Structural rearrangements in soluble mitochondrial ATPase

Treatment of isolated factor F1 by 1% dimethylsuberimidate in the presence of 50 mM (NH4)2SO4 leads to the formation of four different types of cross-linked dimers of the subunits, on average one dimer per molecule of the enzyme. This treatment results in 60-70% inactivation of factor F1. Factor F1 treated with dimethylsuberimidate does not show a change in the sedimentation coefficient and is not inactivated in the cold; it is not inactivated in the presence of Mg2+ either, nor is it activated by anions. Incubation of the cross-linked factor F1 with ADP does not lead to inactivation, although the ability to tightly bind ADP is retained. The total quantity of tightly bound ADP reaches 5 mol per mol of the cross-linked factor F1. Cross-linking of factor F1 also prevents the slow inactivation of the enzyme coupled with the hydrolysis of Mg-ATP and Mg-GTP. The dependence of the inactivation rate constant on the concentration of Mg-ATP and Mg-GTP at substrate concentrations of 0.05-2 mM is characterized by the same values of Km,app as those of the ATPase and GTPase activities of factor F1. The probability of the inactivation of factor F1 per turnover remains constant for all the concentrations of the substrates studied and is 2 . 10(-6) per turnover for the ATPase reaction and 2 . 10(-5) per turnover for the GTPase reaction. Moderate hydrostatic pressure (up to 150 atmospheres) greatly accelerates ATP-induced inactivation of factor F1. The activation volume (delta V*) of the inactivation process is equal to 5.1 . 10(-4) cm3/g, which is evidence of considerable changes in the extent of protein hydration during inactivation. Inactivation of the enzyme under pressure is accompanied by dissociation into subunits. Dimethyladipimidate, which does not cause intersubunit cross-linking in the molecule of factor F1, does not alter the properties of the native enzyme. It is suggested that the formation of one intersubunit cross-link in the molecule of factor F1 by dimethylsuberimidate affects the ability of the enzyme to undergo co-operative rearrangements of the quaternary structure under the influence of Mg2+, ADP, ATP, anions, and low temperature. The rate constants of ATP binding to the active site of factor F2 (k+1) = 2 . 10(8) M-1 . min-1), of ATP release from the active site (k-1 = 2 . 10(-2) min-1), and of ADP and Pi release from the active site (k2 = 5 . 10(3) min-1) have been determined. The results obtained confirm the correctness of Boyer's idea, according to which ATP is formed in the active site of mitochondrial ATPase without any external source of energy. Energy is used at the stage of the release of synthesized ATP from the active site of ATPase in the solution.     

Using 2'(3')-O-trinitrophenyl derivatives of adenine nucleotides to study the structure and mechanism of functioning of soluble mitochondrial ATPase

The 2'(3')-O-trinitrophenyl (N3ph) derivatives of the adenine nucleotides are strong competitive inhibitors of isolated mitochondrial ATPase (factor F1). Ki decreases in the order N3phAdo greater than N3phAdo greater than N3phAMP greater than N3phADP and is equal to 8 nM for N3phADP. Picric acid, which activates the ATPase reaction of factor F1 without changing the Km(app), prevents the inhibiting action of N3phADP. At pH 7.6 the inhibiton of factor F1 is accompanied by the binding of one molecule of N3phADP to a molecule of the enzyme. This binding leads to changes in the absorption spectrum, but not in the intensity of the fluorescence of the N3phADP. At pH 6.7 one or two molecules of N3phADP bind with the tight binding sites of factor F1. This binding is accompanied by the manifold enhancement of the fluorescence of N3phADP. The results obtained indicate that the sites of factor F1 that tightly bind nucleotides are immersed in the hydrophobic pocket of the protein molecule.     

The effect of Ca2+ and calmodulin on the inhibition of Ca2(+)+Mg2(+)-ATPase in erythrocyte ghost membranes by nonpolar and polar carbodiimides

