Slow dissociation of ATP from the calcium ATPase

The acyl-phosphate intermediate of the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase reaction, formed in a brief incubation of vesicular enzyme with 5 microM [gamma-32P]ATP and calcium, reacts biphasically with added ADP (pH 7.0, 25 degrees C, 100 mM KCl, 5 mM MgSO4). Both the burst size and the rate constant for the slow phase increase with increasing ADP concentration in the way that is expected if the burst represents very rapid formation of an equilibrium amount of enzyme-bound ATP and the slow phase represents rate-limiting dissociation of ATP. Also consistent with this interpretation are the slow labeling of phosphoenzyme under conditions in which unlabeled ATP must dissociate first and the observation of a burst of ATP formation on ADP addition to phosphoenzyme. Values of the equilibrium constants for ADP dissociation from phosphoenzyme (0.75 mM), for ATP formation on the enzyme (2.3), and for the ATP dissociation rate constant (37 s-1) were obtained from a quantitative analysis of the data.     

Rapid filtration studies of Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release from skeletal sarcoplasmic reticulum. Role of monovalent ions

We have developed a rapid filtration technique for the measurement of Ca2+ release from isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles. Using this technique, we have studied the Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles from rabbit skeletal muscle passively loaded with 5 mM Ca2+. The effect of known effectors (adenine nucleotides and caffeine) and inhibitors (Mg2+ and ruthenium red) of this release were investigated. In a medium composed of 100 mM KCl buffered at pH 6.8 with 20 mM K/3-(N-morpholino)propanesulfonic acid the Ca2+ release rate was maximal (500 nmol of Ca2+ released.(mg of protein)-1.s-1) at 1 micron external Ca2+ and 5 mM ATP. We also observed a rapid Ca2+ release induced by micromolar Ag+ in the presence of ATP (at 1 nM Ca2+). The Ag+-induced Ca2+ release was totally inhibited by 5 micron ruthenium red. We have also investigated the effect of monovalent ions on the Ca2+ release elicited by Ca2+ or Ag+. We show that the Ca2+ release rate: 1) was dependent upon the presence of K+ or Na+ in the release medium and 2) was influenced by a K+ gradient created across the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane. These results directly support the idea of the involvement of an influx of K+ (through K+ channels) during the Ca2+ release and allow to reconsider a possible influence of the membrane potential of the sarcoplasmic reticulum on the Ca2+ release.     

Phosphoenzyme formation from ATP in the ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum. Effect of KCl or ATP and slow dissociation of ATP from precursor enzyme-ATP complex

The ATP-dependent phosphoenzyme formation and its reversal were studied at 0 degrees C and pH 7.0 in the ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum. Addition of KCl or several other salts (approximately 100 mM) decreased the maximum rate of ADP-induced dephosphorylation of phosphoenzyme as well as the apparent affinity of the phosphoenzyme toward ADP. High ATP had a similar effect on the latter, whereas it had little effect on the former. In contrast, high KCl or a considerable change in the ionic strength had little effect on the initial rate of phosphoenzyme formation at saturating ATP concentrations. During steady state phosphorylation at 1.0 mM MgCl2 and 5.0 mM CaCl2 in the absence of added KCl, a significant amount of [gamma-32P]ATP remained bound to the enzyme even when the enzyme concentration was much in excess over that of [gamma-32P]ATP. Evidence is presented that this enzyme-ATP complex represents a precursor to the phosphoenzyme. ATP dissociated slowly (0.20 s-1) from this enzyme-ATP complex and addition of high KCl or other salts accelerated its dissociation. In contrast, when the enzyme was complexed with adenyl-5'-yl (beta, gamma-methylene)diphosphonate in the absence of added KCl under these conditions, dissociation of the nucleotide from the complex as estimated in the displacement experiment with [gamma-32P]ATP, was found to be much faster than that of ATP.     

