Efficiency of proton extrusion by chemically modified mitochondria

Bovine heart mitochondria were treated with limited amounts of iodoacetamide, 1-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline, phenylglyoxal, tetranitromethane and 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, respectively. Examination of the respiration and proton extrusion characteristics of the chemically modified mitochondria suggests that sulfhydryl and imidazole groups are not directly involved in proton pumping, but that some of the labeled carboxyl, amino, guanidinium and phenolic groups may participate in an indirect proton-extrusion process. Cross-linking mitochondria with glutaraldehyde drastically decreases the efficiency of proton extrusion, whereas treatment of mitochondria with valeraldehyde under similar conditions did not affect the proton-pumping efficiency significantly. The latter observations show that conformational change in the inner mitochondrial membrane may play a crucial role in the active translocation of protons coupled to electron transport. Comparison of the reactivities of the essential amino and carboxyl groups in mitochondria in different oxidation states suggests that these two types of essential functional groups are more exposed to water in the oxidized state. An indirect mechanism for proton pumping based on protein conformational change driven by electron transport based on the results of the present chemical modification studies is suggested.

Effect of pyridine homologues on proton flux through the CF0 . CF1 complex and photophosphorylation in chloroplasts

At concentrations below 1 mM, hydrophobic pyridine homologues decrease the rate of photophosphorylation and light-stimulated hydrolysis of ATP and light-activated exchange of the tightly bound nucleotides in chloroplasts, but increase the rate of the Hill reaction. Unlike uncoupling agents, the presence of the organic base at such low concentrations decreases the rate of light-dependent leakage and has no effect on the efficiency of two-stage photophosphorylation in broken chloroplasts. By assuming that the organic base is bound to independent equivalent sites in the thylakoid membrane, a simple expression can be derived which relates the observed rates of photophosphorylation and light-stimulated hydrolysis of ATP quantitatively to the concentration of the organic base in solution and gives dissociation equilibrium constants which are on the order of the relative hydrophobicities of the pyridine homologues. A possible mechanistic model for the CF0 . CF1 complex is proposed which could serve as the basis for a unified interpretation of the kinetics of proton translocation in illuminated chloroplasts, the steady-state rate of photophosphorylation, the light-stimulated ATPase activity, and the light-activated exchange of tightly bound adenine nucleotides.

Functional groups at the catalytic site of BF1 adenosinetriphosphatase from Escherichia coli

The rates of inactivation of BF1 adenosinetriphosphatase (BF1-ATPase) from Escherichia coli by 7-chloro-4-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole, 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonate, phenylglyoxal, and N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide have been measured in the presence and absence of various concentrations of inorganic phosphate, ADP, ATP, or magnesium ion. Dissociation equilibrium constants and rate constants for the labeling reactions have been deduced from a quantitative treatment of the kinetic data. The results suggest that the essential Tyr, Lys, Arg, and Glu or Asp residues are probably located at the catalytic site of BF1-ATPase and that in addition to steric interference, the effect of charge interaction should also be considered in interpreting the kinetic data on the protection of BF1-ATPase by substrate molecules against inactivation by the above labeling reagents. Examination of the relative values of the rate constants for the labeling reactions in the presence and absence of inorganic phosphate, ADP, ATP, or magnesium ion, respectively, and the effect of NBD label on the rates of labeling of the essential guanidinium, amino, and carboxyl groups suggest that the arrangement of these four functional groups at the catalytic site of BF1 may be similar to that previously proposed for MF1-ATPase from bovine heart; namely, the essential amino group and the unusually reactive phenol group are probably located near the bound inorganic phosphate or the gamma-phosphate group of the bound ATP, the essential guanidinium group is probably located nearer to the alpha- or beta-phosphate group than to the gamma-phosphate group of the bound ATP or the bound inorganic phosphate, and the essential carboxylate group is probably complexed with a magnesium ion which it shares with the bound inorganic phosphate.