N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) and 1-cyclohexyl-3-(2-morpholinoethyl) carbodiimide (CMCD) inhibited calmodulin-dependent Ca2(+)+Mg2(+)-ATPase activity in erythrocyte ghost membranes. The extent of the inhibition caused by carbodiimides strongly depended on their hydrophobicity. Hydrophobic DCCD was a more potent inhibitor then hydrophilic CMCD. Calmodulin (CaM) protected the enzyme against the former carbodiimide, whereas Ca2+ did the same against the latter. In contrast to previous observations made by Villalobo et al., on the purified enzyme, neither carbodiimide affected the calmodulin-independent ATPase activity in ghost membranes. Inhibition of the calmodulin-dependent ATPase activity was due to a decrease of the maximum activity, whereas the Km value for Ca2+ remained unchanged. Titration of erythrocyte ghost membranes with CaM revealed a biphasic response of ATPase to this activator. Two affinity constants were found for CaM, 0.64 nM and 14 nM. DCCD affected the interaction with CaM at high- and low-affinity binding sites in a competitive manner. CMCD acted as a noncompetitive inhibitor for CaM low-affinity sites, whereas it behaved in a competitive way against CaM interaction with high-affinity sites. In E2 form (stabilized by vanadate and EGTA) ATPase was more sensitive to carbodiimides than in E1 form (induced by La3+).     

Reversible binding of Pi by beef heart mitochondrial adenosine triphosphatase.

Beef heart mitochondrial ATPase (F1) exhibited a single binding site for Pi. The interaction with Pi was reversible, partially dependent on the presence of divalent metal ions, and characterized by a dissociation constant at pH 7.5 of 80 micronM. A variety of substances known to influence oxidative phosphorylation or the activity of the soluble ATPase (F1) also influenced Pi binding by the enzyme. Thus aurovertin, an inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation, which was bound tightly by F1 and inhibited ATPase activity, enhanced Pi binding via a 4-fold increase in the affinity of the enzyme for Pi (KD = 20 micronM) but did not alter binding stoichiometry. Anions such as SO4(2-), SO3(2-), chromate, and 2,4-dinitrophenolate, which stimulated ATPase activity of F1, also enhanced Pi binding. Inhibitors of ATPase activity such as nickel/bathophenanthroline and the protein ATPase inhibitor of Pullman and Monroy (Pullman, M. E., and Monroy, G. C. (1963) J. Biol. Chem. 238, 3762-3769) inhibited Pi binding. The adenine nucleotides ADP, ATP, and the ATP analog adenylyl imidodiphosphate as well as the Pi analog arsenate, also inhibited Pi binding. The observations suggest that the Pi binding site was located in or near an adenine nucleotide binding site on the molecule.     

Entropic drive in the sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase interaction with Mg2+ and Pi.

Thermodynamic quantities for the binding of Mg2+ (in the presence of Ca2+) and Pi (in the presence of Mg2+ and absence of Ca2+) to sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase were determined from isothermal titration calorimetry measurements at 25 degrees C. Mg2+ and Pi are involved in reversal of the ATPase hydrolytic reaction, and their interactions with the ATPase are conveniently studied under equilibrium conditions. We found that the Mg2+ binding reaction is endothermic with a binding constant (Kb) = 142 +/- 4 M(-1), a binding enthalpy of 180 +/- 3 kJ mol(-1), and an entropy contribution (TdeltaSb) = 192 +/- 3 kJ mol(-1). Similarly, Pi binding is also an endothermic reaction with Kb = 167 +/- 17 M(-1), deltaHb = 65.3 +/- 5.4 kJ mol(-1), and TdeltaSb = 77.9 +/- 5.4 kJ mol(-1). Our measurements demonstrate that the ATPase can absorb heat from the environment upon ligand binding, and emphasize the important role of entropic mechanisms in energy transduction by this enzyme.     

Immunological and reconstitution studies on the adenosine triphosphatase complex from Rhodospirillum rubrum.

Studies on restoration of membrane-bound adenosinetriphosphatase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3) from Rhodospirillum rubrum show that the delta-subunit is capable of binding to the F1 factor or to the F0 moiety of the F0-F1 ATPase complex. This subunit is thus likely involved in linking the F0 and F1 factor. During solubilization of the oligomycin-sensitive F0-F1 ATPase complex with Triton X-100 the detergent becomes specifically associated with the lipophilic F0 part of the enzyme complex. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis, agglutination tests, and kinetic studies with anti-F1 ATPase antibodies reveal a reaction of immunological identity of membrane-bound ATPase, F0-F1 ATPase, and F1 ATPase.     

