Mechanism of the microtubule GTPase reaction

The rate of GTP hydrolysis by microtubules has been measured at tubulin subunit concentrations where microtubules undergo net disassembly. This was made possible by using microtubules stabilized against disassembly by reaction with ethylene glycol bis-(succinimidylsuccinate) (EGS) as sites for the addition of tubulin-GTP subunits. The tubulin subunit concentration was varied from 25 to 90% of the steady state concentration, and there was no net elongation of stabilized microtubule seeds. The GTPase rate with EGS microtubules was linearly proportional to the tubulin-GTP subunit concentration when this concentration was varied by dilution and by using GDP to compete with GTP for the tubulin E-site. The linear dependence of the rate is consistent with a GTP mechanism in which hydrolysis is coupled to the tubulin-GTP subunit addition to microtubule ends. It is inconsistent with reaction schemes in which: microtubules are capped by a single tubulin-GTP subunit, which hydrolyzes GTP when a tubulin-GTP subunit adds to the end; hydrolysis occurs primarily in subunits at the interface of a tubulin-GTP cap and the tubulin-GDP microtubule core; hydrolysis is not coupled to subunit addition and occurs randomly in subunits in a tubulin-GTP cap. It was also found that GDP inhibition of the microtubule GTPase rate results from GDP competition for GTP at the tubulin subunit E-site. There is no additional effect of GDP on the GTPase rate resulting from exchange into tubulin subunits at microtubule ends.

Modulation of microtubule stability by kinetochores in vitro

The interface between kinetochores and microtubules in the mitotic spindle is known to be dynamic. Kinetochore microtubules can both polymerize and depolymerize, and their dynamic behavior is intimately related to chromosome movement. In this paper we investigate the influence of kinetochores on the inherent dynamic behavior of microtubules using an in vitro assay. The dynamics of microtubule plus ends attached to kinetochores are compared to those of free plus ends in the same solution. We show that microtubules attached to kinetochores exhibit the full range of dynamic instability behavior, but at altered transition rates. Surprisingly, we find that kinetochores increase the rate at which microtubule ends transit from growing to shrinking. This result contradicts our previous findings (Mitchison, T. J., and M. W. Kirschner, 1985b) for technical reasons which are discussed. We suggest that catalysis of the growing to shrinking transition by kinetochores may account for selective depolymerization of kinetochore microtubules during anaphase in vivo. We also investigate the effects of a nonhydrolyzable ATP analogue on kinetochore microtubule dynamics. We find that 5' adenylylimido diphosphate induces a rigor state at the kinetochore-microtubule interface, which prevents depolymerization of the microtubule.

Ryanodine as a probe for the functional state of the skeletal muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium release channel

In this paper, we study the modulation of the rabbit fast twitch skeletal muscle calcium release channel by assaying the kinetics of [3H]ryanodine binding, 45Ca2+ flux, and single-channel activity. The effects of modulators of the Ca2+ release channel (confirmed here with both flux and single-channel data) were examined for effects on [3H]ryanodine binding to terminal cisternae vesicles. We find that activators of the release channel, such as adenine nucleotides (1 mM) and caffeine (1 mM), enhance the rate of association of [3H]ryanodine, whereas inhibitors, such as Mg2+ (1 mM) and ruthenium red (100 nM), decrease the rate of association. High concentrations of either ryanodine or ruthenium red, which close the channel, slow the dissociation of [3H]ryanodine, suggesting that at these concentrations the inhibitory effects of both ryanodine and ruthenium red occur as the result of binding at a site distinct from but interacting cooperatively with the high affinity site. Our data are consistent with a model in which the high affinity ryanodine binding site is within a conformationally sensitive area of the channel, such that conditions that open the channel (ATP, caffeine, etc.) enhance the rate at which [3H]ryanodine reaches its binding site and other conditions that close the channel (the binding of ryanodine and ruthenium red to a low affinity site) slow the dissociation of [3H]ryanodine from the high affinity site. Some conditions that inhibit channel activity (high concentrations of Mg2+ and Ca2+) slow association but do not affect dissociation of bound [3H]ryanodine, suggesting a completely different state of the channel from that which is inactive in the presence of high concentrations of ryanodine or ruthenium red. In summary, the functional state of the fast twitch skeletal muscle calcium release channel can be characterized by the changes in the kinetics of [3H]ryanodine binding. Different modulators (activators/inhibitors) affect different aspects of ryanodine binding (association/dissociation).

