Identification of an exchangeable non-catalytic site on mitochondrial F1-ATPase which is involved in the negative cooperativity of ATP hydrolysis

F1-adenosine triphosphatase displays properties characteristic of an antigen presentation molecule for Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cells

Human Vgamma9Vdelta2 T lymphocytes are activated by phosphoantigens provided exogenously or produced by tumors and infected cells. Activation requires a contact between Vgamma9Vdelta2 cells and neighboring cells. We previously reported a role for cell surface F1-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) in T cell activation by tumors and specific interactions between Vgamma9Vdelta2 TCRs and purified F1-ATPase. 721.221 cells do not express surface F1-ATPase and do not support phosphoantigen responses unless they are rendered apoptotic by high doses of zoledronate, a treatment that promotes F1-expression as well as endogenous phosphoantigen production. By monitoring calcium flux in single cells, we show in this study that contact of T cells with F1-ATPase on polystyrene beads can partially replace the cell-cell contact stimulus during phosphoantigen responses. Triphosphoric acid 1-adenosin-5'-yl ester 3-(3-methylbut-3-enyl) ester, an adenylated derivative of isopentenyl pyrophosphate, can stably bind to F1-ATPase-coated beads and promotes TCR aggregation, lymphokine secretion, and activation of the cytolytic process provided that nucleotide pyrophosphatase activity is present. It also acts as an allosteric activator of F1-ATPase. In the absence of Vgamma9Vdelta2 cells, triphosphoric acid 1-adenosin-5'-yl ester 3-(3-methylbut-3-enyl) ester immobilized on F1-ATPase is protected from nucleotide pyrophosphatase activity, as is the antigenic activity of stimulatory target cells. Our experiments support the notion that Vgamma9Vdelta2 T cells are dedicated to the recognition of phosphoantigens on cell membranes in the form of nucleotide derivatives that can bind to F1-ATPase acting as a presentation molecule.

ATP synthase and the actions of inhibitors utilized to study its roles in human health, disease, and other scientific areas

ATP synthase, a double-motor enzyme, plays various roles in the cell, participating not only in ATP synthesis but in ATP hydrolysis-dependent processes and in the regulation of a proton gradient across some membrane-dependent systems. Recent studies of ATP synthase as a potential molecular target for the treatment of some human diseases have displayed promising results, and this enzyme is now emerging as an attractive molecular target for the development of new therapies for a variety of diseases. Significantly, ATP synthase, because of its complex structure, is inhibited by a number of different inhibitors and provides diverse possibilities in the development of new ATP synthase-directed agents. In this review, we classify over 250 natural and synthetic inhibitors of ATP synthase reported to date and present their inhibitory sites and their known or proposed modes of action. The rich source of ATP synthase inhibitors and their known or purported sites of action presented in this review should provide valuable insights into their applications as potential scaffolds for new therapeutics for human and animal diseases as well as for the discovery of new pesticides and herbicides to help protect the world's food supply. Finally, as ATP synthase is now known to consist of two unique nanomotors involved in making ATP from ADP and P(i), the information provided in this review may greatly assist those investigators entering the emerging field of nanotechnology.

Inhibition of steady-state mitochondrial ATP synthesis by bicarbonate, an activating anion of ATP hydrolysis

Bicarbonate, an activating anion of ATP hydrolysis, inhibited ATP synthesis coupled to succinate oxidation in beef heart submitochondrial particles but diminished the lag time and increased the steady-state velocity of the (32)Pi-ATP exchange reaction. The latter effects exclude the possibility that bicarbonate is inducing an intrinsic uncoupling between ATP hydrolysis and proton translocation at the level of F(1)F(o) ATPase. The inhibition of ATP synthesis was competitive with respect to ADP at low fixed [Pi], mixed at high [Pi] and non-competitive towards Pi at any fixed [ADP]. From these results we can conclude that (i) bicarbonate does not bind to a Pi site in the mitochondrial F(1); (ii) it competes with the binding of ADP to a low-affinity site, likely the low-affinity non-catalytic nucleotide binding site. It is postulated that bicarbonate stimulates ATP hydrolysis and inhibits ATP synthesis by modulating the relative affinities of the catalytic site for ATP and ADP.