The non-catalytic nucleotide-binding site of mitochondrial ATPase is localised on the alpha-subunit(s) of factor F1

The incubation of isolated factor F1 with the di-aldehyde derivative of ADP (oxADP) which is formed as a result of ADP treatment by periodate, causes the covalent binding of 0.9--1 molecules of the oxADP with a molecule of the enzyme. This modification of factor F1 is not accompanied by any changes in the ATPase activity of the enzyme. The modification of factor F1 is preceded by the reversible binding of oxADP with the enzyme with a Kd of 80 micro M. ADP partly prevents factor F1 from modification by oxADP. The electrophoresis of modified factor F1 in polyacrylamide gel in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate showed that oxADP binds with the alpha-subunit(s) of factor F1. When submitochondrial particles are incubated with [3H]oxADP, the main part of the radioactive label may be discovered in the polypeptide with a molecular weight of some 30 000 which is probably the adenine nucleotides' translocase. The isolation of factor F1 from particles preincubated with [3H]oxADP showed that the membrane-bound factor F1 covalently binds 0.2--0.3 mol of oxADP per mol of enzyme. Here again, all the oxADP is bound with the alpha subunit(s) of factor F1. The modification of membrane-bound factor F1 by oxADP is accompanied by the partial inhibition of the particles' ATPase activity. The results obtained testify to the fact that the non-catalytic site of mitochondrial ATP ase located on the alpha-subunit(s) of factor F1 may participate in the mechanism of ATP hydrolysis by membrane-bound ATPase.     

Proteins of bacterial membranes. Purification of soluble ATPase from Acholeplasma laidlawii

A purified preparation of ATPase (factor F1) from the Acholeplasma laidlawii was obtained. The purification procedure included extraction of the enzyme complex from the isolated membranes by ultrasonication, chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and gel filtration on Sepharose 6B. The specific activity of the ATPase was increased 30-fold as compared to the original activity. The Km value for ATP hydrolysis was 7,4 . 10(-4) M. ADP competitively inhibited the enzyme (Ki = 2,0 . 10(-4) M). Ouabain (2,5 . 10(-4) M) and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (1,0 . 10(-4) M) did not inhibit the ATPase activity. The enzyme was activated by Mg2+, but was inhibited by a combination of Na+ and K+. The enzyme is cold-labile, but can be stabilized by storage in buffer solutions, containing methanol, glycerol or lecithin.     

Substrate specificity of soluble mitochondrial ATPase]

The parameters of the hydrolysis of ATP and several analogs by soluble mitochondrial ATPase were determined. Vmax of the reaction decreases within the range: 2'-desoxy-ATP greater than ATP greater than etheno-ATP greater than GTP greater than 3'-O-methylATP greater than UTP. ATP, 2'-desoxypATP, 3'O-methyl-ATP, GTP, and etheno-ATP are hydrolysed by soluble mitochondrial ATPase with close Km(app) values. CTP is not hydrolysed by the enzyme and does not inhibit the ATPase reaction at a concentration of 10(-2) M. Nucleoside triphosphate derivatives with an "open" ribose cycle 9-[1',5'-dihydroxy-4-(S)-hydroxymethyl-3'-oxapent-2' (R)-yl]adenyl-5'-triphosphate, and 1-[1',5'-dihydroxy-4'-(S)-hydroxymethyl-3'-oxapent-2'(R)-yl[cytosine-5'-triphosphate are effective inhibitors of ATPase (Ki approximately 5.10(-5)M). Mitochondrial ATPase binds the ATP analogs that have hydrocarbon radicals-(CH2)2-, -(CH2)3-, and (CH2)4- instead of the ribose residues: 9-(2'hydroxyethyl)adenyl-2'-triphosphate, 9-(3'-hydroxypropyl)-adenine-3'-triphosphate, and 9-(4'-hydroxybutyl)adenine-4'-triphosphyl)adenine-4'-triphosphate were not hydrolysed by the enzyme, although they inbibit the ATPase reaction (Ki 2.10(-4)M). 9-(2'-hydroxyethyl)adenine-2'-triphosphate is hydrolysed by ATPase eight times more slowly than ATP. It is suggested that the hydrolysis of the substrates of mitochondrial ATPase is- preceded by the binding of the substrates in a tense conformation in the active site of the enzyme.     

