Integration of F1 and the membrane sector of the proton-ATPase of Escherichia coli. Role of subunit "b" (uncF protein)

Membranes derived from the Escherichia coli strain AN1460 which carries the multicopy plasmid pAN45 (unc+) (Downie, J. A., Langman, L., Cox, G. B., Yanofsky, C., and Gibson, (1980) J. Bacteriol. 143, 8-17) were enriched 5- to 10-fold in proton-ATPase activity. Incubation of F1-depleted AN1460 membranes with trypsin abolished F1-binding ability but did not inhibit proton transport through the membrane sector (F0). Sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis indicated that subunit "b" (uncF protein) of F0 was cleaved by trypsin and prebound F1 protected against the trypsin effect. Subunits "a" (uncB protein) and "c" (uncE protein) were unaffected by the trypsin treatment. A water-soluble fragment (Mr = 14,800) was liberated after trypsin treatment and appeared to arise from subunit b. Studies of enzyme hybridization and of F1 binding to membranes derived from strains containing mutations in uncB, F, and E genes supported the suggestion that subunit b is involved in F1 binding to the F0. Also, extraction of membranes with KSCN increased the relative proportion of subunit b in the membrane and this coincided with a parallel increase in trypsin-sensitive F1-binding ability. It is proposed that subunit b is involved in binding of F1 to the F0; this agrees with the presumed role of the protein as deduced from predictions of its secondary and tertiary structure (Walker, J. E., Saraste, M., and Gay, N. J. (1982) Nature (Lond.) 298, 867-869; Senior, A. E. (1983) Biochim. Biophys. Acta, in press).     

Characterization of the Na+-stimulated ATPase of Propionigenium modestum as an enzyme of the F1F0 type

The ATP-hydrolyzing activity of Propionigenium modestum was extracted from the membranes with Triton X-100 or by incubation with EDTA at low ionic strength. The ATPase in the Triton extract was highly sensitive to dicyclohexylcarbodiimide but not to vanadate. These properties are characteristic for enzymes of the F1 F0 type. The ATPase was specifically activated by Na+ ions yielding a 15-fold increase in catalytic activity at 5 mM Na+ concentration. The additional presence of 1% Triton X-100 caused a further 1.5-fold activation. In the absence of Na+ Triton stimulated the ATPase about 13-fold. The Triton-stimulated ATPase was further activated about 1.5-2-fold by Na+ addition. The ATPase extracted by the low-ionic-strength treatment was purified to homogeneity by fractionation with poly(ethylene glycol) and gel chromatography. The enzyme had the characteristic F1-ATPase subunit structure with Mr values of 58,000 (alpha), 56,000 (beta), 37,600 (gamma), 22,700 (delta), and 14,000 (epsilon). The F1-ATPase was not stimulated by Na+ ions. The membrane-bound ATPase was reconstituted from the purified F1 part and F1-depleted membranes, thus further indicating an F1 F0 structure for the ATPase of P. modestum. Upon reconstitution the ATPase recovered its stimulation by Na+ ions, suggesting that the binding site for Na+ is localized on the membrane-bound F0 part of the enzyme complex.     

Assembly of the stator in Escherichia coli ATP synthase. Complexation of alpha subunit with other F1 subunits is prerequisite for delta subunit binding to the N-terminal region of alpha

Alpha subunit of Escherichia coli ATP synthase was expressed with a C-terminal 6-His tag and purified. Pure alpha was monomeric, was competent in nucleotide binding, and had normal N-terminal sequence. In F1 subunit dissociation/reassociation experiments it supported full reconstitution of ATPase, and reassociated complexes were able to bind to F1-depleted membranes with restoration of ATP-driven proton pumping. Therefore interaction between the stator delta subunit and the N-terminal residue 1-22 region of alpha occurred normally when pure alpha was complexed with other F1 subunits. On the other hand, three different types of experiments showed that no interaction occurred between pure delta and isolated alpha subunit. Unlike in F1, the N-terminal region of isolated alpha was not susceptible to trypsin cleavage. Therefore, during assembly of ATP synthase, complexation of alpha subunit with other F1 subunits is prerequisite for delta subunit binding to the N-terminal region of alpha. We suggest that the N-terminal 1-22 residues of alpha are sequestered in isolated alpha until released by binding of beta to alpha subunit. This prevents 1/1 delta/alpha complexes from forming and provides a satisfactory explanation of the stoichiometry of one delta per three alpha seen in the F1 sector of ATP synthase, assuming that steric hindrance prevents binding of more than one delta to the alpha3/beta3 hexagon. The cytoplasmic fragment of the b subunit (bsol) did not bind to isolated alpha. It might also be that complexation of alpha with beta subunits is prerequisite for direct binding of stator b subunit to the F1-sector.     

