in ovo and under cell culture conditions. The results show the existence of two families of ouabain binding sites: a low affinity binding site with a dissociation constant (Kd) of 2-6 microM for the ouabain-receptor complex and a high affinity binding site with a Kd of 26-48 nM. Levels of high affinity sites gradually decrease during cardiac ontogenesis to reach a plateau near 14 days of development. Conversely the number of low affinity binding sites is essentially invariant between 5 days and hatching. Cultured cardiac cells display the same binding characteristics as those found in intact ventricles. Inhibition of 86Rb+ uptake in cultured cardiac cells and an increase in intracellular Na+ concentration, due to (Na+,K+)-ATPase blockade, occur in a ouabain concentration range corresponding to the saturation of the low affinity ouabain site. Ouabain-stimulated 45Ca2+ uptake increases in parallel with the increase in the intracellular Na+ concentration. It is suppressed in Na+-free medium or when Na+ is replaced by Li+ suggesting that the increase is due to the indirect activation of the Na+/Ca2+ exchange system in the plasma membrane. Dose-response curves for the inotropic effects of ouabain on papillary muscle and on ventricular cells in culture indicate that the development of the cardiotonic properties is parallel to the saturation of the low affinity binding site for ouabain. Therefore, inhibition of the cardiac (Na+,K+)-ATPase corresponding to low affinity ouabain binding sites seems to be responsible for both the cardiotonic and cardiotoxic effects of the drug.     

Quantification of Rat Cerebral Cortex Na+,K+-ATPase: Effect of Age and Potassium Depletion

Na+,K(+)-ATPase concentration in rat cerebral cortex was studied by vanadate-facilitated [3H]ouabain binding to intact samples and by K(+)-dependent 3-O-methylfluorescein phosphatase activity determinations in crude homogenates. Methodological errors of both methods were evaluated. [3H]Ouabain binding to cerebral cortex obtained from 12-week-old rats measured incubating samples in buffer containing [3H]ouabain, and ouabain at a final concentration of 1 x 10(-6) mol/L gave a value of 11,351 +/- 177 (n = 5) pmol/g wet weight (mean +/- SEM) without any significant variation between the lobes. Evaluation of affinity for ouabain was in agreement with a heterogeneous population of [3H]ouabain binding sites. K(+)-dependent 3-O-methylfluorescein phosphatase activity in crude cerebral homogenates of age-matched rats was 7.24 +/- 0.14 (n = 5) mumol/min/g wet weight, corresponding to a Na+,K(+)-ATPase concentration of 12,209 +/- 236 pmol/g wet weight. It was concluded that the present methods were suitable for quantitative studies of cerebral cortex Na+,K(+)-ATPase. The concentration of rat cerebral cortex Na+,K(+)-ATPase showed approximately 10-fold increase within the first 4 weeks of life to reach a plateau of approximately 11,000-12,000 pmol/g wet weight, indicating a larger synthesis of Na+,K+ pumps than tissue mass in rat cerebral cortex during the first 4 weeks of development. K+ depletion induced by K(+)-deficient fodder for 2 weeks resulted in a slight tendency toward a reduction in K+ content (6%, p > 0.5) and Na+,K(+)-ATPase concentration (3%, p > 0.4) in cerebral cortex, whereas soleus muscle K+ content and Na+,K(+)-ATPase concentration were decreased by 30 (p < 0.02) and 32% (p < 0.001), respectively. Hence, during K+ depletion, cerebral cortex can maintain almost normal K+ homeostasis, whereas K+ as well as Na+,K+ pumps are lost from skeletal muscles.     

Cation sidedness in the phosphorylation step of Na+/K+-ATPase

Na+/K+ -ATPase, reconstituted into phospholipid vesicles, has been used to study the localisation of binding sites of ligands involved in the phosphorylation reaction. Inside-out oriented Na+/K+ -ATPase molecules are the only population in this system, which can be phosphorylated, as the rightside-out oriented as well as the non-incorporated enzyme molecules are inhibited by ouabain. In addition, the right-side-out oriented Na+/K+ -ATPase molecules have their ATP binding site intravesicularly and are thus not accessible to substrate added to the extravesicular medium. Functional binding sites for the following ligands have been demonstrated: (i) Potassium, acting at the extracellular side with high affinity (stimulating the dephosphorylation rate of the E2P conformation) and low affinity (inducing the non-phosphorylating E2K complex). (ii) Potassium, acting at the cytoplasmic side with both high and low affinity. The latter sites are also responsible for the formation of an E2K complex and complete with Na+ for its binding sites. (iii) Sodium at the cytoplasmic side responsible for stimulation of the phosphorylation reaction. (iv) Sodium (and amine buffers) at the extracellular side enhancing the phosphorylation level of Na+/K+ -ATPase where choline chloride has no effect. (v) Magnesium at the cytoplasmic side, stimulating the phosphorylation reaction and inhibiting it above optimal concentrations.     