The nucleotide binding site of F1-ATPase which carries out uni-site catalysis is one of the alternating active sites of the enzyme

Nucleotide-depleted mitochondrial F1-ATPase binds 3'-(2')-O-(2-nitro-4-azidobenzoyl)-derivatives of ATP (NAB-ATP) and GTP (NAB-GTP) when these nucleotide analogues are added to the enzyme in equimolar quantities in the presence of Mg2+ (uni-site catalysis conditions). The binding of NAB-ATP is accompanied by its hydrolysis and inorganic phosphate dissociation from the enzyme; NAB-ADP remains bound to F1-ATPase. The F1-ATPase X NAB-ADP complex has no ATPase activity and its reactivation in the presence of an excess of ATP is accompanied by NAB-ADP release. The illumination of the F1-ATPase complexes with NAB-ADP or NAB-GDP leads to the covalent binding of one nucleotide analogue molecule to the enzyme and to the irreversible inactivation of F1-ATPase. It follows from the results obtained that the modification of just one of the F1-ATPase catalytic sites is sufficient to complete the inhibition of ATPase activity.     

High hydrostatic pressure perturbs the interactions between CF(0)F(1) subunits and induces a dual effect on activity

Chloroplast ATP-synthase is an H(+)/ATP-driven rotary motor in which a hydrophobic multi-subunit assemblage rotates within a hydrophilic stator, and subunit interactions dictate alternate-site catalysis. To explore the relevance of these interactions for catalysis we use hydrostatic pressure to induce conformational changes and/or subunit dissociation, and the resulting changes in the ATPase activity and oligomer structure are evaluated. Under moderate hydrostatic pressure (up to 60-80 MPa), ATPase activity is increased by 1.5-fold. This is not related to an increase in the affinity for ATP, but seems to correlate with an enhanced turnover induced by pressure, and an activation volume for the ATPase reaction of -23.7 ml/mol. Higher pressure (up to 200 MPa) leads to dissociation of the enzyme, as shown by enzyme inactivation, increased binding of 8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulfonate (ANS) to hydrophobic regions, and labeling of specific Cys residues on the beta and alpha subunits by N-iodoacetyl-N'-(5-sulfo-1-naphthyl)ethylene-4-diamine (IAEDANS). Compression-decompression cycles (between 0.1 and 200 MPa) inactivate CF(0)F(1) in a concentration-dependent manner, although after decompression no enzyme subunit is retained on a Sephadex-G-50 centrifuge column or is further labeled by IAEDANS. It is proposed that moderate hydrostatic pressures induce elastic compression of CF(0)F(1), leading to enhanced turnover. High pressure dissociation impairs the contacts needed for rotational catalysis.     

Simultaneous bindings of ATPase inhibitor and 9K protein to F1F0-ATPase in the presence of 15K protein in yeast mitochondria

Yeast mitochondrial ATP synthase has three regulatory proteins, ATPase inhibitor, 9K protein, and 15K protein. The 9K protein binds directly to purified F1-ATPase, as does the ATPase inhibitor, but the 15K protein does not [Hashimoto, T. et al. (1987) J. Biochem. 102, 685-692]. In the present study, we found that 15K protein bound to purified F1F0-ATPase, forming an equimolar complex with the enzyme. The apparent dissociation constant was calculated to be 1.4 x 10(-5) M. The ATPase inhibitor and 9K protein also bound to F1F0-ATPase in the presence of ATP and Mg2+, and the dissociation constants of their bindings were about 3 X 10(-6) M. They bound to the enzyme competitively in the absence of 15K protein, but in its presence, they bound in equimolar amounts to the enzyme. The ATP-hydrolyzing activity of the enzyme-ligand complex was greatly influenced by the order of bindings of ATPase inhibitor and 9K protein: when the ATPase inhibitor was bound first, the activity of the enzyme was inhibited completely and was not restored by 9K protein, but when 9K protein was added first, the activity was inhibited only partially even after equimolar binding of the ATPase inhibitor to the enzyme. These observations strongly suggest that the 15K protein binds to the F0 part and functions to hold the ATPase inhibitor or 9K protein on the F1 subunit.     

Binding properties of 9K protein to F1-ATPase: a counterpart ligand to the ATPase inhibitor

A regulatory subunit of yeast mitochondrial ATP synthase, 9K protein, formed an equimolar complex with F1-ATPase in the presence of ATP and Mg2+, indicating that the binding of the protein to the enzyme took place in a similar manner to that of ATPase inhibitor. The ATP-hydrolyzing activity of F1-ATPase decreased 40% on binding of the 9K protein, and the remaining activity was resistant to external ATPase inhibitor. The apparent dissociation constant of the F1-ATPase-9K complex was determined by gel permeation chromatography to be 3.7 X 10(-6) M, which was in the same order of magnitude as that of enzyme-ATPase inhibitor complex (4.2 x 10(-6) M). When added simultaneously the binding of the inhibitor and 9K protein to F1-ATPase were competitive and the sum of their bindings did not exceed 1 mol per mol of enzyme. However, the binding of each protein ligand to F1-ATPase took more than 1 min for completion, and when one of these two proteins was added 10 min after the other, it did not replace the other. These observations strongly suggest that membrane-bound F1-ATPase always binds to either the 9K protein or ATPase inhibitor in intact mitochondria and that the complexes with the two ligands are active and inactive counterparts, respectively.     

