Activation of potassium channels in erythrocytes of marine teleost Scorpaena porcus

To assess the possibility of stimulating Ca2+-activated K+ channels, marine fish erythrocytes were incubated at 20-22 degrees C in saline containing a Ca2+-ATPase inhibitor (orthovanadate), a Ca2+ ionophore (A23187), propranolol or Pb2+. Incubation of the cells for up to 2 h under control conditions or in the presence of 5 mM NH4VO3 and 1 mM Ca2+ did not affect the intracellular K+ and Na+ concentrations. About 50% cellular K+ was lost from erythrocytes incubated in the presence of 0.01 mM A23187, 1 mM EGTA and 0.4-1.0 mM Ca2+. There was a significant loss of cellular K+ after the addition of 0.05-0.2 mM propranolol to the incubation medium. The stimulatory effect of propranolol on the K+ efflux was independent of external Ca2+. Blockers of Ca2+ transport, verapamil and Co2+, caused only a small decrease in the K+ loss induced by propranolol. The treatment of erythrocytes with 1-2 microM Pb2+ led to a minor K+ loss, but at a Pb2+ concentration of 20-50 microM, about 70% cellular K+ was lost. The K+ efflux induced by propranolol or Pb2+ was completely blocked by 1 mM quinine. The induced K+ loss from the erythrocytes was accompanied by a slight increase in the intracellular Na+ concentration. These data indicate the possibility of inducing Ca2+- and Pb2+-activated potassium channels in erythrocytes of S. porcus. A distinctive feature of the cells is a high sensitivity to propranolol, which activates K+ channels in the absence of external Ca2+.     

Phosphorylation of Na,K-ATPase by acetyl phosphate and inorganic phosphate. Sidedness of Na+, K+ and nucleotide interactions and related enzyme conformations.

The effects of K+, Na+ and nucleotides (ATP or ADP) on the steady-state phosphorylation from [32P]Pi (0.5 and 1 mM) and acetyl [32P]phosphate (AcP) (5 mM) were studied in membrane fragments and in proteoliposomes with partially purified pig kidney Na,K-ATPase incorporated. The experiments were carried out at 20 degrees C and pH 7.0. In broken membranes, the Pi-induced phosphoenzyme levels were reduced to 40% by 10 mM K+ and to 20% by 10 mM K+ plus 1 mM ADP (or ATP); in the presence of 50 mM Na+, no E-P formation was detected. On the other hand, with AcP, the E-P formation was reduced by 10 mM K+ but was 30% increased by 50 mM Na+. In proteoliposomes E-P formation from Pi was (i) not influenced by 5-10 mM K+cyt or 100 mM Na+ext, (ii) about 50% reduced by 5, 10 or 100 mM K+ext and (iii) completely prevented by 50 mM Na+cyt. Enzyme phosphorylation from AcP was 30% increased by 10 mM K+cyt or 50 mM Na+cyt; these E-P were 50% reduced by 10-100 mM K+ext. However, E-P formed from AcP without K+cyt or Na+cyt was not affected by extracellular K+. Fluorescence changes of fluorescein isothiocyanate labelled membrane fragments, indicated that E-P from AcP corresponded to an E2 state in the presence of 10 mM Na+ or 2 mM K+ but to an E1 state in the absence of both cations. With pNPP, the data indicated an E1 state in the absence of Na+ and K+ and also in the presence of 20 mM Na+, and an E2 form in the presence of 5 mM K+. These results suggest that, although with some similarities, the reversible Pi phosphorylation and the phosphatase activity of the Na,K-ATPase do not share the whole reaction pathway.     

Stimulation by thrombin increases the cytosolic free Na+ concentration in human platelets. Studies with the novel fluorescent cytosolic Na+ indicator sodium-binding benzofuran isophthalate

