Studies on ouabain-complexed (Na+ +K+)-ATPase carried out with vanadate

Vanadate is able to promote the binding of ouabain to (Na+ +K+)-ATPase and it is shown that vanadate is trapped in the enzyme-ouabain complex. Also ouabain-bound enzyme, the formation of which was facilitated by (Mg2+ +Na+ +ATP) or (Mg2+ +Pi), is accessible to vanadate when washed free of competing ligands used for the promotion of ouabain binding. For vanadate binding to (Na+ +K+)-ATPase and to enzyme-ouabain complexes a divalent cation (Mg2+ or Mn2+) is indispensable, indicating that the cation does not remain attached to the ouabain-bound enzyme. K+ further increases vanadate binding in the absence of ouabain, but seems to have no additional role in case of vanadate binding to enzyme-ouabain complexes. Mn2+ is more efficient than Mg2+ in promoting binding of vanadate and ouabain to (Na+ +K+)-ATPase. That K+ in combination with Mn2+, in analogy with the effect in combination with Mg2+, increases the equilibrium binding level of vanadate and decreases that of ouabain does not seem to favour the hypothesis of selection of a special E2-subconformation by Mn2+. The vanadate-trapped enzyme-ouabain complex was examined for simultaneous nucleotide binding which could demonstrate a two-substrate mechanism per functional unit of the enzyme. The acceleration by (Na+ +ATP) of ouabain release from the (Mg2+ +Pi)-facilitated enzyme-ouabain complex does not, as anticipated, support such a mechanism. On the other hand, the deceleration of vanadate release as well as of ouabain release from a (Mg2+ +vanadate)-promoted complex could be consistent with a two-substrate mechanism working out-of-phase.     

Dog kidney (Na+, K+)-ATPase is more sensitive to inhibition by vanadate than human red cell (Na+, K+)-ATPase

(Na⁺, K⁺)-ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) from kidney is more sensitive to inhibition by vanadate than red cell (Na⁺,K⁺)-ATPase. The difference appears to be in the apparent affinities of the two enzymes for K⁺ and Na⁺ at sites where K⁺ promotes and Na⁺ opposes vanadate binding. As a result of Na⁺-K⁺ competition at these sites, reversal of vanadate inhibition was accomplished at lower Na⁺ concentrations in red cell than in kidney (Na⁺,K⁺)-ATPase. It is possible that vanadate could selectively regulate Na⁺ transport in the kidney.     

Dog kidney (Na+,K+)-ATPase is more sensitive to inhibition by vanadate than human red cell (Na+,K+)-ATPase

(Na+,K+)-ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) from kidney is more sensitive to inhibition by vanadate than red cell (Na+,K+)-ATPase. The difference appears to be in the apparent affinities of the two enzymes for K+ and Na+ at sites where K+ promotes and Na+ opposes vanadate binding. As a result of Na+-K+ competition at these sites, reversal of vanadate inhibition was accomplished at lower Na+ concentrations in red cell than in kidney (NA+,K+)-ATPase. It is possible that vanadate could selectively regulate Na+ transport in the kidney.     

Ligand binding sites of the ouabain-complexed (Na+ + K+)-ATPase

To clarify the mechanism of inhibition of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase by cardiac glycosides, we tried to see if ouabain binding alters the properties of the binding sites for Na+, K+, and ATP. Ouabain was bound in the presence of either Na+ + MgATP or MgPi. Ligand-induced changes in the rate of release of ouabain from the two resulting complexes were used as signals to determine the affinities, the numbers, and the interactions of the ligand binding sites. Because the two complexes showed differences in the properties of their ligand binding sites, and since neither complex could be converted to the other, it is concluded that either the enzyme has two dissimilar but mutually exclusive ouabain sites or that it can be frozen in two distinct conformations by ouabain. The following ligand sites were identified on the two complexes: 1) two coexisting ATP sites (K0.5 values, 0.1 and 2 mM) representing altered states of the catalytic and the regulatory sites of the native enzyme; 2) mutually exclusive Na+ and K+ sites whose affinities (K0.5 values, 1.3 mM Na+ and 0.1 mM K+) suggested their identities with the high affinity uptake sites of the native enzyme; and 3) coexisting low affinity Na+ and K+ sites (K0.5 values, 0.2-0.6 M) representing either the discharge sites, or the regulatory sites, or the access channels of the native enzyme. The data suggest that the inability of the ouabain-complexed enzyme to participate in the normal reaction cycle is not because of its lack of ligand binding sites but most likely due to ouabain-induced disruptions of interprotomer site-site interactions.     

