The carboxyl side chain of glutamate 681 interacts with a chloride binding modifier site that allosterically modulates the dimeric conformational state of band 3 (AE1). Implications for the mechanism of anion/proton cotransport

Glutamate 681 is thought to be located within the transport channel of band 3 (AE1, the chloride/bicarbonate exchanger), where it acts as a proton donor for the anion/proton cotransport function. Here we show that neutralization of the negative charge on glutamate 681 by chemically modifying band 3 with Woodward's reagent K plus sodium borohydride (i.e., the modification process) exposes a cryptic, conformationally active chloride-binding site which functions to modulate allosterically the conformational state of the band 3 dimer. Chloride binding was determined by measuring the effect of increasing chloride concentration on the rate of DBDS (4,4'-dibenzamido-2,2'-stilbenedisulfonate) release from band 3 using a stopped-flow fluorescence kinetic inhibitor replacement assay with DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyanato-2,2'-stilbenedisulfonate) as the replacing inhibitor. The time course for DBDS release from unmodified, control band 3 was monophasic and exponential. Chloride binding to the transport site accelerated the rate of DBDS release, with the observed rate constant showing a hyperbolic dependence on chloride concentration, while the total change in reaction fluorescence remained constant. After modification of glutamate 681, DBDS release was monophasic in the absence of chloride, but the rapid addition of chloride at constant ionic strength induced a doubling in the fluorescence quantum yield for the bound DBDS molecules. This was associated with the development of 50:50 biphasic kinetics for DBDS release. Such changes were independent of the degree of modification of the band 3 subunit population between the 66% and 91% levels. Titration of the increase in total reaction fluorescence gave an apparent chloride binding K(d) of between 7 and 10 mM, which is 25-40-fold higher in affinity than chloride binding to the transport site. The dependence of the kinetic constants for both phases of the DBDS release reaction on chloride concentration was nonhyperbolic, which contrasts with unmodified band 3, and is indicative of the presence of two classes of chloride-binding sites on the modified transporter. We have also found that the fraction of subunits capable of binding DBDS reversibly, or DIDS covalently, decreased nonlinearly in the absence of chloride as the level of modification of the band 3 subunit population increased. In contrast, the same DBDS binding correlation plot showed a maximum in the presence of saturating chloride. The observation of such nonlinear correlation plots is consistent with a noncooperative dimer model for the modification process, where each dimeric species must possess different properties with respect to stilbenedisulfonate binding capacity and with respect to the spectral-kinetic response of bound stilbenedisulfonate molecules to the addition of chloride. Within the context of this model, the fractions of the three molecular dimeric species (i.e., the unmodified dimer, the dimer with one subunit modified, and the fully modified band 3 dimer) are calculated as a function of the level of modification of the band 3 subunit population. Nonlinear correlation plots are generated by then assigning the following specific properties to each dimeric species. The unmodified dimer binds DBDS but does not change its fluorescence quantum yield upon addition of chloride. The half-modified dimer binds DBDS on both modified and unmodified subunits, and both of those DBDS molecules increase their fluorescence quantum yield by 2-fold when chloride is added, and the system develops 50:50 biphasic DBDS release kinetics. Finally, the model requires that the fully modified dimer does not bind DBDS or DIDS. This model generates theoretical correlation plots that can represent the data presented in this study. We propose that neutralization of glutamate 681 on the half-modified band 3 dimer exposes an allosteric, chloride-binding modifier site which functions to facilitate the anion/proton cotransport process (a) by blocking the "redocking" of the carboxyl side chain of glutamate (thus raising its pK) and (b) by inducing amate (thus raising its pK) and (b) by inducing a conformational change in the band 3 dimer from a symmetrical to an asymmetrical state.     