Phosphorylation of the calcium-transporting adenosinetriphosphatase by lanthanum ATP: rapid phosphoryl transfer following a rate-limiting conformational change

The calcium-transport ATPase (CaATPase) of rabbit sarcoplasmic reticulum preincubated with 0.02 mM Ca2+ (cE.Ca2) is phosphorylated upon the addition of 0.25 mM LaCl3 and 0.3 mM [gamma-32P]ATP with an observed rate constant of 6.5 s-1 (40 mM MOPS, pH 7.0, 100 mM KCl, 25 degrees C). La.ATP binds to cE.Ca2 with a rate constant of 5 X 10(6) M-1 s-1, while ATP, Ca2+, and La3+ dissociate from cE.Ca2.La.ATP at less than or equal to 1 s-1. The reaction of ADP with phosphoenzyme (EP) formed from La.ATP is biphasic. An initial rapid loss of EP is followed by a slower first-order disappearance, which proceeds to an equilibrium mixture of EP.ADP and nonphosphorylated enzyme with bound ATP. The fraction of EP that reacts in the burst (alpha) and the first-order rate constant for the slow phase (kb) increase proportionally with increasing concentrations of ADP to give maximum values of 0.34 and 65 s-1, respectively, at saturating ADP (KADPS = 0.22 mM). The burst represents rapid phosphoryl transfer and demonstrates that ATP synthesis and hydrolysis on the enzyme are fast. The phosphorylation of cE.Ca2 by La.ATP at 6.5 s-1 and the kinetics for the reaction of EP with ADP are consistent with a rate-limiting conformational change in both directions. The conformational change converts cE.Ca2.La.ATP to the form of the enzyme that is activated for phosphoryl transfer, aE.Ca2.La.ATP, at 6.5 s-1; this is much slower than the analogous conformational change at 220 s-1 with Mg2+ as the catalytic ion [Petithory & Jencks (1986) Biochemistry 25, 4493]. The rate constant for the conversion of aE.Ca2.La.ATP to cE.Ca2.La.ATP is 170 s-1. ATP does not dissociate measurably from aE.Ca2.La.ATP. Labeled EP formed from cE.Ca2 and La.ATP with leaky vesicles undergoes hydrolysis at 0.06 s-1. It is concluded that the reaction mechanism of the CaATPase is remarkably similar with Mg.ATP and La.ATP; however, the strong binding of La.ATP slows both the conformational change that is rate limiting for EP formation and the dissociation of La.ATP. An interaction between La3+ at the catalytic site and the calcium transport sites decreases the rate of calcium dissociation by greater than 60-fold. When cE-Ca2 is mixed with 0.3 mM ATP and 1.0 mM Cacl2, the phosphoenzyme is formed with an observed rate constant of 3 s-1. The phosphoenzyme formed from Ca.ATP reacts with 2.0 mM ADP and labeled ATP with a rate constant of 30 s-1; there may be a small burst (alpha less than or equal to 0.05).     

Transient kinetics of adenosine 5'-triphosphate hydrolysis by covalently cross-linked actomyosin complex in water and 40% ethylene glycol by the rapid flow quench method

The initial steps of the ATPase of covalently cross-linked actomyosin subfragment 1 (acto-SF-1) were studied by the rapid flow quench method, and the results obtained were compared with those with reversible (i.e., non-cross-linked) acto-SF-1 and SF-1 under identical conditions. Cross-linked acto-SF-1 plus [gamma-32P]ATP reaction mixture milliseconds old was quenched either in a large excess of unlabeled ATP (ATP chase) or in acid (Pi burst). The conditions were pH 8 and 15 degrees C at 5 mM or 0.15 M KCl and with or without 40% ethylene glycol. In 40% ethylene glycol (5 mM KCl), as with SF-1 and reversible acto-SF-1, the ATP chase was used to titrate active sites and to study the kinetics of ATP binding. Unlike those with SF-1 or reversible acto-SF-1, saturation kinetics were not obtained. The second-order rate constant for ATP binding was 3.1 X 10(6) M-1 s-1 for cross-linked acto-SF-1, 1.8 X 10(6) M-1 s-1 for reversible acto-SF-1, and 2 X 10(6) M-1 s-1 for SF-1. In Pi burst experiments, a transient phase could not be discerned. Because of a high kcat, cross-linked acto-SF-1 was difficult to study in aqueous solution, but at 5 mM KCl, the ATP chase and Pi burst curves were similar to those obtained in 40% ethylene glycol. At 0.15 M KCl the ATP chase curve was difficult to interpret (small amplitude), and there was a small Pi burst.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The kinetics for the phosphoryl transfer steps of the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase are the same with strontium and with calcium bound to the transport sites.

