Asymmetry of the red cell anion exchange system. Different mechanisms of reversible inhibition by N-(4-azido-2-nitrophenyl)-2- aminoethylsulfonate (NAP-taurine) at the inside and outside of the membrane

In the dark, the photoaffinity reagent, N-(4-azido-2-nitrophenyl)-2- aminoethylsulfonate (NAP-taurine), acts as a reversible inhibitor of red cell anion exchange when it is present either within the cell or in the external solution. A detailed analysis of the inhibition kinetics, however, reveals substantial differences in the responses to the probe at the two sides of the membrane. On the inside of the cell, NAP- taurine is a relatively low affinity inhibitor of chloride exchange (Ki = 370 microM). Both the effects of chloride on NAP-taurine inhibition and the affinity of NAP-taurine for the system as a substrate are consistent with the concept that internal NAP-taurine competes with chloride for the substrate site of the anion exchange system. External NAP-taurine, on the other hand, is a far more potent inhibitor of chloride exchange (Ki = 20 microM). It acts at a site of considerably lower affinity for chloride than the substrate site, probably the modifier site, at which halide anions are reported to cause a noncompetitive inhibition of chloride transport. NAP-taurine therefore seems to interact preferentially with either the substrate or modifier site of the transport system, depending on the side of the membrane at which it is present. It is suggested that the modifier site is accessible to NAP-taurine only from the outside whereas the transport site may be accessible from either side.     

Effects of the transport site conformation on the binding of external NAP-taurine to the human erythrocyte anion exchange system. Evidence for intrinsic asymmetry

External N-(4-azido-2-nitrophenyl)-2-aminoethylsulfonate (NAP-taurine) inhibits human red cell chloride exchange by binding to a site that is distinct from the chloride transport site. Increases in the intracellular chloride concentration (at constant external chloride) cause an increase in the inhibitory potency of external NAP-taurine. This effect is not due to the changes in pH or membrane potential that usually accompany a chloride gradient, since even when these changes are reversed or eliminated the inhibitory potency remains high. According to the ping-pong model for anion exchange, such transmembrane effects of intracellular chloride on external NAP-taurine can be explained if NAP-taurine only binds to its site when the transport site is in the outward-facing (Eo or EClo ) form. Since NAP-taurine prevents the conformational change from EClo to ECli , it must lock the system in the outward-facing form. NAP-taurine can therefore be used just like the competitive inhibitor H2DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyano-1,2- diphenylethane -2,2'-disulfonic acid) to monitor the fraction of transport sites that face outward. A quantitative analysis of the effects of chloride gradients on the inhibitory potency of NAP-taurine and H2DIDS reveals that the transport system is intrinsically asymmetric, such that when Cli = Clo, most of the unloaded transport sites face the cytoplasmic side of the membrane.     

Relationship of net chloride flow across the human erythrocyte membrane to the anion exchange mechanism

The parallel effects of the anion transport inhibitor DIDS (4,4'- diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate) on net chloride flow and on chloride exchange suggest that a major portion of net chloride flow takes place through the anion exchange system. The "slippage" model postulates that the rate of net anion flow is determined by the movement of the unloaded anion transport site across the membrane. Both the halide selectivity of net anion flow and the dependence of net chloride flux on chloride concentration over the range of 75 to 300 mM are inconsistent with the slippage model. Models in which the divalent form of the anion exchange carrier or water pores mediate net anion flow are also inconsistent with the data. The observations that net chloride flux increases with chloride concentration and that the DIDS- sensitive component tends to saturate suggest a model in which net anion flow involves "transit" of anions through the diffusion barriers in series with the transport site, without any change in transport site conformation such as normally occurs during the anion exchange process. This model is successful in predicting that the anion exchange inhibitor NAP-taurine, which binds to the modifier site and inhibits the conformational change, has less effect on net chloride flow than on chloride exchange.     

