Identification and properties of an ATPase in vacuolar membranes of Neurospora crassa

Evolving views of ionic, osmotic and acid-base regulation in aquatic animals

The regulation of ionic, osmotic and acid-base (IOAB) conditions in biological fluids is among the most fundamental functions in all organisms; being surrounded by water uniquely shapes the IOAB regulatory strategies of water-breathing animals. Throughout its centennial history, Journal of Experimental Biology has established itself as a premier venue for publication of comparative, environmental and evolutionary studies on IOAB regulation. This Review provides a synopsis of IOAB regulation in aquatic animals, some of the most significant research milestones in the field, and evolving views about the underlying cellular mechanisms and their evolutionary implications. It also identifies promising areas for future research and proposes ideas for enhancing the impact of aquatic IOAB research.

Discovery and Study of Transmembrane Rotary Ion-Translocating Nano-Motors: F-ATPase/Synthase of Mitochondria/Bacteria and V-ATPase of Eukaryotic Cells

This review discusses the history of discovery and study of the operation of the two rotary ion-translocating ATPase nano-motors: (i) F-ATPase/synthase (holocomplex F₁F_O) of mitochondria/bacteria and (ii) eukaryotic V-ATPase (holocomplex V₁V_O). Vacuolar adenosine triphosphatase (V-ATPase) is a transmembrane multisubunit complex found in all eukaryotes from yeast to humans. It is structurally and functionally similar to the F-ATPase/synthase of mitochondria/bacteria and the A-ATPase/synthase of archaebacteria, which indicates a common evolutionary origin of the rotary ion-translocating nano-motors built into cell membranes and invented by Nature billions of years ago. Previously we have published several reviews on this topic with appropriate citations of our original research. This review is focused on the historical analysis of the discovery and study of transmembrane rotary ion-translocating ATPase nano-motors functioning in bacteria, eukaryotic cells and mitochondria of animals.

Voltage-gated proton channels from fungi highlight role of peripheral regions in channel activation

Here, we report the identification and characterization of the first proton channels from fungi. The fungal proteins are related to animal voltage-gated Hv channels and are conserved in both higher and lower fungi. Channels from Basidiomycota and Ascomycota appear to be evolutionally and functionally distinct. Representatives from the two phyla share several features with their animal counterparts, including structural organization and strong proton selectivity, but they differ from each other and from animal Hvs in terms of voltage range of activation, pharmacology, and pH sensitivity. The activation gate of Hv channels is believed to be contained within the transmembrane core of the protein and little is known about contributions of peripheral regions to the activation mechanism. Using a chimeragenesis approach, we find that intra- and extracellular peripheral regions are main determinants of the voltage range of activation in fungal channels, highlighting the role of these overlooked components in channel gating.

Emerging insights on the role of V-ATPase in human diseases: Therapeutic challenges and opportunities

The control of the intracellular pH is vital for the survival of all organisms. Membrane transporters, both at the plasma and intracellular membranes, are key players in maintaining a finely tuned pH balance between intra- and extracellular spaces, and therefore in cellular homeostasis. V-ATPase is a housekeeping ATP-driven proton pump highly conserved among prokaryotes and eukaryotes. This proton pump, which exhibits a complex multisubunit structure based on cell type-specific isoforms, is essential for pH regulation and for a multitude of ubiquitous and specialized functions. Thus, it is not surprising that V-ATPase aberrant overexpression, mislocalization, and mutations in V-ATPase subunit-encoding genes have been associated with several human diseases. However, the ubiquitous expression of this transporter and the high toxicity driven by its off-target inhibition, renders V-ATPase-directed therapies very challenging and increases the need for selective strategies. Here we review emerging evidence linking V-ATPase and both inherited and acquired human diseases, explore the therapeutic challenges and opportunities envisaged from recent data, and advance future research avenues. We highlight the importance of V-ATPases with unique subunit isoform molecular signatures and disease-associated isoforms to design selective V-ATPase-directed therapies. We also discuss the rational design of drug development pipelines and cutting-edge methodological approaches toward V-ATPase-centered drug discovery. Diseases like cancer, osteoporosis, and even fungal infections can benefit from V-ATPase-directed therapies.