Rate constants for most of the steps of the reaction cycle of the sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium-ATPase are similar or identical with Ca2+ or Sr2+ as the transported ions in spite of the large differences in the size and affinity of Ca2+ and Sr2+ (5 mM MgCl2, 100 mM KCl, pH 7.0, 25 degrees C). Phosphorylation of cE.Sr2 and cE.Ca2 by ATP occurs with kp = 220-235 s-1, whereas phosphorylation of E.ATP+Ca2+ or Sr2+ is consistent with kb = 50-70 s-1. Hydrolysis of E approximately P.Sr2 and E approximately P.Ca2 occurs with kt = 20 s-1, and the addition of 7 mM ADP to E approximately P.Sr2 or to E approximately P.Ca2 gives a burst of approximately 43% dephosphorylation, followed by dephosphorylation with k = 46 s-1. However, one Sr2+ ion dissociates from cE.Sr2 and from cE.ATP.Sr2 with k congruent to 120 s-1, whereas one Ca2+ ion dissociates from cE.Ca2 with k = 38 s-1 and from cE.ATP.Ca2 with k = 80 s-1.     

Modulation of brain S2 serotonin receptors by lithium, sodium and potassium chloride

The effect of LiCl, NaCl, and KCl on serotonin competition for 3H-ketanserin binding to S2 serotonin receptors in homogenates of rat prefrontal cortex were investigated. LiCl was the most potent of the ionic modulators in lowering the apparent affinity of serotonin for the S2 serotonin receptor. A threshold effect was noted at 12 mM LiCl (a 60% change in IC50); at 120 mM LiCl a nine-fold shift in the serotonin IC50 was noted. 120 mM NaCl or KCl demonstrated similar effects as 12 mM LiCl in reducing serotonin's apparent affinity. These results indicated that monovalent cations modulate S2 serotonin receptor affinity for serotonin and that lithium ion is more potent than sodium or potassium.     

Calcium control of passive permeability to calcium in sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles

Calcium efflux from sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles that have been equilibrated with 1-100 mM CaCl2 in the absence of ATP has two apparently first order components. The initial calcium content of each component increases with the total Ca content of the sarcoplasmic reticulum, which reaches 5, 24, and 80 nmol/mg of protein after equilibration with 1, 10, and 100 mM CaCl2, respectively. Initial rates of Ca efflux into a medium containing 10 mM EGTA increase in proportion to Ca in the loading medium up to 20 mM. Above 20 mM, efflux from the slow component clearly saturates, whereas efflux from the fast component continues to increase. The rate constant for the smaller, faster component to efflux (k congruent to 0.5 min-1) is not affected by changing the concentration of Ca either inside or outside the vesicles. The rate constant of the larger, slower component (k congruent to 0.05 min-1) is also unaffected by changes in internal Ca concentration. However, external [Ca2+] diminishes the rate constant of the slow component 6-10-fold. Inhibition by external [Ca2+] is characterized by cooperative interaction between two sites with an apparent Kd of 5.3 X 10(-6) M. The two components may represent two populations of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles that differ 10-fold in passive permeability to Ca when external [Ca2+] is less than 10(-6) M, and 60-100-fold when external [Ca2+] is greater than 10(-5) M. The passive permeability in one of these populations seems to be regulated by external, high affinity Ca binding sites.     

Phosphorylation of the calcium adenosinetriphosphatase of sarcoplasmic reticulum: rate-limiting conformational change followed by rapid phosphoryl transfer