Interaction of phloretin with the anion transport protein of the red blood cell membrane

Phloretin is an inhibitor of anion exchange and glucose and urea transport in human red cells. Equilibrium binding and kinetic studies indicate that phloretin binds to band 3, a major integral protein of the red cell membrane. Equilibrium phloretin binding has been found to be competitive with the binding of the anion transport inhibitor, 4,4′-dibenzamido-2,2′-disulfonic stilbene (DBDS), which binds specifically to band 3. The apparent binding (dissociation) constant of phloretin to red cell ghost band 3 in 28.5 mM citrate buffer, pH 7.4, 25°C, determined from equilibrium binding competition, is $\text{1.8 ± 0.1}\text{μM}$. Stopped-flow kinetic studies show that phloretin decreases the rate of DBDS binding to band 3 in a purely competitive manner, with an apparent phloretin inhibition constant of $\text{1.6 ± 0.4}\text{μM}$. The pH dependence of equilibrium binding studies show that it is the charged, anionic form of phloretin that competes with DBDS binding, with an apparent phloretin inhibition constant of 1.4 μM. The phloretin binding and inhibition constants determined by equilibrium binding, kinetic and pH studies are all similar to the inhibition constant of phloretin for anion exchange. These studies suggest that phloretin inhibits anion exchange in red cells by a specific interaction between phloretin and band 3.     

Characterization of [3H]Clonidine Binding to Two Sites in Calf Brain Membranes

Kinetic studies showed that under appropriate conditions, [3H]clonidine binds to two distinct receptor sites in calf cortex membranes. At 23 degrees C, binding was obtained at a low-affinity site (dissociation constant, KD = 5.4 nM) and a high-affinity site (KD = 1.1 nM). In contrast, at 0 degree C, selective binding occurred to the low-affinity site only. Consequently, at 0 degree C, it was possible to evaluate the interaction of drugs with the low-affinity receptor directly. On the other hand, competition with the high-affinity receptor could be ascertained by generating displacement curves representing the differential between specific binding values obtained at 23 and 0 degree C. Guanine nucleotides selectively decreased binding to the high-affinity site without apparent influence on the low-affinity [3H]clonidine binding. The activities of various pharmacological agents at the low- and high-affinity clonidine receptors are discussed and compared with WB-4101 binding data.     

Nucleotide exchange from the high-affinity ATP-binding site in SecA is the rate-limiting step in the ATPase cycle of the soluble enzyme and occurs through a specialized conformational state

We have characterized the kinetic and thermodynamic consequences of adenine nucleotide interaction with the low-affinity and high-affinity nucleotide-binding sites in free SecA. ATP binds to the hydrolytically active high-affinity site approximately 3-fold more slowly than ADP when SecA is in its conformational ground state, suggesting that ATP binding probably occurs when the enzyme is in another conformational state during the productive ATPase/transport cycle. The steady-state ATP hydrolysis rate is equivalent to the rate of ADP release from the high-affinity site under a number of conditions, indicating that this process is the rate-limiting step in the ATPase cycle of the free enzyme. Because efficient protein translocation requires at least a 100-fold acceleration in the ATPase rate, the rate-limiting process of ADP release from the high-affinity site is likely to play a controlling role in the conformational reaction cycle of SecA. This release process involves a large enthalpy of activation, suggesting that it involves a protein conformational change, and two observations indicate that this conformational change is different from the well-characterized endothermic conformational transition believed to gate the binding of SecA to SecYEG. First, nucleotide binding to the low-affinity site strongly inhibits the endothermic transition but does not reduce the rate of ADP release. Second, removal of Mg(2+) from an allosteric binding site on SecA does not perturb the endothermic transition but produces a 10-fold acceleration in the rate of ADP release. These divergent effects suggest that a specialized conformational transition mediates the rate-limiting ADP-release process in SecA. Finally, ADP, 2'-O-(N-methylanthraniloyl)-adenosine-5'-diphosphate (MANT-ADP), and adenosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (ATP-gamma-S) bind with similar affinities to the high-affinity site and also to the low-affinity site as inferred from their consistent effects in inhibiting the endothermic transition. In contrast, adenosine 5'-(beta,gamma-imino)triphosphate (AMPPNP) shows 100-fold weaker affinity than ADP for the high-affinity site and no detectable interaction with the low-affinity site at concentrations up to 1 mM, suggesting that this nonhydrolyzable analogue may not be a faithful mimic of ATP in its interactions with SecA.     