The new fluorescent Na+ indicator sodium-binding benzofuran isophthalate (SBFI) was used for determination of the cytosolic free Na+ concentration, [Na+]i, in human platelets. The dye could be loaded into platelets in the form of its acetoxymethyl ester (SBFI-AM). Calibration of the fluorescence in terms of [Na+]i was done by measuring the 345/385 nm excitation ratio (emission 490 nm) at various extracellular Na+ concentrations, [Na+]o, in the presence of gramicidin D. The 345/385 intensity ratio increased almost linearly when [Na+]i was stepwise raised from 20 to 60 mM. The basal value for [Na+]i was found to be 26.0 +/- 4.5 mM (n = 15). Incubation of platelets in Na(+)-free buffer decreased [Na+]i, whereas inhibition of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase by 0.5 mM ouabain increased [Na+]i to 56 +/- 4 mM (n = 4) within 60 min. Activation of Na+/H+ exchange by exposing platelets to propionic acid also raised [Na+]i, and a comparable effect was produced by the Na+/H+ ionophore monensin. Activation of platelets with thrombin (0.1-0.5 unit/ml) also increased the 345/385 nm intensity ratio, an effect that was not seen in Na(+)-free buffer or after raising intracellular cAMP by treatment of platelets with prostaglandin E1. On the average, [Na+]i was raised to 59.5 +/- 5.3 mM (n = 15) at 10 min after addition of thrombin without a significant decrease for further 10 min. An increase in [Na+]i was also seen when platelets were challenged with the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin, an effect that did not occur in the absence of Na+o. Our findings confirm earlier reports which demonstrated a rise in [Na+]i in stimulated platelets and show that SBFI is a useful tool for determination of [Na+]i in resting and stimulated platelets.     

(Na+ + K+)-ATPase: confirmation of the three-pool model for the phosphointermediates of Na+-ATPase activity. Estimation of the enzyme-ATP dissociation rate constant

The dephosphorylation kinetics of acid-stable phosphointermediates of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase from ox brain, ox kidney and pig kidney was studied at 0 degree C. Experiments performed on brain enzyme phosphorylated at 0 degree C in the presence of 20-600 mM Na+, 1 mM Mg2+ and 25 microM [gamma-32P]ATP show that irrespectively of the EP-pool composition, which is determined by Na+ concentration, all phosphoenzyme is either ADP- or K+-sensitive. After phosphorylation of kidney enzymes at 0 degree C with 1 mM Mg2+, 25 microM [gamma-32P]ATP and 150-1000 mM Na+ the amounts of ADP- and K+-sensitive phosphoenzymes were determined by addition of 1 mM ATP + 2.5 mM ADP or 1 mM ATP + 20 mM K+. Similarly to the previously reported results on brain enzyme, both types of dephosphorylation curves have a fast and a slow phase, so that also for kidney enzymes a slow decay of a part of the phosphoenzyme, up to 80% at 1000 mM Na+, after addition of 1 mM ATP + 20 mM K+ is observed. The results obtained with the kidney enzymes seem therefore to reinforce previous doubts about the role played by E1 approximately P(Na3) as intermediate of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity. Furthermore, for both kidney enzymes the sum of ADP- and K+-sensitive phosphoenzymes is greater than E tot. In experiments on brain enzyme an estimate of dissociation rate constant for the enzyme-ATP complex, k-1, is obtained. k-1 varies between 1 and 4 s-1 and seems to depend on the ligands present during formation of the complex. The highest values are found for enzyme-ATP complex formed in the presence of Na+ or Tris+. The results confirm the validity of the three-pool model in describing dephosphorylation kinetics of phosphointermediates of Na+-ATPase activity.     

Interaction of sodium and potassium ions with Na+,K+-ATPase. II. General properties of ouabain-sensitive K+ binding

General properties of ouabain-sensitive K+ binding to purified Na+,K+-ATPase [EC 3.6.1.3] were studied by a centrifugation method with 42K+. 1) The affinity for K+ was constant at pH values higher than 6.4, and decreased at pH values lower than 6.4. 2) Mg2+ competitively inhibited the K+ binding. The dissociation constant (Kd) for Mg2+ of the enzyme was estimated to be about 1 mM, and the ratio of Kd for Mg2+ to Kd for K+ was 120 : 1. The order of inhibitory efficiency of divalent cations toward the K+ binding was Ba2+ congruent to Ca2+ greater than Zn2+ congruent to Mn2+ greater than Sr2+ greater than Co2+ greater than Ni2+ greater than Mg2+. 3) The order of displacement efficiency of monovalent cations toward the K+ binding in the presence or absence of Mg2+ was Tl+ greater than Rb+ greater than or equal to (K+) greater than NH4+ greater than or equal to Cs+ greater than Na+ greater than Li+. The inhibition patterns of Na+ and Li+ were different from those of other monovalent cations, which competitively inhibited the K+ binding. 4) The K+ binding was not influenced by different anions, such as Cl-, SO4(2-), NO3-, acetate, and glycylglycine, which were used for preparing imidazole buffers. 5) Gramicidin D and valinomycin did not affect the K+ binding, though the former (10 micrograms/ml) inhibited the Na+,K+-ATPase activity by about half. Among various inhibitors of the ATPase, 0.1 mM p-chloromercuribenzoate and 0.1 mM tri-n-butyltin chloride completely inhibited the K+ binding. Oligomycin (10 micrograms/ml) and 10 mM N-ethylmaleimide had no effect on the K+ binding. In the presence of Na+, however, oligomycin decreased the K+ binding by increasing the inhibitory effect of Na+, whether Mg2+ was present or not. 6) ATP, adenylylimido diphosphate and ADP each at 0.2 mM decreased the K+ binding to about one-fourth of the original level at 10 microM K+ without MgCl2 and at 60 microM K+ with 5 mM MgCl2. On the other hand, AMP, Pi, and p-nitrophenylphosphate each at 0.2 mM had little effect on the K+ binding.     