Coexistence of two ATP sites on the ouabain-complexed (Na+ + K+)-ATPase

When the effects of varying concentrations of ATP on the dissociation rate of the ouabain-enzyme complex were studied, the dissociation rate constant increased with increasing ATP concentrations up to 1 mM, and then decreased with further rise in ATP; indicating that ATP binds to two distinct sites on the complex. ADP and AMP-PNP had similar biphasic effects. GTP, CTP, UTP, and AMP-PCP reduced the dissociation rate. AMP and Pi had no effects. Increase in dissociation rate caused by 0.5 mM ATP was not abolished by saturating CTP, indicating the binding of CTP to only one of the two ATP sites. The data suggest the existence of separate catalytic and regulatory sites, with different affinities and nucleotide specificities.     

Activation of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase

Enzymes catalyze essential chemical reactions needed for living processes. (Na+ +K+)-ATPase (NKA) is one of the key enzymes that control intracellular ion homeostasis and regulate cardiac function. Little is known about activation of NKA and its biological impact. Here we show that native activity of NKA is markedly elevated when protein-protein interaction occurs at the extracellular DVEDSYGQQWTYEQR (D-R) region in the alpha-subunit of the enzyme. The apparent catalytic turnover of NKA is approximately twice as fast as the controls for both ouabain-resistant and ouabain-sensitive enzymes. Activation of NKA not only markedly protects enzyme function against denaturing, but also directly affects cellular activities by regulating intracellular Ca2+ transients and inducing a positive inotropic effect in isolated rat cardiac myocytes. Immunofluorescent labeling indicates that the D-R region of NKA is not a conventional digitalis-binding site. Our findings uncover a novel activation site of NKA that is capable of promoting the catalytic function of the enzyme and establish a new concept that activating of NKA mediates cardiac contraction.     

Inhibitory action of phosphatidylinositol on synaptosomal (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity

Phosphatidylinositol and several other phospholipids were tested for their ability to influence the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity of the cortical synaptic membrane from rats at various levels of free Ca2+. Phosphatidylinositol, but not phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine nor phosphatidylserine, markedly inhibited this enzyme activity, when the free Ca2+ concentration in the incubation media was less than 2.5 X 10(-6) M. This result suggests that phosphatidylinositol may play a role in the depolarization and/or the release of neurotransmitters or intracellular substances in the brain.     

Facilitation of ouabain binding to (Na+ + K+)-ATPase by vanadate at in vivo concentrations.

In the presence of Mg2+ vanadate was shown to facilitate ouabain binding to (Na+ + K+)-ATPase in much the same way as Pi does. Thus the hypothesis that vanadate interacts with the phosphate site of the enzyme seems to be supported by ouabain binding experiments. At given ouabain concentrations maximum binding is achieved at microM concentrations of vanadate whereas mM concentrations of Pi are needed. Na+ as well as K+ counteract ouabain binding but some cardiac glycoside binding is still possible at in vivo concentrations of these cations. A minor contamination of the enzyme preparations with vanadate could explain the in vitro binding of ouabain that can be obtained with Mg2+ and in the absence of Pi.     

Regulation of rat brain (Na+ +K+)-ATPase activity by cyclic AMP

The interaction between the (Na+ +K+)-ATPase and the adenylate cyclase enzyme systems was examined. Cyclic AMP, but not 5'-AMP, cyclic GMP or 5'-GMP, could inhibit the (Na+ +K+)-ATPase enzyme present in crude rat brain plasma membranes. On the other hand, the cyclic AMP inhibition could not be observed with purified preparations of (Na+ +K+)-ATPase enzyme. Rat brain synaptosomal membranes were prepared and treated with either NaCl or cyclic AMP plus NaCl as described by Corbin, J., Sugden, P., Lincoln, T. and Keely, S. ((1977) J. Biol. Chem. 252, 3854-3861). This resulted in the dissociation and removal of the catalytic subunit of a membrane-bound cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. The decrease in cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activity was accompanied by an increase in (Na+ +K+)-ATPase activity. Exposure of synaptosomal membranes containing the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase holoenzyme to a specific cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor resulted in an increase in (Na+ +K+)-ATPase enzyme activity. Synaptosomal membranes lacking the catalytic subunit of the cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase did not show this effect. Reconstitution of the solubilized membrane-bound cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase, in the presence of a neuronal membrane substrate protein for the activated protein kinase, with a purified preparation of (Na+ +K+)-ATPase, resulted in a decrease in overall (Na+ +K+)-ATPase activity in the presence of cyclic AMP. Reconstitution of the protein kinase alone or the substrate protein alone, with the (Na+ +K+)-ATPase has no effect on (Na+ +K+)-ATPase activity in the absence or presence of cyclic AMP. Preliminary experiments indicate that, when the activated protein kinase and the substrate protein were reconstituted with the (Na+ +K+)-ATPase enzyme, there appeared to be a decrease in the Na+-dependent phosphorylation of the Na+-ATPase enzyme, while the K+-dependent dephosphorylation of the (Na+ +K+)-ATPase was unaffected.     