Covalent modification of the non-catalytic sites of the H(+)-ATPase from chloroplasts with 2-azido-[alpha-(32)P]ATP and its effect on ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis

Incubation of the isolated H(+)-ATPase from chloroplasts, CF(0)F(1), with 2-azido-[alpha-(32)P]ATP leads to the binding of this nucleotide to different sites. These sites were identified after removal of free nucleotides, UV-irradiation and trypsin treatment by separation of the tryptic peptides by ion exchange chromatography. The nitreno-AMP, nitreno-ADP and nitreno-ATP peptides were further separated on a reversed phase column, the main fractions were subjected to amino acid sequence analysis and the derivatized tyrosines were used to distinguish between catalytic (beta-Tyr362) and non-catalytic (beta-Tyr385) sites. Several incubation procedures were developed which allow a selective occupation of each of the three non-catalytic sites. The non-catalytic site with the highest dissociation constant (site 6) becomes half maximally filled at 50 microM 2-azido-[alpha-(32)P]ATP, that with the intermediate dissociation constant (site 5) at 2 microM. The ATP at the site with the lowest dissociation constant had to be hydrolyzed first to ADP before a replacement by 2-azido-[alpha-(32)P]ATP was possible. CF(0)F(1) with non-covalently bound 2-azido-[alpha-(32)P]ATP and after covalent derivatization was reconstituted into liposomes and the rates of ATP synthesis as well as ATP hydrolysis were measured after energization of the proteoliposomes by Delta pH/Delta phi. Non-covalent binding of 2-azido-ATP to any of the three non-catalytic sites does not influence ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis, whereas covalent derivatization of any of the three sites inhibits both, the degree being proportional to the degree of derivatization. Extrapolation to complete inhibition indicates that derivatization of one site (either 4 or 5 or 6) is sufficient to block completely multi-site catalysis. The rates of ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis were measured as a function of the ADP and ATP concentration from uni-site to multi-site conditions with covalently derivatized and non-derivatized CF(0)F(1). Uni-site ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis were not inhibited by covalent derivatization of any of the non-catalytic sites, whereas multi-site catalysis is inhibited. These results indicate that multi-site catalysis requires some flexibility between beta- and alpha-subunits which is abolished by covalent derivatization of beta-Tyr385 with a 2-nitreno-adenine nucleotide. Conformational changes connected with energy transduction between the F(0)-part and the F(1)-part are either not required for uni-site ATP synthesis or they are not impaired by the derivatization of any of the three beta-Tyr385.

Phosphate exchange and ATP synthesis by DMSO-pretreated purified bovine mitochondrial ATP synthase

Purified soluble bovine mitochondrial F(1)F(o)-ATP synthase contained 2 mol of ATP, 2 mol of ADP and 6 mol of P(i)/mol. Incubation of this enzyme with 1 mM [(32)P]P(i) caused the exchange of 2 mol of P(i)/mol of F(1)F(o)-ATP synthase. The labelled phosphates were not displaced by ATP. Transfer of F(1)F(o)-ATP synthase to a buffer containing 30% (v/v) DMSO and 1 mM [(32)P]P(i) resulted in the loss of bound nucleotides with the retention of 1 mol of ATP/mol of F(1)F(o)-ATP synthase. Six molecules of [(32)P]P(i) were incorporated by exchange with the existing bound phosphate. Removal of the DMSO by passage of the enzyme through a centrifuged column of Sephadex G-50 resulted in the exchange of one molecule of bound [(32)P]P(i) into the bound ATP. Azide did not prevent this [(32)P]P(i)<-->ATP exchange reaction. The bound labelled ATP could be displaced from the enzyme by exogenous ATP. Addition of ADP to the DMSO-pretreated F(1)F(o)-ATP synthase in the original DMSO-free buffer resulted in the formation of an additional molecule of bound ATP. It was concluded that following pretreatment with and subsequent removal of DMSO the F(1)F(o)-ATP synthase contained one molecule of ATP at a catalytic site which was competent to carry out a phosphate-ATP exchange reaction using enzyme-bound inorganic radiolabelled phosphate. In the presence of ADP an additional molecule of labelled ATP was formed from enzyme-bound P(i) at a second catalytic site. The bound phosphate-ATP exchange reaction is not readily accommodated by current mechanisms for the ATP synthase.