Studies on sodium transport in rat brain nerve-ending particles

(1) Nerve-ending particles isolated from crude mitochondrial preparations from rat brain by discontinuous Ficoll density gradient ultracentrifugation were shown to possess a Mg2+ and energy-dependent transport system for Na+. (2) Ouabain or iodoacetate plus cyanide exerted an inhibitory effect on the outflux but not the influx of Na+. (3) When K+ was added to a medium containing particles loaded with Na+ (22Na), an immediate release of Na+ from these particles was observed; this suggests the existence of a Na+-K+ exchange transport system. (4) The K+ effect was inhibited by 10(-4) M-ouabain only at low (about 3.3 mM), but not at high (20 mM), K+ concentrations. (5) The uptake and release of Na+ by the nerve-ending particles were found to be temperature-dependent. (6) Only nerve-ending particles with intact synaptosomal membranes were found to transport Na+ actively.     

'Slow' K+-stimulated Ca2+ influx is mediated by Na+-Ca2+ exchange: a pharmacological study

K+-stimulated 45Ca2+ influx was measured in rat brain presynaptic nerve terminals that were predepolarized in a K+-rich solution for 15 s prior to addition of 45Ca2+. This 'slow' Ca2+ influx was compared to influx stimulated by Na+ removal, presumably mediated by Na+-Ca2+ exchange. The K+-stimulated Ca2+ influx in predepolarized synaptosomes, and the Na+-removal-dependent Ca2+ influx were both saturating functions of the external Ca2+ concentration; and both were half-saturated at 0.3 mM Ca2+. Both were reduced about 50% by 20 microM Hg2+, 20 microM Cu2+ or 0.45 mM Mn2+. Neither the K+-stimulated nor the Na+-removal-dependent Ca2+ influx was inhibited by 1 microM Cd2+, La3+ or Pb2+, treatments that almost completely inhibited K+-stimulated Ca2+ influx in synaptosomes that were not predepolarized. The relative permeabilities of K+-stimulated Ca2+, Sr2+ or Ba2+ influx in predepolarized synaptosomes (10:3:1) and the corresponding selectivity ratio for Na+-removal-dependent divalent cation uptake (10:2:1) were similar. These results strongly suggest that the K+-stimulated 'slow' Ca2+ influx in predepolarized synaptosomes and the Na+-removal-dependent Ca2+ influx are mediated by a common mechanism, the Na+-Ca2+ exchanger.     

Characterization of gill (Na+ + K+)-ATPase in the sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.)

Bass gill microsomal preparations contain both a Na+, K+ and Mg2+-dependent ATPase, which is completely inhibited by 10(-3)M ouabain and 10(-2)M Ca2+, and also a ouabain insensitive ATP-ase activity in the presence of both Mg2+ and Na+. Under the optimal conditions of pH 6.5, 100 mM Na+, 20 mM K+, 5 mM ATP and 5 mM Mg2+, (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity at 30 degrees C is 15.6 mumole Pi hr/mg protein. Bass gill (Na+ + K+)-ATPase is similar to other (Na+ + K+)-ATPases with respect to the sensitivity to ionic strength, Ca2+ and ouabain and to both Na+/K+ and Mg2+/ATP optimal ratios, while pH optimum is lower than poikilotherm data. The enzyme requires Na+, whereas K+ can be replaced efficiently by NH+4 and poorly by Li+. Both Km and Vm values decrease in the series NH+4 greater than K+ greater than Li+. The break of Arrhenius plot at 17.7 degrees C is close to the adaptation temperature. Activation energies are scarcely different from each other and both lower than those generally reported. The Km for Na+ poorly decreases as the assay temperature lowers. The comparison with literature data aims at distinguishing between distinctive and common features of bass gill (Na+ + K+)-ATPase.     