The calcium adenosinetriphosphatase of sarcoplasmic reticulum, preincubated with Ca2+ on the vesicle exterior (cE X Ca2), reacts with 0.3-0.5 mM Mg X ATP to form covalent phosphoenzyme (E approximately P X Ca2) with an observed rate constant of 220 s-1 (pH 7.0, 25 degrees C, 100 mM KCl, 5 mM MgSO4, 23 microM free external Ca2+, intact SR vesicles passively loaded with 20 mM Ca2+). If the phosphoryl-transfer step were rate-limiting, with kf = 220 s-1, the approach to equilibrium in the presence of ADP, to give 50% EP and kf = kr, would follow kobsd = kf + kr = 440 s-1. The reaction of cE X Ca2 with 0.8-1.2 mM ATP plus 0.25 mM ADP proceeds to 50% completion with kobsd = 270 s-1. This result shows that phosphoryl transfer from bound ATP to the enzyme is not the rate-limiting step for phosphoenzyme formation from cE X Ca2. The result is consistent with a rate-limiting conformational change of the cE X Ca2 X ATP intermediate followed by rapid (greater than or equal to 1000 s-1) phosphoryl transfer. Calcium dissociates from cE X Ca2 X ATP with kobsd = 80 s-1 and ATP dissociates with kobsd = 120 s-1 when cE X Ca2 X ATP is formed by the addition of ATP to cE X Ca2. However, when E X Ca2 X ATP is formed in the reverse direction, from the reaction of E approximately P X Ca2 and ADP, Ca2+ dissociates with kobsd = 45 s-1 and ATP dissociates with kobsd = 35 s-1. This shows that different E X Ca2 X ATP intermediates are generated in the forward and reverse directions, which are interconverted by a conformational change.     

Dissociation of calcium from the phosphorylated calcium-transporting adenosine triphosphatase of sarcoplasmic reticulum: kinetic equivalence of the calcium ions bound to the phosphorylated enzyme.

The internalization of 45Ca by the calcium-transporting ATPase into sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles from rabbit muscle was measured during a single turnover of the enzyme by using a quench of 7 mM ADP and EGTA (25 degrees C, 5 mM MgCl2, 100 mM KCl, 40 mM MOPS.Tris, pH 7.0). Intact vesicles containing either 10-20 microM or 20 mM Ca2+ were preincubated with 45Ca for approximately 20 s and then mixed with 0.20-0.25 mM ATP and excess EGTA to give 70% phosphorylation of Etot with the rate constant k = 300 s-1. The two 45Ca ions bound to the phosphoenzyme (EP) become insensitive to the quench with ADP as they are internalized in a first-order reaction with a rate constant of k = approximately 30 s-1. The first and second Ca2+ ions that bind to the free enzyme were selectively labeled by mixing the enzyme and 45Ca with excess 40Ca, or by mixing the enzyme and 40Ca with 45Ca, for 50 ms prior to the addition of ATP and EGTA. The internalization of each ion into loaded or empty vesicles follows first-order kinetics with k = approximately 30 s-1; there is no indication of biphasic kinetics or an induction period for the internalization of either Ca2+ ion. The presence of 20 mM Ca2+ inside the vesicles has no effect on the kinetics or the extent of internalization of either or both of the individual ions. The Ca2+ ions bound to the phosphoenzyme are kinetically equivalent. A first-order reaction for the internalization of the individual Ca2+ ions is consistent with a rate-limiting conformational change of the phosphoenzyme with kc = 30 s-1, followed by rapid dissociation of the Ca2+ ions from separate independent binding sites on E approximately P.Ca2; lumenal calcium does not inhibit the dissociation of calcium from these sites. Alternatively, the Ca2+ ions may dissociate sequentially from E approximately P.Ca2 following a rate-limiting conformational change. However, the order of dissociation of the individual ions can not be distinguished. An ordered-sequential mechanism for dissociation requires that the ions dissociate much faster (k greater than or equal to 10(5) s-1) than the forward and reverse reactions for the conformational change (k-c = approximately 3000 s-1). Finally, the Ca2+ ions may exchange their positions rapidly on the phosphoenzyme (kmix greater than or equal to 10(5) s-1) before dissociating. A Hill slope of nH = 1.0-1.2, with K0.5 = 0.8-0.9 mM, for the inhibition of turnover by binding of Ca2+ to the low-affinity transport sites of the phosphoenzyme was obtained from rate measurements at six different concentrations of Mg2+.     

