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.     

Catalytic site occupancy during ATP hydrolysis by MF1-ATPase. Evidence for alternating high affinity sites during steady-state turnover

The mechanism of ATP hydrolysis by the solubilized mitochondrial ATPase (MF1) has been studied under conditions where catalytic turnover occurs at one site, uni-site catalysis (obtained when enzyme is in excess of substrate), or at two sites, bi-site catalysis (obtained when substrate is in excess of enzyme). Pulse-chase experiments support the conclusion that the sites which participate in bi-site catalysis are the same as those which participate in uni-site catalysis. Upon addition of ATP in molar excess to MF1, label that was bound under uni-site conditions dissociates at a rate equal to the rate of bi-site catalysis. Similarly, when medium ATP is removed, label that was bound under bi-site conditions dissociates at a rate equal to the rate of uni-site catalysis. Evidence that a high affinity catalytic site equivalent to the one observed under uni-site conditions participates as an intermediate in bi-site catalysis includes the demonstration of full occupancy of a catalytically competent site during steady-state turnover at nanomolar concentrations of ATP. Improved measurements of the interaction of ADP at a high affinity catalytic site have lead to the revision of several of the rate constants that define uni-site catalysis. The rate constant for unpromoted dissociation of ADP is equal to that for Pi (4 X 10(-3) s-1). The rate of binding ADP at a high affinity chaseable site (Kd = 1 nM) is equal to the rate of binding ATP (4 X 10(6) M-1 s-1). The rate of catalysis obtained when substrate binding at one site promotes product release from an adjacent site (bi-site catalysis) is up to 100,000-fold faster than unpromoted product release (uni-site catalysis).     

Covalent modification of the catalytic sites of the H(+)-ATPase from chloroplasts, CF(0)F(1), with 2-azido-[alpha-(32)P]ADP: modification of the catalytic site 2 (loose) and the catalytic site 3 (open) impairs multi-site, but not uni-site catalysis of both ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis

The H(+)-ATPase from chloroplasts, CF(0)F(1), was isolated and purified. The enzyme contained one endogenous ADP at a catalytic site, and two endogenous ATP at non-catalytic sites. Incubation with 2-azido-[alpha-(32)P]AD(T)P leads to a tight binding of the azido-nucleotides. Free nucleotides were removed by three consecutive passages through centrifugation columns, and after UV-irradiation, the label was covalently bound. The labelled enzyme was digested by trypsin, the peptides were separated by ion exchange chromatography into nitreno-AMP, nitreno-ADP and nitreno-ATP labelled peptides, and these were then separated by reversed phase chromatography. Amino acid sequence analysis was used to identify the type of the nucleotide binding site. After incubation with 2-azido-[alpha-(32)P]ADP, the covalently bound label was found exclusively at beta-Tyr-362, i.e. binding occurs only to catalytic sites. Incubation conditions with 2-azido-[alpha-(32)P]ADP were varied, and conditions were found which allow selective binding of the label to different catalytic sites, either to catalytic site 2 or to catalytic site 3. For measurements of the degree of inhibition by covalent modification, CF(0)F(1) was reconstituted into phosphatidylcholine liposomes, and the membranes were energised by an acid-base transition in the presence of a K(+)/valinomycin diffusion potential. The rate of ATP synthesis was 120 s(-1), and the rate of ATP hydrolysis was 20 s(-1), both measured under multi-site conditions. Covalent modification of either catalytic site 2 or catalytic site 3 inhibited both ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis, the degree of inhibition being proportional to the degree of modification. Extrapolation to complete inhibition indicates that modification of one catalytic site, either site 2 or site 3, is sufficient to completely block multi-site ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis. The rate of ATP synthesis and the rate of ATP hydrolysis were measured as a function of the substrate concentration from multi-site to uni-site conditions with covalently modified CF(0)F(1) and with non-modified CF(0)F(1). The result was that uni-site ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis were not inhibited by covalent modification of either catalytic site 2 or site 3. The results indicate cooperative interactions between catalytic nucleotide binding sites during multi-site catalysis, whereas neither uni-site ATP synthesis nor uni-site ATP hydrolysis require interaction with other sites.     