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.     

Fluorescent labeling of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase by 5-iodoacetamidofluorescein

5-Iodoacetamidofluorescein (5-IAF) covalently labels dog kidney (Na+ + K+)-ATPase with approximately 2 moles incorporated per mole of enzyme. ATPase and K+-phosphatase activities are fully retained after reaction, and the kinetic parameters for Na+, K+, Mg2+, ATP and p-nitrophenyl phosphate are likewise not significantly affected. The fluorescence of the bound 5-IAF is increased by ATP, Na+, and Mg2+, and decreased by K+. These fluorescence changes likely reflect ligand-induced stabilization of the E1 or E2 states of the enzyme.     

Crystallization patterns of membrane-bound (Na+ + K+)-ATPase

Extensive formation of two-dimensional crystals of the proteins of the pure membrane-bound $\text{(Na}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{+ K}{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{)-ATPase}$ is induced during prolonged incubation with vanadate and magnesium. Some membrane crystals are formed in medium containing magnesium and phosphate. Computer-averaged images of the two-dimensional crystals show that the unit cell in vanadate-induced crystals contains a protomeric αβ-unit of the enzyme protein. In phosphate-induced crystals an $\text{(αβ)}{}_2\text{-}\text{unit}$ occupies one unit cell suggesting that interactions between αβ-units can be of importance in the function of the Na⁺, K⁺ pump.     

Kinetic studies on Na+/K+-ATPase and inhibition of Na+/K+-ATPase by ATP

Na+/K+-ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) is an important membrane-bound enzyme. In this paper, kinetic studies on Na+/K+-ATPase were carried out under mimetic physiological conditions. By using microcalorimeter, a thermokinetic method was employed for the first time. Compared with other methods, it provided accurate measurements of not only thermodynamic data (deltarHm) but also the kinetic data (Km and Vmax). At 310.15K and pH 7.4, the molar reaction enthalpy (deltarHm) was measured as -40.514 +/- 0.9kJmol(-1). The Michaelis constant (Km) was determined to be 0.479 +/- 0.020 mM and consistent with literature data. The reliability of the thermokinetic method was further confirmed by colorimetric studies. Furthermore, a simple and reliable kinetic procedure was presented for ascertaining the true substrate for Na+/K+-ATPase and determining the effect of free ATP. Results showed that the MgATP complex was the real substrate with a Km value of about 0.5mM and free ATP was a competitive inhibitor with a Ki value of 0.253 mM.     

Involvement of sulfhydryl groups in the inhibition of brain (Na+ + K+)-ATPase by pyrithiamin

Brain (Na+ + K+)-ATPase was protected by low concentrations of GSH from the inhibitory effect of pyrithiamin. The possible involvement of sulfhydryl groups in the inhibition was then studied by comparing the effect of pyrithiamin with that of N-ethylmaleimide on the enzyme. The treatment of rat brain (Na+ + K+)-ATPase with thesee inhibitors caused a significant decrease in reactivity of the enzyme to N-ethyl[3H]maleimide. N-Ethylmaleimide, like pyrithiamin, inhibited the partial reactions of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase system in parallel with the inhibition of the overall reaction. An SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis procedure indicated that pyrithiamin and N-ethylmaleimide inhibited Na+-dependent phosphorylation of the alpha(+) form of rat brain (Na+ + K+)-ATPase more than that of alpha, though the selectivity for the alpha(+) seemed to be higher with the former inhibitor than in the latter. The treatment also decreased sensitivity of the enzyme to ouabain inhibition. However, pyrithiamin- and N-ethylmaleimide-induced inactivations of the enzyme differed in the efficacy of GSH for protection and in the effect of the kind of ligands present during the reaction. Furthermore, pyrithiamin did not appear to interact directly with sulfhydryl groups, but caused the formation of disulfide in bovine brain (Na+ + K+)-ATPase. In contrast to N-ethylmaleimide, pyrithiamin did not affect the sulfhydryl-enzymes such as alcohol dehydrogenase and L-alanine dehydrogenase. It is concluded that pyrithiamin modifies the functional sulfhydryl groups of brain (Na+ + K+)-ATPase in a way different from N-ethylmaleimide and causes a structural change and inactivation of the enzyme.     