Characterization of ATP-stimulated guanylate cyclase activation in rat lung membranes

Many of the effects of ANP are mediated through the elevation of cellular cGMP levels by the activation of particulate guanylate cyclase. While the stimulation of this enzyme is receptor-mediated, the molecular mechanism of activation remains unknown. In this study we present evidence that ATP as well as its analogues adenosine-5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (ATP gamma S) and adenylylimidophosphate (AMPPNP) activates guanylate cyclase from rat lung membranes and markedly potentiates the effect of ANP on the enzyme. The order of potency is ATP gamma S greater than ATP greater than AMPPNP. The enzyme activation by adenine nucleotide and ANP together is much more than the sum of the individual activations, suggesting that ATP may be the physiological component essential for the ANP-stimulated guanylate cyclase activation. The ATP gamma S-stimulated guanylate cyclase activity diminishes in the presence of various kinds of detergents, suggesting either that the conformation of an ATP binding site in guanylate cyclase is altered by detergents or that protein-protein interaction may be involved in the activation of guanylate cyclase by ATP. Guanylate cyclase from rat lung membranes is poorly activated by ANP and/or ATP gamma S after removing the cytosolic and weakly membrane-associated proteins or factors by centrifugation. Pre-incubation of the membranes with ATP gamma S retains enzyme activation after membrane washing. These results suggest either that ATP gamma S stabilizes the conformation of nucleotide binding site in guanylate cyclase from denaturation by membrane washing, or that the stimulatory effect of ATP on guanylate cyclase activity may be mediated by accessory proteins or non-protein cofactors which are lost during membrane washing, but remain bound to membranes by ATP gamma S pretreatment.

ATP directly affects junctional conductance between paired ventricular myocytes isolated from guinea pig heart

Effects of ATP on junctional conductance (gj) were investigated in paired ventricular myocytes isolated from guinea pig hearts. One cell of the pair was voltage-clamped with a single-patch pipette, and gj was measured after the perforation of the nonjunctional membrane of the partner cell. The current-voltage relation of gj was linear between -30 and +30 mV. The control gj at 5.0 mM ATP in 88 pairs of cells ranged from 100 to 1,055 nS (average, 268 nS). ATP within the range from 0.1 to 5.0 mM increased gj in a dose-dependent manner. The Hill coefficient was 2.6, and the half-maximum effective concentration of ATP was 0.68 mM. Adenylylimidodiphosphate (2 mM) caused a transient increase in gj in the presence of 0.5 mM ATP, but forskolin (30 microM), cyclic AMP (50 microM), catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (1 microM), and ADP (10 mM) had no significant effect on gj. The temperature coefficient of gj in the presence of 5.0 mM ATP was 1.29. These findings suggest that gj in paired ventricular myocytes is directly regulated by ATP probably through a specific ligand-receptor interaction between ATP and gap junctional channel protein.

Stimulation and inhibition of [3H]ryanodine binding to sarcoplasmic reticulum from malignant hyperthermia susceptible pigs

When compared to normal pig sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), SR from malignant hyperthermia susceptible (MHS) porcine skeletal muscle has been shown to exhibit an increased rate of calcium release, as well as alterations in [3H]ryanodine-binding activity in the presence of microM Ca2+ (Mickelson et al., 1988, J. Biol. Chem. 263, 9310). In the present study, various stimulators (adenine nucleotides and caffeine) and inhibitors (ruthenium red and Mg2+) of the SR calcium release channel were examined for effects on MHS and normal SR [3H]ryanodine binding. The apparent affinity of the MHS SR receptor for ryanodine in the presence of 10 mM ATP (Kd = 6.0 nM) or 10 mM caffeine (Kd = 28 nM) was significantly greater than that of the normal SR (Kd = 8.5 and 65 nM in 10 mM ATP or caffeine, respectively), the Bmax (12-16 pmol/mg) was similar in all cases. The Ca2+(0.5) for inhibition of [3H]ryanodine binding in the presence of 5 mM AMPPNP (238 vs 74 microM for MHS and normal SR, respectively) and the Ca2+(0.5) for stimulation of [3H]ryanodine binding in the presence of 5 mM caffeine (0.049 vs 0.070 microM for MHS and normal SR, respectively) were also significantly different. Furthermore, in the presence of optimal Ca2+, MHS SR [3H]ryanodine binding was more sensitive to caffeine stimulation (C0.5 of 1.7 vs 3.4 mM) and was less sensitive to ruthenium red (C0.5 of 1.9 vs 1.2 microM) or Mg2+ inhibition (C0.5 of 0.34 vs 0.21 mM) than was normal SR. These results further support the hypothesis that differences in the ryanodine/receptor calcium release channel regulatory properties are responsible for the abnormal calcium releasing activity of MHS SR.