Single-site catalysis of F1-ATPase from thermophilic bacterium PS3 and its dominance in steady-state catalysis at low ATP concentration

Single-site catalysis by F1-ATPase from a thermophilic bacterium PS3 (TF1) was examined by incubating the enzyme with a submolar amount of radioactive ATP. The profile of single-site catalysis by TF1 at 23 degrees C was different from that of beef heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase (MF1). ATP hydrolysis on the enzyme and release of the products was rapid, and subsequent addition of non-radioactive ATP (cold chase) did not promote the hydrolysis of radioactive ATP, indicating that the rate-limiting step was not the step of product release but the step of ATP binding to the enzyme. Thus, the characteristic features of so-called uni-site catalysis were not observed. At 60 degrees C, whether in the presence or absence of phosphate ion, a small amount of bound [alpha, gamma-32P]ATP and cold chase promotion were observed. However, since bound 32P1 was not detected by centrifugal gel filtration, it is not yet certain whether TF1 has typical uni-site characteristics. Based on the hydrolytic turnover rate for single-site catalysis and analysis of the kinetics of steady-state catalysis, it is proposed that single-site catalysis is dominant even in steady-state catalysis at ATP concentrations of less than about 20 microM.     

Replacement of arginine 246 by histidine in the beta subunit of Escherichia coli H+-ATPase resulted in loss of multi-site ATPase activity

A mutant strain KF43 of Escherichia coli defective in the beta subunit of H+-translocating ATPase (F0F1) was examined. In this mutant, replacement of Arg246 by His was identified by DNA sequencing of the mutant gene and confirmed by tryptic peptide mapping. The mutant F1-ATPase was defective in multi-site hydrolysis of ATP but was active in uni-site hydrolysis. Studies on the kinetics of uni-site hydrolysis indicated that the k1 (rate of ATP binding) was similar to that of the wild-type, but the k-1 (rate of release of ATP) could not be measured. The mutant enzyme had a k3 (rate of release of inorganic phosphate) about 15-fold higher than that of the wild-type and showed 3 orders of magnitude lower promotion from uni- to multi-site catalysis. These results suggest that Arg246 or the region in its vicinity is important in multi-site hydrolysis of ATP and is also related to the binding of inorganic phosphate. Reconstitution experiments using isolated subunits suggested that hybrid enzymes (alpha beta gamma complexes) carrying both the mutant and wild-type beta subunits were inactive in multi-site hydrolysis of ATP, supporting the notion that three intact beta subunits are required for activity of the F1 molecule.     

Covalent modification of the catalytic sites of the H+-ATPase from chloroplasts and 2-nitreno-ADP. Modification of the catalytic site 1 (tight) and catalytic sites 1 and 2 together impairs both uni-site and multi-site catalysis of ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis

After isolation and purification, the H+-ATPase from chloroplasts, CF0F1, contains one endogenous ADP at a catalytic site, and two endogenous ATP at non-catalytic sites. Incubation with 2-azido-[alpha-32P]ADP leads to tight binding of azidonucleotides. Free nucleotides were removed by three consecutive passages through centrifugation columns, and upon UV-irradiation most of the label was covalently bound. The labelled enzyme was digested by trypsin, the peptides were separated by ion exchange chromatography into nitreno-AMP, nitreno-ADP and nitreno-ATP labelled peptides, and these were then separated by reversed phase chromatography. Amino acid sequence analysis was used to identify the type of the nucleotide binding site. After incubation with 2-azido-[alpha-32P]ADP, the covalently bound label was found exclusively at beta-Tyr-362. Incubation conditions with 2-azido-[alpha-32P]ADP were varied, and conditions were found which allow selective binding of the label to different catalytic sites, designated as 1, 2 and 3 in order of decreasing affinity for ADP, and either catalytic site 1 or catalytic sites 1 and 2 together were labelled. For measurements of the degree of inhibition by covalent modification, CF0F1 was reconstituted into phosphatidylcholine liposomes, and the membranes were energised by an acid-base transition in the presence of a K+/valinomycin diffusion potential. The rate of ATP synthesis was 50-80 s(-1), and the rate of ATP hydrolysis was 15 s(-1) measured under multi-site conditions. Covalent modification of either catalytic site 1 or catalytic sites 1 and 2 together inhibited ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis equally, the degree of inhibition being proportional to the degree of modification. Extrapolation to complete inhibition indicates that derivatisation of catalytic site 1 leads to complete inhibition when 1 mol 2-nitreno-ADP is bound per mol CF0F1. Derivatisation of catalytic sites 1 and 2 together extrapolates to complete inhibition when 2 mol 2-nitreno-ADP are bound per CF0F1. The rate of ATP synthesis and the rate of ATP hydrolysis were measured as a function of the substrate concentration from multi-site to uni-site conditions with derivatised CF0F1 and with non-derivatised CF0F1. ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis under uni-site and under multi-site condition were inhibited by covalent modification of either catalytic site 1 or catalytic sites 1 and 2 together. The results indicate that derivatisation of site 1 inhibits activation of the enzyme and that cooperative interactions occur at least between the catalytic sites 2 and 3.     

Cross-linking of two beta subunits in the closed conformation in F1-ATPase

In the crystal structure of mitochondrial F1-ATPase, two beta subunits with a bound Mg-nucleotide are in "closed" conformations, whereas the third beta subunit without bound nucleotide is in an "open" conformation. In this "CCO" (beta-closed beta-closed beta-open) conformational state, Ile-390s of the two closed beta subunits, even though they are separated by an intervening alpha subunit, have a direct contact. We replaced the equivalent Ile of the alpha3beta3gamma subcomplex of thermophilic F1-ATPase with Cys and observed the formation of the beta-beta cross-link through a disulfide bond. The analysis of conditions required for the cross-link formation indicates that: (i) F1-ATPase takes the CCO conformation when two catalytic sites are filled with Mg-nucleotide, (ii) intermediate(s) with the CCO conformation are generated during catalytic cycle, (iii) the Mg-ADP inhibited form is in the CCO conformation, and (iv) F1-ATPase dwells in conformational state(s) other than CCO when only one (or none) of catalytic sites is filled by Mg-nucleotide or when catalytic sites are filled by Mg2+-free nucleotide. The alpha3beta3gamma subcomplex containing the beta-beta cross-link retained the activity of uni-site catalysis but lost that of multiple catalytic turnover, suggesting that open-closed transition of beta subunits is required for the rotation of gamma subunit but not for hydrolysis of a single ATP.     

Tightly bound adenosine diphosphate, which inhibits the activity of mitochondrial F1-ATPase, is located at the catalytic site of the enzyme

The binding of one ADP molecule at the catalytic site of the nucleotide depleted F1-ATPase results in a decrease in the initial rate of ATP hydrolysis. The addition of an equimolar amount of ATP to the nucleotide depleted F1-ATPase leads to the same effect, but, in this case, inhibition is time dependent. The half-time of this process is about 30 s, and the inhibition is correlated with Pi dissociation from the F1-ATPase catalytic site (uni-site catalysis). The F1-ATPase-ADP complex formed under uni-site catalysis conditions can be reactivated in two ways: (i) slow ATP-dependent ADP release from the catalytic site (tau 1/2 20 s) or (ii) binding of Pi in addition to MgADP and the formation of the triple F1-ATPase-MgADP-Pi complex. GTP and GDP are also capable of binding to the catalytic site, however, without changes in the kinetic properties of the F1-ATPase. It is proposed that ATP-dependent dissociation of the F1-ATPase-GDP complex occurs more rapidly, than that of the F1-ATPase-ADP complex.     