Mitochondrial F0F1 H+-ATP synthase. Characterization of F0 components involved in H+ translocation

The membrane F0 sector of mitochondrial ATP synthase complex was rapidly isolated by direct extraction with CHAPS from F1-depleted submitochondrial particles. The preparation thus obtained is stable and can be reconstituted in artificial phospholipid membranes to result in oligomycin-sensitive proton conduction, or recombined with purified F1 to give the oligomycin-sensitive F0F1-ATPase complex. The F0 preparation and constituent polypeptides were characterized by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis. The functional role of F0 polypeptides was examined by means of trypsin digestion and reconstitution studies. It is shown that, in addition to the 8 kDa DCCD-binding protein, the nuclear encoded protein [(1987) J. Mol. Biol. 197, 89-100], characterized as an intrinsic component of F0 (F0I, PVP protein [(1988) FEBS Lett. 237,9-14]) [corrected] is involved in H+ translocation and the sensitivity of this process to the F0 inhibitors, DCCD and oligomycin.     

Chloroplast ATP synthase contains one single copy of subunit delta that is indispensable for photophosphorylation

F0F1 ATP synthases synthesize ATP in their F1 portion at the expense of free energy supplied by proton flow which enters the enzyme through their channel portion F0. The smaller subunits of F1, especially subunit delta, may act as energy transducers between these rather distant functional units. We have previously shown that chloroplast delta, when added to thylakoids partially depleted of the coupling factor CF1, can reconstitute photophosphorylation by inhibiting proton leakage through exposed coupling factor CF0. In view of controversies in the literature, we reinvestigated two further aspects related to subunit delta, namely (a) its stoichiometry in CF0CF1 and (b) whether or not delta is required for photophosphorylation. By rocket immunoelectrophoresis of thylakoid membranes and calibration against purified delta, we confirmed a stoichiometry of one delta per CF0CF1. In CF1-depleted thylakoids photophosphorylation could be reconstituted not only by adding CF1 and subunit delta but, surprisingly, also by CF1 (-delta). We found that the latter was attributable to a contamination of CF1 (-delta) preparations with integral CF1. To lesser extent CF1 (-delta) acted by complementary rebinding to CF0 channels that were closed because they contained delta [CF0(+delta)]. This added catalytic capacity to proton-tight thylakoid vesicles. The ability of subunit delta to control proton flow through CF0 and the absolute requirement for delta in restoration of photophosphorylation suggest an essential role of this small subunit at the interface between the large portions of ATP synthase: delta may be part of the coupling site between electrochemical, conformational and chemical events in this enzyme.     

Fo portion of Escherichia coli ATP synthase. Further resolution of trypsin-generated fragments from subunit b

F1-stripped everted membrane vesicles of the ATP synthase-overproducing Escherichia coli strain KY 7485 were treated with trypsin for different lengths of time. Subsequently, the Fo complex was isolated and analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-gel electrophoresis, as well as immunoblotting using antibodies raised against subunit b. By these techniques 3 degradation products with apparent molecular masses of about 16 kDa could be detected in accordance with previous findings (Perlin, D.S., and Senior, A.E. (1985) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 236, 603-611). Labeling of isolated trypsin-treated Fo fractions with the thiol-specific reagent N-(7-dimethylamino-4-methylcoumarinyl)-maleimide, which has been demonstrated recently to specifically modify subunit b (Schneider, E., and Altendorf, K. (1985) Eur. J. Biochem. 153, 105-109) revealed that the 16-kDa digestion products were degraded into two stable fragments of 12 and 8.3 kDa. These polypeptides do not react with the anti-b antibodies. Treatment of purified liposome-integrated Fo with trypsin resulted in a similar cleavage pattern. In both cases protease digestion inhibited F1 binding while proton-translocating activity remained unaffected. However, liposomes reconstituted with Fo isolated from trypsin-treated membranes were impaired in both binding of F1 and proton translocation. These activities could be restored when reconstitution was carried out in the presence of native subunit b. From this we conclude that the C-terminal region of subunit b is necessary for proper reconstitution of Fo into liposomes.     