The proteasome (multicatalytic protease) is a component of the 1500-kDa proteolytic complex which degrades ubiquitin-conjugated proteins

Mammalian cells contain two large proteolytic complexes, the 650-kDa proteasome (or multicatalytic protease) and the 1500-kDa (26 S) Ubiquitin-conjugate-degrading enzyme. Since the proteasome is also required for the ATP-dependent degradation of ubiquitinated proteins, we tested whether it may be a component of the larger complex. The proteasome normally is soluble in 38% ammonium sulfate. However, after preincubation of reticulocyte extracts with ATP, several proteasome activities appeared in the 38% ammonium sulfate pellet, including the ability to degrade hydrophobic peptides and 14C-casein. Also, following preincubation with ATP, the precipitable fraction could degrade 125I-lysozyme-ubiquitin (Ub) conjugates. The activities were not present after incubation without ATP or with a nonmetabolizable ATP analog. Nondenaturing gel electrophoresis indicated the ATP-dependent appearance of a new band which degraded proteasome substrates, and reacted with an anti-proteasome monoclonal antibody on Western blot. This new band appeared larger than the proteasome and migrated similarly to the larger Ub-conjugate-degrading complex. The formation of the larger complex required factor(s) present in the 38% ammonium sulfate pellet and either the 40-80% fraction or the purified proteasome from reticulocytes or muscle. After complex formation, hydrolysis of Ub-protein conjugates and also the non-ubiquitinated substrate, casein, was stimulated severalfold by ATP, but non-metabolizable ATP analogs had little or no effect. Thus, the proteasome corresponds to component CF-3 of Ganoth et al. (Ganoth, D., Leshinisky, E., Eytan, E., and Hershkov, A. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 263 12412-12419) and undergoes an energy-dependent association with other factors to form the 1500-kDa, ATP-requiring proteolytic complex.

Extracellular ATP shows synergistic enhancement of DNA synthesis when combined with agents that are active in wound healing or as neurotransmitters

The polypeptides PDGF, TGF alpha, and EGF have previously been shown by others to stimulate proliferation of fibroblasts and keratinocytes in the process of wound healing. Here we demonstrate that extracellular ATP, ADP or AMPPNP caused synergistic enhancement of DNA synthesis in 3T6 mouse fibroblasts and BALB/MK keratinocytes when combined with any of the above polypeptides. TGF beta showed synergistic stimulation with ATP in fibroblasts but it inhibited keratinocytes. ATP acted as a mitogen for NIE-115 neuroblastoma cultures. In 3T6 cells, ATP stimulated thymidine incorporation in combination with carbachol or norepinephrine. The effect of carbachol was sensitive to atropine. We suggest that extracellular ATP and ADP may play a physiological role in wound healing and as a mitogenic neurotransmitter in the nervous system.

ATP-dependent decay and recovery of K+ channels in guinea pig cardiac myocytes

ATP-dependent decay and recovery of the inward rectifier and ATP-sensitive K+ channels were investigated using inside-out patch recording in cardiac myocytes. The solution facing the inner side of the membrane was instantaneously changed with the oil-gate concentration jump method. Both channels were decayed by removing ATP and were recovered by reapplying ATP. The coexistence of Mg2+ was required for the recovery. 5'-Adenylylimidodiphosphate failed to reverse the ATP-dependent decay. The cumulative histograms of survival time and recovery time, obtained from the inward rectifier K+ channel, showed a single exponential distribution, time constants of which were 55 and 43 s, respectively. The time-dependent nature of decay and recovery was also confirmed in the ATP-sensitive K+ channel. The findings indicated that intracellular ATP is one of the factors that determines the activity of the K+ channels. It is most probable that phosphorylation of channel molecules is essential for maintaining the K+ channel in an operative state.

Effects of adenyl-5'-imidodiphosphate and vanadate Ion on the intermolecular cross-linking of Ca2(+)-ATPase in the sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane with N,N'-(1,4-phenylene)bismaleimide

The functional significance of the molecular interaction of Ca2(+)-ATPase in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) membrane was examined using intermolecular cross-linking of Ca2(+)-ATPase with N,N'-(1,4-phenylene)bismaleimide (PBM). When SR vesicles were allowed to react with 1 mM PBM at pH 7 and 23 degrees C for various intervals and subjected to SDS-PAGE, the amount of the major band of monomeric ATPase decreased with a half life of about 20 min. Higher orders of oligomers were concurrently formed without accumulation of any particular species of oligomer. When SR vesicles were allowed to react with 1 mM PBM in the presence of 1 mM adenyl-5'-imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP), the rate of oligomerization was markedly reduced and the amount of dimeric Ca2(+)-ATPase increased with time. After 1 h, more than 40% of the Ca2(+)-ATPase had accumulated in the dimeric form. When 1 mol of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was bound per mol of ATPase, the effects of AMP-PNP on the cross-linking with PBM were completely abolished. When SR vesicles were treated with PBM in the presence of 0.1 mM vanadate in Ca2+ free medium, the oligomerization of the Ca2(+)-ATPase by PBM was strongly inhibited. The vanadate effect on the cross-link formation was completely removed by the presence of Ca2+ and AMP-PNP in the reaction medium. When SR vesicles were pretreated with PBM in the presence of AMP-PNP and digested with trypsin for a short time, the dimeric ATPase was degraded to a peptide with an apparent molecular mass of about 170 kDa.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Phosphatidylserine translocation to the mitochondrion is an ATP-dependent process in permeabilized animal cells