Low-affinity Na+ sites on (Na+ +K+)-ATPase modulate inhibition of Na+-ATPase activity by vanadate

Na+-ATPase activity is extremely sensitive to inhibition by vanadate at low Na+ concentrations where Na+ occupies only high-affinity activation sites. Na+ occupies low-affinity activation sites to reverse inhibition of Na+-ATPase and (Na+, K+)-ATPase activities by vanadate. This effect of Na+ is competitive with respect to both vanadate and Mg2+. The apparent affinity of the enzyme for vanadate is markedly increased by K+. The principal effect of K+ may be to displace Na+ from the low-affinity sites at which it activates Na+-ATPase activity.     

Long chain fatty acid inhibition of sodium plus potassium-activated adenosine triphosphatase from rat heart.

Long chain fatty acids were found to inhibit (Na+ + K+)-ATPase prepared from rat heart. Unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids were more inhibitory than saturated fatty acids with myristic acid being the most inhibitory saturated fatty acid tested and linoleic the most inhibitory unsaturated fatty acid. As an example of fatty acid modification of the enzyme, inhibition of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase by oleate was examined. When compared to ouabain, inhibition of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase by oleate was found to be similar in that both were dependent on K+ concentration, but, in contrast to the almost instantaneous inhibition by ouabain, oleate inhibition was a slow process requiring over 20 min incubation at 37 degrees to produce maximum inhibition. Inhibition of rat heart (Na+ + K+)-ATPase by oleate was found to be readily reversible by washout. In the presence of albumin an oleate/albumin molar ratio greater than 7.5 was required for inhibition to occur. The activity of rat heart (Na+ + K+)-ATPase had a temperature optimum above 40 degrees and a discontinuous Arrhenius' plot with a transition temperature of 25 degrees. In the presence of oleate, however, the enzyme's optimum temperature decreased to below 40 degrees, the activation energy of the reaction at temperatures below 25 degrees was lowered from 24.7 kcal/mol to 12.6 kcal/mol and the enzyme had a linear Arrhenius' plot. The possibility of in vivo inhibition of cardiac (Na+ + K+)-ATPase under conditions of elevated fatty acids is discussed.     

Ral-GTPase interacts with the beta1 subunit of Na+/K+-ATPase and is activated upon inhibition of the Na+/K+ pump

Na+/K+-ATPase functions as both an ion pump and a signal transducer. Cardiac glycosides partially inhibit Na+/K+-ATPase, causing activation of multiple interrelated growth pathways via the Na+/K+-ATPase/c-Src/epidermal growth factor receptor complex. Such pathways include Ras/MEK/ERK and Ral/RalGDS cascades, which can lead to cardiac hypertrophy. In search of novel Ral-GTPase binding proteins, we used RalB as the bait to screen a human testes cDNA expression library using the yeast 2-hybrid system. The results demonstrated that 1 of the RalB interacting clones represented the C-terminal region of the beta1 subunit of Na+/K+-ATPase. Further analysis using the yeast 2-hybrid system and full-length beta1 subunit of Na+/K+-ATPase confirmed the interaction with RalA and RalB. In vitro binding and pull-down assays demonstrated that the beta1 subunit of Na+/K+-ATPase interacts directly with RalA and RalB. Ral-GTP pull-down assays demonstrated that short-term ouabain treatment of A7r5 cells, a rat aorta smooth muscle cell line, caused activation of Ral GTPase. Maximal activation was observed 10 min after ouabain treatment. Ouabain-mediated Ral activation was inhibited upon the stimulation of Na+/K+-ATPase activity by Ang II. We propose that Ral GTPase is involved in the signal transducing function of Na+/K+-ATPase and provides a possible molecular mechanism connecting Ral to cardiac hypertrophy during diseased conditions.     

(Na+ + K+)- and Na+-stimulated Mg2+-dependent ATPase activities in kidney of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.)