Effect of pyridine homologues on the basal rate of electron transport and H+/e- ratio in chloroplasts

Low concentrations of hydrophobic pyridine homologues (1 mM) were found to increase the rate of the Hill reaction in chloroplasts without significantly affecting either the steady-state proton uptake or the rate of proton leakage in the dark. By assuming that the organic base can be bound to two types of independent binding sites in the thylakoid membrane with dissociation constants K1 and K2 respectively, the kinetic data can be treated quantitatively. The values of K1 and K2 determined by the treatment are in the same relative order as the hydrophobicities of the pyridine homologues: K1 - 1.16 mM and K2 = 54 mM for pyridine; 0.6 and 38 mM for 4-picoline; 0.27 and 31 mM for 4-ethylpyridine, 0.10 and 4.2 mM for 4-t-butylpyridine; 0.08 and 3.2 mM for 4-n-butylpyridine. The rates of oxygen generation and proton uptake by illuminated chloroplasts with either ferricyanide or 1,4-benzoquinone as the electron acceptor were also measured in the presence of various pyridine homologues. Low concentration of pyridine homologues were found to decrease the H+/e- ratio. This last observation seems to substantiate an indirect coupling mechanism between electron transport and proton translocation.

Effect of pyridine homologues on respiratory control and H+/O ratio in mitochondria

The effect of pyridine homologues on proton leakage, respiratory control, oxidative phosphorylation, and H+/O ratio in mitochondria have been examined. Up to a concentration of 1 mM, hydrophobic pyridine homologues diminish respiratory control in bovine heart mitochondria by increasing the State 4 respiration rate but have relatively minor effects on the State 3 and the 2,4-dinitrophenol-uncoupled respiration rates. Neither the proton gradient generated by electron transport in mitochondria in the presence of potassium ion and valinomycin, nor the rate of its anaerobic decay was affected by pyridine homologues. These observations suggest that the basal rate of electron transport is governed not directly by proton gradient, but by molecular processes in the energy-transducing membrane which can be affected by the proton gradient. By assuming that pyridine homologues are bound at low concentrations to specific functional groups in the inner membrane, the observed rates of State 4 respiration can be related quantitatively to the concentration of the organic base in solution. The observation that low concentrations of pyridine homologues decrease the H+/O ratio of mitochondria seems difficult to reconcile with the assumption that proton extrusion is driven directly by electron transport.

Mechanism of activation of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase: requirement of the binding of four Ca2+ to calmodulin for activation

Kinetic studies on the activation of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase (3',5'-cyclic-nucleotide 5'-nucleotidohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.17) as a function of calmodulin and Ca2+ concentrations have been carried out. A general approach to analyzing the mechanism of activation, which takes into consideration the various interactions among phosphodiesterase and calmodulin liganded with Ca2+ to differing degrees, is presented. The method is applicable to other calmodulin-regulated enzyme systems. Our kinetic analysis reveals that all four Ca2+ must be bound to calmodulin for the protein to form an activated complex with phosphodiesterase. The mechanistic and regulatory advantages of having four Ca2+ sites on calmodulin can be briefly stated as follows. (i) With the enzyme--calmodulin--Ca4(2+) complex as the dominant active species, the activation of phosphodiesterase as a function of Ca2+ concentration is highly cooperative. This phenomenon serves as an effective on/off switch for phosphodiesterase activation. (ii) At normal cellular levels of Ca2+ (less than 0.1 microM), phosphodiesterase and calmodulin do not form a complex. Thus, the distribution of calmodulin among its various target enzymes is reshuffled for each Ca2+ surge. (iii) The affinity between the enzyme and the fully liganded calmodulin (0.1-1 mM) is 10(4)-10(5) times better than that in the absence of Ca2+ (greater than or equal to 10 microM). The tremendous increase in affinity can be achieved rather easily through a 10- to 20-fold increase in the affinity of Ca2+ for the enzyme-calmodulin complex in each of the four binding steps.

Differential interaction of rabbit skeletal muscle phosphorylase kinase isozymes with calmodulin

Rabbit skeletal muscle contains two phosphorylase kinase isozymes arising from the two different muscle types, the white and the red muscle (Jennissen, H. P., and Heilmeyer, L. M. G. (1974) FEBS Lett. 42, 77-80). The two phosphorylase kinase isozymes could be separated by affinity chromatography on a calmodulin-Sepharose 4B column. In media containing high concentrations of Ca2+, about 2 mM, both isozymes were bound to the affinity column. When the column was eluted with a buffer containing 0.2 mM Ca2+, the red muscle isozyme was eluted, whereas white muscle isozyme was eluted from the column by an ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether) N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid. The purified white muscle isozyme can be distinguished from the red muscle isozyme by its ability to inhibit calmodulin-dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase. The two isozymes are also regulated differently by calmodulin. Both isozymes contain tightly bound calmodulin as a subunit (Cohen, P., Burchell, A., Foulkes, J. G., Cohen, P. T. W., Vanaman, T. C., and Nairn, A. C. (1978) FEBS Lett. 92, 287-293), which renders the enzyme sensitive to Ca2+. Only the white muscle isozyme can be activated by exogenous calmodulin.

