Abstract: | Effects of the S-S cross-linking reagent, Cu2+-o-phenanthroline (CuP), on salt conductances of gastric vesicle membranes in which the (H+ + K+)-ATPase is present were studied. CuP caused a dose-dependent increase in the KCl conductance of the vesicle membrane. The increase of the KCl conductance caused by 10 microM CuP was completely prevented by 0.3 mM ATP or 0.3 mM adenyl 5'-yl imidodiphosphate and partially prevented by ADP. The NaCl conductance was also increased by the CuP reaction. However, CuP has no effect on the K2SO4 conductance. Pretreatments of vesicles with 0.1 mM 4-acetoamide-4'-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate, an anion channel inhibitor, completely blocked the effect of CuP. Thus, these effects of CuP are ascribable to the increase in the anion conductance of the vesicle membrane produced by S-S cross-linking. Furthermore, tyrosine-tyrosine cross-linking with tetranitromethane also increases the anion conductance. Probable roles of the opening of the closed anion channel of the ATPase were discussed in regard to the acid secretory mechanism of gastric mucosa. |