Effects of salinity on cytosolic Na+ and K+ in root hairs of Arabidopsis thaliana: in vivo measurements using the fluorescent dyes SBFI and PBFI

Toxicity from sodium accumulation is an important aspect of salinity stress that has been well studied at the organ and tissue level. However, the effects of salinity on sodium accumulation in the cytosol, where much of the sodium toxicity is thought to occur, are poorly understood due to the difficulty of direct non-invasive measurements of ion activities in living cells. The Na+-sensing fluorescent probe sodium-binding benzofuran isophthalate (SBFI) and the K+-sensing fluorescent probe potassium-binding benzofuran isophthalate (PBFI) were used to quantify Na+ and K+ activity in living root hairs under salinity stress. The effects of exposure of Arabidopsis thaliana roots to 0, 30, 60 or 90 mM NaCl were observed during the 20 min immediately following salinization and also after 2 d of salinization, in plants supplied with 0.5, 2.0 or 5.0 mM Ca. SBFI and PBFI fluorescence was confined primarily to the cytoplasm, with very little signal from the vacuole. Sodium affected the quantification of K+ by PBFI, thus limiting the usefulness of this dye. Root hairs exposed to NaCl accumulated from 30-60 mM Na+ within the first 5 min of salinization in 0.5 and 2.0 mM Ca2+, and up to 15 mM Na+ in the 5.0 mM Ca2+ treatment. Two days of salinization did not increase cytosolic Na+ concentrations beyond the values observed after 20 min of salinization. Cytosolic activities roughly corresponded with elemental analysis of combined dry matter fractions from whole plants. We conclude that SBFI and, to a lesser extent, PBFI are useful tools for quantifying the dynamics of ion activities in the cytosols of living plant cells.     

Phosphorylation of Na+, K(+)-ATPase by ATP in the presence of K+ and dimethylsulfoxide but in the absence of Na+

Purified Na+, K(+)-ATPase was phosphorylated by [gamma-32P]ATP in a medium containing dimethylsulfoxide and 5 mM Mg2+ in the absence of Na+ and K+. Addition of K+ increased the phosphorylation levels from 0.4 nmol phosphoenzyme/mg of protein in the absence of K+ to 1.0 nmol phosphoenzyme/mg of protein in the presence of 0.5 mM K+. Higher velocities of enzyme phosphorylation were observed in the presence of 0.5 mM K+. Increasing K+ concentrations up to 100 mM lead to a progressive decrease in the phosphoenzyme (EP) levels. Control experiments, that were performed to determine the contribution to EP formation from the Pi inevitably present in the assays, showed that this contribution was of minor importance except at high (20-100 mM) KCl concentrations. The pattern of EP formation and its KCl dependence is thus characteristic for the phosphorylation of the enzyme by ATP. In the absence of Na+ and with 0.5 mM K+, optimal levels (1.0 nmol EP/mg of protein) were observed at 20-40% dimethylsulfoxide and pH 6.0 to 7.5. Addition of Na+ up to 5 mM has no effect on the phosphoenzyme level under these conditions. At 100 mM Na+ or higher the full capacity of enzyme phosphorylation (2.2 nmol EP/mg of protein) was reached. Phosphoenzyme formed from ATP in the absence of Na+ is an acylphosphate-type compound as shown by its hydroxylamine sensitivity. The phosphate radioactivity was incorporated into the alpha-subunit of the Na+, K(+)-ATPase as demonstrated by acid polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography.     

Ionic selectivity, saturation, and block in a K+-selective channel from sarcoplasmic reticulum

The open-channel conductance properties of a voltage-gated channel from sarcoplasmic reticulum were studied in planar phospholipid membranes. The channel is ideally selective for K+ over Cl- and for K+ over Ca++. In symmetrical 1 M solutions, the single-channel conductance (in pmho) falls in the order: K+ (214) > NH4+ (157) > Rb+ (125) > Na+ (72) > La+ (8.1) > Cs+ (< 3). In neutral bilayers, the channel conductance saturates with ion activity according to a rectangular hyperbolic relation, with half-saturation activities of 54 mM for K+ and 34 mM for Na+. Under symmetrical salt conditions, the K+:Na+ channel conductance ratio increases with salt activity, but the permeability ratio, measured by single-channel bi-ionic potentials, is constant between 20 mM and 2.5 M salt; the permeability ratio is equal to the conductance ratio in the limit of low-salt concentration. The channel conductance varies < 5% in the voltage range -100 to +70 mV. The maximum conductance varies K+ and Na+ is only weakly temperature dependent (delta H++ = 4.6 and 5.3 kcal/mol, respectively), but that of Li+ varies strongly with temperature (delta H++ = 13 kcal/mol). The channel's K+ conductance is blocked asymmetrically by Cs+, and this block is competitive with K+. The results are consistent with an Eyring-type barriers as it permeates the channel. The data conform to Lüger's (1973. Biochem. Biophys. Acta. 311:423-441) predictions for a "pure" single-ion channel.     