Thylakoid membrane protein topography: transmembrane orientation of the chloroplast cytochrome b-559 psbE gene product

Protease accessibility and antibody to a COOH-terminal peptide were used as probes for the in situ topography of the Mr 10,000 psbE gene product (alpha subunit) of the chloroplast cytochrome b-559. Exposure of thylakoid membranes to trypsin or Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease cleaved the alpha subunit to a slightly smaller polypeptide (delta Mr approximately -1000) as detected on Western blots, without loss of reactivity to COOH-terminal antibody. The disappearance of the parent Mr 10,000 polypeptide from thylakoids in the presence of trypsin correlated with the appearance of the smaller polypeptide with delta Mr = -750, the conversion having a half-time of approximately 15 min. Exposure of inside-out vesicles to trypsin resulted in almost complete loss of reactivity to the antibody, showing that the COOH terminus is exposed on the lumenal side of the membrane. Removal of the extrinsic polypeptides of the oxygen-evolving complex resulted in an increase of the accessibility of the alpha subunit to trypsin. These data establish that the alpha subunit of cytochrome b-559 crosses the membrane once, as predicted from its single, 26-residue, hydrophobic domain. The NH2 terminus of the alpha polypeptide is on the stromal side of the membrane, where it is accessible, most likely at Arg-7 or Glu-6/Asp-11, to trypsin or V8 protease, respectively. As a consequence of this orientation, the single histidine residue in the alpha subunit is located on the stromal side of the hydrophobic domain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Thermus thermophilus membrane-associated ATPase. Indication of a eubacterial V-type ATPase

An ATPase with Mr of 360,000 was purified from plasma membranes of a thermophilic eubacterium Thermus thermophilus, and was characterized. ATP hydrolytic activity of the purified enzyme was extremely low, 0.07 mumol of Pi released mg-1 min-1, and it was stimulated up to 30-fold by bisulfite. The following properties of the enzyme indicate that it is not a usual F1-ATPase but that it belongs to the V-type ATPase family, another class of ATPases found in membranes of archaebacteria and eukaryotic endomembranes. Among its four kinds of subunits with approximate Mr values of 66,000 (alpha), 55,000 (beta), 30,000 (gamma), and 12,000 (delta), the alpha subunit had a similar molecular size to the catalytic subunits of the V-type ATPases but was significantly larger than the alpha subunit of F1-ATPases. ATP hydrolytic activity was not affected by azide, an inhibitor of F1-ATPases, but was inhibited by nitrate, an inhibitor of the V-type ATPase. N-terminal amino acid sequences determined for the purified alpha and beta subunits showed much higher similarity to those of the V-type ATPases than those of F1-ATPases. Thus the distribution of the V-type ATPase in the prokaryotic kingdom may not be restricted to archaebacteria.     

Cross-reconstitution of the F0F1-ATP synthases of chloroplasts and Escherichia coli with special emphasis on subunit delta

F0F1-ATP synthases catalyse ATP formation from ADP and Pi by using the free energy supplied by the transmembrane electrochemical potential of the proton. The delta subunit of F1 plays an important role at the interface between the channel portion F0 and the catalytic portion F1. In chloroplasts it can plug the protonic conductance of CF0 and in Escherichia coli it is required for binding of EF1 to EF0. We wanted to know whether or not delta of one species was effective between F0 and F1 of the other species and vice versa. To this end the respective coupling membrane (thylakoids, everted vesicles from E. coli) was (partially) depleted of F1 and purified F1, F1(-delta), and delta were added in various combinations to the F1-depleted membranes. The efficiency or reconstitution was measured in thylakoids via the rate of phenazinemethosulfate-mediated cyclic photophosphorylation and in E. coli everted vesicles via the degree of 9-amino-6-chloro-2-methoxyacridine fluorescence quenching. Addition of CF1 to partially CF1-depleted thylakoid vesicles restored photophosphorylation to the highest extent. CF1(-delta)+chloroplast delta, EF1, EF1(-delta)+E. coli delta were also effective but to lesser extent. CF1(-delta)+E. coli delta and EF1(-delta)+chloroplast delta restored photophosphorylation to a small but still significant extent. With F1-depleted everted vesicles prepared by repeated EDTA treatment of E. coli membranes, addition of CF1, CF1 (-delta)+chloroplast delta and CF1(-delta)+E. coli delta gave approximately half the extent of 9-amino-6-chloro-2-methoxyacridine fluorescence quenching as compared to EF1 or EF1(-delta)+E. coli delta by energization of the vesicles with NADH, while Ef1(-delta)+chloroplast delta was ineffective. All 'mixed' combinations were probably reconstitutively active only by plugging the protonic leak through the exposed F0 (structural reconstitution) rather than by catalytic activity. Nevertheless, the cross-reconstitution is stunning in view of the weak sequence similarity between chloroplast delta and E. coli delta. It favors a role of delta as a conformational transducer rather than as a proton conductor between F0 and F1.     