Stoichiometric and electrostatic characterization of calcium binding to native and lipid-substituted adenosinetriphosphatase of sarcoplasmic reticulum

The stoichiometry of calcium binding to specific sites (i.e., those producing enzyme activation) was found to be 8-10 nmol/mg protein in native sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles, and 13.9-15.4 nmol/mg of ATPase purified by non-ionic detergent solubilization and anion exchange chromatography. Parallel measurements of phosphoenzyme yielded levels of 4.0-4.9 and 6.0-7.7 nmol/mg of protein in the two preparations, respectively, demonstrating that each 115 kDa ATPase chain includes one catalytic site and two calcium binding sites. The apparent association constant, K = (6 +/- 2) X 10(5) M-1, and the binding cooperativity, nH = 1.9, were unchanged when measurements were carried out with native sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles and when the membrane surface charge was altered by lipid substitution with phosphatidylcholine or phosphatidylserine, at neutral pH in the presence of 10 mM MgCl2 and 80 mM KCl. On the other hand, the apparent association constant was increased in the absence of Mg2+ or, to a lesser extent, in the absence of monovalent cations. It was also observed that the cooperative character of the calcium binding isotherms was reduced in low ionic-strength media. Analysis of the electrostatic effects indicates that the calcium-binding domain is shielded from the membrane phospholipid surface charge by virtue of its location within the ATPase protein. The effects of various electrolytes are attributed to monovalent-cation binding in the calcium-binding domain. The apparent loss of cooperativity of the calcium binding isotherms at low ionic strength is attributed to a progressive displacement of the titration curve which is minimal at low degrees of saturation and becomes larger at higher degrees of saturation. This behavior is described quantitatively by the progressive effect of calcium binding on an electrostatic potential generated by localized protein charge densities within, or near, the calcium-binding domain.     

Calmodulin X (Ca2+)4 is the active calmodulin-calcium species activating the calcium-, calmodulin-dependent protein kinase of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum in the regulation of the calcium pump

Calcium-, calmodulin-dependent phosphorylation of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum increases the rate of calcium transport. The complex dependence of calmodulin-dependent phosphoester formation on free calcium and total calmodulin concentrations can be satisfactorily explained by assuming that CaM X (Ca2+)4 is the sole calmodulin-calcium species which activates the calcium-, calmodulin-dependent, membrane-bound protein kinase. The apparent dissociation constant of the E X CaM X (Ca2+)4 complex determined from the calcium dependence of calmodulin-dependent phosphoester formation over a 100-fold range of total calmodulin concentrations (0.01-1 microM) was 0.9 nM; the respective apparent dissociation constant at 0.8 mM free calcium, 1 mM free magnesium with low calmodulin concentrations (0.1-50 nM) was 2.60 nM. These results are in good agreement with the apparent dissociation constant of 2.54 nM of high affinity calmodulin binding determined by 125I-labelled calmodulin binding to sarcoplasmic reticulum fractions at 1 mM free calcium, 1 mM free magnesium and total calmodulin concentration ranging from 0.1 to 150 nM, i.e. conditions where approximately 98% of the total calmodulin is present as CaM X (Ca2+)4. The apparent dissociation constant of the calcium-free calmodulin-enzyme complex (E X CaM) is at least 100-fold greater than the apparent dissociation constant of the E X CaM X (Ca2+)4 complex, as judged from non-saturation 125I-labelled calmodulin binding at total calmodulin concentrations of up to 150 nM, in the absence of calcium.     

Sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase phosphorylation from inorganic phosphate in the absence of a calcium gradient. Steady state and kinetic fluorescence studies

The intrinsic fluorescence of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles was measured under conditions allowing ATPase phosphorylation from inorganic phosphate. Significant fluorescence enhancement of up to 4% resulted from gradient-independent enzyme phosphorylation at pH 6, in the absence of KCl. The equilibrium fluorescence data obtained at various magnesium and phosphate concentrations agree with a reaction scheme in which Mg2+, as direct activator, and free phosphate, as the true substrate, bind to the enzyme in random order to give a noncovalent ternary complex (Mg.*E.Pi), in equilibrium with the covalent phosphoenzyme (Mg.*E-P). The transient kinetics of the fluorescence rise was also studied, and the resulting data were generally consistent with the above scheme, assuming that binding reactions are fast compared to covalent phosphoenzyme formation. This, however, might be valid only as a first approximation. At 20 degrees C and pH 6, the phosphate concentration for half-maximum phosphorylation rate constant, at 20 mM magnesium, was higher than 20 mM. Similarly, the magnesium concentration for half-maximum phosphorylation rate constant, at 20 mM phosphate, was also higher than 20 mM. The maximum phosphorylation rate was faster than 25 s-1, and the phosphoenzyme hydrolysis rate constant was 1.5-2 s-1 under these conditions, so that the equilibrium constant between Mg.*E.Pi and Mg.*E-P largely favors the phosphoenzyme.     