Nitrate storage and retrieval in Beta vulgaris: Effects of nitrate and chloride on proton gradients in tonoplast vesicles

The fluorescent probes acridine orange and oxonol-V were used as indicators of pH gradients (DeltapH) and membrane potential differences (DeltaPsi), respectively, in membrane vesicles believed to be derived from the tonoplast of Beta vulgaris L. Low concentrations of nitrate (1-5 mM) caused a partial dissipation of both DeltapH and DeltaPsi at vesicle transport sites distinct from the H(+)-ATPase. In contrast, chloride dissipated only DeltaPsi. A model is proposed in which nitrate and chloride enter the plant cell vacuole in response to a potential generated by the tonoplast H(+)-ATPase. Nitrate but not chloride may then be retrieved for metabolic use by the operation of a nitrate/proton symport at the tonoplast.

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).

The V-type H+ ATPase: molecular structure and function, physiological roles and regulation

It was nearly 30 years before the V-type H+ ATPase was admitted to the small circle of bona fide transport ATPases alongside F-type and P-type ATPases. The V-type H+ ATPase is an ATP-driven enzyme that transforms the energy of ATP hydrolysis to electrochemical potential differences of protons across diverse biological membranes via the primary active transport of H+. In turn, the transmembrane electrochemical potential of H+ is used to drive a variety of (i) secondary active transport systems via H+-dependent symporters and antiporters and (ii) channel-mediated transport systems. For example, expression of Cl- channels or transporters next to the V-type H+ ATPase in vacuoles of plants and fungi and in lysosomes of animals brings about the acidification of the endosomal compartment, and the expression of the H+/neurotransmitter antiporter next to the V-type H+ ATPase concentrates neurotransmitters in synaptic vesicles. First found in association with endosomal membranes, the V-type H+ ATPase is now also found in increasing examples of plasma membranes where the proton pump energizes transport across cell membranes and entire epithelia. The molecular details reveal up to 14 protein subunits arranged in (i) a cytoplasmic V1 complex, which mediates the hydrolysis of ATP, and (ii) a membrane-embedded V0 complex, which translocates H+ across the membrane. Clever experiments have revealed the V-type H+ ATPase as a molecular motor akin to F-type ATPases. The hydrolysis of ATP turns a rotor consisting largely of one copy of subunits D and F of the V1 complex and a ring of six or more copies of subunit c of the V0 complex. The rotation of the ring is thought to deliver H+ from the cytoplasmic to the endosomal or extracellular side of the membrane, probably via channels formed by subunit a. The reversible dissociation of V1 and V0 complexes is one mechanism of physiological regulation that appears to be widely conserved from yeast to animal cells. Other mechanisms, such as subunit-subunit interactions or interactions of the V-type H+ ATPase with other proteins that serve physiological regulation, remain to be explored. Some diseases can now be attributed to genetic alterations of specific subunits of the V-type H+ ATPase.

H+-ATPase of crude homogenate of the outer mantle epithelium of Anodonta cygnea

The outer mantle epithelium of the freshwater bivalve, Anodonta cygnea, is responsible for the mineralisation of the shell. Under short circuit conditions, it generates a current that is due to the operation of an electrogenic proton pump located in the apical barrier of that epithelium. Bafilomycin A1 and Concanamycin A inhibited the short circuit current. The IC50 and maximum inhibition dose were 0.17 and 0.5 microM for Bafilomycin A1, and 0.7 and 5 microM for Concanamycin A. The present work was undertaken to further characterise V-type ATPase of the outer mantle cells. The V-ATPase enzymatic activity of crude homogenate, measured as the amount of inorganic phosphorous released, due to ATP hydrolysis, in the presence of Na2SO3 (200 mM) was found to be 4.6+/-1.1 micromol Pi/mg protein/h, at 27 degrees C, pH 7.0-7.4 and ATP 4.5-6.0 microM. Bafilomycin A1 and Concanamycin A inhibit the V-ATPase activity with an IC50 of 14 and 8 nmol mg(-1), respectively. Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD; 100 mM) and NaNO3 (100 microM) inhibited the V-type ATPase in what it seems a non-specific manner and NEM (100 mM) was unable to do it. Bafilomycin A1 (10 microM) and Concanamycin A (10 microM), inhibited 50-60% of the total activity.