Purification and protein sequence analysis of rat liver prolactin receptor

Prolactin receptors were purified from rat liver membranes by single-step immunoaffinity chromatography using a specific monoclonal antibody to the rat liver prolactin receptor. Scatchard analysis of 125I-human growth hormone binding to the purified receptor revealed two classes of specific binding sites with Ka = 18.5 x 10(9) and 1.2 x 10(9) M-1. Considering that both classes of binding sites are responsible for high affinity prolactin binding, the partially purified receptor preparation had a binding activity of 1.69 nmol/mg protein, representing 1000-fold purification over microsomal receptors with a recovery of 52%. From three separate purifications, 6 mg of partially purified prolactin receptor were obtained with a purity of approximately 4 to 6.5%. Thus, the use of monoclonal antibody for affinity chromatography resulted in a large improvement of prolactin receptor purification compared to previous hormone affinity chromatography (300-fold purification, 15% recovery). The purified receptor was run on preparative sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and a homogeneous preparation of prolactin receptor was obtained by electroelution from gel slices corresponding to Mr 38,000-43,000. Immunoblot analysis using a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody revealed two separate but closely located bands of Mr 42,000 and 40,000 in microsomal, partially purified, and electroeluted preparations. The homogeneous receptor protein was extensively digested with L-1-tosylamido-2-phenylethyl chloromethyl ketone trypsin, and 10 internal amino acid sequences of the rat liver prolactin receptor were determined by gas-phase sequence analysis. Oligonucleotide probes were prepared against two of these internal sequences, and a prolactin receptor cDNA was isolated from a rat liver library using one of these probes (Boutin, J. M., Jolicoeur, C., Okamura, H., Gagnon, J., Edery, M., Shirota, M., Banville, D., Dusanter-Fourt, I., Djiane, J., and Kelly, P. A. (1988) Cell 53, 69-77). The amino acid sequence deduced from the cDNA reveals three potential sites of N-linked glycosylation, two of which were confirmed during protein sequencing. The prolactin receptor was characterized by affinity labeling with 125I-human growth hormone. Cross-linking of microsomes revealed a single band for the hormone-receptor complex with Mr 62,000. On the other hand, cross-linking of Triton X-100-solubilized or partially purified receptor with labeled hormone resulted in the appearance of two bands with Mr 62,000 and 102,000, suggesting the existence of a subunit structure of the prolactin receptor, or alternatively, the existence of two types of prolactin receptor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)     

Studies of functional domains of the regulatory subunit from cAMP-dependent protein kinase isozyme I

Homogenous regulatory subunit from rabbit skeletal muscle cAMP-dependent protein kinase (isozyme I) was partially hydrolyzed with low (1 g/1300 g) or high (1 g/6 g) concentrations of trypsin. After treatment with low trypsin two main peptides (Mr = 35,000 and 12,000) were produced. The cAMP-binding activity (2 mol cAMP/mol of subunit monomer) was recovered in the monomeric Mr = 35,000 peptide. The ability of either fragment to inhibit catalytic subunit activity was lost. Treatment of the regulatory subunit with a high concentration of trypsin yielded three main fragments (Mr = 32,000, 16,000, and 6,000) which could be resolved by Sephadex G-75 and purified further on DEAE-cellulose columns. One of the peptides (Mr = 32,000) bound 2 mol cAMP/mol fragment. The Mr = 16,000 fragment was very labile and bound cAMP with an undetermined stoichiometry. Cyclic AMP dissociation curves for the native regulatory subunit and its Mr = 32,000 component were similar and suggested the presence of two nonidentical binding sites in each monomer. Using the same procedure, the Mr = 16,000 fragment or homogenous cGMP-dependent protein kinase appeared to contain a single type of binding site. Purified Mr = 32,000 fragment was readily converted to the Mr = 16,000 fragment using high trypsin as assessed by protein bands on SDS-disc gels or by following transfer of radioactivity from Mr = 32,000 peptide covalently labeled with 8-N3-[32P] cAMP to radiolabeled Mr = 16,000 fragment. The smallest regulatory subunit fragment (Mr = 6,000) did not bind cAMP, but was dimeric and could be part of the dimerization domain in the native protein. A model is presented to explain the possible structural-functional relationships of the regulatory subunit.     