Computer-assisted analysis of dextromethorphan and (+)-3-(-3-hydroxyphenyl)-N-(1-propyl)piperidine binding sites in rat brain. Allosteric effects of ropizine

Computer-assisted analysis of self- and cross-displacement studies between dextromethorphan (DM) and (+)-3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-N-(1-propyl) piperidine ((+)-3-PPP) demonstrated in the rat brain the existence of two high-affinity and one low-affinity binding site for each ligand. One high-affinity site is the common DM1/sigma 1 site, the affinity of which is allosterically increased 4 to 5-fold by 10 microM ropizine. The Kd values of the DM1/sigma 1 for DM and (+)-3-PPP are 17 and 11 nM respectively. DM binds to the second high-affinity site (R2) with a Kd of 15 nM; this site has low affinity for (+)-3-PPP. Conversely, (+)-3-PPP binds with high affinity (Kd 53 nM) to another site (R3), that has low-affinity for DM. The Bmax of the common DM1/sigma 1 site in the rat is about ten times smaller than that in the guinea pig. Thus, extreme caution should be exercised in extrapolating from one species to another. Since DM and most sigma ligands bind to more than one site, not all of which are shared, it is important not to attribute the complex pharmacological effects of these ligands to a single hypothetical receptor.     

Metal binding and metal-induced conformational change of frog bone gamma-carboxyglutamic acid-containing protein

Ca2+ or Cd2+ binding and the conformational change induced by the metal binding in two frog bone Gla-proteins (BGP, termed BGP-1 and BGP-2) were studied by equilibrium dialysis and CD measurement. By CD measurement in the far-ultraviolet region, the alpha-helix content of both apoBGPs was found to be 8%. Binding of both Ca2+ and Cd2+ was accompanied with a change in the CD spectrum, and the alpha-helix content increased to 15 and 25% for BGP-1 and BGP-2, respectively. CD measurement in the near-ultraviolet region indicated that the environment of aromatic amino acid residues in the protein molecule was changed by metal binding. Equilibrium dialysis experiments indicated that each of these two protein binds specifically 2 mol of Ca2+, and nonspecifically an additional 3-4 mol of Ca2+ in 0.02 M Tris-HCl/0.15 M NaCl (pH 7.4), at 4 degrees C. According to the two separate binding sites model, BGP-1 has 1 high-affinity Ca2+ binding site (Kd1 = 0.17 mM) and 1 low-affinity site (Kd2 = 0.29 mM), and BGP-2 contains 1 high-affinity site (Kd1 = 0.14 mM) and 1 low-affinity site (Kd2 = 0.67 mM). In addition, 2 Cd2+ bound to a high-affinity binding site on BGP-1 with Kd1 of 10.4 microM, and 1 Cd2+ bound to a low-affinity binding site with Kd2 of 41.5 microM. On the other hand, BGP-2 had three classes of binding sites and 1 Cd2+ bound to each binding site with Kd1 = 3.6 microM, Kd2 = 16.3 microM, Kd3 = 51.7 microM, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Control of red cell urea and water permeability by sulfhydryl reagents

The binding constant for pCMBS (p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonate) inhibition of human red cell water transport has been determined to be 160 +/- 30 microM and that for urea transport inhibition to be 0.09 +/- 0.06 microM, indicating that there are separate sites for the two inhibition processes. The reaction kinetics show that both processes consist of a bimolecular association between pCMBS and the membrane site followed by a conformational change. Both processes are very slow and the on rate constant for the water inhibition process is about 10(5) times slower than usual for inhibitor binding to membrane transport proteins. pCMBS binding to the water transport inhibition site can be reversed by cysteine while that to the urea transport inhibition site can not be reversed. The specific stilbene anion exchange inhibitor, DBDS (4,4'-dibenzamidostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate) causes a significant change in the time-course of pCMBS inhibition of water transport, consistent with a linkage between anion exchange and water transport. Consideration of available sulfhydryl groups on band 3 suggests that the urea transport inhibition site is on band 3, but is not a sulfhydryl group, and that, if the water transport inhibition site is a sulfhydryl group, it is located on another protein complexed to band 3, possibly band 4.5.     