Titration of transport and modifier sites in the red cell anion transport system

This work demonstrates the existence of titratable transport and modifier sites in the anion transport system of human red cells. Effects of alkaline extracellular pH on chloride exchange were studied up to pH 13 at 0 degrees C. The studies revealed two sets of reversible titratable groups. One set, having a pK of or approximately 11, appeared to be identical with the inhibitory halide-binding modifier site. Deprotonation of this site stimulated anion transport. The apparent dissociation constants of chloride and iodide at this modifier site were 0.3 and 0.06 M, respectively, and it was confirmed that the organic sulfonate NAP-taurine inhibits anion transport reversibly by a high-affinity interaction with halide-binding modifier sites at the extracellular side of the membrane. Other groups, with apparent pK of or approximately 12 at chloride concentrations above 0.1 M, were named as "transport sites" because transport function depended totally on their protonation. The apparent pK decreased when extracellular halide concentrations was lowered below 0.1 M. It was dependent of the intracellular chloride concentration, and was equally sensitive to extracellular pH of 13, was fully reversible. Hydroxyl ions were not transported to an appreciable extent by the anion exchange system. The pK values of both sets of groups make it likely that they are both arginyl residues, functioning as anion recognition sites similar to the role of functionally essential arginyl residues observed with numerous enzymes.     

The mechanisms of inhibition of anion exchange in human erythrocytes by 1-ethyl-3-[3-(trimethylammonio)propyl]carbodiimide

Treatment of human erythrocytes with the membrane-impermeant carbodiimide 1-ethyl-3-[3-(trimethylammonio)propyl]carbodiimide (ETC) in citrate-buffered sucrose leads to irreversible inhibition of phosphate-chloride exchange. The level of transport inhibition produced was dependent on the concentration of citrate present during treatment, with a maximum of approx. 60% inhibition. [14C]Citric acid was incorporated into Band 3 (Mr = 95,000) in proportion to the level of transport inhibition, reaching a maximum stoichiometry of 0.7 mol citrate per mol Band 3. The citrate label was localized to a 17 kDa transmembrane fragment of the Band 3 polypeptide. Citrate incorporation was prevented by the transport inhibitors 4,4'-diisothiocyano- and 4,4'-dinitrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate. ETC plus citrate treatment also dramatically reduced the covalent labeling of Band 3 by [3H]4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2'-dihydrostilbene disulfonate (3H2DIDS). Noncovalent binding of stilbene disulfonates to modified Band 3 was retained, but with reduced affinity. We propose that the inhibition of anion exchange in this case is due to carbodiimide-activated citrate modification of a lysine residue in the stilbenedisulfonate binding site, forming a citrate-lysine adduct that has altered transport function. The evidence is consistent with the hypothesis that the modified residue may be Lys a, the lysine residue involved in the covalent reaction with H2DIDS. Treatment of erythrocytes with ETC in the absence of citrate resulted in inhibition of anion exchange that reversed upon prolonged incubation. This reversal was prevented by treatment in the presence of hydrophobic nucleophiles, including phenylalanine ethyl ester. Thus, inhibition of anion exchange by ETC in the absence of citrate appears to involve modification of a protein carboxyl residue(s) such that both the carbodiimide- and the nucleophile-adduct result in inhibition.     

Use of niflumic acid to determine the nature of the asymmetry of the human erythrocyte anion exchange system

Niflumic acid is a noncompetitive inhibitor of chloride exchange, which binds to a site different from the transport or modifier sites. When the internal Cl- concentration is raised, at constant extracellular Cl- , the inhibitory potency of niflumic acid increases. This effect cannot be attributed to changes in membrane potential, but rather it suggests that niflumic acid binds to the anion exchange protein band 3 only when the transport site faces outward. When the chloride gradient is reversed, with Clo greater than Cli , the inhibitory potency of niflumic acid decreases greatly, which indicates that the affinity of niflumic acid for band 3 with the transport site facing inward is almost 50 times less than when the transport site faces outward. Experiments in which Cli = Clo show no significant change in the inhibition by niflumic acid when Cl- is lowered from 150 to 10 mM. These data suggest that the intrinsic dissociation constants for Cl- at the two sides of the membrane are nearly equal. Thus, the chloride- loaded transport sites have an asymmetric orientation like that of the unloaded transport sites, with approximately 15 times more sites facing the inside than the outside. The asymmetry reflects an approximately 1.5 kcal/mol free energy difference between the inward-facing and outward-facing chloride-loaded forms of band 3. High concentrations of chloride (with Cli = Clo), which partially saturate the modifier site, have no effect on niflumic acid inhibition, which indicates that chloride binds equally well to the modifier site regardless of the orientation of the transport site.     

