Adenosine triphosphatase from rat liver mitochondria. Crystallization and x-ray diffraction studies of the F1-component of the enzyme

Transport ATPases: structure, motors, mechanism and medicine: a brief overview

Today we know there are four different types of ATPases that operate within biological membranes with the purpose of moving many different types of ions or molecules across these membranes. Some of these ions or molecules are transported into cells, some out of cells, and some in or out of organelles within cells. These ATPases span the biological world from bacteria to eukaryotic cells and have become most simply and commonly known as "transport ATPases." The price that each cell type pays for transport work is counted in molecules of hydrolyzed ATP, a metabolic currency that is itself regenerated by a transport ATPase working in reverse, i.e., the ATP synthase. Four major classes of transport ATPases, the P, V, F, and ABC types are now known. In addition to being involved in many different types of biological/physiological processes, mutations in these proteins also account for a large number of diseases. The purpose of this introductory article to a mini-review series on transport ATPases is to provide the reader with a very brief and focused look at this important area of research that has an interesting history and bears significance to cell physiology, biochemistry, immunology, nanotechnology, and medicine, including drug discovery. The latter involves potential applications to a whole host of diseases ranging from cancer to those that affect bones (osteoporosis), ears (hearing), eyes (macromolecular degeneration), the heart (hypercholesterolemia/cardiac arrest,), immune system (immune deficiency disease), kidney (nephrotoxicity), lungs (cystic fibrosis), pancreas (diabetes and cystic fibrosis), skin (Darier disease), and stomach (ulcers).

Mitochondrial ATP synthase. Crystal structure of the catalytic F1 unit in a vanadate-induced transition-like state and implications for mechanism

ATP synthesis from ADP, P(i), and Mg2+ takes place in mitochondria on the catalytic F1 unit (alpha3beta3gammedeltaepsilon) of the ATP synthase complex (F0F1), a remarkable nanomachine that interconverts electrochemical and mechanical energy, producing the high energy terminal bond of ATP. In currently available structural models of F1, the P-loop (amino acid residues 156GGAGVGKT163) contributes to substrate binding at the subunit catalytic sites. Here, we report the first transition state-like structure of F1 (ADP.V(i).Mg.F1) from rat liver that was crystallized with the phosphate (P(i)) analog vanadate (VO(3-)4 or V(i)). Compared with earlier "ground state" structures, this new F1 structure reveals that the active site region has undergone significant remodeling. P-loop residue alanine 158 is located much closer to V(i) than it is to P(i) in a previous structural model. No significant movements of P-loop residues of the subunit were observed at its analogous but noncatalytic sites. Under physiological conditions, such active site remodeling involving the small hydrophobic alanine residue may promote ATP synthesis by lowering the local dielectric constant, thus facilitating the dehydration of ADP and P(i). This new crystallographic study provides strong support for the catalytic mechanism of ATP synthesis deduced from earlier biochemical studies of liver F1 conducted in the presence of V(i) (Ko, Y. H., Bianchet, M., Amzel, L. M., and Pedersen, P. L. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 18875-18881; Ko, Y. H., Hong, S., and Pedersen, P. L. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 28853-28856).

Rotary molecular motors

The F-, V-, and A-adenosine triphosphatases (ATPases) represent a family of evolutionarily related ion pumps found in every living cell. They either function to synthesize adenosine triphosphate (ATP) at the expense of an ion gradient or they act as primary ion pumps establishing transmembrane ion motive force at the expense of ATP hydrolysis. The A-, F-, and V-ATPases are rotary motor enzymes. Synthesis or hydrolysis of ATP taking place in the three catalytic sites of the membrane extrinsic domain is coupled to ion translocation across the single ion channel in the membrane-bound domain via rotation of a central part of the complex with respect to a static portion of the enzyme. This chapter reviews recent progress in the structure determination of several members of the family of F-, A-, and V-ATPases and our current understanding of the rotary mechanism of energy coupling.