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1) cells were pulse labeled with [3H]serine, and the synthesis of phosphatidyl[3H]ethanolamine from phosphatidyl[3H]serine during the subsequent chase was used as a measure of lipid translocation to the mitochondria. When the CHO-K1 cells were pulse labeled and subsequently permeabilized with 50 micrograms of saponin per ml, there was no significant turnover of nascent phosphatidyl[3H]serine to form phosphatidyl[3H]ethanolamine during an ensuing chase. Saponin treatment rendered greater than 99% of the cells permeable as judged by trypan blue exclusion and depleted them of 85% of their complement of cytosolic proteins as determined by residual lactic acid dehydrogenase activity. Supplementation of the permeabilized cells with 2 mM ATP resulted in significant phosphatidyl[3H]ethanolamine synthesis (83% of that found in intact cells) from phosphatidyl[3H]serine during a subsequent 2-hr chase. Phosphatidyl[3H]ethanolamine synthesis essentially ceased after 2 hr in the permeabilized cells. The translocation-dependent synthesis of phosphatidyl[3H]ethanolamine was a saturable process with respect to ATP concentration in permeabilized cells. The conversion of phosphatidyl[3H]serine to phosphatidyl[3H]ethanolamine did not occur in saponin-treated cultures supplemented with 2 mM AMP, 2 mM 5'-adenylyl imidodiphosphate, or apyrase (2.5 units/ml) plus 2 mM ATP. ATP was the most effective nucleotide, but the addition of GTP, CTP, UTP, and ADP also supported the translocation-dependent synthesis of phosphatidyl[3H]ethanolamine albeit to a lesser extent. These data provide evidence that the interorganelle translocation of phosphatidylserine requires ATP and is largely independent of soluble cytosolic proteins.

In vitro analysis of the process of translocation of OmpA across the Escherichia coli cytoplasmic membrane. A translocation intermediate accumulates transiently in the absence of the proton motive force

The proton motive force (delta mu H+) plays an important role, although it is not absolutely essential, in the in vitro translocation of secretory proteins, such as OmpA, across the cytoplasmic membrane of Escherichia coli (Yamada, H., Tokuda, H., and Mizushima, S. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 1723-1728). The transient accumulation in membrane vesicles of a possible translocation intermediate of OmpA was observed in the absence of delta mu H+. The intermediate was detected on a polyacrylamide gel as a proteinase K-resistant band corresponding to a molecular weight of 26,000. The intermediate did not possess the signal peptide. The appearance of this band was inhibited in the absence of ATP or the presence of adenosine 5'-(beta,gamma-imino)triphosphate (AMP-PNP) and enhanced upon the addition of SecA. Upon the addition of NADH that energizes the membrane, the intermediate was converted to the translocated form of OmpA, even in the presence of AMP-PNP. These results suggest different requirements of ATP and delta mu H+ for the early and late stages of the translocation reaction. The SecA requirement for the early stage of the translocation has also been suggested. In addition to this band, two other bands were observed at higher positions on the gel, when the translocation reaction was performed in the absence of delta mu H+. Although these two bands also represented the mature form of OmpA, which was partly protected from the proteinase K treatment by the membrane vesicles, the accumulation was not transient. These bands did not appear when the translocation reaction was performed in the presence of dithiothreitol. Together with other evidence, the above observations suggest that OmpA, which has an intramolecular disulfide bridge, cannot undergo the translocation unless delta mu H+ is imposed.

Guanosine triphosphate fulfills a complete and specific nucleotide requirement for luteinizing hormone-induced desensitization of pig ovarian adenylyl cyclase