Binding of chemotactic peptide to the outer surface and to whole human spermatozoa with different affinity states

Binding of N-formyl-methionyl-L-leucyl-[³H]phenylalanine (fML[³H]Ph) to human ejaculated spermatozoa and to its isolated plasma membrane was studied. Our data confirm the presence of specific receptors for f-MLPh in the human spermatozoa and suggest that whole spermatozoa receptors exist in two affinity states, one high-affinity, low-capacity specific receptor (K_d = 12.3 ± 0.5 nM, n = 22,285 ± 65,008 binding sites per sperm cell) and a second one (K_d = 700 ± 47 nM) that is not saturable, indicating a low-affinity, high-capacity nonspecific site. In contrast, sperm membrane showed only one class of binding site (K_d = 6.4 ± 0.12 nM), which was statistically different from that of the high-affinity binding site of intact spermatozoa. To explain this difference we discuss the possibility that first, the two binding affinities represent two interconvertible states of a single receptor population, which, depending on the metabolic activity of spermatozoa, may change its physicochemical properties; or second, they reflect two different processes, binding and/or transport into the spermatozoa.     

Anion binding characteristics of the band 3 / 4,4-dibenzamidostilbene-2,2-disulfonate binary complex: evidence for both steric and allosteric interactions.

A novel kinetic approach was used to measure monovalent anion binding to better define the mechanistic basis for competition between stilbenedisulfonates and transportable anions on band 3. An anion-induced acceleration in the release of 4,4'-dibenzamidostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate (DBDS) from its complex with band 3 was measured using monovalent anions of various size and relative affinity for the transport site. The K1/2 values for anion binding were determined and correlated with transport site affinity constants obtained from the literature and the dehydrated radius of each anion. The results show that anions with ionic radii of 120-200 pm fall on a well-defined correlation line where the ranking of the K1/2 values matched the ranking of the transport site affinity constants (thiocyanate < nitrate approximately bromide < chloride < fluoride). The K1/2 values for the anions on this line were about 4-fold larger than expected for anion binding to inhibitor-free band 3. Such a lowered affinity can be explained in terms of allosteric site-site interactions, since the K1/2 values decreased with increasing anionic size. In contrast, iodide, with an ionic radius of about 212 pm, had a 10-fold lower affinity than predicted by the correlation line established by the smaller monovalent anions. These results indicate that smaller monovalent anions have unobstructed access to the transport site within the band 3 / DBDS binary complex, while iodide experiences significant steric hindrance when binding. The observation of steric hindrance in iodide binding to the band 3 / DBDS binary complex, but not in the binding of smaller monovalent anions, suggests that the stilbenedisulfonate binding site is located at the outer surface of an access channel leading to the transport site.     

Kinetics of [3H]muscimol binding to the GABAA receptor in bovine brain membranes

The binding of the GABA receptor agonist [3H]muscimol to membrane preparations from bovine cerebral cortex has been investigated in equilibrium and kinetic experiments. Equilibrium binding curves are biphasic and suggest that [3H]muscimol binds to both high-affinity (Kd approximately 10 nM) and low-affinity (Kd approximately 0.5 microM) sites. Binding to each class of sites is inhibited by GABA and by the specific GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline. The kinetics of [3H]muscimol binding have been measured by using both manual filtration assays and an automated rapid filtration technique which permits the measurement of ligand dissociation on subsecond time scales. Association and dissociation curves are biphasic at all concentrations of [3H]muscimol studied, even under conditions of low receptor saturation when no significant occupancy of the low-affinity sites would be expected. These results cannot be simply explained by the presence of two populations of binding sites in the membrane preparations but suggest the existence of two forms of the monoliganded receptor. Dissociation constants for these two forms have been estimated to be 16 and 82 nM at 23 degrees C. At higher ligand concentrations, kinetic measurements have suggested that the binding of [3H]muscimol to low-affinity sites is accompanied by a slow conformational change of the receptor-ligand complex.     

The vinblastine binding site adopts high- and low-affinity conformations during a transport cycle of P-glycoprotein.