The 2.8-A structure of rat liver F1-ATPase: configuration of a critical intermediate in ATP synthesis/hydrolysis

During mitochondrial ATP synthesis, F1-ATPase-the portion of the ATP synthase that contains the catalytic and regulatory nucleotide binding sites-undergoes a series of concerted conformational changes that couple proton translocation to the synthesis of the high levels of ATP required for cellular function. In the structure of the rat liver F1-ATPase, determined to 2.8-A resolution in the presence of physiological concentrations of nucleotides, all three beta subunits contain bound nucleotide and adopt similar conformations. This structure provides the missing configuration of F1 necessary to define all intermediates in the reaction pathway. Incorporation of this structure suggests a mechanism of ATP synthesis/hydrolysis in which configurations of the enzyme with three bound nucleotides play an essential role.

Frontiers in ATP synthase research: understanding the relationship between subunit movements and ATP synthesis

How biological systems make ATP has intrigued many scientists for well over half the 20th century, and because of the importance and complexity of the problem it seems likely to continue to be a source of fascination to both senior and younger investigators well into the 21st century. Scientific battles fought to unravel the vast secrets by which ATP synthases work have been fierce, and great victories have been short-lived, tempered with the realization that more structures are needed, additional subunits remain to be conquered, and that during ATP synthesis, not one, but several subunits may undergo either significant conformational changes, repositioning, or perhaps even physical "rotation" similar to bacterial flagella (1,2). In this introductory article, the author briefly summarizes our current knowledge about the complex substructure of ATP synthases, what we have learned from X-ray crystallography of the F1 unit, and current evidence for subunit movements.

Rat liver ATP synthase. Relationship of the unique substructure of the F1 moiety to its nucleotide binding properties, enzymatic states, and crystalline form

The F1 moiety of rat liver ATP synthase has a molecular mass of 370,000, exhibits the unique substructure alpha 3 beta 3 gamma delta epsilon, and fully restores ATP synthesis to F1-depleted membranes. Here we provide new information about rat liver F1 as it relates to the relationship of its unique substructure to its nucleotide binding properties, enzymatic states, and crystalline form. Seven types of experiments were performed in a comprehensive study. First, the capacity of F1 to bind [3H]ADP, the substrate for ATP synthesis and [32P]AMP-PNP (5'-adenylyl-beta,gamma-imidodiphosphate), a nonhydrolyzable ATP analog, was quantified. Second, double-label experiments were performed to establish whether ADP and AMP-PNP bind to the same or different sites. Third, total nucleotide binding was assessed by the luciferin-luciferase assay. Fourth, F1 was subfractionated into an alpha gamma and a beta delta epsilon fraction, both of which were subjected to nucleotide binding assays. Fifth, the nucleotide binding capacity of F1 was quantified after undergoing ATP hydrolysis. Sixth, the intensity of the fluorescence probe pyrene maleimide bound at alpha subunits was monitored before and after F1 experienced ATP hydrolysis. Finally, the catalytic activity and nucleotide content of F1 obtained from crystals being used in x-ray crystallographic studies was determined. The picture of rat liver F1 that emerges is one of an enzyme molecule that 1) loads nucleotide readily at five sites; 2) requires for catalysis both the alpha gamma and the beta delta epsilon fractions; 3) directs the reversible binding of ATP and ADP to different regions of the enzyme's substructure; 4) induces inhibition of ATP hydrolysis only after ADP fills at least five sites; and 5) exists in several distinct forms, one an active, symmetrical form, obtained in the presence of ATP and high P(i) and on which an x-ray map at 3.6 A has been reported (Bianchet, M., Ysern, X., Hullihen, J., Pedersen, P. L., and Amzel, L. M. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 21197-21201). These results are discussed within the context of a multistate model for rat liver F1 and also discussed relative to those reported for bovine heart F1, which has been crystallized with inhibitors in an asymmetrical form and has a propensity for binding nucleotides more tightly.

ATP synthase. The machine that makes ATP

The recently determined crystal structure of the F1 part of mitochondrial ATP synthase provides new insights into the workings of one of the most remarkable and complex biochemical machines.