An immunological study of band 3, the anion transport protein of the human red blood cell membrane

Band 3, the predominant membrane-spanning polypeptide and purported anion transport protein of human red cells, was isolated by a new procedure which utilized selective solubilization and anion exchange chromatography on Affi-Gel 102 in 0.5% and Triton X-100/0.03% sodium dodecyl sulfate. Rabbit anti-serum prepared against the purified protein reacted with human and monkey band 3 but gave no immunoprecipitate with membrane proteins from several non-primate species. The antiserum was directed solely towards a portion of the cytoplasmic pole of the band 3 polypeptide contained within a 23,000 dalton amino-terminal fragment, as shown by agglutination, absorption, double diffusion and immunoprecipitation techniques. Saturation of both surfaces of resealed erythrocyte ghosts with the anti-band 3 antiserum had no significant effect on chloride transport. Our data define the topographically-limited immunogenicity of human band 3 in rabbits, demonstrate a lack of immunological cross-reactivity of band 3 between primates and non-primates, and support the hypothesis that the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 is not intimately involved in anion transport.     

Anion transport across the erythrocyte membrane, in situ proteolysis of band 3 protein, and cross-linking of proteolytic fragments by 4,4'-diisothiocyano dihydrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate.

Extracellular chymotrypsin cleaves the 95 000 dalton protein that migrates in band 3 of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electropherograms of the erythrocyte membrane into fragments of 60 000 and 35 000 daltons, but not further. Minor components of band 3 that remain at the original 95 000 dalton location may be eluted from the membrane by 0.1 N NaOH, indicating that, in contrast to the major component and the chymotryptic fragments, they are not integral membrane constituents. Incubation at neutral pH of chymotrypsinized erythrocytes with the bifunctional anion transport inhibitor 4,4'-diisothiocyano dihydrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid results in covalent binding of that inhibitor primarily to the 60 000 dalton fragment and some cross-linking of the 60 000 dalton fragment with the 35 000 dalton fragment. Increasing the pH to 9.5 leads to a cross-linking of virtually all of the pairs of chymotryptic fragments and thus to a reconstitution of band 3 with its typical diffuse appearance in the 95 000 dalton region of the SDS-polyacrylamide gels. This indicates that (1) each integral 95 000 dalton protein molecule is capable of binding at least one 4,4'-diisothiocyano dihydrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid molecule; (2) the 35 000 dalton fragment, though it is only weakly stained with Coomassie blue, is present in an amount that is equimolar with that of the 60 000 dalton fragment. Since the number of 4,4'-diisothiocyano dihydrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid binding sites on the protein in band 3/cell is known to be close to the number of band 3 molecules/cell, it is suggested that the cross-linking takes place at a region of the band 3 molecule that is involved in the control of anion transport, Like chymotrypsin, papain digests the band 3 protein from the outer membrane surface. Unlike chymotrypsin, however, papain digestion results in an inhibition of anion exchange. Papain produces a major fragment of 60 000 daltons that differs from the major chymotryptic fragment by at most six amino acid residues. The only detectable difference between the noninhibitory action of chymotrypsin and the inhibitory action of papain on the band 3 protein is that papain is capable of partially digesting the 35000 dalton fragment. No reconstitution of band 3 by cross-linking of the fragments with 4,4'-diisothiocyano dihydrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid can be achieved. Since the 35 000 dalton fragment reacts with one of the two reactive groups of 4,4'-diisothiocyano dihydrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid and is also susceptible to digestion by the inhibitory papain, we suggest that a portion of this peptide participates, together with a portion of the 60 000 dalton fragment, in the control anion transport.     

Anion transport in red blood cells. II. Kinetics of reversible inhibition by nitroaromatic sulfonic acids.