Homologous desensitization of the ovarian LH-sensitive adenylyl cyclase in cell-free systems is known to be dependent on micromolar concentrations of GTP. In this study, we sought to determine whether the nucleotide requirement of GTP for desensitization is complete and specific. LH-dependent desensitization of the adenylyl cyclase of pig ovarian follicular membranes was examined without adding adenyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate [AMP-P(NH)P] to prevent the degradation of nucleotide triphosphates. GTP at 0.1 mM or higher [in the absence of AMP-P(NH)P] was able to support the same amount of desensitization (30-35%) that occurs with 1 mM AMP-P(NH)P and micromolar concentrations of GTP. ATP, UTP, and CTP also supported maximal desensitization, but were 5-30 times less potent than GTP. The ED50 value for GTP (14 microM) was about 100 times higher than when the reaction was performed in the presence of 1 mM AMP-P(NH)P; the ED50 values for UTP (70 microM) and CTP and ATP (400 microM) were only 2-5 times higher than when AMP-P(NH)P was included. Incubation of [alpha-32P]GTP with pig follicular membranes demonstrated that 1 mM GTP was stable, whereas 10 microM or less was rapidly degraded unless 1 mM AMP-P(NH)P was included. The specificity of GTP for supporting desensitization was also demonstrated in experiments where guanyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate, the nonhydrolyzable GTP analog, inhibited LH-induced desensitization which otherwise would have occurred in the presence of ATP, CTP, or UTP. These studies establish the complete and specific requirement of GTP for supporting desensitization of ovarian LH-responsive adenylyl cyclase.

Characterization of mitotic motors by their relative sensitivity to AMP-PNP

The relative sensitivities of the motors for mitotic chromosome movements and saltatory motion were compared using a nonhydrolyzable analog of ATP, AMP-PNP. K+AMP-PNP was microinjected into PtKl cells at the time of nuclear envelope disassembly or at anaphase onset. To produce a dose-response curve for the effect of AMP-PNP on the rate of movement, the intracellular concentration of AMP-PNP in individual cells was measured. The volume injected into each cell was determined by adding dextrans labeled with Lucifer Yellow to the injection buffer, measuring the injected cell's fluorescence intensity, and then comparing the value with the fluorescence intensity of known volumes of Lucifer Yellow dextran solution. AMP-PNP produced a 50% inhibition of spindle elongation at 0.2 mM, of saltatory motion at 0.8 mM, and of chromosome movement at 8.6 mM. Prometaphase chromosome movement and anaphase chromosome-to-pole movement were similarly inhibited by AMP-PNP. Equivalent volumes of injection buffer containing 1% Lucifer Yellow dextran had no effect on chromosome movement, spindle elongation or saltatory motion. Although AMP-PNP occasionally produced shorter anaphase spindles, tubulin immunofluorescence revealed the presence of abundant spindle microtubules. Metaphase cells treated with very high cell concentrations of AMP-PNP had spindles with unusually long astral microtubules; thus microtubules are stabilized rather than broken down by AMP-PNP. In conclusion, spindle elongation is four times more sensitive than saltatory motion to AMP-PNP and 40 times more sensitive than chromosome movement. When these sensitivities to AMP-PNP are considered with the results from other studies, it can be concluded that the molecular motors for spindle elongation, chromosome movement and saltatory motion are different.

ATP mediates both activation and inhibition of K(ATP) channel activity via cAMP-dependent protein kinase in insulin-secreting cell lines

The single-channel recording technique was employed to investigate the mechanism conferring ATP sensitivity to a metabolite-sensitive K channel in insulin-secreting cells. ATP stimulated channel activity in the 0-10 microM range, but depressed it at higher concentrations. In inside-out patches, addition of the cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor (PKI) reduced channel activity, suggesting that the stimulatory effect of ATP occurs via cAMP-dependent protein kinase-mediated phosphorylation. Raising ATP between 10 and 500 microM in the presence of exogenous PKI progressively reduced the channel activity; it is proposed that this inactivation results from a reduction in kinase activity owing to an ATP-dependent binding of PKI or a protein with similar inhibitory properties to the kinase. A model describing the effects of ATP was developed, incorporating these two separate roles for the nucleotide. Assuming that the efficacy of ATP in controlling the channel activity depends upon the relative concentrations of inhibitor and catalytic subunit associated with the membrane, our model predicts that the channel sensitivity to ATP will vary when the ratio of these two modulators is altered. Based upon this, it is shown that the apparent discrepancy existing between the sensitivity of the channel to low ATP concentrations in the excised patch and the elevated intracellular level of ATP may be explained by postulating a change in the inhibitor/kinase ratio from 1:1 to 3:2 owing to the loss of protein kinase after patch excision. At a low concentration of ATP (10-20 microM), a nonhydrolyzable ATP analogue, AMP-PNP, enhanced the channel activity when present below 10 microM, whereas the analogue blocked the channel activity at higher concentrations. It is postulated that AMP-PNP inhibits the formation of the kinase-inhibitor complex in the former case, and prevents phosphate transfer in the latter. A similar mechanism would explain the interaction between ATP and ADP which is characterized by enhanced activity at low ADP concentrations and blocking at higher concentrations.