1. Sea bass kidney microsomal preparations contain two Mg2+ dependent ATPase activities: the ouabain-sensitive (Na+ + K+)-ATPase and an ouabain-insensitive Na+-ATPase, requiring different assay conditions. The (Na+ + K+)-ATPase under the optimal conditions of pH 7.0, 100 mM Na+, 25 mM K+, 10 mM Mg2+, 5 mM ATP exhibits an average specific activity (S.A.) of 59 mumol Pi/mg protein per hr whereas the Na+-ATPase under the conditions of pH 6.0, 40 mM Na+, 1.5 mM MgATP, 1 mM ouabain has a maximal S.A. of 13.9 mumol Pi/mg protein per hr. 2. The (Na+ + K+)-ATPase is specifically inhibited by ouabain and vanadate; the Na+-ATPase specifically by ethacrynic acid and preferentially by frusemide; both activities are similarly inhibited by Ca2+. 3. The (Na+ + K+)-ATPase is specific for ATP and Na+, whereas the Na+-ATPase hydrolyzes other substrates in the efficiency order ATP greater than GTP greater than CTP greater than UTP and can be activated also by K+, NH4+ or Li+. 4. Minor differences between the two activities lie in the affinity for Na+, Mg2+, ATP and in the thermosensitivity. 5. The comparison between the two activities and with what has been reported in the literature only partly agree with our findings. It tentatively suggests that on the one hand two separate enzymes exist which are related to Na+ transport and, on the other, a distinct modulation in vivo in different tissues.     

Substituting manganese for magnesium alters certain reaction properties of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase

MnCl2 was partially effective as a substitute for MgCl2 in activating the K+- dependent phosphatase reaction catalyzed by a purified (Na+ + K+)-ATPase enzyme preparation from canine kidney medulla, the maximal velocity attainable being one-fourth that with MgCl2. Estimates of the concentration of free Mn2+ available when the reaction was half-maximally stimulated lie in the range of the single high-affinity divalent cation site previously identified (Grisham, C.M. and Mildvan, A.S. (1974) J. Biol. Chem. 249, 3187--3197). MnCl2 competed with MgCl2 as activator of the phosphatase reaction, again consistent with action through a single site. However, with MnCl2 appreciable ouabain-inhibitable phosphatase activity occurred in the absence of added KCl, and the apparent affinities for K+ as activator of the reaction and for Na+ as inhibitor were both decreased. For the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase reaction substituting MnCl2 for MgCl2 was also partially effective, but no stimulation in the absence of added KCl, in either the absence or presence of NaCl, was detectable. Moreover, the apparent affinity for K+ was increased by the substitution, although that for Na+ was decreased as in the phosphatase reaction. Substituting MnCl2 also altered the sensitivity to inhibitors. For both reactions the inhibition by ouabain and by vanadate was increased, as was binding of [48V] -vanadate to the enzyme; furthermore, binding in the presence of MnCl2 was, unlike that with MgCl2, insensitive to KCl and NaCl. Inhibition of the phosphatase reaction by ATP was decreased with 1 mM but not 10 mM KCl. Finally, inhibition of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase reaction by Triton X-100 was increased, but that by dimethylsulfoxide decreased after such substitution. These findings are considered in terms of Mn2+ at the divalent cation site being a better selector than Mg2+ of the E2 conformational states of the enzyme, states also selected by K+ and by dimethylsulfoxide and reactive with ouabain and vanadate; the E1 conformational states, by contrast, are those selected by Na+ and ATP, and also by Triton X-100.     

A search for an 'ouabain-like' substance from the electric organ of Electrophorus electricus which led to arachidonic acid and related fatty acids

The electric organ of Electrophorus electricus contains substances which inhibit (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity, the specific binding of [3H]ouabain to purified (Na+ + K+)-ATPase and 86Rb+ uptake by chick cardiac cells in culture. The active organic material was extracted from microsomal membranes. Its purification was carried out by chromatography on Sep-Pak C-18 and thin-layer chromatography. Reverse-phase liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry identified the active material as a mixture of unsaturated fatty acids. Linoleic (18:2), arachidonic (20:4), linolenic (18:3) and docosahexaenoic acids (22:6) contributed to about 60% of the total activity of the active material. The other active substances could be arachidonic analogs, since they have both a lipophilic and carboxylic character. Pure unsaturated fatty acids have been shown to be active in the different biological assays used to analyze the endogenous 'ouabain-like' activity. Linolenic, arachidonic and docosahexaenoic acids were the most active, whereas saturated fatty acids and glyceryl esters or methyl esters of unsaturated fatty acids were inactive. It is possible that in pathological situations in which the level of unsaturated fatty acids increases, these molecules may then act as physiological inhibitors of the sodium pump.