The anion exchange system of human red blood cells is highly inhibited and specifically labeled by isothiocyano derivatives of benzene sulfonate (BS) or stilbene disulfonate (DS). To learn about the site of action of these irreversibly binding probes we studied the mechanism of inhibition of anion exchange by the reversibly binding analogs p-nitrobenzene sulfonic acid (pNBS) and 4,4'-dinitrostilbene-disulfonic acid (DNDS). In the absence of inhibitor, the self-exchange flux of sulfate (pH 7.4, 25 degrees C) at high substrate concentration displayed self-inhibitory properties, indicating the existence of two anion binding sites: one a high-affinity transport site and the other a low-affinity modifier site whose occupancy by anions results in a noncompetitive inhibition of transport. The maximal sulfate exchange flux per unit area was JA = (0.69 +/- 0.11) X 10(-10) moles . min-1 . cm-2 and the Michaelis-Menten constants were for the transport site KS = 41 +/- 14 mM and for the modifier site Ks' = 653 +/- 242 mM. The addition to cells of either pNBS at millimolar concentrations or DNDS at micromolar concentrations led to reversible inhibition of sulfate exchange (pH 7.4, 25 degrees C). The relationship between inhibitor concentration and fractional inhibition was linear over the full range of pNBS or DNDS concentrations (Hill coefficient n approximately equal to 1), indicating a single site of inhibition for the two probes. The kinetics of sulfate exchange in the presence of either inhibitor was compatible with that of competitive inhibition. Using various analytical techniques it was possible to determine that the sulfate transport site was the target for the action of the inhibitors. The inhibitory constants (Ki) for the transport sites were 0.45 +/- 0.10 microM for DNDS and 0.21 +/- 0.07 mM for pNBS. From the similarities between reversibly and irreversibly binding BS and DS inhibitors in structures, chemical properties, modus operandi, stoichiometry of interaction with inhibitory sites, and relative inhibitory potencies, we concluded that the anion transport sites are also the sites of inhibition and of labeling of covalent binding analogs of BS and DS.     

Abundance, relative gelation activity, and distribution of the 95,000- dalton actin-binding protein from Dictyostelium discoideum

We have studied the abundance, relative gelation activity, and distribution of the 95,000-dalton actin-binding protein in Dictyostelium discoideum amoebae. The 95,000-dalton protein was a prominent polypeptide as assessed using quantitative densitometry and radioimmunoassay. We estimated that this protein comprised approximately 1.2% of the protein in a soluble extract of amoebae. The molar ratio of the dimeric 95,000-dalton protein to actin in the soluble extract was 1:30. The apparent viscosities of actin mixtures with either the purified 95,000-dalton protein or the soluble extract were measured by falling ball viscometry in an attempt to assess the contribution of the 95,000-dalton protein to gelation of the soluble extract. The gelation of the soluble extract was significantly less than that expected from the contribution of the 95,000-dalton protein alone. Consequently, we questioned the validity of quantitative analyses of the contributions of specific actin-binding proteins to the gelation of cell extracts. The apparent distribution of the 95,000- dalton protein was observed in chemically fixed and extracted cells by immunofluorescence microscopy and compared with the distribution of cytoplasm and organelles visible using light microscopy. The 95,000- dalton protein was dispersed throughout the cytoplasm of fixed cells, was apparently excluded from prominent organelles, and displayed brightest fluorescence in regions of hyaline cytoplasm. These regions of hyaline cytoplasm that exhibited the brightest fluorescence were observed in the cortical region of rounded cells and in pseudopods of polarized cells. Thus, cell shape and polarity may also have influenced the apparent distribution of the 95,000-dalton protein observed by immunofluorescence microscopy. Study of the distribution of fluorescein- labeled ovalbumin injected into living cells supported the interpretation that the thickness of the cell and the distribution of organelles contributed to the apparent distribution of the 95,000- dalton protein observed in fixed cells using immunofluorescence microscopy. We suggest that the 95,000-dalton protein contributes to modulation of the consistency and contractility of the cytoplasm of D. discoideum amoebae, since it could cross-link actin filaments in vitro in a reversible process that was regulated by changes in the concentration of calcium and of protons, and since it was present in large quantity in the cytoplasm of these cells.     