Slip of rabbit striated muscle in rigor or AMPPNP

Single glycerol-extracted rabbit psoas muscle fibres have been slowly extended either in rigor or in the unhydrolysable ATP analogue, AMPPNP, and their sarcomere length, sarcomere structure and tension measured. The length of regularly arrayed sarcomeres, measured by optical diffraction, increased continuously as the muscle was stretched; the maximum sarcomere extension seen was approximately 6%. In the electron microscope sarcomeres from extended muscle fixed in rigor or AMPPNP remained regular in their internal structure, without rupture or obvious lengthening around the Z line. During steady extension at 0.024% per min the tension in the muscle fibre rose until it reached a limiting value [Tm] when the sarcomeres had stretched by 0.8-1.6% and then remained constant with continued extension, while the sarcomeres continued to stretch. Provided that a novel form of preparation of the glycerol-extracted fibres was employed, Tm in rigor was a large fraction of the tension expected from an active isometric muscle fibre. In the presence of AMPPNP Tm was reduced by a factor of 2 to 3. Step extension by 0.08% at 5-min intervals gave the same pattern of mechanical response with similar values of Tm. The isometric tension decay in the interval between the steps was very rapid at first and slowed continuously until the next step. The average speed of tension fall between 30 and 300 s after stretch was measured at each step and plotted relative to the tension in the muscle. The relationship approached linearity, although with a significant upward curvature at high tension.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

P2-purinergic agonists activate phospholipase C in a guanine nucleotide- and Ca2+-dependent manner in FRTL-5 thyroid cell membranes

Various adenine nucleotides activated phospholipase C of FRTL-5 cell membranes in the following order of activity, ATP gamma S greater than ATP greater than AppNp greater than AppCp = ADP greater than MeSATP. This order was well consistent with that observed in intact cells. Such activation occurred only in the presence of appropriate concentrations of GTP gamma S and Ca2+, in a way similar to the norepinephrine-induced activation. NaF, a non-specific GTP-binding protein (G-protein) activator, also stimulated the enzyme. These adenine nucleotides, norepinephrine and NaF-induced activations were inhibited by GDP beta S. We conclude that a G-protein is involved in the adenine nucleotides-induced activation of phospholipase C via P2-purinergic receptor in FRTL-5 cells.

Production of AMP and adenosine in the interstitial fluid compartment of the isolated perfused normoxic guinea pig heart

The pathway of production of AMP and adenosine in the myocardial interstitial fluid compartment was studied in the isolated perfused normoxic guinea pig heart by collecting the transmyocardial effluent (t.m.e.) with the method of De Deckere and Ten Hoor (1977). Besides adenosine and inosine, AMP was found in t.m.e. Infusion of alpha,beta-methylene adenosine 5'-diphosphate (AOPCP), a specific inhibitor of the ecto 5'-nucleotidase, resulted in increases in t.m.e. AMP and inosine and a decrease in adenosine. Infusion of acetate producing a nearly twofold increase in myocardial AMP content did not increase the t.m.e. AMP even in the presence of AOPCP. In preparations made from 6-OH dopamine treated animals, the t.m.e. adenosine and inosine were reduced and AOPCP produced smaller increases in AMP and inosine, indicating that most if not all of the t.m.e. AMP originated from the sympathetic nerve terminals. Infusions of beta,gamma-imidoadenosine and beta,gamma-methylene adenosine 5'-triphosphate (AMPPNP and AMPPCP), non-hydrolysable analogs of ATP, resulted in dose-dependent increases in the t.m.e. AMP, which were much augmented in the presence of AOPCP. AMPPNP produced similar effects in 6-OH dopamine-treated preparations. As AMPPNP and AMPPCP are good substrates of ATP pyrophosphohydrolase, these findings indicate the presence of ATP pyrophosphohydrolase in the myocardial interstitial space.