Sulfite and membrane energization induce two different active states of the Paracoccus denitrificans F0F1-ATPase

Activation of the latent ATPase activity of inside-out vesicles from plasma membranes of Paracoccus denitrificans was studied. Several factors were found to induce activation: heat, membrane energization by succinate oxidation, methanol, oxyanions (sulfite, phosphate, arsenate, bicarbonate) and limited proteolysis with trypsin. Among the oxyanions, sulfite induced the higher increase in ATPase activity. Sulfite functioned as a nonessential activator that slightly modified the affinity for ATP and increased notoriously the Vmax. There was a competitive effect between sulfite, bicarbonate and phosphate for ATPase activation; their similar chemical geometry suggests that these oxyanions have a common binding site on the enzyme. Dithiothreitol did not affect the ATPase activity. ATPase activation by sulfite was decreased by uncoupler, enhanced by trypsin and inhibited by ADP, oligomycin and venturicidin. In contrast, activation induced by succinate was less sensitive to ADP, oligomycin, venturicidin and trypsin. It is proposed that the active states induced by sulfite and succinate reflect two conformations of the enzyme, in which the inhibitory subunit epsilon is differently exposed to trypsin.

One of the non-exchangeable nucleotides of the mitochondrial F1-ATPase is bound at a beta-subunit: evidence for a non-rotatory two-site catalytic mechanism

In active MF1, one of the two non-exchangeable tightly bound adenine nucleotides is an ATP, while the other is an ADP. The respective sites are called the T-site and the D-site. The activity of the enzyme correlates linearly with the amount of bound ATP, ADP at the T-site being inhibitory. When MF1 is stored at room temperature in 50% glycerol and 100 mM Tris-HCl (pH 7.3) after slow passage through a Sephadex column, the tightly bound ATP is slowly dephosphorylated to ADP which is subsequently released, without effect on activity. When enzyme with about one residual ADP left (at the D-site) was incubated at pH 7.3, after dilution of the glycerol, with 400 &mgr;M [14C]ATP under varying conditions, the amount of tightly bound nucleotide triphosphate again correlated well with activity, the residual ADP being bound at the D-site. Optimal results were obtained when the incubation was performed in the presence of a regenerating system. Binding of 2-azido-ATP instead of ATP to the T-site as a triphosphate, as indicated by the specific activity of the enzyme, appeared to be optimal when the binding was performed at pH 6.4 in the absence of Mg2+ and with high concentrations of the nucleotide. Under such conditions, 3 mol 2-azido-AXP per mol F1 remained tightly bound after ammonium sulfate precipitation and column centrifugation, in addition to about one residual ADP at the D-site. After a 2-min period of turnover with ATP/Mg2+ as substrate two mol 2-azido-AXP were left on the enzyme, of which one was bound at a beta-site. These results show that one of the non-catalytic nucleotide binding sites that contain tightly bound nucleotides, is a beta-site, in conflict with the requirements for a rotatory tri-site mechanism for ATP hydrolysis. This beta-site can further be identified with the T-site. The validity of these conclusions for F1 from other sources and for catalysis by membrane-bound enzyme is discussed.