Transmembrane effects of irreversible inhibitors of anion transport in red blood cells. Evidence for mobile transport sites

Experiments were designed to determine whether band 3, the anion transport protein of the red cell membrane, contains a mobile element that acts as a carrier to move the anions across a permeability barrier. The transport site-specific, nonpenetrating irreversible inhibitor 4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2'-stilbene disulfonate (DIDS) was found to be effective only when applied extracellularly. It was used to sequester transport sites on the extracellular side of the membrane in intact cells. The membranes were then coverted into inside-out vesicles. The number of anion transport sites available on the cytoplasmic side of the vesicle membranes was then estimated by measuring the binding of N-(-4-azido-2-nitrophenyl)-2-aminoethyl-sulfonate (NAP-taurine), a photoreactive probe. Pretreatment with DIDS from the extracullular side substantially reduced the binding of NAP-taurine at the cytoplasmic side. Since NAP-taurine does not appear to penetrate into the intravesicular (normally extracellular) space, a transmembrane effect is apparently involved. About 70% of the DIDS-sensitive NAP-taurine binding sites are located in band 3, with the remainder largely in a lower molecular weight (band 4) region. A similar pattern of reduction in NAP-taurine binding is produced by high concentrations of Cl-, but this anion has little or no effect in vesicles from cells pretreated with DIDS. Thus the DIDS-modulated sites seem to be capable of binding either NAP-taurine or Cl. It is suggested that band 3 contains a mobile transport element that can be recruited to the extracellular surface by DIDS, thus becoming unavailable to NAP-taurine at the cytoplasmic face of the membrane. The results are consistent with a model of carrier-mediated transport in which the movement of the transport site is associated with a local conformational change in band 3 protein.     

Inhibition of phosphate transport in human erythrocytes by 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD-Cl)

Treatment of intact human erythrocytes with 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD-Cl) leads to inhibition of anion transport as measured by [32P]phosphate exchange for intracellular chloride. Inhibition is rapid at 37 degrees C (80% inhibition, 1.7 mM NBD-Cl, 3 min, pH 6.9) and not reversed by washing the cells with 1% bovine serum albumin in isotonic sucrose citrate buffer. Pretreatment of cells with N-ethylmaleimide and p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid enhanced transport inhibition by NBD-Cl. Transport inhibition caused by brief incubations of erythrocytes with NBD-Cl could be almost completely reversed with dithiothreitol or beta-mercaptoethanol. Prolonged incubation (60 min, 37 degrees C, pH 6.4, sucrose-citrate buffer) following NBD-Cl treatment leads to partial reversal of transport inhibition. The residual inhibition is then only partially reversed by dithiothreitol treatment. Reversal of transport inhibition of dithiothreitol or beta-mercaptoethanol may be prevented by incubation of the erythrocytes with sodium dithionite. Phosphate transport was readily inhibited by other tyrosine-directed reagents, tetranitromethane (55% inhibition, 1.6 mM, 3 min, 37 degrees C, pH 8.3 in sucrose-citrate medium) and p-nitrobenzene sulfonyl fluoride (31% inhibition, 1.8 mM, 3 min, 37 degrees C, pH 8.1 in sucrose-citrate medium) but not by N-acetylimidazole (10% inhibition, 37.5 mM, 30 min, 37 degrees C, pH 7.5). These results suggest that NBD-Cl inhibits anion exchange by two mechanisms; a rapid inhibition reversible by sulfhydryl reagents, possibly due to modification of a tyrosine residue(s), and a slower irreversible inhibition due to modification of an essential amino group in the transporter.     

Anion transport across the erythrocyte membrane,in situ proteolysis of band 3 protein,and cross-linking of proteolytic fragments by 4,4′-diisothiocyano dihydrostilbene-2,2′-disulfonate