A journey from mammals to yeast with vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase)

The vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) is one of the most fundamental enzymes in nature. It functions in almost every eukaryotic cell and energizes a wide variety of organelles and membranes. V-ATPase has a structure and mechanism of action similar to F-ATPase and several of their subunits probably evolved from common ancestors. In eukaryotic cells, F-ATPase is confined to the semiautonomous organelles, chloroplasts and mitochondria, which contain their own genes that encode some of the F-ATPase subunits. In contrast to F-ATPases, whose primary function in eukaryotic cells is to form ATP at the expense of the protonmotive force (pmf), V-ATPases function exclusively as ATP-dependent proton pumps. The pmf generated by V-ATPases in organelles and membranes of eukaryotic cells is utilized as a driving force for numerous secondary transport processes. It was the survival of the yeast mutant without the active enzyme and yeast genetics that allowed the identification of genuine subunits of the V-ATPase. It also revealed special properties of individual subunits, factors that are involved in the enzyme's biogenesis and assembly, as well as the involvement of V-ATPase in the secretory pathway, endocytosis, and respiration. It may be the insect V-ATPase that unconventionally resides in the plasma membrane of their midgut, that will give the first structure resolution of this complex.

An IP3-activated Ca2+ channel regulates fungal tip growth

Hyphal extension in fungi requires a tip-high Ca(2+) gradient, which is generated and maintained internally by inositol (1,4,5)-trisphosphate (IP(3))-induced Ca(2+) release from tip-localized vesicles and subapical Ca(2+) sequestration. Using the planar bilayer method we demonstrated the presence of two types of IP(3)-activated Ca(2+) channels in Neurospora crassa membranes with different conductances: one low (13 picosiemens), the other high (77 picosiemens). On sucrose density gradients the low conductance channel co-localized with endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane, and the high conductance channel co-localized with vacuolar membranes. We correlated the effect of inhibitors on channel activity with their effect on hyphal growth and Ca(2+) gradients. The inhibitor of IP(3)-induced Ca(2+) release, 2-aminoethoxidiphenylborate (2-APB), inhibits both channels, while heparin, 8-(N,N-diethylamino)-octyl-3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoate, hydrochloride (TMB-8) and dantrolene inhibit only the large conductance channel. Because 2-APB inhibits hyphal growth and dissipates the tip-high cytosolic [Ca(2+)] gradient, whereas heparin microinjection, TMB-8 and dantrolene treatments do not affect growth, we suggest that the small conductance channel generates the obligatory tip-high Ca(2+) gradient during hyphal growth. Since IP(3) production must be catalyzed by tip-localized phospholipase C, we show that a number of phospholipase C inhibitors [neomycin, 1-[6-((17beta-3-methoxyestra-1,3,5(10)-trien-17-yl)amino)hexyl]- 1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione (U-73122) (but not the inactive pyrrolidine U-73343), 3-nitrocoumarin] inhibit hyphal growth and affect, similarly to 2-APB, the location of vesicular Ca(2+) imaged by chlortetracycline staining.

Evidence that fungal MEP proteins mediate diffusion of the uncharged species NH(3) across the cytoplasmic membrane

Methylammonium and ammonium (MEP) permeases of Saccharomyces cerevisiae belong to a ubiquitous family of cytoplasmic membrane proteins that transport only ammonium (NH(4)(+) + NH(3)). Transport and accumulation of the ammonium analog [(14)C]methylammonium, a weak base, led to the proposal that members of this family were capable of energy-dependent concentration of the ammonium ion, NH(4)(+). In bacteria, however, ATP-dependent conversion of methylammonium to gamma-N-methylglutamine by glutamine synthetase precludes its use in assessing concentrative transport across the cytoplasmic membrane. We have confirmed that methylammonium is not metabolized in the yeast S. cerevisiae and have shown that it is little metabolized in the filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa. However, its accumulation depends on the energy-dependent acidification of vacuoles. A Deltavph1 mutant of S. cerevisiae and a Deltavma1 mutant, which lack vacuolar H(+)-ATPase activity, had large (fivefold or greater) defects in the accumulation of methylammonium, with little accompanying defect in the initial rate of transport. A vma-1 mutant of N. crassa largely metabolized methylammonium to methylglutamine. Thus, in fungi as in bacteria, subsequent energy-dependent utilization of methylammonium precludes its use in assessing active transport across the cytoplasmic membrane. The requirement for a proton gradient to sequester the charged species CH(3)NH(3)(+) in acidic vacuoles provides evidence that the substrate for MEP proteins is the uncharged species CH(3)NH(2). By inference, their natural substrate is NH(3), a gas. We postulate that MEP proteins facilitate diffusion of NH(3) across the cytoplasmic membrane and speculate that human Rhesus proteins, which lie in the same domain family as MEP proteins, facilitate diffusion of CO(2).