Conceptually one may envisage that substrate binding sites on the ABC transporter P-gp cycle between high- and low-affinity conformations in response to signals arising from nucleotide hydrolysis to effect active transport. A radioligand binding assay was used to characterize the interaction of [3H]vinblastine with P-gp and determine how drug binding site parameters are altered during a catalytic cycle of P-gp. In the absence of nucleotide, we show that [3H]vinblastine interacts with a single class of binding site with high affinity (K(d) = 80 +/- 18 nM). In the presence of the nonhydrolyzable ATP analogue AMP-PNP, the drug binding site was in a low-affinity conformation, manifest by a 9-fold increase in K(d) (K(d) = 731 +/- 20 nM). There was no alteration in the binding capacity, reflecting a complete shift in the high-affinity site to a low-affinity form. The posthydrolytic (Mg-ADP-V(i) bound) form of P-gp also exhibited low-affinity substrate binding (K(d) = 446 +/- 57 nM). Restoration of the high-affinity drug binding site conformation (K(d) = 131 +/- 32 nM) did not occur until release of phosphate from the posthydrolysis P-gp-Mg-ADP-P(i). complex. Our results suggest that alteration of the affinity of the vinblastine binding site involves only one nucleotide binding domain per transport cycle. The binding of ATP provides the signal to instigate this change, while release of phosphate post-ATP hydrolysis returns the transporter to its original state to complete the cycle.     

Binding mode of cytochalasin B to F-actin is altered by lateral binding of regulatory proteins

The binding of cytochalasin B (CB) to F-actin was studied using a trace amount of [3H]-cytochalasin B. F-Actin-bound CB was separated from free CB by ultracentrifugation and the amount of F-actin-bound CB was determined by comparing the radioactivity both in the supernatant and in the precipitate. A filament of pure F-actin possessed one high-affinity binding site for CB (Kd = 5.0 nM) at the B-end. When the filament was bound to native tropomyosin (complex of tropomyosin and troponin), two low-affinity binding sites for CB (Kd = 230 nM) were created, while the high-affinity binding site was reserved (Kd = 3.4 nM). It was concluded that the creation of low-affinity binding sites was primarily due to binding of tropomyosin to F-actin, as judged from the following two observations: (1) a filament of F-actin/tropomyosin complex possessed one high-affinity binding site (Kd = 3.9 nM) plus two low-affinity binding sites (Kd = 550 nM); (2) the Ca2(+)-receptive state of troponin C in F-actin/native tropomyosin complex did not affect CB binding.     

Binding of hemoglobin to red cell membranes with eosin-5-maleimide-labeled band 3: analysis of centrifugation and fluorescence data

We have studied the binding of hemoglobin to the red cell membrane by centrifugation and fluorescence methods. The intact red cell was labeled with eosin-5-maleimide (EM), which specifically reacts with lysine 430 of band 3. Even though this residue is not part of the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 (cdb3) associated with hemoglobin binding, fluorescence quenching was observed when hemoglobin bound to inside-out vesicles (IOVs). The use of fluorescence quenching to measure band 3 binding was quantitatively compared with the binding determined by centrifugation, which measures binding to band 3 and non-band 3 sites. For the centrifugation it was necessary to include the non-band 3 association constants determined from chymotrypsin-treated IOVs. The binding of hemoglobin to band 3 was interpreted in terms of the binding of two hemoglobin tetramers to each band 3 dimer. An anticooperative interaction associated with the conformational change produced when hemoglobin binds results in a 2.8-fold decrease in the intrinsic constant of (1.54 +/- 0.25) x 10(7) M(-1) for the binding of the second hemoglobin molecule. From the changes in lifetime produced by binding the first and second hemoglobin molecules, it was possible to show that the conformational change associated with binding the second hemoglobin molecule results in a decrease of the heme-eosin distance from 47.90 to 44.78 A. Reaction of cyanate with the alpha-amino group of hemoglobin (HbOCN) is shown to produce a very dramatic decrease in the binding of hemoglobin to both the band 3 and non-band 3 sites. The intrinsic constant for binding the first hemoglobin molecule to band 3 decreases by a factor of 29 to (5.34 +/- 0.15) x 10(5) M(-1). The anticooperative interaction is greater with the intrinsic constant decreasing by a factor of 3.8 for the binding of the second hemoglobin tetramer to band 3. In addition, the nature of the conformational change produced by binding hemoglobin is very different with the second HbOCN increasing the heme-eosin distance to 55.99 A. The utilization of eosin-5-maleimide-reacted red cell membrane to study hemoglobin binding makes it possible to directly study the binding to band 3. At the same time a sensitive probe of the conformational changes, which occur when hemoglobin binds to band 3, is provided.     