The topology of the proton translocating F0 component of the ATP synthase from E. coli K12: studies with proteases

The accessibility of the three F0 subunits a, b and c from the Escherichia coli K12 ATP synthase to various proteases was studied in F1-depleted inverted membrane vesicles. Subunit b was very sensitive to all applied proteases. Chymotrypsin produced a defined fragment of mol. wt. 15,000 which remained tightly bound to the membrane. The cleavage site was located at the C-terminal region of subunit b. Larger amounts of proteases were necessary to attack subunit a (mol. wt. 30,000). There was no detectable cleavage of subunit c. It is suggested that the major hydrophilic part of subunit b extends from the membrane into the cytoplasm and is in contact with the F1 sector. The F1 sector was found to afford some protection against proteolysis of the b subunit in vitro and in vivo. Protease digestion had no influence on the electro-impelled H+ conduction via F0 but ATP-dependent H+ translocation could not be reconstituted upon binding of F1. A possible role for subunit b as a linker between catalytic events on the F1 component and the proton pathway across the membrane is discussed.     

Enzymatic deglycosylation of the dendrotoxin-binding protein

The neuronal membrane protein which binds the K+-channel ligands dendrotoxin, mast cell degranulating peptide, and beta-bungarotoxin was purified from rat brain membranes. When analysed on 10% SDS gel electrophoresis, the purified protein contained two peptides: the toxin-binding subunit of apparent Mr 90,000 and another peptide of Mr 38,000. Neuraminidase treatment reduced the Mr of the toxin-binding subunit to 70,000. Glycopeptidase F gave a further reduction to Mr 65,000. In contrast, the peptide of Mr 38,000 showed no change in Mr upon treatment with neuraminidase and/or glycopeptidase F. It is concluded that the toxin-binding subunit of the dendrotoxin-binding protein, a presumptive K+ channel, is a sialated membrane protein with a peptide core of, at most, Mr 65,000.     

The polar domain of the b subunit of Escherichia coli F1F0-ATPase forms an elongated dimer that interacts with the F1 sector.

A soluble form of the b subunit of the F0 sector of the F1F0-ATPase of Escherichia coli has been produced, purified, and characterized. In this form of the protein, designated bsol, residues 25-146 (the carboxyl terminus) of b have been fused to an amino-terminal octapeptide extension derived from the vector pUC8. The inferred subunit molecular weight of bsol is 15,459. bsol protein was expressed in E. coli as a soluble cytoplasmic protein and was readily purified to homogeneity by conventional methods. The molecular weight of bsol, determined by sedimentation equilibrium, was 31,200, indicating that the protein is dimeric. Chemical cross-linking studies supported this conclusion. However, bsol sedimented with a coefficient of just 1.8 S and behaved on size exclusion chromatography with an apparent molecular weight of 80,000-85,000. These results indicate that the protein exists in solution as a highly elongated dimer. The circular dichroism spectrum indicated that bsol is highly alpha-helical. Binding of bsol to F1-ATPase was directly demonstrated by size exclusion chromatography. bsol also inhibited the binding of F1-ATPase to F1-depleted membrane vesicles, as measured by reconstitution of energy-dependent quinacrine fluorescence quenching. This result implies that bsol and F0 compete for binding to the same site on F1. The apparently normal interaction of bsol with F1-ATPase strongly suggests that the recombinant protein assumes the correct structure. No substantial effects of bsol on the ATPase activity of purified F1 were observed.     

Localization on the mitochondrial F1 ATPase alpha subunit of an epitope masked in the membrane-bound enzyme using a monoclonal antibody and synthetic peptides.