Effects of choline on Na(+)- and K(+)-interactions with the Na+/K(+)-ATPase.

Choline chloride, 100 mM, stimulates Na+/K(+)-ATPase activity of a purified dog kidney enzyme preparation when Na+ is suboptimal (9 mM Na+ and 10 mM K+) and inhibits when K+ is suboptimal (90 mM Na+ and 1 mM K+), but has a negligible effect at optimal concentrations of both (90 mM Na+ and 10 mM K+). Stimulation occurs at low Na+ to K+ ratios, but not at those same ratios when the actual Na+ concentration is high (90 mM). Stimulation decreases or disappears when incubation pH or temperature is increased or when Li+ is substituted for K+ or Rb+. Choline+ also reduces the Km for MgATP at the low ratio of Na+ to K+ but not at the optimal ratio. In the absence of K+, however, choline+ does not stimulate at low Na+ concentrations: either in the Na(+)-ATPase reaction or in the E1 to E2P conformational transition. Together, these observations indicate that choline+ accelerates the rate-limiting step in the Na+/K(+)-ATPase reaction cycle, K(+)-deocclusion; consequently, optimal Na+ concentrations reflect Na+ accelerating that step also. Thus, the observed K0.5 for Na+ includes high-affinity activation of enzyme phosphorylation and low-affinity acceleration of K(+)-deocclusion. Inhibition of Na+/K(+)-ATPase and K(+)-nitrophenylphosphatase reactions by choline+ increases as the K(+)-concentration is decreased; the competition between choline+ and K+ may represent a similar antagonism between conformations selected by choline+ and by K+.     

Modeling of the interaction of Na+ and K+ with the binding of dopamine and [3H]WIN 35,428 to the human dopamine transporter

Although much is known about the effects of Na+, K+, and Cl- on the functional activity of the neuronal dopamine transporter, little information is available on their role in the initial event in dopamine uptake, i.e., the recognition step. This was addressed here by studying the inhibition by dopamine of the binding of [3H]WIN 35,428 [2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-fluorophenyl)[3H]tropane], a phenyltropane analogue of cocaine, to the cloned human dopamine transporter expressed in HEK-293 cells. The decrease in the affinity of dopamine (or WIN 35,428) binding affinity with increasing [K+] could be fitted to a competitive model involving an inhibitory cation site (1) overlapping with the dopamine (or WIN 35,428) domain. The K+ IC50 for inhibiting dopamine or WIN 35,428 binding increased linearly with [Na+], indicating a K(D,Na+) of 30-44 mM and a K(D,K+) of 13-16 mM for this cation site. A second Na+ site (2), distal from the WIN 35,428 domain but linked by positive allosterism, was indicated by model fitting of the WIN 35,428 binding affinities as a function of [Na+]. No strong evidence for this second site was obtained for dopamine binding in the absence or presence of low (20 mM) Cl- and could not be acquired for high [Cl-] because of the lack of a suitable substitute ion for Na+. The K(D) but not Bmax of [3H]WIN 35,428 binding increased as a function of the [K+]/[Na+] ratio regardless of total [Cl-] or ion tonicity. A similar plot was obtained for the Ki of dopamine binding, with Cl- at > or = 140 mM decreasing the Ki. At 290 mM Cl- and 300 mM Na+ the potency of K+ in inhibiting dopamine binding was enhanced as compared with the absence of Cl- in contrast to the lack of effect of Cl- up to 140 mM (Na up to 150 mM). The results indicate that Cl- at its extracellular level enhances dopamine binding through a mechanism not involving site 1. The observed correspondence between the WIN 35,428 and dopamine domains in their inclusion of the inhibitory cation site explains why many of the previously reported interrelated effects of Na+ and K+ on the binding site of radiolabeled blockers to the dopamine transporter are applicable to dopamine uptake in which dopamine recognition is the first step.     