Purification, calcium binding properties, and ultrastructural localization of the 53,000- and 160,000 (sarcalumenin)-dalton glycoproteins of the sarcoplasmic reticulum

The 53-kDa glycoprotein and sarcalumenin (160-kDa glycoprotein) were extracted from rabbit skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum with EGTA and purified by fractionation on DEAE-Sephadex A-25 and lentil lectin-Sepharose 4B. Sarcalumenin was shown to bind up to 400 nmol of Ca2+/mg of protein at pH 7.5, which is equivalent to binding of approximately 35 mol of Ca2+/mol of protein. The apparent dissociation constant was 300 microM in the presence of 20 mM KCl and 600 microM in 150 mM KCl. The 53-kDa glycoprotein did not bind any Ca2+ under the conditions examined. Immunoblot analysis of isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum subfractions demonstrated the presence of the two glycoproteins in both the longitudinal sarcoplasmic reticulum and the terminal cisternae. Their concentrations were higher, however, in the longitudinal sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles. Comparative immunoelectron microscopic studies using monoclonal antibodies revealed a codistribution of the 53-kDa glycoprotein with the Ca2(+)-ATPase in all regions of the free sarcoplasmic reticulum. A similar distribution was found for sarcalumenin, although immunolabeling was much weaker. The colocalization of the 53-kDa glycoprotein and sarcalumenin with the Ca2(+)-ATPase and the Ca2+ binding properties of sarcalumenin suggest that the glycoproteins may be involved in the sequestration of Ca2+ in the nonjunctional regions of the sarcoplasmic reticulum.     

Sarcoplasmic reticulum adenosinetriphosphatase phosphorylation from inorganic phosphate. Theoretical and experimental reinvestigation

Pi phosphorylation of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles in the absence of Ca was reinvestigated. Theoretical analysis shows that, for various substrate concentrations, the time dependence of phosphoenzyme formation does not allow determination of an unambiguous reaction scheme or estimation of the stoichiometry of the reaction. To overcome this difficulty, we measured medium Pi oxygen exchange, [32P]-phosphoenzyme formation, and intrinsic fluorescence. We found that contrarily to the usual assumption the substrate binding step in the phosphorylation direction at pH 6.0, KCl = 0, and 23 degrees C is a slow process whose bimolecular rate constant is around 5 X 10(3) M-1 s-1 for both Mg and Pi binding. We confirm [Lacapère, J. J., Gingold, M. P., Champeil, P., & Guillain, F. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 2302-2306] that, in a second step, the establishment of a covalent bond between the bound Pi and the enzyme is formed with a rate constant greater than or equal to 20 s-1 whereas the dephosphorylation rate constant is 2-3 s-1. These results imply that under optimal conditions for phosphorylation, the enzyme is almost entirely phosphorylated at concentrations of 20 mM MgCl2 and 20 mM Pi. Study of the phosphorylation reaction under various experimental conditions shows that reduction of the phosphoenzyme level upon KCl addition is mainly due to the augmentation of the hydrolysis rate constant. In addition we propose that the strong inhibition by large amounts of MgCl2 is due to the formation of an E? . Mg complex unfit for phosphorylation by Pi.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Characterization of the tetraphenylboron-induced calcium release from skeletal sarcoplasmic reticulum

Release of Ca2+ from skeletal sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles was studied by the spectrophotometric stopped-flow technique using tetraphenylboron as a releasing agent. The extent of Ca2+ release shows a sigmoidal response, with respect to the tetraphenylboron concentration, being dependent on Ca2+ preloading and Ca2+-ATPase activity, since these experiments were performed on actively loaded vesicles. The release process has a rapid component with an apparent rate constant of 6-8 s-1, showing a linear relationship between the rapid rate of Ca2+ release and the Ca2+ content of the vesicles. The release is not mediated by the reversal of the Ca2+ pump. Since the amphipathic anion tetraphenylboron was unable to elicit a Ca2+-release response when added to a preparation of sarcoplasmic reticulum phospholipid vesicles, it is suggested that there may be an interaction with some membrane protein(s) at the hydrophobic/hydrophilic interface leading to the opening of some specific Ca2+-release pathway.     