The epitope of the monoclonal antibody 20D6 was localized by N-terminal sequencing of the smallest immunoreactive peptides obtained after CNBr and trypsin cleavage of the F1 alpha subunit of the mitochondrial ATPase/ATP synthase. Immunochemical analysis of overlapping synthetic octapeptides, covering the immunoreactive peptide sequence, has defined the seven-amino-acid sequence recognized by 20D6 as 84EGDIVKR90. The binding of 20D6 was lost after substituting either I87 by K or S, or R90 by C or A as it occurs in the alpha subunit sequence of Escherichia coli or chloroplast ATPase, respectively. This explained the lack of immunoreactivity of 20D6 to these species and indicated the importance of charged as well as hydrophobic residues in the epitope. Immunochemical analysis of synthetic peptides by polyclonal anti-F1 antisera showed that this region is highly immunodominant. In a competitive ELISA, the monoclonal antibody bound with similar affinity to F1 in the presence and absence of substrate as well as to cold dissociated F1, indicating that the epitope was located on the surface of the alpha subunit and not buried between F1 subunits. The lack of binding of 20D6 when F1 is bound to the membrane showed that the epitope exposed at the surface of purified soluble F1 became masked after binding to the membrane. This suggests that it is located at the interface between F1 and the membrane.     

The alpha subunit of a plant mitochondrial F1-ATPase is translated in mitochondria

The mitochondrial F1-ATPase from bean (Vicia faba L.) was solubilized by a chloroform treatment of mitochondrial membranes and purified by centrifugation on a glycerol gradient. The active fraction contained 5 subunits: alpha (Mr = 52,000), beta (Mr = 51,000), gamma (Mr = 34,000), delta (Mr = 23,800), and epsilon (Mr = 22,900). Purified coupled mitochondria were incubated in the presence of [ 35S ]methionine and malate to allow mitochondrial translation to occur. The largest labeled polypeptide (Mr = 52,000) was present in the chloroform extract, co-sedimented with the F1-ATPase on glycerol gradient and co-migrated with the alpha subunit upon two-dimensional electrophoresis. The results indicate that the alpha subunit of bean mitochondrial ATPase is translated on mitoribosomes, in contrast to the situation in other organisms.     

Correspondence of minor subunits of plant mitochondrial F1ATPase to F1F0ATPase subunits of other organisms

In addition to two major alpha- and beta-subunits, the soluble oligomycin-insensitive F1ATPase purified from sweet potato root mitochondria contains four different minor subunits of gamma (Mr = 35,500), delta (Mr = 27,000), delta' (Mr = 23,000), and epsilon (Mr = 12,000) (Iwasaki, Y., and Asashi, T. (1983) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 227, 164-173). Among these minor subunits, the delta-subunit specifically cross-reacted with an antibody against the delta-subunit of maize mitochondrial F1 which contains only three minor gamma-, delta- and epsilon-subunits like F1ATPases from other organisms, indicating that the delta'-subunit is an extra subunit of sweet potato F1 which is absent in the maize F1. All of the four minor subunits of sweet potato F1 were purified and their N-terminal amino acid sequences of 30-36 residues were determined. The N-terminal sequence of gamma-subunit was homologous to those of the gamma-subunits of bacterial F1 and mammalian mitochondrial F1. The N-terminal sequence of the delta-subunit was homologous to those of the delta-subunits of bacterial F1, chloroplast CF1, and oligomycin sensitivity conferring protein of bovine mitochondrial F1F0. A sequence homology was also observed between the sweet potato epsilon-subunit and the epsilon-subunit of bovine mitochondrial F1. The N-terminal sequence of the delta'-subunit did not show any significant sequence homology to known protein sequences. These subunit correspondences place plant mitochondrial F1 at an unique position in the evolution of F1ATPase.     

Correlation of energy-dependent cell cohesion with social motility in Myxococcus xanthus.

Membrane-bound ATPase was found in membranes of the archaebacterium Methanosarcina barkeri. The ATPase activity required divalent cations, Mg2+ or Mn2+, and maximum activity was obtained at pH 5.2. The activity was specifically stimulated by HSO3- with a shift of optimal pH to 5.8, and N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide inhibited ATP hydrolysis. The enzyme could be solubilized from membranes by incubation in 1 mM Tris-maleate buffer (pH 6.9) containing 0.5 mM EDTA. The solubilized ATPase was purified by DEAE-Sepharose and Sephacryl S-300 chromatography. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 420,000 by gel filtration through Sephacryl S-300. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate revealed two classes of subunit, Mr 62,000 (alpha) and 49,000 (beta) associated in the molar ratio 1:1. These results suggest that the ATPase of M. barkeri is similar to the F0F1 type ATPase found in many eubacteria.     