Binding properties of an intrinsic ATPase inhibitor and occurrence in yeast mitochondria of a protein factor which stabilizes and facilitates the binding of the inhibitor to F1F0-ATPase

The content of an intrinsic ATPase inhibitor in mitochondria was determined by a radioimmunoassay procedure which showed the molar ratio of the inhibitor to ATPase to be 1:1. The ratio in submitochondrial particles, where half of the enzyme was activated, was the same as that of mitochondria, indicating that the inhibitor protein has affinity for the mitochondrial membrane as well as for F1-ATPase. The inhibitor protein could be removed from the mitochondrial membrane by incubation with 0.5 M Na2SO4 and concomitantly the enzyme was fully activated. The enzyme fully activated by the salt treatment was inactivated again by the externally added ATPase inhibitor in the presence of ATP and Mg2+. The enzyme-inhibitor complex (inactive) on the mitochondrial membrane was more stable than the solubilized enzyme-inhibitor complex but gradually dissociated in the absence of ATP and Mg2+. However, in mitochondria, the enzyme activity was inhibited even in the absence of the cofactors. A protein factor stabilizing the enzyme-inhibitor complex on the mitochondrial membrane was isolated from yeast mitochondria. This factor stabilized the inhibitor complex of membrane-bound ATPase while having no effect on that of purified F1-ATPase. It also efficiently facilitated the binding of the inhibitor to membrane-bound ATPase to form the complex, which reversibly dissociated at slightly alkaline pH.     

ATP-competitive,marine derived natural products that target the DEAD box helicase,eIF4A

Activation of translation initiation is a common trait of cancer cells. Formation of the heterotrimeric eukaryotic initiation factor F (eIF4F) complex is the rate-limiting step in 5′ m7GpppN cap-dependent translation. This trimeric complex includes the eIF4E cap binding protein, the eIF4G scaffolding protein, and the DEAD box RNA helicase eIF4A. eIF4A is an ATP-dependent helicase and because it is the only enzyme in the eIF4F complex, it has been shown to be a potential therapeutic target for a variety of malignancies. To this end, we have used a simple ATPase biochemical screen to survey several hundred marine and terrestrial derived natural products. Herein, we report the discovery of two natural products from marine sources, elisabatin A (1) and allolaurinterol (2), which show low µM inhibition of eIF4A ATPase activity. Enzymological analyses revealed 1 and 2 to be ATP-competitive, and cellular evaluations showed reasonable cytotoxicity against A549 (lung cancer) and MDA-MA-468 (breast cancer) cell lines. However, only compound 2 showed potent inhibition of helicase activity congruent with its ATPase inhibitory activity.     

The importance of carboxyl groups on the lumenal side of the membrane for the function of the Ca(2+)-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum

The conventional model for transport of Ca(2+) by the Ca(2+)-ATPase of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) involves a pair of binding sites for Ca(2+) that change upon phosphorylation of the ATPase from being high affinity and exposed to the cytoplasm to being low affinity and exposed to the lumen. However, a number of recent experiments suggest that in fact transport involves two separate pairs of binding sites for Ca(2+), one pair exposed to the cytoplasmic side and the other pair exposed to the lumenal side. Here we show that the carbodiimide 1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)-propyl] carbodiimide (EDC) is membrane-impermeable, and we use EDC to distinguish between cytoplasmic and lumenal sites of reaction. Modification of the Ca(2+)-ATPase in sealed SR vesicles with EDC leads to loss of ATPase activity without modification of the pair of high affinity Ca(2+)-binding sites. Modification of the purified ATPase in unsealed membrane fragments was faster than modification in SR vesicles, suggesting the presence of more quickly reacting lumenal sites. This was confirmed in experiments measuring EDC modification of the ATPase reconstituted randomly into sealed lipid vesicles. Modification of sites on the lumenal face of the ATPase led to loss of the Ca(2+)-induced increase in phosphorylation by P(i). It is concluded that carboxyl groups on the lumenal side of the ATPase are involved in Ca(2+) binding to the lumenal side of the ATPase and that modification of these sites leads to loss of ATPase activity. The presence of MgATP or MgADP leads to faster inhibition of the ATPase by EDC in unsealed membrane fragments than in sealed vesicles, suggesting that binding of MgATP or MgADP to the ATPase leads to a conformational change on the lumenal side of the membrane.     