Phosphoenzyme decomposition in dog cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase

A five-syringe quench-flow apparatus was used in the transient-state kinetic study of intermediary phosphoenzyme (EP) decomposition in a Triton X-100 purified dog cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+-ATPase at 20 degrees C. Phosphorylation of the enzyme by ATP in the presence of 100 mM K+ for 116 ms gave 32% ADP-sensitive E1P, 52% ADP- and K+-reactive E2P, and 16% unreactive residual EPr. The EP underwent a monomeric, sequential E1P 17 s-1----E2P 10.5 s-1----E2 + Pi transformation and decomposition in the ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid quenched Ca2+-devoid medium. The calculated rate constant for the total EP (i.e., E1P + E2P) dephosphorylation was 7.8 s-1. The E1P had an affinity for ADP with an apparent Kd congruent to 100 microM. When the EP was formed in the absence of K+ for 116 ms, no appreciable amount of the ADP-sensitive E1P was detected. The EP comprised about 80% ADP- and K+-reactive E2P and 20% residual EPr, suggesting a rapid E1P----E2P transformation. Both the E2P's formed in the presence and absence of K+ decomposed with a rate constant of about 19.5 s-1 in the presence of 80 mM K+ and 2 mM ADP, showing an ADP enhancement of the E2P decomposition. The results demonstrate mechanistic differences in monomeric EP transformation and decomposition between the Triton X-100 purified cardiac SR Ca2+-ATPase and deoxycholate-purified skeletal enzyme [Wang, T. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 6307-6319].     

Altered stored calcium release in skeletal myotubes deficient of triadin and junctin

Triadin and junctin are integral sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane proteins that form a macromolecular complex with the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor (RyR1) but their roles in skeletal muscle calcium homeostasis remain incompletely understood. Here we report that delivery of siRNAs specific for triadin or junctin into C2C12 skeletal myoblasts reduced the expression of triadin and junctin in 8-day-old myotubes by 80 and 100%, respectively. Knocking down either triadin or junctin in these cells reduced Ca2+ release induced by depolarization (10mM KCl) by 20-25%. Unlike triadin knockdown myotubes, junctin knockdown and junctin/triadin double knockdown myotubes also had reduced Ca2+ release induced by 400 microM 4-chloro-m-cresol, 10mM caffeine, 400 microM UTP, or 1 microM thapsigargin. Thus, knocking down junctin compromised the Ca2+ stores in the sarcoplasmic reticulum of these cells. Our subsequent studies showed that in junctin knockdown myotubes at least two sarcoplasmic reticulum proteins (RyR1 and skeletal muscle calsequestrin) were down-regulated while these proteins' mRNA expression was not affected. The results suggest that triadin has a role in facilitating KCl depolarization-induced Ca2+ release in contrast to junctin which has a role in maintaining sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ store size in C2C12 myotubes.     

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.     

Substrate regulation of the sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase. Transient kinetic studies.

The rate of phosphorylation of the Ca2+-dependent ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles by ITP and ATP was studied using a millisecond mixing and quenching device. The rate of phosphorylation was slower when the vesicles were preincubated in a Ca2+-free medium than when preincubated with Ca2+, regardless of the substrate used and of the pH of the medium. When the vesicles were preincubated with Ca2+ at pH 7.4 an overshoot of phosphorylation was observed in the presence of ITP. The overshoot was abolished when the pH of the medium was decreased to 6.0 or when the vesicles were preincubated in a Ca2+-free medium. Using vesicles preincubated with Ca2+ the apparent Km for ITP found was 2.5 mM at pH 6.0 and 1.0 mM at pH 7.4. The Vmax observed (77 mumol g-1 s-1) did not change with the pH of the medium. Both at pH 6.0 and 7.4 the apparent Km for ATP was 3 microM when preincubated in a Ca2+-free medium. At pH 6.0 the Vmax for ATP varied from 96 to 33 mumol g-1 s-1 depending on whether the vesicles were preincubated in the presence or absence of Ca2+. At pH 7.4 the Vmax for ATP was 90 mumol g-1 s-1 in both conditions. The rate of phosphorylation of the vesicles was dependent on the relative Ca2+ and Mg2+ concentrations of the reaction medium regardless of the substrate used.