Complete Conversion of Brain D2 Dopamine Receptors from the High- to the Low-Affinity State for Dopamine Agonists, Using Sodium Ions and Guanine Nucleotide

Since previous work had shown that brain D2 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine (dopamine) receptors were only partly converted from their high-affinity state to their low-affinity state, we here tested whether it was possible to obtain a complete 100% conversion of these receptors into their low-affinity state. It was first essential to resolve the components of [3H]spiperone binding to dopaminergic sites and nondopaminergic sites in rat striatal homogenates. In the presence of 50 microM S-sulpiride (to occlude the dopaminergic sites), therefore, we first determined that the residual binding of [3H]spiperone (approximately 20%) was inhibited by serotonergic agonists much more effectively than dopamine or noradrenaline, thus identifying the serotonergic component of [3H]spiperone binding. Thus, dopamine (or ADTN) inhibited the binding of [3H]spiperone at a high-affinity site (with dissociation constant of 10 nM dopamine), at a low-affinity site (with dissociation constant of 2,000 nM dopamine), and at the serotonergic site (with dissociation constant of 50,000 nM dopamine). In the absence of sodium ions, the high-affinity site was about 50% occupied by [3H]spiperone, and guanine nucleotide had no effect on this proportion. In the presence of 120 mM NaCl, however, the high-affinity site was reduced to 15% and guanine nucleotide completely eliminated this high-affinity site, 100% of the sites having been completely converted to their low-affinity state. Using [3H]N-propyl-norapomorphine to label the high-affinity state of the dopamine receptor, 50% conversion into the low-affinity state occurred at 45 mM LiCl, 69 mM NaCl, and 202 mM KCl. We conclude that it is possible to convert brain D2 dopamine receptors completely into their low-affinity state, in the presence of NaCl and a guanine nucleotide, providing that appropriate allowance is made for the serotonergic component of [3H]spiperone binding.     

Temperature dependence of anion transport inhibitor binding to human red cell membranes

The binding characteristics of the inhibitor of anion transport in human red cells, 4,4'-dibenzamido-2,2'-disulfonic stilbene (DBDS), to the anion transport protein of red cell ghost membranes in buffer containing 150 mM NaCl have been measured over the temperature range 0-30 degrees C by equilibrium and stopped-flow fluorescence methods. The equilibrium dissociation constant Keq, increased with temperature. No evidence of a 'break' in the ln(Keq) vs. 1/T plot was found. The standard dissociation enthalpy and entropy changes calculated from the temperature dependence are 9.1 +/- 0.9 kcal/mol and 3.2 +/- 0.3 e.u., respectively. Stopped-flow kinetic studies resolve the overall binding into two steps: a bimolecular association of DBDS with the anion transport protein, followed by a unimolecular rearrangement of the DBDS-protein complex. The rate constants for the individual steps in the binding mechanism can be determined from an analysis of the concentration dependence of the binding time course. Arrhenius plots of the rate constants showed no evidence of a break. Activation energies for the individual steps in the binding mechanism are 11.6 +/- 0.9 kcal/mol (bimolecular, forward step), 17 +/- 2 kcal/mol (bimolecular, reverse step), 6.4 +/- 2.3 kcal/mol (unimolecular, forward step), and 10.6 +/- 1.9 kcal/mol (unimolecular, reverse step). Our results indicate that there is an appreciable enthalpic energy barrier for the bimolecular association of DBDS with the transport protein, and appreciable enthalpic and entropic barriers for the unimolecular rearrangement of the DBDS-protein complex.     