Fluorescence ratio imaging of cytosolic free Na+ in individual fibroblasts and lymphocytes

New fluorescent Na+ indicators, SBFI (short for sodium-binding benzofuran isophthalate) and SBFP (short for sodium-binding benzofuran phthalate) (Minta, A., and Tsien, R. Y. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 19449-19457), were tested in Jurkat tumor lymphocytes and in REF52 rat embryo fibroblasts. Both dyes could be introduced by direct microinjection. However, when cells were incubated with the tetra(acetoxymethyl) esters of the dyes, only SBFI gave intracellular loading that was reasonably responsive to [Na+]i. Because some compartmentation of the SBFI was visible and because the indicator properties are somewhat affected by cytoplasm, the relationship between intracellular free Na+ [( Na+]i and the 340/385 nm excitation ratio of the indicator was calibrated in situ using poreforming antibiotics to equilibrate cytosolic [Na+] [( Na+]i) with extracellular [Na+]. The excitation ratio was sufficiently sensitive to resolve small changes, less than or equal to 1 mM, in [Na+]i in single cells. Basal [Na+]i values in lymphocytes and serum-starved fibroblasts were 9.4 and 4.2 mM, respectively. As expected, large increases in [Na+]i were elicited by blocking the Na+ pump with ouabain or withdrawal of extracellular K+. Mitogens such as phytohemagglutinin acting on the lymphocytes, or serum or vasopressin in fibroblasts, caused [Na+]i to increase up to 2-fold. In fibroblasts, the rise in [Na+]i was due at least partly to a stimulation of Na+ influx, which was not wholly through the Na+/H+ exchanger. The mitogen-induced increases in [Na+]i and the rate of Na+ influx are consistent with earlier estimates based on measurements of total [Na+] or tracer fluxes. However, the absolute values for free [Na+]i are much lower than previous values for total intracellular Na+, suggesting that much of the latter is bound or sequestered.     

Activation by lithium ions of the inside sodium sites in (Na+ + K+)-ATPase.

1. Purified pig kidney ATPase was incubated in 30--160 mM Tris-HCl with various monovalent cations. 130 mM LiCl stimulated a ouabain-sensitive ATP hydrolysis (about 5% of the maximal (Na+ + K) activity), whereas 160 mM Tris-HCl did not stimulate hydrolysis. Similar results were obtained with human red blood cell broken membranes. 2. In the absence of Na+ and with 130 mM LiCl, the ATPase activity as a function of KCl concentration showed an initial slight inhibition (50 micrometer KCl) followed by an activation (maximal at 0.2 mM KCl) and a further inhibition, which was total at mM KCl. In the absence of LiCl, the rate of hydrolysis was not affected by any of the KCl concentrations investigated. 3. The lithium-activation curve for ATPase activity in the absence of both Na+ and K+ had sigmoid characteristics. It also showed a marked dependence on the total LiCl + Tris-HCl concentration, being inhibited at high concentrations. This inhibition was more noticeable at low LiCl concentrations. 4. In the absence of Na+, 130 mM Li+ showed promoted phosphorylation of ATPase from 1 to 3 mM ATP in the presence of Mg2+. In enzyme treated with N-ethylmaleimide, the levels of phosphorylation in Li+-containing solutions, amounted to 40% of those in Na+- and up to 7 times of those in K+-containing solutions. 5. The total (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity was markedly inhibited at high buffer concentrations (Tris-HCl, Imidazole-HCl and tetramethylammonium-HEPES gave similar results) in cases when either the concentration of Na+ or K+ (or both) was below saturation. On the other hand, the maximal (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity was not affected (or very slightly) by the buffer concentration. 6. Under standard conditions (Tris-HCl + NaCl = 160 mM) the Na+-activation curve of Na+-ATPase had a steep rise between 0 and 2.5 mM, a fall between 2.5 and 20 mM and a further increase between 20 and 130 mM. With 30 mM Tris-HCl, the curve rose more steeply, inhibition was noticeable at 2.5 mM Na+ and was completed at 5 mM Na+. With Tris-HCl + NaCl = 280 mM, the amount of activation decreased and inhibition at intermediate Na+ concentrations was not detected.     

Active potassium transport coupled to active sodium transport in vesicles reconstituted from purified sodium and potassium ion-activated adenosine triphosphatase from the rectal gland of Squalus acanthias.