Functional groups at the catalytic site of F1 adenosine triphosphatase

The protection of F1 ATPase by inorganic phosphate, ADP, ATP, and magnesium ion against inactivation by 1-fluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene, 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole, and 1-(ethoxycarbonyl)-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline, respectively, has been investigated. Dissociation equilibrium constants and rate constants for the labeling reactions have been deduced from a quantitative treatment of the kinetic data. Comparison of these dissociation constants with each other and with the corresponding literature values indicates that the essential Tyr, Arg, Lys, and Glu or Asp residues are indeed located at the catalytic site of the enzyme. Examination of the rate constants for the labeling reactions in the presence of excess inorganic phosphate, ADP, ATP, or magnesium ion, respectively, suggests that the essential phenol and amino groups are located nearer to the bound inorganic phosphate or the gamma-phosphate group than to the alpha- or beta-phosphate group of the bound ATP, that the essential guanidinium group is located nearer to the alpha- or beta-phosphate group than to the gamma-phosphate group of the bound ATP or the bound inorganic phosphate, and that the essential carboxylate group is located slightly farther away but complexed with magnesium ion which it shares with the bound inorganic phosphate. A mechanism consistent with these topographical relationships is proposed for the catalytic hydrolysis and synthesis of ATP.

Effect of phosphate and adenine nucleotides on the rate of labeling of functional groups at the catalytic site of F1-ATPase

The effect of inorganic phosphate, ADP, ATP, and their analogues on the rate of labeling of F1-ATPase by 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD-Cl) and phenylglyoxal have been investigated. Analysis of the kinetic data indicate that the labeled functional groups of the essential tyrosine and arginine residues respectively are both located at the catalytic site of F1. The active phenolic group of tyrosine is located closer to the bound inorganic phosphate or the gamma-phosphate group than the alpha- and beta-phosphate groups of the bound ATP at the catalytic site, whereas the guanidinium group of arginine is located closer to the alpha- and beta-phosphate groups of the bound ATP than to its gamma-phosphate group or the bound inorganic phosphate. The kinetically deduced dissociation constants are 1.3 mM and 210 microM for the inorganic phosphate and aDP respectively bound to this catalytic site. Labeling the essential tyrosine residue by NBD-Cl has been found to facilitate subsequent labeling of the essential arginine residue by phenylglyoxal.

Female cadaver in the Han Tomb No. 1. X-ray diffraction studies on two kinds of fibrous protein

The molecular structures of both native and false hairs as well as the tendon of the female cadaver buried about 2,100 years ago, which was excavated from the Han Tomb, No. 1 at Mawangdui near Changsha, Human Province, China, have been studied with X-ray fiber diffraction. It has been shown that the conformations of alpha-keratin and collagen and the basic longitudinal period of these fibrous protein molecular chains have been preserved in those specimens respectively, but the aggregations of fibrous molecules have somewhat changed. Some exploration was made on the origin where came the cubic mercury sulphide inside the cadaver's hair.

Purification and properties of bovine brain calmodulin-dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase

Calmodulin-dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase was purified from bovine brain to apparent homogeneity by a new procedure involving DEAE-cellulose, Affi-Gel blue, calmodulin-Sepharose 4B, and Sephadex G-200 column chromatographies. The enzyme was purified more than 3,000-fold from the brain extracts with greater than 12% yield. The purified phosphodiesterase could be activated 10- to 15-fold by calmodulin and Ca2+ to a specific enzyme activity of more than 300 mumol of cAMP hydrolyzed/min/mg of protein. Molecular weight of the enzyme was determined to be 115,800 by the sedimentation equilibirum method or 124,000 from the sedimentation constant and Stokes radius of the protein. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the enzyme showed a single protein band with an apparent molecular weight of 58,000. These results suggested that the calmodulin-dependent phosphodiesterase from bovine brain has a subunit structure of alpha2. Molecular weight of the complex of calmodulin and phosphodiesterase was the complex of calmodulin and phosphodiesterase was also calculated from the sedimentation constant and Stokes radius to be 159,000. Since calmodulin has a molecular weight of about 17,000, the result indicated that the stoichiometry of the complex is calmodulin2 alpha2. The catalytic subunit of cylic AMP-dependent protein kinase was found to catalyze the phosphorylation of the purified phosphodiesterase with the incorporation of 2 mol of phosphate/mol of the enzyme.