Characterization of a Labile Naloxone Binding Site (λ Site) in Rat Brain

A high-affinity binding site selective for naloxone and other 4,5-epoxymorphinans (lambda site) has been previously described in rat brain. Following homogenization of freshly dissected brain, the lambda sites convert from a high-affinity to a low-affinity state. When measured with [3H]naloxone, the decay is very rapid at 20 degrees C (t 1/2 less than 2 min), whereas it is progressively slowed at lower temperatures. Proteinase inhibitors, antoxidants, and sulfhydryl group-protecting agents failed to prevent this conversion. Kinetic measurements of mu and lambda binding at varying temperatures demonstrated that the decrease in lambda binding does not coincide with the concurrent increase in mu binding and that the loss of high-affinity lambda binding at 20 degrees C can be partially restored when the temperature is lowered to 0 degrees C. The low-affinity state of the lambda site is rather stable in the Tris buffer homogenates and is susceptible to digestion by a protease. The (-)-isomer of WIN 44,441, a benzomorphan drug, binds to lambda sites with moderate affinity (dissociation constant, KD = 63 nM), whereas the (+)-isomer does not (KD greater than 10,000 nM), thus establishing stereoselectivity of the binding process. Neither the high-affinity nor the low-affinity state of lambda binding is significantly affected by the presence of 100 mM sodium chloride or 50 microM Gpp(NH)p, (a GTP analog), which is in contrast to the dramatic effect of these agents on the established opioid receptor system. Naltrexone, naloxone, nalorphine, and morphine (in this order of decreasing potency) bind to the lambda site in vivo in intact rat brain over dosage ranges that are commonly employed in pharmacological studies.     

The effects of Mg2+ at the high-affinity and low-affinity sites on the polymerization of actin and associated ATP hydrolysis

Actin contains a single high-affinity cation-binding site, for which Ca2+ and Mg2+ can compete, and multiple low-affinity cation-binding sites, which can bind Ca2+, Mg2+, or K+. Binding of cations to the low-affinity sites causes polymerization of monomeric actin with either Ca2+ or Mg2+ at the high-affinity site. A rapid conformational change occurs upon binding of cations to the low-affinity sites (G----G) which is apparently associated with the initiation of polymerization. A much slower conformational change (G----G', or G----G' if the low-affinity sites are also occupied) follows the replacement of Ca2+ by Mg2+ at the high-affinity site. This slow conformational change is reflected in a 13% increase in the fluorescence of G-actin labeled with the fluorophore 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzene-2-oxadiazole (NBD-labeled actin). The rate of the ATP hydrolysis that accompanies elongation is slower with Ca-G-actin than with Mg-G'-actin (i.e. with Ca2+ rather than Mg2+ at the high-affinity site) although their rates of elongation are similar. The slow ATP hydrolysis on Ca-F-actin causes a lag in the increase in fluorescence associated with the elongation of actin labeled with the fluorophore N-pyrene iodoacetamide (pyrenyl-labeled actin), even though there is no lag in the elongation rate, because pyrenyl-labeled ATP-F-actin subunits have a lower fluorescence intensity than pyrenyl-labeled ADP-F-actin subunits. The effects of the cation bound to the high-affinity binding site must, therefore, be considered in quantitatively analyzing the kinetics of polymerization of NBD-labeled actin and pyrenyl-labeled actin. Although their elongation rates are not very different, the rate of nucleation is much slower for Ca-G-actin than for Mg-G'-actin, probably because of the slower rate of ATP hydrolysis when Ca2+ is bound to the high-affinity site.     

