Proposed reaction mechanism for the (Na + + K + )-dependent adenosine triphosphatase

Inhibition by p-nitrophenylphosphate of acetylcholine release induced by Na+-deprivation

The effect of p-nitrophenylphosphate (p-NPP) on the release of acetylcholine evoked by drugs and ionic environments known to inhibit Na+, K+-ATPase was studied in isolated cortical slices of rat brain and longitudinal muscle strip of guinea-pig ileum. p-NPP inhibited the release of acetylcholine induced by sodium deprivation provided that the circumstances were in favour of the function of the K+-activated part of ATPase. However, it failed to antagonize the increase in the acetylcholine release elicited by omission of K+ or by administration of ouabain. Therefore it is concluded that the K+-stimulated phosphatase moiety of the Na+, K+-ATPase might be involved in the release of acetylcholine.

Substrate sites for the (Na+ + K+)-dependent ATPase

Kinetic studies on a rat brain (Na+ + K+)-dependent ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) preparation demonstrated high-affinity sites for ATP, with a Km near 1 mum, and low affinity sites for ATP, with a Km near 0.5 mM. In addition, the dissociation constant for ATP at the low affinity sites was approached through the ability of ATP to modify the rate of photo-oxidation of the enzyme in the presence of methylene blue; a value of 0.4 mM was obtained. The temperature dependence of the Km values in these two concentration ranges also differed markedly, and the estimated entropy of binding was +27 cal/degree per mol at the high affinity sites, whereas it was -20 cal/degree per mol at the low affinity sites. Moreover, the relative affinities of various congeners of ATP as of the K+ -dependent phosphatase reaction of the enzyme indicated an interaction at the low-affinity sites for ATP: ATP, ADP, CTP, and the [beta-gamma] -imido analog of ATP all competed with Ki values near those for the ATPase reaction at the low affinity sites. Conversely, the Km for nitrophenyl phosphate as a substrate for the phosphatase reaction was near its Ki as a competitor at the low-affinity sites of the ATPase reaction. These observations are incorporated into a reaction scheme with two classes of substrate sites on a dimeric enzyme, manifesting idverse enzymatic and transport characteristics.

Studies on (Na+ + K+)-activated ATPase. XXXVIII. A 100 000 molecular weight protein as the low-energy phosphorylated intermediate of the enzyme

Phosphorylation of NaI-treated bovine brain cortex microsomes by inorganic phosphate in the presence of Mg2+ and ouabain has been studied at 0 degrees C (pH 7.4) and 20 degrees C (pH 7.0). Nearly maximal (90%) and half-maximal phosphorylation are achieved at 20 degrees C within 2 min with 50--155 and 5.6--17 muM 32Pi, respectively, and at 0 degrees C within 75 s with 300--600 and 33--66 muM 32Pi, respectively. Maximal phosphorylation yields 146 pmol 32P - mg-1 protein. Without ouabain (20 degrees C, pH 7.0) less than 25% of the incorporation observed in the presence of ouabain is reached. Preincubation of the native microsomes with Mg2+ and K+, in order to decompose possibly present high-energy phosphoryl-bonds prior to ouabain treatment, does not affect the maximal phosphate incorporation. This indicates that the inorganic phosphate incorporation is not due to an exchange with high-energy phosphoryl-bonds, which might have been preserved in the microsomal preparations. Phosphorylation of the native microsomes by ATP in the presence of Mg2+ and Na+ reaches 90 and 50% maximal levels within 15--30 s at 0 degrees C and pH 7.4 at concentrations of [gamma-32P]ATP of 5--32 and 0.5--3.5 muM, respectively. The maximal phosphorylation level is 149 pmol 32P-mg-1 protein, equal to that of ouabain-treated microsomes phosphorylated by inorganic phosphate. Both inorganic phosphate and ATP phosphorylate on site per active enzyme subunit of 135 000 molecular weight. From the equilibrium constants for the phosphorylation of ouabain-treated microsomes by inorganic phosphate at 0 degrees C and 20 degrees C standard free-energy changes of --5.4 and --6.8 kcal/mol, respectively, are calculated. These values yield a standard enthalpy change of 14 kcal/mol and an entropy change of 70 cal/mol - degree K. This characterizes the reaction as a process driven by an entropy change. The intermediate formed by phosphorylation with Pi has maximal stability at acidic pH, as is the case for the intermediate formed with ATP. Solubilization in sodium dodecyl sulfate stabilizes the phosphoryl-bond in the pH range of 4--7. The non-solubilized preparation has optimal stability at pH 2--4, the level of which is equal to that of detergent-solubilized intermediate. Sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis of the microsomes at pH 3, following incorporation of 32Pi yields 11 protein bands, only one of which (mol. wt 100 000--106 000) carries the radioactive label. This protein has the same molecular weight as the protein, which is phosphorylated by ATP in the presence of Mg2+ and Na+.