Catalytic properties of Escherichia coli F1-ATPase depleted of endogenous nucleotides.

Nucleotide-depleted Escherichia coli F1 was prepared by the procedure of Wise et al. (1983, Biochem. J. 215, 343-350). This enzyme had high rates of steady-state ATPase and GTPase activity. When "unisite" ATP hydrolysis was measured using an F1/ATP concentration ratio of 10, all of the substoichiometric ATP became bound to the high-affinity catalytic site and none became bound to noncatalytic sites. The association rate constant for ATP binding was 7 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 and the KdATP was 7.9 x 10(-10) M, as compared to values of 3.8 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 and 1.9 x 10(-10) M, respectively, in native (i.e., nucleotide-replete) F1. Rate constants for bound ATP hydrolysis, ATP resynthesis, and P(i) release, and the reaction equilibrium constant, were similar in nucleotide-depleted and native F1. Therefore, we conclude that occupancy of the noncatalytic sites is not required for formation of the high-affinity catalytic site of F1 and has no significant effect on unisite catalysis. In further experiments we looked for the occurrence of inhibitory, catalytic-site-bound MgADP in E. coli F1. Such an entity has been reported for chloroplast and mitochondrial F1. However, our experiments gave no indication for inhibitory MgADP in E. coli F1.     

Labeling the Ca2+-ATPase of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum with maleimidylsalicylic acid

Maleimidylsalicylic acid reacts with the Ca(2+)-ATPase of skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum with high affinity and inhibits the ATPase activity following a pseudo-first-order kinetic with a rate constant of 8.3 m(-1) s(-1). Calcium binding remains unaffected in the maleimide-inhibited ATPase. However, the presence of ATP, ADP, and, to a lesser extent, AMP protects the enzyme against inhibition. Furthermore, ATPase inhibition is accompanied by a concomitant decrease in ATP binding. The stoichiometry of the nucleotide-dependent maleimidylsalicylic acid binding is 6-10 nmol/mg ATPase, which corresponds to the binding of up to one molecule of maleimide/molecule of ATPase. The stoichiometry of maleimide binding is decreased in the presence of nucleotides and in the ATPase previously labeled with fluorescein-5'-isothiocyanate or N-ethylmaleimide A fluorescent peptide was isolated by high performance liquid chromatography after trypsin digestion of the maleimide-labeled ATPase. Analysis of the sequence and mass spectrometry of the peptide leads us to propose Cys(344) as the target for maleimidylsalicylic acid in the inhibition reaction. The effect of Cys(344) modification on the nucleotide site is discussed.     

The binding of aurovertin to isolated beta subunit of F1 (mitochondrial ATPase). Stoicheiometry of beta subunit in F1.

1. Beef-heart mitochondrial ATPase (F1) is inactivated and dissociated by incubation with 0.85 M LiCl. ATP partly protects against inactivation. Three dissociation products could be identified after chromatography on diethylaminoethylcellulose: the delta subunit which is not adsorbed, the beta subunit which may be eluted from the column, and the alpha and gamma subunits which remain bound to the column. 2. Aurovertin binds to dissociated F1 with a fluorescence enhancement equal to about 30% that found with F1. Unlike intact F1 which shows two kinetically separated phases of fluorescence enhancement, only a fast phase is found with dissociated enzyme. 3. Fluorescence measurements at varying aurovertin and protein concentrations indicate that aurovertin binds to dissociated F1 in a simple 3-component reaction with dissociation constant 0.4 muM. There are two indistinguishable binding sites, calculated on the basis of the initial F1 concentration before dissociation. 4. The beta subunit was isolated from dissociated F1 by DEAE-cellulose chromatography. It has no ATPase activity but reacts with aurovertin with a fluorescence enhancement similar to that of dissociated F1. 5. The isolated beta subunit contains one aurovertin binding site with a dissociation constant of 0.56 muM. 6. It is concluded that F1 contains two beta subunits.     

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

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