Physiological consequence of disruption of the VMA1 gene in the riboflavin overproducer Ashbya gossypii

The vacuolar ATPase subunit A structural gene VMA1 of the biotechnologically important riboflavin overproducer Ashbya gossypii was cloned and disrupted to prevent riboflavin retention in the vacuolar compartment and to redirect the riboflavin flux into the medium. Cloning was achieved by polymerase chain reaction using oligonucleotide primers derived form conserved sequences of the Vma1 proteins from yeast and filamentous fungi. The deduced polypeptide comprises 617 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 67.8 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence is highly similar to that of the catalytic subunits of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (67 kDa), Candida tropicalis (67 kDa), and Neurospora crassa (67 kDa) with 89, 87, and 60% identity, respectively, and shows about 25% identity to the beta-subunit of the FoF1-ATPase of S. cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. In contrast to S. cerevisiae, however, where disruption of the VMA1 gene was conditionally lethal, and to N. crassa, where viable disruptants could not be isolated, disruption of the VMA1 gene in A. gossypii did not cause a lethal phenotype. Disruption of the AgVMA1 gene led to complete excretion of riboflavin into the medium instead of retention in the vacuolar compartment, as observed in the wild type.

Vacuolar and plasma membrane proton-adenosinetriphosphatases

The vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) is one of the most fundamental enzymes in nature. It functions in almost every eukaryotic cell and energizes a wide variety of organelles and membranes. V-ATPases have similar structure and mechanism of action with F-ATPase and several of their subunits evolved from common ancestors. In eukaryotic cells, F-ATPases are confined to the semi-autonomous organelles, chloroplasts, and mitochondria, which contain their own genes that encode some of the F-ATPase subunits. In contrast to F-ATPases, whose primary function in eukaryotic cells is to form ATP at the expense of the proton-motive force (pmf), V-ATPases function exclusively as ATP-dependent proton pumps. The pmf generated by V-ATPases in organelles and membranes of eukaryotic cells is utilized as a driving force for numerous secondary transport processes. The mechanistic and structural relations between the two enzymes prompted us to suggest similar functional units in V-ATPase as was proposed to F-ATPase and to assign some of the V-ATPase subunit to one of four parts of a mechanochemical machine: a catalytic unit, a shaft, a hook, and a proton turbine. It was the yeast genetics that allowed the identification of special properties of individual subunits and the discovery of factors that are involved in the enzyme biogenesis and assembly. The V-ATPases play a major role as energizers of animal plasma membranes, especially apical plasma membranes of epithelial cells. This role was first recognized in plasma membranes of lepidopteran midgut and vertebrate kidney. The list of animals with plasma membranes that are energized by V-ATPases now includes members of most, if not all, animal phyla. This includes the classical Na+ absorption by frog skin, male fertility through acidification of the sperm acrosome and the male reproductive tract, bone resorption by mammalian osteoclasts, and regulation of eye pressure. V-ATPase may function in Na+ uptake by trout gills and energizes water secretion by contractile vacuoles in Dictyostelium. V-ATPase was first detected in organelles connected with the vacuolar system. It is the main if not the only primary energy source for numerous transport systems in these organelles. The driving force for the accumulation of neurotransmitters into synaptic vesicles is pmf generated by V-ATPase. The acidification of lysosomes, which are required for the proper function of most of their enzymes, is provided by V-ATPase. The enzyme is also vital for the proper function of endosomes and the Golgi apparatus. In contrast to yeast vacuoles that maintain an internal pH of approximately 5.5, it is believed that the vacuoles of lemon fruit may have a pH as low as 2. Similarly, some brown and red alga maintain internal pH as low as 0.1 in their vacuoles. One of the outstanding questions in the field is how such a conserved enzyme as the V-ATPase can fulfill such diverse functions.