Effect of adenosine triphosphate analogues on skeletal muscle fibers in rigor

It is commonly believed, for both vertebrate striated and insect flight muscle, that when the ATP analogue adenyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate (AMPPNP) is added to the muscle fiber in rigor, it causes the fiber to lengthen by 0.15%. This has been interpretated (Marston S.B., C.D. Roger, and R.T. Tregear. 1976. J. Mol. Biol. 104:263-267) as suggesting (a) that in rigor the crossbridge is fixed to, i.e., almost never detaches from the actin filament; (b), that the crossbridge remains fixed to the actin filament after AMPPNP addition; and (c) that the ability of AMPPNP to cause apparent lengthening of a muscle fiber is due to its ability to cause a conformational change in the myosin crossbridge that has an axial component of approximately 1.6 nm/half-sarcomere. The present study, done only on chemically-skinned rabbit psoas fibers, confirms that AMPPNP can cause muscle fibers to lengthen by 0.15% but only for a narrow set of experimental conditions. When experimental conditions are varied over a wider range, it becomes apparent that the extent of lengthening of a rigor muscle fiber upon AMPPNP addition depends almost entirely on the strain present in the rigor fiber before AMPPNP addition. Addition of AMPPNP to an unstrained rigor fiber (one supporting zero tension), induces zero length change while addition of AMPPNP to very highly strained rigor fibers induces length changes greater than 0.15%. The data thus do not support the hypotheses that the crossbridges remain fixed to the actin filament after AMPPNP addition and that the size of the apparent length change induced by AMPPNP is related to the size of the axial component of a conformational change. Instead, the data support the idea that the ability of AMPPNP to cause lengthening of a rigor muscle fiber is related to its ability to accelerate the rate at which strained crossbridges detach from actin and reattach in positions in lesser strain. The data do not rule out a conformational change upon AMPPNP binding, they simply make clear that any attempt to measure a force response conceivably due to a conformational change, would be more than obscured by the force changes due to crossbridges detaching and reattaching in positions of lesser strain.

Stabilization of actin filaments by ATP and inorganic phosphate

Both inorganic orthophosphate and ATP stabilize actin filaments. This is reflected by a reduced nucleotide exchange and by a protection against filament breakdown by SDS or KI. When the filament-stabilizing effect of ATP was maximal, only about 15% of the actin subunits of the filament had bound one molecule of the nucleotide offered in the stabilizing solution.

ATP- and polyphosphate-mediated stimulation of pp60c-src kinase activity in extracts from vascular smooth muscle

Recently, we reported that pp60c-src kinase activity was present in adult bovine coronary arterial smooth muscle and showed that the activity of the enzyme in in vitro immunoprecipitation assays was stimulated 20-60-fold by ATP (Di Salvo, J., Gifford, D., and Kokkinakis, A. (1988) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 153, 388-394). In the present study, ATP-mediated stimulation of activity was also demonstrated in extracts from aortic vascular smooth muscle. In contrast, no stimulation was apparent in extracts from brain. Stimulation of activity in vascular preparations was also induced with beta,gamma-imidoadenosine 5'-triphosphate (AMP.PNP), a nonmetabolizable analog of ATP, and with several other polyphosphates including ADP and sodium pyrophosphate. No stimulation occurred in response to monophosphates such as AMP or KH2PO4. As expected, the specific activity of pp60c-src in brain extracts did not change when the amount of extracted protein included in immunoprecipitation mixtures was increased. Unexpectedly, however, the specific activity of the vascular enzyme decreased markedly as the amount of extracted protein subjected to immunoprecipitation was increased. Following stimulation of pp60c-src in vascular extracts with ATP, the enzyme behaved in a fashion similar to pp60c-src extracted from brain. That is, the enhanced specific activity of the stimulated vascular enzyme did not decrease with increasing amounts of extracted protein. Moreover, mixing experiments in which vascular smooth muscle extracts were added to brain extracts showed that the muscle extracts contained a factor which inhibited pp60c-src kinase activity. This inhibition was blocked when the mixed extracts were immunoprecipitated in the presence of ATP, or when inhibitory extract was treated with trypsin. Taken together, these data suggest that pp60c-src kinase activity in vascular tissue may be subject to a novel regulatory mechanism involving an inhibitory protein factor which can be nullified by polyphosphates.

Approaches to isozyme-specific inhibitors. 16. A novel methyl-C5' covalent adduct of L-ethionine and beta,gamma-imido-ATP as a potent multisubstrate inhibitor of rat methionine adenosyltransferases

N6,N6-Dibenzoyl-2',3'-O-isopropylideneadenosine, which is readily synthesized by one-pot 5'-O-trimethylsilylation, N6-benzoylation, and desilylation, was converted to the corresponding 5'-aldehyde. This was treated with CH2 = CHMgBr to afford, after debenzoylation, a 1:3 mixture of the 5'S and 5'R epimers, respectively, of 5'-C-vinyl-2',3'-O-isopropylideneadenosine. The configurations were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of the 5'R epimer. Hydroboration of the 5'-O-tetrahydropyranyl derivative of the mixed epimeric 5'-C-vinyl nucleosides readily furnished 5'(S,R)-C-(2-hydroxyethyl)-2',3'-O-isopropylideneadenosine. Treatment of the 5'(S,R)-C-(2-O-tosyl) derivative of this with disodium L-homocysteinate permitted facile introduction of the L-ethionine system. By means of methods developed earlier in the synthesis of homologous methionine-ATP adducts, the alpha-amino acid group was protected, a beta,gamma-imidotriphosphoryl group was introduced at O5', and blocking groups were removed to give the title adduct as a 2:3 mixture of its two 5' epimers. It was a powerful inhibitor [KM(ATP)/Ki = 520 and 340] of the M-2 (normal tissue) and M-T (hepatoma tissue) forms, respectively, of the title enzyme and displayed predominantly competitive kinetics with the two substrates L-methionine and MgATP. It inhibited M-2 and M-T slightly less effectively than its homologue possessing one less CH2 between sulfur and C5' and gave kinetic evidence of an increased tendency to form L-methionine-enzyme-adduct and MgATP-enzyme-adduct complexes.