The effect of bilayer thickness on the activity of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase

The activities of purified (Na+ + K+)-ATPase supported by a series of phosphatidylcholines with monounsaturated (cis-9) fatty acyl chains (di(n : 1) phosphatidylcholine) varying in length from n = 12 to n = 23 were determined by the lipid titration technique. The ATPase activity at 20 degrees C decreased from 2.9 to 0.1 mumol/min per mg protein as n was decreased from 16 to 12 and decreased from 2.9 to 1.0 mumol/min per mg protein as n was increased from 20 to 23. In further experiments, the di(n : 1) phosphatidylcholine-ATPase complexes were treated with increasing proportions of n-decane, which has been shown previously to increase the thickness of black lipid membranes. n-Decane caused a large increase (greater than 20-fold) in activity of the short-chain complexes (n = 12,13); for n = 14--18, the ATPase activity first increased and subsequently decreased as the proportion of decane was increased, and for n = 20 or 23 decane caused a progressive decrease in activity with increasing concentration. These effects confirm qualitatively that a major factor determining the activity in each bilayer is its thickness. This behaviour closely parallels that of the (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum [1] and suggests that a major class of trans-membrane transport proteins may have a similar dependence on bilayer thickness.     

Crystallization patterns of membrane-bound (Na+ +K+)-ATPase

Extensive formation of two-dimensional crystals of the proteins of the pure membrane-bound (Na+ +K+)-ATPase is induced during prolonged incubation with vanadate and magnesium. Some membrane crystals are formed in medium containing magnesium and phosphate. Computer-averaged images of the two-dimensional crystals show that the unit cell in vanadate-induced crystals contains a protomeric alpha beta-unit of the enzyme protein. In phosphate-induced crystals an (alpha beta) 2-unit occupies one unit cell suggesting the interactions between alpha beta-units can be of importance in the function of the Na+, K+ pump.     

Calcium inhibition of the ATPase and phosphatase activities of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase

In experiments performed at 37 degrees C, Ca2+ reversibly inhibits the Na+-and (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activities and the K+-dependent phosphatase activity of (Na+ + K+)-ATPase. With 3 mM ATP, the Na+-ATPase was less sensitive to CaCl2 than the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity. With 0.02 mM ATP, the Na+-ATPase and the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activities were similarly inhibited by CaCl2. The K0.5 for Ca2+ as (Na+ + K+)-ATPase inhibitor depended on the total MgCl2 and ATP concentrations. This Ca2+ inhibition could be a consequence of Ca2+-Mg2+ competition, Ca . ATP-Mg . ATP competition or a combination of both mechanisms. In the presence of Na+ and Mg2+, Ca2+ inhibited the K+-dependent dephosphorylation of the phosphoenzyme formed from ATP, had no effect on the dephosphorylation in the absence of K+ and inhibited the rephosphorylation of the enzyme. In addition, the steady-state levels of phosphoenzyme were reduced in the presence both of NaCl and of NaCl plus KCl. With 3 mM ATP, Ca2+ alone sustained no more than 2% of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity and about 23% of the Na+-ATPase activity observed with Mg2+ and no Ca2+. With 0.003 mM ATP, Ca2+ was able to maintain about 40% of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity and 27% of the Na+-ATPase activity seen in the presence of Mg2+ alone. However, the E2(K)-E1K conformational change did not seem to be affected. Ca2+ inhibition of the K+-dependent rho-nitrophenylphosphatase activity of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase followed competition kinetics between Ca2+ and Mg2+. In the presence of 10 mM NaCl and 0.75 mM KCl, the fractional inhibition of the K+-dependent rho-nitrophenylphosphatase activity as a function of Ca2+ concentration was the same with and without ATP, suggesting that Ca2+ indeed plays the important role in this process. In the absence of Mg2+, Ca2+ was unable to sustain any detectable ouabain-sensitive phosphatase activity, either with rho-nitrophenylphosphate or with acetyl phosphate as substrate.