Mutagenesis of the C-terminal nucleotide-binding site of an anion-translocating ATPase.

An oxyanion-translocating ATPase encoded by a bacterial plasmid confers resistance to antiomonials and arsenicals in Escherichia coli by extrusion of the toxic oxyanions from the cytosol. The anion pump is composed of two polypeptides, the ArsA and ArsB proteins. Purified ArsA protein is an oxyanion-stimulated ATPase with two nucleotide-binding consensus sequences, one in the N-terminal half and one in the C-terminal half of the protein. The ArsA protein can be labeled with alpha-32P]ATP by a UV-catalyzed reaction. Previously reported mutations in the N-terminal site abolish photoadduct formation. Using site-directed mutagenesis the glycine-rich region of the C-terminal putative nucleotide-binding sequence was altered. Three C-terminal site mutant proteins (GR337, KE340, KN340) were analyzed, as well as one additional N-terminal mutant protein (KE21). Strains bearing the mutated plasmids were arsenite sensitive to varying degrees. The purified ArsA protein from mutant KE340 retained approximately 20% of the wild type oxyanion-stimulated ATPase activity, while the purified proteins from the other mutants were catalytically inactive. The KE21 mutation in the N-terminal nucleotide-binding site eliminated photoadduct formation with alpha-32P] ATP, while the purified proteins with mutations in the C-terminal site retained the ability to form a photoadduct. Each mutant protein was capable of forming a membrane-bound complex in arsB expressing strains. These results suggest first that both sites are required for resistance and ATPase activity, and second that the conserved lysyl residue in the glycine-rich loop of the C-terminal nucleotide-binding site is not essential for catalytic activity.