Extracellular chymotrypsin cleaves the 95 000 dalton protein that migrates in band 3 of SDS-polyacrylamide gel electropherograms of the erythrocyte membrane into fragments of 60 000 and 35 000 daltons, but not further. Minor components of band 3 that remain at the original 95 000 dalton location may be eluted from the membrane by 0.1 N NaOH, indicating that, in contrast to the major component and the chymotryptic fragments, they are not integral membrane constituents.Incubation at neutral pH of chymotrypsinized erythrocytes with the bifunctional anion transport inhibitor 4,4′-diisothiocyano dihydrostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid results in covalent binding of that inhibitor primarily to the 60 000 dalton fragment and some cross-linking of the 60 000 dalton fragment with the 35 000 dalton fragment. Increasing the pH to 9.5 leads to a crosslinking of virtually all of the pairs of chymotryptic fragments and thus to a reconstitution of band 3 with its typical diffuse appearance in the 95 000 dalton region of the SDS-polyacrylamide gels. This indicates that (1) each integral 95 000 dalton protein molecule is capable of binding at least one 4,4′-diisothiocyano dihydrostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid molecule; (2) the 35 000 dalton fragment, though it is only weakly stained with Coomassie blue, is present in an amount that is equimolar with that of the 60 000 dalton fragment. Since the number of 4,4′-diisothiocyano dihydrostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid binding sites on the protein in band 3/cell is known to be close to the number of band 3 molecules/cell, it is suggested that the cross-linking takes place at a region of the band 3 molecule that is involved in the control of anion transport.Like chymotrypsin, papain digests the band 3 protein from the outer membrane surface. Unlike chymotrypsin, however, papain digestion results in an inhibition of anion exchange. Papain produces a major fragment of 60 000 daltons that differs from the major chymotryptic fragment by at most six amino acid residues. The only detectable difference between the non-inhibitory action of chymotrypsin and the inhibitory action of papain on the band 3 protein is that papain is capable of partially digesting the 35000 dalton fragment. No reconstitution of band 3 by cross-linking of the fragments with 4,4′-diisothiocyano dihydrostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid can be achieved. Since the 35 000 dalton fragment reacts with one of the two reactive groups of 4,4′-diisothiocyano dihydrostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid and is also susceptible to digestion by the inhibitory papain, we suggest that a portion of this peptide participates, together with a portion of the 60 000 dalton fragment, in the control of anion transport.     

Transmembrane effects of intracellular chloride on the inhibitory potency of extracellular H2DIDS. Evidence for two conformations of the transport site of the human erythrocyte anion exchange protein

The ping-pong model for the red cell anion exchange system postulates that the transport protein band 3 can exist in two different conformations, one in which the transport site faces the cytoplasm (Ei) and another in which it faces the outside medium (Eo). This model predicts that an increase in intracellular chloride should increase the fraction of sites in the outward-facing, unloaded form (Eo). Since external H2DIDS is a competitive inhibitor of chloride exchange that does not cross the membrane, it must bind only to the Eo form. Thus, an increase in Eo should cause an increase in H2DIDS inhibition. When intracellular chloride was increased at constant extracellular chloride, the inhibitory potency of H2DIDS rose, as predicted by the ping-pong model. This increase was not due to the concomitant changes in intracellular pH or membrane potential. When the chloride gradient was reversed, the inhibitory potency of H2DIDS decreased, again in qualitative agreement with the ping-pong model. These data provide support for the ping-pong model and also demonstrate that chloride gradients can be used to change the orientation of the transport protein.     

The location of a disulfonic stilbene binding site in band 3, the anion transport protein of the red blood cell membrane

The binding site for 4,4′-diisothiocyano-2,2′-stilbenedisulfonic acid, a specific, potent, irreversible inhibitor of anion transport in red blood cells is located in a 15 000 dalton transmembrane segment of band 3, produced by chymotrypsin treatment of ghosts stripped of extrinsic proteins. The segment was cleaved into three fragments of 7000, 4000 and 4000 daltons by CNBr. The C-terminus of the segment is located in the 7000 dalton fragment; the N-terminus in one of the 4000 dalton fragments; and the binding site for 4,4′-diisothiocyano-2,2′-stilbenedisulfonic acid in the middle 4000 dalton fragment. The latter was cleaved by $\text{N-}\text{bromosuccinimide}$ into two fragments of 2000 daltons. The binding site for 4,4′-diisothiocyano-2,2′-stilbenedisulfonic acid was located on the fragment containing the newly formed N-terminus. It is concluded that the binding site is located about 9000 daltons from the C-terminus (at the outside face of the membrane) and 6000 daltons from the N-terminus (at the cytoplasmic face). In view of the existing evidence that the binding site may be located near the outside face of the membrane, it is suggested that the 15 000 dalton segment is folded, so that it crosses the bilayer three times.     