Beef-heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase can use endogenous bound phosphate to synthesize ATP in dimethyl sulfoxide.

Beef-heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase contained 5 mol of inorganic phosphate bound per mol of F1, following pretreatment with ATP. A portion of the phosphate, bound most likely at a catalytic site, reacted in dimethylsulfoxide with endogenous adenine nucleotide to form ATP.     

Adenine nucleotide binding sites on beef heart F1-ATPase. Asymmetry and subunit location

Previously we have shown that beef heart mitochondrial F1 contains a total of six adenine nucleotide binding sites. Three "catalytic" sites exchange bound ligand rapidly during hydrolysis of MgATP, whereas three "noncatalytic" sites do not. The noncatalytic sites behave asymmetrically in that a single site releases bound ligand upon precipitation of F1 with ammonium sulfate. In the present study, we find this same site to be the only noncatalytic site that undergoes rapid exchange of bound ligand when F1 is incubated in the presence of EDTA at pH 8.0. Following 1000 catalytic turnovers/F1, the site retains the unique capacity for EDTA-induced exchange, indicating that the asymmetric determinants are permanent and that the three noncatalytic sites on soluble F1 do not pass through equivalent states during catalysis. Measurements of the rate of ligand binding at the unique noncatalytic site show that uncomplexed nucleotide binds preferentially. At pH 7.5, in the presence of Mg2+, the rate constant for ADP binding is 9 X 10(3) M-1 s-1 and for dissociation is 4 X 10(-4) s-1 to give a Kd = 50 nM. The rate of dissociation is 10 times faster in the presence of EDTA or during MgATP hydrolysis, and it increases rapidly at pH below 7. EDTA-induced exchange is inhibited by Mg2+, Mn2+, Co2+, and Zn2+ but not by Ca2+ and is unaffected by dicyclohexylcarbodiimide modification. The unique noncatalytic site binds 2-azido-ADP. Photolysis results in the labeling of the beta subunit. Photolabeling of a single high-affinity catalytic site under conditions for uni-site catalysis also results in the labeling of beta, but a different pattern of labeled peptides is obtained in proteolytic digests. The results demonstrate the presence of two different nucleotide binding domains on the beta subunit of mitochondrial F1.     

Interaction of ox heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase with immobilized ADP and ATP.

The reaction of mitochondrial F1-ATPase with immobilized substrate was studied by using columns of agarose-hexane-ATP. Mg2+ was required for binding of the enzyme to the column matrix. The column-bound enzyme could be eluted fully by ATP and other nucleoside triphosphates. Nucleoside di- and mono-phosphates were less effective. At a fixed concentration of nucleotide the effectiveness of elution was proportional to the charge on the eluting molecule. The ATP of the column matrix was hydrolysed by the bound F1-ATPase to release phosphate, probably by a uni-site reaction mechanism. Thus the F1-ATPase was bound to the immobilized ATP by a catalytic site. Treatment of the bound F1-ATPase with 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan prevented complete release of the enzyme by ATP. Only one-third of the bound enzyme was now eluted by the nucleotide. The inhibition of release could be due either to the inhibitor blocking co-operative interactions between sites or to its increasing the tightness of binding of immobilized ADP at the catalytic site.     

Loss of unisite and multisite catalyses by Escherichia coli F1 through modification with adenosine tri- or tetraphosphopyridoxal

Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) and adenosine diphospho (AP2-PL)-, triphospho (AP3-PL)-, and tetraphospho (AP4-PL)-pyridoxals (Tagaya, M., and Fukui, T. (1986) Biochemistry 25, 2958-2964) were tested as potential affinity probes for F1 ATPase of Escherichia coli. Both AP3-PL and AP4-PL bound and inhibited F1 ATPase, whereas PLP and AP2-PL were weak inhibitors. The concentrations of AP3-PL and AP4-PL for half-maximal inactivations of the multisite (steady state) ATPase activity were both 18 microM. The binding of these reagents to a reactive lysyl residue(s) was confirmed from the difference absorption spectra, and the stoichiometry of binding of [3H]AP3-PL to F1 at the saturating level was about 1 mol/mol F1. The analogue bound to both the alpha subunit (about two-thirds of the radioactivity) and the beta subunit (about one-third of the radioactivity). No inactivation of multisite ATPase activity or binding of AP3-PL was observed in the presence of ATP. F1 modified with about one mol of AP3-PL had essentially no uni- and multisite hydrolysis of ATP. The rate of binding of ATP decreased to 10(-2) of that of unmodified F1, and the rate of release of ATP was about two times faster. The equilibrium F1 X ATP in equilibrium F1 X ADP X Pi was shifted toward F1 X ATP, and no promotion of ATP hydrolysis at unisite was observed with excess ATP. These results suggest that the AP3-PL or AP4-PL bound to an active site, and catalysis by the two remaining sites was completely abolished.     

Adenine nucleotide-binding sites on mitochondrial F1-ATPase. Evidence for an adenylate kinase-like orientation of catalytic and noncatalytic sites.

Nucleotide-depleted mitochondrial F1-ATPase (F1[0,0]) is inhibited by the diadenosine oligophosphate compounds, AP4A, AP5A, and AP6A (where APxA stands for 5',5'-diadenosine oligophosphates having a chain of x phosphoryl groups linking the two adenosine moieties). When F1[0,0] is preincubated with these compounds and then assayed for ATP hydrolysis activity under conditions that normally allow turnover at all three catalytic sites, the maximal level of inhibition observed is 80%. However, when assayed at lower ATP concentrations under conditions that allow simultaneous turnover at only two of the three sites, no inhibition is observed. A decrease in the number of phosphoryl groups that links the adenosine moieties to less than 4 (AP3A, AP2A) converts the compound to an activator of ATP hydrolysis, similar in effect to that obtained when one mol of ADP or 2-azido-ADP binds at a catalytic site on F1[0,0]. Inhibition by the compounds requires the presence of at least one vacant noncatalytic site. Evidence is provided that the probes also interact with a catalytic site. The stoichiometry for maximal inhibition by AP4A is 0.94 mol/mol of F1. The data presented support a model for the structure of nucleotide-binding sites on F1 that places catalytic and noncatalytic sites in close proximity in an orientation analogous to the ATP and AMP binding sites on adenylate kinase. Inhibition of the enzyme by the dinucleotide compounds can be explained by the cross-bridging of one of the catalytic sites to a noncatalytic site in analogy to the inhibition of adenylate kinase by AP5A. The residual capacity for bi-site catalysis indicates that the second and third catalytic sites remain catalytically active.     

Covalent modification of the non-catalytic sites of the H(+)-ATPase from chloroplasts with 2-azido-[alpha-(32)P]ATP and its effect on ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis

Incubation of the isolated H(+)-ATPase from chloroplasts, CF(0)F(1), with 2-azido-[alpha-(32)P]ATP leads to the binding of this nucleotide to different sites. These sites were identified after removal of free nucleotides, UV-irradiation and trypsin treatment by separation of the tryptic peptides by ion exchange chromatography. The nitreno-AMP, nitreno-ADP and nitreno-ATP peptides were further separated on a reversed phase column, the main fractions were subjected to amino acid sequence analysis and the derivatized tyrosines were used to distinguish between catalytic (beta-Tyr362) and non-catalytic (beta-Tyr385) sites. Several incubation procedures were developed which allow a selective occupation of each of the three non-catalytic sites. The non-catalytic site with the highest dissociation constant (site 6) becomes half maximally filled at 50 microM 2-azido-[alpha-(32)P]ATP, that with the intermediate dissociation constant (site 5) at 2 microM. The ATP at the site with the lowest dissociation constant had to be hydrolyzed first to ADP before a replacement by 2-azido-[alpha-(32)P]ATP was possible. CF(0)F(1) with non-covalently bound 2-azido-[alpha-(32)P]ATP and after covalent derivatization was reconstituted into liposomes and the rates of ATP synthesis as well as ATP hydrolysis were measured after energization of the proteoliposomes by Delta pH/Delta phi. Non-covalent binding of 2-azido-ATP to any of the three non-catalytic sites does not influence ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis, whereas covalent derivatization of any of the three sites inhibits both, the degree being proportional to the degree of derivatization. Extrapolation to complete inhibition indicates that derivatization of one site (either 4 or 5 or 6) is sufficient to block completely multi-site catalysis. The rates of ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis were measured as a function of the ADP and ATP concentration from uni-site to multi-site conditions with covalently derivatized and non-derivatized CF(0)F(1). Uni-site ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis were not inhibited by covalent derivatization of any of the non-catalytic sites, whereas multi-site catalysis is inhibited. These results indicate that multi-site catalysis requires some flexibility between beta- and alpha-subunits which is abolished by covalent derivatization of beta-Tyr385 with a 2-nitreno-adenine nucleotide. Conformational changes connected with energy transduction between the F(0)-part and the F(1)-part are either not required for uni-site ATP synthesis or they are not impaired by the derivatization of any of the three beta-Tyr385.     

Heterogeneous hydrolysis of substoichiometric ATP by the F1-ATPase from Escherichia coli.

The hydrolysis of 0.3 microM [alpha,gamma-32P]ATP by 1 microM F1-ATPase isolated from the plasma membranes of Escherichia coli has been examined in the presence and absence of inorganic phosphate. The rate of binding of substoichiometric substrate to the ATPase is attenuated by 2 mM phosphate and further attenuated by 50 mM phosphate. Under all conditions examined, only 10-20% of the [alpha,gamma-32P]ATP that bound to the enzyme was hydrolyzed sufficiently slowly to be examined in cold chase experiments with physiological concentrations of non-radioactive ATP. These features differ from those observed with the mitochondrial F1-ATPase. The amount of bound substrate in equilibrium with bound products observed in the slow phase which was subject to promoted hydrolysis by excess ATP was not affected by the presence of phosphate. Comparison of the fluxes of enzyme-bound species detected experimentally in the presence of 2 mM phosphate with those predicted by computer simulation of published rate constants determined for uni-site catalysis (Al-Shawi, M.D., Parsonage, D. and Senior, A.E. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 15376-15383) showed that hydrolysis of substoichiometric ATP observed experimentally was clearly biphasic. Less than 20% of the substoichiometric ATP added to the enzyme was hydrolyzed according to the published rate constants which were calculated from the slow phase of product release in the presence of 1 mM phosphate. The majority of the substoichiometric ATP added to the enzyme was hydrolyzed with product release that was too rapid to be detected by the methods employed in this study, indicating again that the F1-ATPase from E. coli and bovine heart mitochondria hydrolyze substoichiometric ATP differently.     

Catalytic site of F1-ATPase of Escherichia coli. Lys-155 and Lys-201 of the beta subunit are located near the gamma-phosphate group of ATP in the presence of Mg2+.

