Phosphorylation as a method of regulating inorganic pyrophosphatase activity in E. coli. II. Identification of the types of chemical bonds between phosphate and the enzyme

A bond formed by phosphate with Pi-phosphorylated pyrophosphatase from E. coli was found to be labile in acidic and alkaline media and to be rapidly cleaved by hydroxylamine at neutral pH. N-Methylhydroxylamine modifies also activated carboxyl groups of the enzyme. Interaction of inorganic pyrophosphatase with ATP produces an alkali-resistant phosphoamide bond. A phosphorylated amino acid, identified as phosphohistidine, was isolated from the alkaline hydrolyzate of the ATP-phosphorylated pyrophosphatase.