Differential effects of ethanol consumption on synthesis of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial encoded subunits of the ATP synthase

The relative concentrations of several subunits of the mitochondrial F0.F1-ATP synthase were determined in mitochondria and submitochondrial particles prepared from the livers of ethanol-fed and control rats. The polypeptides were separated by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the stained gels were analyzed by densitometry for the relative concentrations of the ATP synthase subunits. A significant decrease in the relative concentration of the mitochondrial gene product, ATPase subunit 8, was observed in mitochondria and submitochondrial particles from ethanol-fed animals. The relative concentration of the other mitochondrial encoded ATPase subunit, ATPase 6, was also depressed, as confirmed in submitochondrial particles. In contrast, there were no significant ethanol-related depressions in subunits alpha, beta, and OSCP of the F0.F1 or the adenine nucleotide carrier in intact mitochondria. These results demonstrate that ethanol consumption causes a decrease in the content of mitochondrial synthesized subunits 6 and 8 whereas no effect is exerted on the concentrations of nuclear gene products of the ATP synthase complex. Likewise, the adenine nucleotide transporter, also a nuclear gene product, is unaffected by ethanol consumption.

The expression, purification and crystallization of the epsilon subunit of the F1 portion of the ATPase of Escherichia coli

The epsilon subunit of the F0F1-ATPase from Escherichia coli has been expressed in E. coli as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase from the parasitic helminth Schistosoma japonicum. The epsilon subunit released by thrombin treatment of the purified fusion protein carried two amino acid changes, A1G and M2S, and was obtained in a yield of about five milligrams per litre of cultured cells. The two amino acid changes were shown not to affect function. The protein has been crystallized in a form suitable for X-ray diffraction structure analysis. The crystals are hexagonal, space group P6(1)22 (or P6(5)22), with a = b = 94.9 A, c = 57.1 A and gamma = 120 degrees. The diffraction from small crystals extends to at least 2.9 A resolution.

Beta subunit of mitochondrial F1-ATPase from the fission yeast. Deduced sequence of the wild type protein and identification of a mutation that increases nucleotide binding

The Schizosaccharomyces pombe nuclear gene, atp2, encoding the beta subunit of the mitochondrial ATP synthase, was sequenced and found to contain a 1575-bp open reading frame. Two adjacent transcription-initiation sites were found at positions 34 and 44 nucleotides upstream of the translation-initiation codon. The deduced polypeptide sequence was composed of 525 amino acid residues (molecular mass = 56875 Da). The mature polypeptide starts at residue 45 (molecular mass = 51,685 Da), indicating the presence of a presequence of 44 residues, presumably involved in mitochondrial targeting. The atp2 mutant B59-1 [Boutry, M. & Goffeau, A. (1982) Eur. J. Biochem. 125, 471-477] and its related revertant allele R4-3 [Jault, J. M., Di Pietro, A., Falson, P., Gautheron, D. C., Boutry, M. & Goffeau, A. (1989) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 158, 392-399] were also cloned and sequenced. A single nonsense mutation, CAG (Gln170)----TAG (stop) in mutant B59-1, became a missense mutation, TAG (stop)----TAC (Tyr) in revertant R4-3. Gln170 is located between the first and second elements belonging to the nucleotide-binding site. Its substitution by a tyrosine residue increases the enzyme affinity towards ADP, the amount of endogenous nucleotides and the apparent negative cooperativity for ATPase activity.

ATP synthases--structure of the F1-moiety and its relationship to function and mechanism

A great deal of progress has been made in understanding both the structure and the mechanism of F1-ATPase. The primary structure is now fully known for at least five species. Sequence comparison between chloroplast, photobacteria, aerobic bacteria, and mitochondrial representatives allow us to infer more general functional relationships and evolutionary trends. Although the F1 moiety is the most studied segment of the H+-ATPase complex, there is not a full understanding of the mechanism and regulation of its hydrolytic activity. The beta subunit is now known to contain one and probably two nucleotide binding domains, one of which is believed to be a catalytic site. Recently, two similar models have been proposed to attempt to describe the "active" part of the beta subunits. These models are mainly an attempt to use the structure of adenylate kinase to represent a more general working model for nucleotide binding phosphotransferases. Labelling experiments seem to indicate that several critical residues outside the region described by the "adenylate kinase" part of this model are also actively involved in the ATPase activity. New models will have to be introduced to include these regions. Finally, it seems that a consensus has been reached with regard to a broad acceptance of the asymmetric structure of the F1-moiety. In addition, recent experimental evidence points toward the presence of nonequivalent subunits to describe the functional activity of the F1-ATPase. A summary diagram of the conformational and binding states of the enzyme including the nonequivalent beta subunit is presented. Additional research is essential to establish the role of the minor subunits--and of the asymmetry they introduce in F1--on the physiological function of the enzyme.