The catalytic site of Escherichia coli F1 was probed using a reactive ATP analogue, adenosine triphosphopyridoxal (AP3-PL). For complete loss of enzyme activity, about 1 mol of AP3-PL bound to 1 mol of F1 was estimated to be required in the presence or absence of Mg2+. About 70% of the label was bound to the alpha subunit and the rest to the beta subunit in the absence of Mg2+, and the alpha Lys-201 and beta Lys-155 residues, respectively, were the major target residues (Tagaya, M., Noumi, T., Nakano, K., Futai, M., and Fukui, T. (1988) FEBS Lett. 233, 347-351). Addition of Mg2+ decreased the AP3-PL concentration required for half-maximal inhibition, and predominant labeling of the beta subunit (beta Lys-155 and beta Lys-201) with the reagent. ATP and ADP were protective ligands in the presence and absence of Mg2+. The alpha subunit mutation (alpha Lys-201----Gln or alpha Lys-201 deletion) were active in oxidative phosphorylation. However, purified mutant F1s showed impaired low multi-site activity, although their uni-site catalyses were essentially normal. Thus alpha Lys-201 is not a catalytic residue, but may be important for catalytic cooperativity. Mutant F1s were inhibited less by AP3-PL in the absence of Mg2+, and consistent with this, modifications of their alpha subunits by AP3-PL were reduced. AP3-PL was more inhibitory to the mutant enzymes in the presence of Mg2+, and bound to the beta Lys-155 and beta Lys-201 residues of mutant F1 (alpha Lys-201----Gln). These results strongly suggest that alpha Lys-201, beta Lys-155, and beta Lys-201 are located close together near the gamma-phosphate group of ATP bound to the catalytic site, and that the two beta residues and the gamma-phosphate group become closer to each other in the presence of Mg2+.     

Does pyrophosphate bind to the catalytic sites of mitochondrial F1-ATPase?

The interactions between the pyrophosphate (PPi) binding sites and the nucleotide binding sites on mitochondrial F1-ATPase have been investigated, using F1 preparations containing different numbers of catalytic and noncatalytic nucleotide-binding sites occupied by ligands. In all cases, the total number of moles of bound nucleotides and PPi per mole of F1 was less than or equal to six. F1 preparations containing either three or two filled noncatalytic sites and no filled catalytic sites (referred as F1[3,0] and F1[2,0]) were found to bind 3 mol of PPi/mol of F1. Tight binding of ADP-fluoroberyllate complexes to two of the catalytic sites of F1 converted the three heterogeneous PPi-binding sites into three homogeneous binding sites, each exhibiting the same affinity for PPi. The addition of PPi at saturating concentrations to F1 containing GDP bound to two catalytic sites (F1[2,2]) resulted in the release of 1 mol of GDP. Furthermore, the addition of PPi to F1 filled with ADP-fluoroberyllate at the catalytic sites resulted in the release of 1 mol of tightly bound ADP/mol of F1. Taken together, these results indicate that PPi binds to specific sites that interact with both the catalytic and the noncatalytic nucleotide-binding sites of F1.     

Synthesis and hydrolysis of ATP and the phosphate-ATP exchange reaction in soluble mitochondrial F1 in the presence of dimethylsulfoxide.

In medium containing 40% dimethylsulfoxide, soluble F1 catalyzes the hydrolysis of ATP introduced at concentrations lower than that of the enzyme [Al-Shawi, M.K. & Senior, A.E. (1992), Biochemistry 31, 886-891]. At this concentration of dimethylsulfoxide, soluble F1 also catalyzes the spontaneous synthesis of a tightly bound ATP to a level of approximately 0.15 mol per mol F1 [Gómez-Puyou, A., Tuena de Gómez-Puyou, M. & de Meis, L. (1986) Eur. J. Biochem. 159, 133-140]. The mechanisms that allow soluble F1 to carry out these apparently opposing reactions were studied. The rate of hydrolysis of ATP bound to F1 under uni-site conditions and that of synthesis of ATP were markedly similar, indicating that the two ATP molecules lie in equivalent high affinity catalytic sites. The number of enzyme molecules that have ATP at the high affinity catalytic site under conditions of synthesis or uni-site hydrolysis is less than the total number of enzyme molecules. Therefore, it was hypothesized that when the enzyme was treated with dimethylsulfoxide, a fraction of the F1 population carried out synthesis and another hydrolysis. Indeed, measurements of the two reactions under identical conditions showed that different fractions of the F1 population carried out simultaneously synthesis and hydrolysis of ATP. The reactions continued until an equilibrium level between F1.ADP + Pi <--> F1.ATP was established. At equilibrium, about 15% of the enzyme population was in the form F1.ATP. The DeltaG degrees of the reaction with 0.54 microM F1, 2 mM Pi and 10 mM Mg2+ at pH 6.8 was -2.7 kcal.mol-1 in favor of F1.ATP. The DeltaG degrees of the reaction did not exhibit important variations with Pi concentration; thus, the reaction was in thermodynamic equilibrium. In contrast, DeltaG degrees became significantly less negative as the concentration of dimethylsulfoxide was decreased. In water, the reaction was far to the left. The equilibrium constant of the reaction diminished linearly with an increase in water activity. The effect of solvent is fully reversible. In comparison to other enzymes, F1 seems unique in that solvent controls the equilibrium that exists within an enzyme population. This results from the effect of solvent on the partition of Pi between the catalytic site and the medium, and the large energetic barrier that prevents release of ATP from the catalytic site. In the presence of dimethylsulfoxide and Pi, ATP is continuously hydrolyzed and synthesized with formation and uptake of Pi from the medium. This process is essentially an exchange reaction analogous to the phosphate-ATP exchange reaction that is catalyzed by the ATP synthase in coupled energy transducing membranes.     