Vesicles containing a purified shark rectal gland (sodium + potassium)-activated adenosine triphosphatase-(NaK ATPase) were prepared by dialyzing for 2 days egg lecithin, cholate, and the NaK ATPase purified from the rectal gland of Squalus acanthias. These vesicles were capable of both Na+ and K+ transport. Studies of K+ transport were made by measuring the ATP-stimulated transport outward of 42K+ or 86Rb+. Vesicles were preloaded with isotope by equilibration at 4 degrees for 1 to 3 days. Transport of 42K+ or 86Rb+ was initiated by addition of MgATP to the vesicles. The ATP-dependent exit of either isotope was the same. Experiments are presented which show that this loss of isotope was not due to changes in ion binding but rather due to a loss in the amount of ion trapped in the vesicular volume. The transport of K+ was dependent on external Mg2+. CTP was almost as effective as ATP in stimulating K+ transport, while UTP was relatively ineffective. These effects of nucleotides parallel their effects on Na+ accumulation and their effectiveness as substrates for the enzyme. Potassium transport was inhibited by ouabain and required the presence of Na+. The following asymmetries were seen: (a) addition of external Mg2+ supported K+ transport; (b) ouabain inhibited K+ transport only if it was present inside the vesicles; (c) addition of external Na+ to the vesicles stimulated K+ transport. External Li+ was ineffective as a Na+ substitute. The specific requirement of external Na+ for K+ transport indicates that K+ exit is coupled to Na+ entry. Changes in the internal vesicular ion concentrations were studied with vesicles prepared in 20 mM NaCl and 50 mM KCl. After 1 hour of transport at 25 degrees, a typical Na+ concentration in the vesicles in the presence of ATP was 72 mM. A typical K+ concentration in the vesicles was 10 mM as measured with 42K+ or 6 mM as measured with 86Rb+. The following relationships have been calculated for Na+ transport, K+ transport and ATP hydrolysis: Na+/ATP = 1.42, K+/ATP =1.04, and Na+/K+ = 1.43. The ratio of 2.8 Na+ transported in to 2 K+ transported out is very close to the value reported for the red cell membrane. Potassium-potassium exchange similar to that observed in the red cell membrane and attributed to the Na+-K+ pump (stimulated by ATP and orthophosphate and inhibited by ouabain) was observed when vesicles were prepared in the absence of Na+. The results reported in this paper prove that the shark rectal gland NaK ATPase, which is 90 to 95% pure, is the isolated pump for the coupled transports of Na+ and K+.     

Distinction between the intermediates in Na+-ATPase and Na+,K+-ATPase reactions. I. Exchange and hydrolysis kinetics at millimolar nucleotide concentrations

Parallel measurements in steady-state of ATP hydrolysis rate (vhydr) and the simultaneous reverse reaction, i.e., the ADP-ATP exchange rate (vexch), allowed the determination of a kinetic parameter, KE, containing only the four rate constants needed to characterize the enzyme intermediates involved in the sequence (Formula: see text). In order to compare the properties of these enzyme intermediates under different sets of conditions, KE was measured at varying K+ and Na+ concentrations in the presence of millimolar concentrations of ATP, ADP and MgATP, using an enzyme preparation that was partially purified from bovine brain. (1) In the presence of Na+ (150 mM), K+ (20-150 mM) was found to increase the exchange rate and decrease the ATP hydrolysis rate at steady-state. As a result, KE increased at increasing K+. However, the value of KE found by extrapolation to K+ = 0 was 7-times lower than the value actually measured in the absence of K+. This finding indicates that one of the intermediates, EATP or EP, or both, when formed in the presence of Na+ alone, are different from the corresponding intermediate(s) formed in the presence of Na+ + K+ (at millimolar substrate concentration). (2) In the presence of 150 mM K+, Na+ (5-30 mM) was found to increase the ADP/ATP exchange as well as the ATP hydrolysis rate at steady-state. The ratio of the two rates was constant. This finding, when interpreted in terms of KE, indicates that Na+ does not have to leave the enzyme for ATP release to be accelerated by K+ in the backward reaction. This also is in opposition to the usual versions of the Albers-Post model, which does not have simultaneous presence of Na+ and K+.     

Ammonium effects on colonic Cl- secretion: anomalous mole fraction behavior

A significant amount of ammonium (NH4+) is absorbed by the colon. The nature of NH4+ effects on transport and NH4+ transport itself in colonic epithelium is poorly understood. The goal of this study was to elucidate the effects of NH4+ on cAMP-stimulated Cl- secretion in the colonic cell line T84. In HEPES-buffered solutions, application of basolateral NH4+ resulted in a reduced level of Cl- secretory current. The effect of NH4+ appears to occur by at least three mechanisms: 1) basolateral membrane depolarization, 2) a competitive effect with K+, and 3) a long-term (>20 min) increase in transepithelial resistance (TER). The competitive effect with K+ exhibits anomalous mole fraction behavior. Transepithelial current relative to that in 10 mM basolateral K+ was inhibited 15% by 10 mM NH4+ alone and by 30% with a mixture of 2 mM K+ and 8 mM NH4+. A mole fraction mix of 2 mM K+:8 mM NH4+ produced a greater inhibition of basolateral membrane K+ current than pure K+ or NH4+ alone. Similar anomalous behavior was also observed for inhibition of bumetanide-sensitive 36Cl- uptake, e.g., Na+-K+-2Cl- -cotransporter (NKCC-1). No anomalous effect was observed on Na+-K+-ATPase current. Both NKCC-1 and Na+-K+-ATPase activity were elevated in 10 mM NH4+ with respect to 10 mM K+. The effect on TER did not exhibit anomalous mole fraction behavior. The overall effect of basolateral NH4+ on cAMP-stimulated transport is dependent on the [K+]o /[NH4+]o ratio at the basolateral membrane, where o is outside of the cell.     