Interaction between the soluble F1 ATPase and its naturally occurring inhibitor protein. Studies using hydrophilic high-performance liquid chromatography and immunoelectron microscopy

Binding of the isolated ATPase (F1) to its naturally occurring inhibitor protein was studied by two novel, independent techniques. High-pressure gel permeation chromatography revealed one tight binding site (Kd = 0.46 microM) for the inhibitor on F1, and a number of weak, non-specific sites. Use of an antibody directed against a non-binding region of the inhibitor protein demonstrated the formation of inhibitor/F1/immunoglobulin G complexes of 1:1:1 and 2:2:1 stoichiometry, but not of the putatively more stable cyclic 4:2:2 complexes. It was concluded that, despite the presence of three beta-subunits, only one site per F1 molecule is available for binding its inhibitor protein.

Integrated functioning of the chloroplast coupling factor

This review is focused on some functional characteristics of the chloroplast coupling factor. The structure of the enzyme and the putative role of its subunits are recalled. An attempt is made to discriminate the driving force and the activator effects of the electrochemical proton gradient. Respective roles of delta pH, delta phi, external and internal pH are discussed with regard to mechanistic implications. The hypothesis of a functional switch of the enzyme between two states with better efficiency either in ATP synthesis or in ATP hydrolysis is also examined. A brief survey is made on some problems complicating quantitative studies of energy coupling, such as localized chemiosmosis, delta pH and delta phi computations, and scalar ATPases. The main data on the enzyme activation and the energy-dependent release of tightly bound nucleotides are summarized. The arguments for and against the catalytic competence of theses nucleotides are reviewed. Lastly, some prevailing models of the catalytic mechanism are presented. The relevance of nucleotides binding change events in this process is discussed.

Structural studies of mitochondrial coupling factor 1 using tyrosine fluorescence

The absorbance and fluorescence spectral properties of mitochondrial F1-ATPase confirm that this protein does not contain tryptophan residues and therefore its fluorescence is due to tyrosines. The 36% increase in the fluorescence and the almost 100% increase in quantum yield upon denaturation of the protein suggest that a considerable number of tyrosyl residues have a very low quantum yield in the native enzyme. Quenching experiments using iodide indicate that all of the fluorophores are quenched and also all of them with the same quenching constant. These observations are interpreted as confirmatory of what has been found with several other proteins whose fluorescence originates from tyrosyl residues, where the buried tyrosines fluoresce with a much lower quantum yield than those which are exposed. ATP added to F1 previously depleted of loosely bound nucleotides changes the quenching constant of iodide and the quantum yield and this is interpreted to be due to a conformational change induced by the binding of the nucleotide to the enzyme. Addition of 2-mercaptoethanol decreases, although slightly, the polarization of the fluorescence. However, SDS addition gives a much bigger decrease. Hence disulphide bridges are less important for the tertiary structure of the protein than hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding or other forces. Nevertheless the conformational change induced by reduction of disulphide bridges is detected in iodide quenching experiments and the change of the quantum yield of the enzyme.