Nucleotide and Mg2+ dependency of the thermal denaturation of mitochondrial F1-ATPase

The influence of adenine nucleotides and Mg2+ on the thermal denaturation of mitochondrial F1-ATPase (MF1) was analyzed. Differential scanning calorimetry in combination with ATPase activity experiments revealed the thermal unfolding of MF1 as an irreversible and kinetically controlled process. Three significant elements were analyzed during the thermal denaturation process: the endothermic calorimetric transition, the loss of ATP hydrolysis activity, and the release of tightly bound nucleotides. All three processes occur in the same temperature range, over a wide variety of conditions. The purified F1-ATPase, which contains three tightly bound nucleotides, denatures at a transition temperature (Tm) of 55 degrees C. The nucleotide and Mg2+ content of MF1 strongly influence the thermal denaturation process. First, further binding of nucleotides and/or Mg2+ to MF1 increases the thermal denaturation temperature, whereas the thermal stability of the enzyme is decreased upon removal of the endogenous nucleotides. Second, the stabilizing effect induced by nucleotides is smaller after hydrolysis of ATP (i.e., in the presence of ADP . Mg2+) than under nonhydrolytical conditions (i.e., absence of Mg2+ or using the nonhydrolyzable analog 5'-adenylyl-imidodiphosphate). Third, whereas the thermal denaturation of MF1 fully loaded with nucleotides follows an apparent two-state kinetic process, denaturation of MF1 with a low nucleotide content follows more complex kinetics. Nucleotide content is therefore an important factor in determining the thermal stability of the MF1 complex, probably by strengthening existing intersubunit interactions or by establishing new ones.

FSBA modifies both alpha- and beta-subunits of F1 specifically and can be bound together with AXP at the same alpha-subunit

Binding of 1 mole 5'-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine (FSBA) per mol F1 induces about 50% inhibition of ATPase activity and 80% inhibition of ITPase activity. The binding of additional ligand results in a further inhibition of both activities. Maximally 5 mol/mol F1, causing complete inhibition of activity, can be bound. Using radioactive FSBA more label is found on alpha-subunits than on beta-subunits under the usual buffer conditions. The modified amino acids are alpha-Tyr300, alpha-Tyr244 and beta-Tyr368. Binding of FSBA, at least up to 3 mol/mol F1, does not result in loss of bound ADP, whether the starting enzyme contains 2, 3 or 4 bound nucleotides. Added adenine nucleotides compete with FSBA only for binding that results in modification of beta-subunits, shifting the alpha/beta ratio of bound label to higher values. It is concluded that the alpha-subunits contain two hydrophobic pockets for the binding of nucleoside moieties, with a different orientation relative to the P-loop. One pocket contains alpha-Tyr244 and alpha-Tyr300, the other beta-Tyr368. Since, however, in the binding of adenine nucleotide di- or triphosphates the P-loop is involved, only one of these ligands can bind per subunit. The previously not understood binding characteristics of several substrate analogues have now become interpretable on the assumption that also the structurally homologous beta-subunits contain 2 pockets where nucleoside moieties can bind. The kinetic effects of FSBA binding indicate that the first FSBA binds at the regulatory site that has a high affinity for ADP and pyrophosphate. Binding of pyrophosphate at this high-affinity regulatory site increases the Vmax of the enzyme, while binding at a second regulatory site, a low-affinity site, increases the rate of binding of FSBA with a factor of about 3. Binding of bicarbonate at this latter site is responsible for the disappearance of the apparent negative cooperativity of the ATPase activity.

Modification of membrane-bound F1 by p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl-5'-adenosine: sites of binding and effect on activity