Studies on (Na+ plus K+)-activated ATPase. XXXVII. Stabilization by cations of the enzyme-ouabain complex formed with Mg1+ and inorganic phosphate

Dissociation of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase ouabain complex, formed in the presence of Mg2+ and inorganic phosphate (Complex II), is inhibited by Mg2+ (21-45%) and the alkali cations Na+ (25-59%) and K+ (27-75%) when kidney cortex tissue (bovine, rabbit, guinea pig) is the enzyme source. Choline chloride at 200 mM, equivalent to the highest concentration of NaCl tested, does not inhibit. Dissociation of Complex II from brain cortex (bovine, rat, rabbit) or heart muscle (rabbit) is much less inhibited: 0-11% by Na+ and 11-19% by K+. The degree of inhibition is not directly related to the size of the dissociation rate constant (k-) of the various complexes, but rather to the extent of interaction between the cation and ouabain binding sites for these tissues. Inhibition curves for Na+ and K+ are sigmoidal. Half-maximal inhibition for rabbit brain and kidney cortex is at 30-40 mM Na+ and 6-10 mM K+, and the maximally inhibitory concentrations are 50-150 and 15-20 mM, respectively. Maximal inhibition by Na+ or K+ for these tissues is the same. For guinea pig kidney cortex Na+ and K+ are almost equally effective, but 150 mM K+ or 200 mM Na+ are still not saturating, and inhibition curves indicate high- and low-affinity binding sites for the alkali cations. The inhibition curve for Mg2+ is not sigmoidal. In the kidney preparations Mg2+ inhibits half-maximally at 0.4-0.5 mM, maximally at 1-3 mM. Maximal inhibition by Mg2+ is higher than by Na+ or K+ for rabbit kidney cortex and lower for guinea pig kidney cortex. There is no competition or additivity among the cations, indicating the existence of different binding sites for Mg2+ and the alkali cations. Complex II differs in stability in the extent of inhibition, in the dependence of inhibition on the cation concentration and in the absence of antagonism between Na+ and K+, from the ouabain complex formed via phosphorylation by ATP (Complex I). This indicates that the phosphorylation states for the complexes are clearly different.

Specific modifications of the Na+,K+-dependent adenosine triphosphatase by dimethyl sulfoxide

DMSO inhibits the Na+, K+-ATPase, but stimulates the associated K+-phosphatase activity. For the ATPase, DMSO acts as an uncompetitive inhibitor toward both ATP and Na+, whereas it increases the K0.5 for K+. From measurements of the dissociation constant (Km) of these ions in the ligand states that correspond to the ATPase reaction, it can be shown that DMSO has little effect on the affinity for Na+, but decreases the affinity for K+ of the enzyme-phosphate intermediate (the form that has the highest affinity for K+). By contrast, DMSO decreases the Km for the phosphatase substrate (nitrophenyl phosphate) without affecting the Vmax. Moreover, DMSO decreases the K0.5 for K+ and also the Kd for K+ in the ligand states that correspond to the phosphatase reaction (which have only a moderate affinity for K+, since the acyl phosphate intermediate is absent in this pathway). These data may be incorporated into a reaction mechanism for the Na+, K+-ATPase. Initially the enzyme is phosphorylated to form an acyl phosphate intermediate, in steps that require Na+ and Mg-2+. At this stage the affinity of K+ is markedly increased (from the moderate affinity seen in the "free" enzyme and the phosphatase reaction). When K+ is bound, the phosphate group is transferred to the hydrolytic site where P-i is ultimately released. DMSO acts at the point at which the acyl phosphate group or the phosphatase substrate enters the hydrolytic site, inhibiting one and facilitating the other. At this stage the affinity for K+ is also changing, and DMSO apparently selects an enyme conformation of intermediate affinity. Ion transport may occur by a gate mechanism in an overall system that operates on a half-of-the-sites active enzyme pattern in which ATP hydrolysis may alternate between the dimeric subunits of the enzyme.