Rapid kinetics of agonist binding and permeability response analyzed in parallel on acetylcholine receptor rich membranes from Torpedo marmorata

Excitable acetylcholine receptor rich membrane fragments from Torpedo marmorata have been used to measure, in parallel, (1) the permeability response to the fluorescent cholinergic agonist Dns-C6-Cho (in the 0.1 microM to millimolar concentration range) characterized by both the initial rate of Li+ transport and the rate of channel closure using the rapid-mixing quench-flow technique and (2) the kinetics of interaction of Dns-C6-Cho with the acetylcholine receptor sites using the rapid-mixing stopped-flow technique. Analysis of the kinetics of Dns-C6-Cho binding in the millisecond to minute time scale leads to the identification of at least three conformational states of the acetylcholine receptor: a "low-affinity" one (approximately 50 microM) that can be interconverted in the fraction of a second to a transient state of "intermediate affinity" (approximately 1 microM), followed by the final stabilization, in the second to minute time range, of a state of "high affinity" (approximately 3 nM). Comparison of Dns-C6-Cho binding data with the permeability response to the same agonist demonstrates that the binding to the low-affinity conformation(s) of the acetylcholine receptor sites coincides with the triggering of the permeability increase--or "activation"--and the transitions to the intermediate- and high-affinity states with the two-step process of channel closing--or "desensitization". The data are interpreted in terms of a minimum four-state "allosteric" model for the acetylcholine receptor.     

The two ADF-H domains of twinfilin play functionally distinct roles in interactions with actin monomers

Twinfilin is a ubiquitous and abundant actin monomer-binding protein that is composed of two ADF-H domains. To elucidate the role of twinfilin in actin dynamics, we examined the interactions of mouse twinfilin and its isolated ADF-H domains with G-actin. Wild-type twinfilin binds ADP-G-actin with higher affinity (K(D) = 0.05 microM) than ATP-G-actin (K(D) = 0.47 microM) under physiological ionic conditions and forms a relatively stable (k(off) = 1.8 s(-1)) complex with ADP-G-actin. Data from native PAGE and size exclusion chromatography coupled with light scattering suggest that twinfilin competes with ADF/cofilin for the high-affinity binding site on actin monomers, although at higher concentrations, twinfilin, cofilin, and actin may also form a ternary complex. By systematic deletion analysis, we show that the actin-binding activity is located entirely in the two ADF-H domains of twinfilin. Individually, these domains compete for the same binding site on actin, but the C-terminal ADF-H domain, which has >10-fold higher affinity for ADP-G-actin, is almost entirely responsible for the ability of twinfilin to increase the amount of monomeric actin in cosedimentation assays. Isolated ADF-H domains associate with ADP-G-actin with rapid second-order kinetics, whereas the association of wild-type twinfilin with G-actin exhibits kinetics consistent with a two-step binding process. These data suggest that the association with an actin monomer induces a first-order conformational change within the twinfilin molecule. On the basis of these results, we propose a kinetic model for the role of twinfilin in actin dynamics and its possible function in cells.     

Location of the stilbenedisulfonate binding site of the human erythrocyte anion-exchange system by resonance energy transfer.

The stilbenedisulfonate inhibitory site of the human erythrocyte anion-exchange system has been characterized by using serveral fluorescent stilbenedisulfonates. The covalent inhibitor 4-benzamido-4'-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate (BIDS) reacts specifically with the band 3 protein of the plasma membrane when added to intact erythrocytes, and the reversible inhibitors 4,4'-dibenzamidostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate (DBDS) and 4-benzamido-4'-aminostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate (BADS) show a fluorescence enhancement upon binding to the inhibitory site on erythrocyte ghosts. The fluorescence properties of all three bound probes indicate a rigid, hydrophobic site with nearby tryptophan residues. The Triton X-100 solublized and purified band 3 protein has similar affinities for DBDS, BADS, and 4,4'-dinitrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate (DNDS) to those observed on intact erythrocytes and erythrocyte ghosts, showing that the anion binding site is not perturbed by the solubilization procedure. The distance between the stilbenedisulfonate binding site and a group of cysteine residues on the 40 000-dalton amino-terminal cytoplasmic domain of band 3 was measured by the fluorescence resonance energy transfer technique. Four different fluorescent sulfhydryl reagents were used as either energy transfer donors or energy transfer acceptors in combination with the stilbenedisulfonates (BIDS, DBDS, BADS, and DNDS). Efficiencies of transfer were measured by sensitized emisssion, donor quenching, and donor lifetime changes. Although these sites are approachable from opposite sides of the membrane by impermeant reagents, they are separated by only 34--42 A, indicating that the anion binding site is located in a protein cleft which extends some distance into the membrane.