Mode of inhibition of sodium azide on H+-ATPase of Escherichia coli

Sodium azide inhibited multi-site (steady-state) ATPase activity of E. coli F1 more than 90%, but did not affect uni-site (single-site) ATPase activity. Thus azide inhibited multi-site ATPase activity by lowering catalytic cooperativity. Consistent with this observation, azide changed the ligand-induced fluorescence response of aurovertin bound to F1.     

Exchange and hydrolysis of tightly bound nucleotides in normal and photolabelled bovine heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase

Treatment of F1 by threefold fast-column centrifugation or by single ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by fast-column centrifugation resulted in enzyme preparations containing 2.5-2.8 mol of bound nucleotides per mol of F1. Short incubations of such F1 preparations in the presence of relatively low concentrations of [14C]ATP and 2-azido[alpha-32P]ATP (100-250 microM), followed by ammonium sulphate precipitation and fast-column centrifugation, resulted in exchange of about 1 mol of the bound nucleotide per mol of F1 not affecting the total amount of bound nucleotides. Exchange of bound nucleotides with 2-azidoATP, followed by ultraviolet irradiation, results in inhibition of the enzyme activity, full inhibition being obtained (via extrapolation) when 1 mol of 2-nitreno-adenosine 5'-tri- or diphosphate (2-N-AT(D)P) is covalently bound to the presumably catalytic site on the enzyme (Van Dongen, M.B.M., De Geus, J.P., Korver, T., Harton, A.F. and Berden, J.A. (1986) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 850, 359-368). In agreement with this, it was found that incorporated [gamma-32P]ATP was hydrolysed by more than 80%. Newly incorporated, not covalently bound radioactive nucleotides could be rapidly exchanged again by the addition of non-radioactive nucleotides, but a higher concentration of nucleotides was needed to fully exchange the incorporated nucleotide. Also, when F1 was depleted of most of its bound nucleotides by repeated ammonium sulphate precipitation, part of the residual nucleotides was still rapidly exchangeable. The ability of F1 to exchange (and hydrolyse) one of the bound nucleotides was not lost when one catalytic and one non-catalytic binding site were occupied by covalently bound 8-N-ATP. Similar results were obtained with F1 containing 2-nitrenoATP covalently bound to one of the catalytic sites. Also, after photolabelling of up to four binding sites with 8-N[( 2-3H]AT(D)P, part of the two remaining non-covalently bound nucleotides could still be rapidly exchanged. In this case the exchanged nucleotide was also hydrolysed. It is concluded that one of the two bound nucleotides became exchangeable when all four other sites (i.e., two catalytic and two non-catalytic) were occupied with covalently bound nucleotides. The site involved showed catalytic properties suggestive of localisation on a beta-subunit.