Bovine heart submitochondrial particles (smp) were incubated with p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyl-5'-adenosine (FSBA) in order to study the binding of this ligand and its effect on ATP synthesis and ATP hydrolysis in smp and to compare the results with those obtained with isolated F1. The binding was measured with the 14C-labeled compound. ATP hydrolysis was in all cases as much inhibited as succinate-driven ATP synthesis and ITP hydrolysis was more inhibited than ATP hydrolysis. The binding experiments show that modification of three nucleotide binding sites results in nearly complete inhibition of ATPase activity. In the presence of pyrophosphate up to 6 mol [14C]SBA/mol F1 can be bound. FSBA preferentially modifies amino acids of the alpha-subunits but also beta-subunits are modified. It is concluded that modification of both subunits results in inhibition of activity. The results are very well comparable with the results obtained with isolated F1, which indicates that our preparation of F1 is a good model for F1 in the intact system. Furthermore it is concluded that each alpha-subunit of F1 in smp, just like in the isolated form, contains two pockets where adenosine moieties can bind, one located above the P-loop, modifying alpha-Tyr-244 and alpha-Tyr-300 and the other one located below the P-loop where also the adenosine moiety of AD(T)P binds, modifying beta-Tyr-368.

The bound adenine nucleotides of purified bovine mitochondrial ATP synthase

The experiments in this study were directed towards defining the nucleotide content of purified beef-heart mitochondrial F1F0 ATP synthase during binding and hydrolysis of ATP. The purified, soluble synthase as prepared contained 2 mol ATP and 2 mol ADP/mol enzyme. Three of these four nucleotides were exchangeable on incubation with radiolabelled MgATP. Passage of the ATP synthase through a column of Sephadex G-50 readily removed 1 mol ADP/mol. The remaining bound nucleotides were not displaced by incubation with 1 mM GTP or 5 mM sodium sulfite, the latter an activator of the ATPase activity of the synthase. Incubation of the synthase with 250 microM MgATP in the presence of 3 mM sodium azide, an inhibitor of the ATPase, resulted in the transitory formation of a form of the enzyme in which 5-6 nucleotide-binding sites were loaded with ATP and/or ADP, thus showing that the ATP synthase, like the soluble F1 ATPase, contained a minimum of six nucleotide-binding sites. The presence of an ATP-regenerating system during incubation with MgATP resulted in the loading of 5-6 sites to yield a form of the enzyme containing 3-4 mol ATP and 2 mol ADP/mol synthase even after passage through a centrifuged column. Following hydrolysis of the medium MgATP, the enzyme reached a stable form containing 2 mol ATP and 2 mol ADP/mol synthase. Like the form of the enzyme originally prepared, 1 mol ADP/mol synthase was readily released. However, this ADP remained bound to the synthase in the presence of GTP if azide was present. These results are discussed in the context of current ideas about nucleotide-binding sites on the F1 ATPase portion of the F1F0 ATP synthase. It is concluded that the properties of the sites on the F1F0 synthase show some differences from those on the F1 ATPase.

Kinetic modelling of the proton translocating CF0CF1-ATP synthase from spinach

The rate of both ATP synthase and hydrolysis catalysed by the thiol-modulated and activated ATP synthase from spinach is measured as a function of all substrates including the protons inside the thylakoid lumen. The most important findings are: (1) sigmoid kinetics with respect to H+in, (2) hyperbolic kinetics with respect to ADP, ATP and phosphate, with Km for phosphate and ADP decreasing upon increasing H+in, (3) binding of ADP and phosphate in random order and competitive to ATP. Simulation of the complete set of experimental data is obtained by a kinetic model featuring Boyer's binding-chain mechanism.

Influence of nucleotides on the secondary structure and on the thermal stability of mitochondrial F1 visualized by infrared spectroscopy

We have studied the secondary structure of mitochondrial F1 using infrared spectroscopy. Our results show that in the absence of added nucleotides this complex contains similar percentages of alpha-helices, beta-structures and reverse turns (30%, 28% and 31%, respectively). The influence of ADP and ATP on the different types of secondary structure was determined; when all the nucleotide-binding sites were occupied, small but reproducible changes were observed, corresponding to a decrease in beta-structure and an increase in alpha-helix and reverse turns. The effect of nucleotide binding on the thermal stability of F1 was also studied; the thermal denaturation temperature, 55 degrees C, was increased by 11 degrees C and 7 degrees C by ATP and ADP, respectively. These results indicate that nucleotide binding affects the secondary structure of F1, stabilizing the complex.