Mechanism of regulation of phosphorylation-dephosphorylation of Ca2+, Mg2+ and Ca2+ -Atpases by modulator proteins isolated from rat brain cytosol

Two proteins of molecular mass 13 kDa, a specific inhibitor of Na+, K+ -ATPase and another of 12 kDa, which can distinguish between Ca2, Mg2+ and Ca2+ -ATPase activities have been obtained from the pooled fractions isolated from rat brain, using Sephadex G-100 chromatography. In order to determine the key step(s), which is affected by the modulators, we have designed an in vitro experiment of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation of these ATPases in the absence and presence of the modulators. The results suggest that the phosphorylation step of Mg2+ -independent Ca2+ -ATPase is inhibited, while in Mg2+ -dependent Ca2 -ATPase, the dephosphorylation step is stimulated by the modulators. The findings support our earlier observation that the modulators are able to distinguish between Mg2+ -independent and dependent Ca2+ -ATPases activities.