Photoaffinity Labeling of Developing Jojoba Seed Microsomal Membranes with a Photoreactive Analog of Acyl-Coenzyme A (Acyl-CoA) (Identification of a Putative Acyl-CoA:Fatty Alcohol Acyltransferase

Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis, Link) is the only plant known that synthesizes liquid wax. The final step in liquid wax biosynthesis is catalyzed by an integral membrane enzyme, fatty acyl-coenzyme A (CoA):fatty alcohol acyltransferase, which transfers an acyl chain from acyl-CoA to a fatty alcohol to form the wax ester. To purify the acyltransferase, we have labeled the enzyme with a radioiodinated, photoreactive analog of acyl-CoA, 12-[N-(4-azidosalicyl)amino] dodecanoyl-CoA (ASD-CoA). This molecule acts as an inhibitor of acyltransferase activity in the dark and as an irreversible inhibitor upon exposure to ultraviolet light. Oleoyl-CoA protects enzymatic activity in a concentration-dependent manner. Photolysis of microsomal membranes with labeled ASD-CoA resulted in strong labeling of two polypeptides of 57 and 52 kD. Increasing concentrations of oleoyl-CoA reduced the labeling of the 57-kD polypeptide dramatically, whereas the labeling of the 52-kD polypeptide was much less responsive to oleoyl-CoA. Also, unlike the other polypeptide, the labeling of the 57-kD polypeptide was enhanced considerably when photolyzed in the presence of dodecanol. These results suggest that a 57-kD polypeptide from jojoba microsomes may be the acyl-CoA:fatty alcohol acyltransferase.     

Furosemide inhibition of chloride transport in human red blood cells

The chloride self-exchange flux across the human red cell membrane is rapidly and reversibly inhibited by 10(-4) M furosemide, a potent chloruretic agent. Furosemide reduces the chloride flux at all chloride concentrations and increases the cellular chloride concentration at which the flux is half-maximum. Kinetic analysis of the flux measurements made at several furosemide and chloride concentrations yields a pattern of mixed inhibition with a dissociation constant for the inhibitor-transport mechanism complex of 5 X 10(-5) M. From this pattern of inhibition and other observations, including that the percent inhibition is independent of pH (range 5.6-8.9), we conclude that the anionic form of furosemide interacts primarily with the chloride transport mechanism at a site separate from both the transport site and the halide-reactive modifier site.     

External calcium inhibits the efflux of calcium from isolated retinal rod outer segment disks

Increasing the concentration of calcium in the external buffer flowing past isolated, intact bovine retinal rod outer segment disks immobilized in a flow system reduced the rate of radioactive calcium efflux from within the disks in the dark. We interpret these results as extradiskal calcium acting at an inhibitory binding site to block the calcium efflux. A Scatchard analysis of the external calcium dependence of the efflux yields an apparent dissociation constant of 50 microM, which further suggests that the inhibition is mediated by a specific membrane binding site. The observed inhibition of calcium efflux may represent a functional role for the high-affinity calcium binding site which has been identified by others in previous physical studies of the disk membrane. This external calcium inhibited permeability may explain some of the discrepancies in the reported calcium transport properties of disks. Variations in the external calcium concentration may alter the calcium content of isolated disks, thereby indirectly affecting other transport functions including the measured light-induced release of calcium. No evidence was found for either Na/Ca or Ca/Ca exchange processes across the disk membrane. Lanthanum was even more effective than calcium in inhibiting calcium efflux in the dark. Neither lanthanum nor calcium inhibited the light-induced efflux of calcium from disks, which implies either that light and extradiskal calcium regulate separate permeability processes in the disk membrane or that light greatly reduces the affinity of the inhibitory site for calcium and lanthanum.     

Photoaffinity labeling of the mitochondrial phosphate carrier by 4-azido-2-nitrophenyl phosphate

The effect of 4-azido-2-nitrophenyl phosphate (ANPP), a photoreactive analogue of phosphate, on the phosphate carrier of pig-heart mitochondria has been investigated. In the dark, ANPP inhibits the transport of phosphate in a competitive manner with a Ki of 3.2 mM. Upon photoirradiation with visible light, [32P]ANPP binds covalently to the phosphate carrier and the inhibition becomes irreversible. Both the inhibition of phosphate transport and the incorporation of [32P]ANPP into the phosphate carrier depend on the concentration of the inhibitor and the pH of the medium. Incubation of the mitochondria with phosphate during illumination in the presence of ANPP protects the carrier against inactivation and decreases the amount of radioactivity which is found to be associated with the purified protein. By extrapolation it is calculated that at 100% inactivation of the phosphate carrier 0.35 mol of reagent are bound per mol of 33 kDa carrier protein. It is concluded that ANPP can be used for photoaffinity labeling of the mitochondrial phosphate carrier at the substrate-binding site.