The proton-translocating adenosine triphosphatase of the obligately anaerobic bacterium Clostridium pasteurianum. 1. ATP phosphohydrolase activity.

1. The cell-membrane ATP phosphohydrolase of vegetatively grown Clostridium pasteurianum was specifically Mg2+-dependent, but demonstrated significant activity with GTP, CTP and UTP. It displayed approximate Michaelis-Menten kinetics only in the presence of certain effectors (e.g. phosphoenolpyruvate, fructose 1,6-bis-phosphate) which decreased the Km for ATP (to below 2 mM) but also V, whilst extending to pH 5.8 the effective pH range of activity of the enzyme. 2. ATP phosphohydrolase activity of the membrane ATPase (BF0F1) was inhibited by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, butyricin 7423, Dio-9, 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan, efrapeptin, leucinostatin and quercetin, and to a lesser degree by aurovertin and citreoviridin. The enzyme was not inhibited by oligomycin, spegazzinine, tributyl tin, triethyl tin or venturicidin. The soluble ATPase (BF1) component differed in not being inhibited by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, butyricin 7423 or leucinostatin. 3. The ATPase (BF0F1) complex and its soluble (BF1) component were separately purified. 4. Dodecylsulphate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis separated only four polypeptide components in the purified ATPase (BF0F1), with approximate molecular weights (+/- 10%) as follows: subunit a, 65 500; subunit c, 57 500; subunit da, 43 000; subunit fa, 15 000. The soluble (BF1 component contained only the three polypeptide subunits a, c and da. These were present in the BF0F1 preparation in the ratio 2 : 1 : 2; the contribution of subunit fa could not satisfactorily be quantified. 5. Subunit a was identified as the component binding 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan and subunit fa as the component binding N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. The ATP phosphohydrolase activity of the membrane ATPase was not activated by trypsin treatment and the ATPase (BF0F1) contained no trypsin-sensitive inhibitor protein subunit. 6. Purified ATPase (BF0F1) was incorporated into artificial proteoliposomes which demonstrated ATP-dependent enhancement of 8-anilinonaphthalene-1-sulphonate fluorescence and ATP-dependent proton influx. These reactions were abolished by proton conductors (e.g. carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone) by valinomycin in the presence of a high external concentration of K+, or by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, butyricin 7423, Dio-9, 4-chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan or leucinostatin. Oligomycin, tributyl tin, triethyl tin and venturicidin were not inhibitory. 7. When stripped of the soluble BF1 component, such ATPase-proteoliposomes demonstrated nil ATP phosphohydrolase activity and did not display ATP-dependent enhancement of 8-anilino-naphthalene-1-sulphonate fluorescence or ATP-dependent protein influx. All of these activities were restored by incubation of the BF1-depleted proteoliposomes with a purified preparation of the soluble BF1 component.     

Specific binding of coupling factor 1 lacking the delta and epsilon subunits to thylakoids

An improved procedure for the preparation of chloroplast coupling factor 1 (CF1) lacking the delta subunit is described. In addition, CF1 deficient in the epsilon subunit was isolated by a new method and CF1 lacking both of the smaller subunits was prepared. The ability of the subunit-deficient forms and of CF1, either heated or incubated with dithiothreitol to activate its ATPase activity, to bind to thylakoids from which CF1 had been removed was studied. All CF1 preparations bound in a cation-dependent manner to similar extents. CF1 lacking the delta subunit required higher cation concentrations for maximal binding. All preparations competed similarly with control CF1 for binding sites on the depleted membranes. The alpha subunit of all forms of CF1 in solution was rapidly cleaved by trypsin. After reconstitution, however, the alpha subunit of CF1, as well as of the subunit-deficient and the activated forms, was resistant to attack by trypsin. Moreover, treatment of the membranes with either trypsin or N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide inhibited the binding of all CF1 forms. These results suggest that the binding of the subunit-deficient and activated forms of CF1 is specific. CF1 lacking the epsilon subunit restored neither proton uptake nor ATP synthesis to the depleted membranes. In contrast to our previous results, CF1 lacking the delta subunit was partially effective. Previously, we used a suboptimal Mg2+ concentration for binding the delta-deficient enzyme which we show here was partially deficient in the epsilon subunit. These results show that the delta and epsilon subunits are not required for binding CF1 to the membranes and that the delta subunit is not an absolute requirement for ATP synthesis.