The sided action of Na+ on reconstituted shark Na+/K+-ATPase engaged in Na+-Na+ exchange accompanied by ATP hydrolysis. II. Transmembrane allosteric effects on Na+ affinity

The objective of the present investigation was to characterize the ATP-dependent Na+-Na+ exchange, with respect to cation sensitivity on the two aspects of the Na+/K+-pump protein. In order to accomplish this, we used Na+/K+-ATPase reconstituted with known orientation in the proteoliposomes. Activation by cytoplasmic Na+ shows cooperative interaction between three sites. The apparent intrinsic site constants displayed transmembrane dependence on the extracellular Na+ concentration. However, the apparent K0.5 for cytoplasmic Na+ is independent of the extracellular Na+ concentration. The activation by extracellular Na+ at a fixed cytoplasmic Na+ concentration is biphasic with a component which saturates at a concentration of about 1-2 mM extracellular Na+, a plateau phase up to 20 mM, and another component which tends to saturate at about 80 mM followed by a slight deactivation at higher concentrations of Na+. The apparent K0.5 value for extracellular Na+ is also found to be independent of the Na+ concentration on the opposite side of the membrane. The activation by extracellular Na+ can be explained by the negative cooperativity in the binding of extracellular Na+, but positive cooperativity in the rate of dephosphorylation of enzyme species with one and three sodium ions bound extracellularly. Na+ bound to E2-PNa has a transmembrane effect on the cooperativity between binding of cytoplasmic Na+, and E2-PNa2 does not dephosphorylate. K0.5/Vm for cytoplasmic as well as for extracellular Na+ decreases with an increase in the trans Na+ concentration in the non-saturating concentration range. The experiments indicate that at a step in the reaction simultaneous binding of extracellular and cytoplasmic Na+ occurs.     

Permeation of Na+ through a delayed rectifier K+ channel in chick dorsal root ganglion neurons

In whole-cell patch clamp recordings from chick dorsal root ganglion neurons, removal of intracellular K+ resulted in the appearance of a large, voltage-dependent inward tail current (Icat). Icat was not Ca2+ dependent and was not blocked by Cd2+, but was blocked by Ba2+. The reversal potential for Icat shifted with the Nernst potential for [Na+]. The channel responsible for Icat had a cation permeability sequence of Na+ >> Li+ >> TMA+ > NMG+ (PX/PNa = 1:0.33:0.1:0) and was impermeable to Cl-. Addition of high intracellular concentrations of K+, Cs+, or Rb+ prevented the occurrence of Icat. Inhibition of Icat by intracellular K+ was voltage dependent, with an IC50 that ranged from 3.0-8.9 mM at membrane potentials between -50 and -110 mV. This voltage- dependent shift in IC50 (e-fold per 52 mV) is consistent with a single cation binding site approximately 50% of the distance into the membrane field. Icat displayed anomolous mole fraction behavior with respect to Na+ and K+; Icat was inhibited by 5 mM extracellular K+ in the presence of 160 mM Na+ and potentiated by equimolar substitution of 80 mM K+ for Na+. The percent inhibition produced by both extracellular and intracellular K+ at 5 mM was identical. Reversal potential measurements revealed that K+ was 65-105 times more permeant than Na+ through the Icat channel. Icat exhibited the same voltage and time dependence of inactivation, the same voltage dependence of activation, and the same macroscopic conductance as the delayed rectifier K+ current in these neurons. We conclude that Icat is a Na+ current that passes through a delayed rectifier K+ channel when intracellular K+ is reduced to below 30 mM. At intracellular K+ concentrations between 1 and 30 mM, PK/PNa remained constant while the conductance at -50 mV varied from 80 to 0% of maximum. These data suggest that the high selectivity of these channels for K+ over Na+ is due to the inability of Na+ to compete with K+ for an intracellular binding site, rather than a barrier that excludes Na+ from entry into the channel or a barrier such as a selectivity filter that prevents Na+ ions from passing through the channel.