Proton ATPase of rat liver mitochondria: a rapid procedure for purification of a stable, reconstitutively active F1 preparation using a modified chloroform method

A method is described for the purification of rat liver F1-ATPase by a modification of the chloroform extraction procedure originally described by Beechey et al. (Biochem. J. (1975) 148, 533). Purified liver membrane vesicles are extracted with chloroform in the presence of ATP and EDTA. The procedure yields pure F1 in only 2-3 h without the necessity of ion-exchange chromatography. The enzyme exhibits the alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and epsilon bands characteristic of F1-ATPase. It has a high ATPase specific activity, and is reconstitutively active, catalyzing high rates of ATP synthesis. Significantly, it can be readily crystallized. If desired, the enzyme can be passed over a gel filtration column to place it in a stabilizing phosphate-EDTA buffer, lyophilized and stored indefinitely at -20 degrees C.

Use of monoclonal antibodies in immuno-electron microscopy for the determination of subunit stoichiometry in oligomeric enzymes. There are three alpha-subunits in the F1-ATPase of Escherichia coli

The subunit stoichiometry of oligomeric enzymes can be determined by immuno-electron microscopy using monoclonal antibodies against the individual subunits. Monoclonal antibodies against native F1-ATPase of Escherichia coli were prepared that were specific for the alpha-subunit. The immune complexes of F1 and monoclonal antibodies were isolated. Electron microscopy revealed the presence of three immunoglobulins per molecule of F1-ATPase. This unequivocally demonstrates an alpha 3 stoichiometry for the F1-ATPase of E. coli.

An electron microscopic approach to the quaternary structure of mitochondrial F1-ATPase

The three-dimensional structure of F1-ATPase from beef heart mitochondria was investigated by electron microscopic techniques. The presence of high concentrations of nucleotides is essential for preservation of the quaternary structure. When investigated under such conditions, monodisperse F1-ATPase could not be distinguished from the membrane-bound enzyme. At low resolution, the particle shape resembles an oblate ellipsoid of revolution with an axial ratio of about 2:1. From several lines of evidence (including field micrographs at higher magnifications, Markham rotational analysis, and tilting experiments), two conclusions may be drawn concerning the three-dimensional fine structure of F1-ATPase. 1. At the periphery of the molecule, six globular protein masses are orientated in a way similar to the chair conformation of cyclohexane. This array is interpreted to be made up of an alternating sequence of alpha and beta subunits. 2. Part of the central space is occupied by a seventh protein mass, protrusions of which are likely to be in contact with some of the outer subunits. A gamma subunit is supposed to be constituent part of this central protein mass. As a consequence, this model favours a stoichiometry of alpha 3 beta 3 gamma for the large subunits of beef heart F1-ATPase.

Structure of F1-ATPase

F1-ATPases are large multimeric proteins that can be isolated from the membrane bound system that catalyzes the phosphorylation of ADP by inorganic phosphate in bacteria, plants, and mitochondria. They can be visualized in electron micrographs of the inner mitochondrial membranes where they appear as large protruding spheres 90 A in diameter. The purified F1-ATPases have a molecular weight of 320,000 to 400,000 daltons and are composed of five non-identical subunits (alpha, beta, gamma, delta and epsilon). The stoichiometry of these subunits in the complex is still unknown but compositions of the type alpha3beta3gamma delta epsilon and alpha2beta2gamma2delta2epsilon2 were found to be consistent with some of the available experimental data. This review discusses the recent data and the experimental approaches utilized for the structural characterization of F1-ATPases.

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.

A cross-linking study of the Ca2+, Mg2+-activated adenosine triphosphatase of Escherichia coli

The solubilized Ca2+,Mg2+-activated adenosine triphosphatase of Escherichia coli is composed of five subunits designated alpha, beta, gamma, delta and epsilon in order of decreasing molecular weight. The subunit structure of the enzyme has been investigated by the use of the cleavable cross-linking agents dithiobis(succinimidyl propionate), methyl-4-mercaptobutyrimidate, dimethyl-3,3'-dithiobispropionimidate, disuccinimidyl tartarate, and cupric 1,10-phenanthrolinate. The products of cross-linking were analyzed by two different two-dimensional gel electrophoresis systems. The following cross-linked subunit dimers were observed: alpha 2, beta 2, alpha beta, alpha delta, beta gamma, beta delta, beta epsilon and gamma epsilon. These results, together with other published data, are discussed in relation to a model of the arrangement of the subunits in the ATPase molecule.