Quantitative analysis of sea urchin egg kinesin-driven microtubule motility

We have analyzed the effects of various substrates and inhibitors on the rates of microtubule (MT) motility induced by sea urchin egg kinesin using real-time computer analysis and video-enhanced light microscopy. In the presence of magnesium, 10 mM concentrations of all the nucleotides tested supported MT translocation, with velocities in MgATP greater than MgGTP greater than MgTTP approximately equal to MgUTP greater than MgCTP greater than MgITP. The velocity of kinesin-driven MT motility is fairly uniform over approximately 3 pH units, from pH 6 to 9, with almost no motility outside this range. In the presence of ATP, no motility is observed in the absence of divalent cations; addition of Mg2+ but not addition of Ca2+ restores motility. MgATP-dependent MT motility is reversibly inhibited by Mg-free ATP, EDTA, or tripolyphosphate, suggesting that Mg-free ATP is an inactive substrate analogue. MgATP and MgGTP both obey saturable, Michaelis-Menten kinetics, with apparent Km values of approximately 60 microM and 2 mM, and Vmax values of approximately 0.6 and 0.4 microns/s, respectively. MgATP gamma S and MgADP are classic competitive inhibitors of kinesin-driven motility in MgATP, with Ki values of approximately 15 and 150 microM, respectively. Adenosine 5'-(beta, gamma-methylene)-triphosphate and N-ethylmaleimide only inhibit MT motility weakly, while adenyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate and vanadate strongly inhibit MT motility, but not in a simple competitive manner. Moreover, in contrast to other inhibitors which cause a unimodal decrease in MT mean velocity, vanadate concentrations greater than approximately 10% that of MgATP cause some MTs to become immotile, resulting in a bimodal distribution of MT velocities.

ATP stimulates secretion in human neutrophils and HL60 cells via a pertussis toxin-sensitive guanine nucleotide-binding protein coupled to phospholipase C

Human neutrophils and HL60 cells respond to extracellular ATP by causing exocytotic secretion. Secretion is accompanied by increases in inositol phosphates and a rise in cytosol Ca2+. The responses to ATP are blocked by pertussis toxin pretreatment, indicating the involvement of a guanine nucleotide regulatory protein. Other nucleotides that are active in promoting secretion are ATP gamma S, UTP, ITP and AppNHp, whilst 8-bromo-ATP, AppCH2p, ADP, AMP and adenosine are inactive.

Copurification of kinesin polypeptides with microtubule-stimulated Mg-ATPase activity and kinetic analysis of enzymatic properties

Determination of kinetic properties for kinesin adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase), a proposed motor for transport of membranous organelles, requires adequate amounts of kinesin with a consistent level of enzymatic activity. A purification procedure is detailed that produces approximately 2 mg of kinesin at up to 96% purity from 800 g of bovine brain. This protocol consists of a microtubule affinity step using 5'-adenylylimidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP); followed by gel filtration, ion exchange, and hydroxylapatite chromatography; and then sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The microtubule-activated ATPase activity of kinesin coeluted with kinesin polypeptides throughout the purification. Highly purified kinesin had a Vmax of 0.31 mumol/min/mg in the presence of microtubules, with a Km for ATP of 0.20 mM. The kinetic constants obtained in these studies compare favorably with physiological levels of ATP and microtubules. Variations in buffer conditions for the assay were found to affect ATPase activity significantly. A study of the ability of kinesin to utilize a variety of cation-ATP complexes indicated that kinesin is a microtubule-stimulated Mg-ATPase, but kinesin is able to hydrolyze Ca-ATP, Mn-ATP, and Co-ATP as well as Mg-ATP in the presence of microtubules. In the absence of microtubules, Ca-ATP appears to be the best substrate. Studies with several inhibitors of ATPases determined that vanadate inhibited kinesin ATPase at the lowest concentrations of inhibitor, but significant inhibition of the ATPase also occurred with submillimolar concentrations of AMP-PNP. Other inhibitors of kinesin include N-ethylmaleimide, adenosine diphosphate (ADP), pyrophosphate, and tripolyphosphate. Further characterization of the kinetic properties of the kinesin ATPase is important for understanding the molecular mechanisms for transport of membranous organelles along microtubules.