Characterization of Mg2+-ATPase activity in isolated B16 murine melanoma melanosomes

B16 murine melanoma melanosomes were purified using sucrose density gradient centrifugation. ATPase activity was evaluated in presence of specific ATPase inhibitors, and compared with melanosome ATP-driven proton translocating activity in the melanosome. Mg2+ dependent ATPase activity was greatly inhibited (82%) by the specific inhibitors of vaculor proton translocating ATPase; Cis-didimethylsulfoxide dichloroplatinum (II) at approximately 90 microM and bafilomycin AI at two fold higher concentrations. Less inhibition, about 30 and 45% was obtained with N, N1-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and N-ethylmaleimide, and the maximal effect occurred in the 50-100 microM and 0.1-1.5 mM ranges, respectively. These drugs at similar concentrations also inhibited the proton pumping activity to the same extent as observed for ATPase activity and half-maximal inhibition of each activity was found at nearly similar concentrations. Carbonylcyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenyl hydra zone (FCCP) prevented ATP from setting up a pH gradient across the melanosomal membrane but stimulated Mg2+ ATPase activity significantly. Replacement of 5 mM Mg2+ with equimolar Ca2+ brought about a 60% inhibition in divalent cation-dependent ATPase- activity, and an 85% inactivation of ATP-linked melanosomal H+ pump activity. In the presence of optimal concentrations of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ATPase activity was similar to that seen in a Mg2+ medium. In Ca2+ medium ATPase activity was inhibited by CDDP and stimulated by FCCP, however these effects were two to three fold less than those observed in Mg2+ medium. FCCP failed to stimulate ATPase activity in CDDP- supplemented medium, thus suggesting that the same ATPase activity fraction was sensitive to both CDDP and FCCP. Mg2+-ATPase activity, like the proton-pump was anion dependent. The lowest activity was recorded in F medium, and increased in the order of F < So4(2-) < CL- = Br-. These results show that the ATPase activity may be related to the melanosomal proton pump.

Organelle purification and selective permeabilisation of the plasma membrane: two different approaches to study vacuoles of the filamentous fungus Ashbya gossypii

Two different approaches to prepare and characterise vacuoles from the filamentous fungus Ashbya gossypii are described, i.e. the isolation of vacuoles from hyphal cells and the controlled permeabilisation of the plasma membrane. By mechanical lysis of protoplasts and separation of the organelles on a stepped density gradient, we obtained a vacuolar fraction virtually free of contamination by other organelles, unlysed protoplasts and cell debris. The integrity of the isolated organelles was characterised by vital-staining, the presence of alpha-mannosidase, and retained accumulation of basic amino acids. In a second approach, the cell membrane of the fungus was selectively permeabilised by use of the saponin digitonin leaving the vacuoles in their physiological surrounding, i.e. protected by the rigid cell wall. The permeabilisation was monitored by the latency of predominantly cytosolic amino acids and the ATP status of the cells. Functional intactness of the vacuoles within the permeabilised hyphae was demonstrated by maintenance of the pH gradient across the vacuolar membrane as detected by accumulation of the fluorescent dye, Acridine orange. These two methods are well-suited tools for the in situ assay of intracellular compartmentation of metabolites, for vacuolar transmembrane fluxes in Ashbya gossypii, as well as for the direct access to vacuolar membranes and enzymes of this fungus.

Mutational analysis of the catalytic subunit of the yeast vacuolar proton-translocating ATPase

In order to generate a set of tools for probing structure-function relationships in the catalytic subunit of the yeast vacuolar H(+)-ATPase, the gene encoding this subunit (VMA1) was randomly mutagenized. Mutant plasmids unable to complement the growth defects of yeast cells lacking an intact VMA1 gene were isolated and sequenced. Eight different mutant alleles of VMA1 were examined for levels of the catalytic subunit and other subunits of the enzyme, assembly of the ATPase complex, targeting to the vacuolar membrane, and concanamycin A-sensitive ATPase activity. The mutations S811P and E740D resulted in mutant enzymes that assembled fully but were incapable of ATP hydrolysis, and the mutation E785G generated a similar but somewhat less severe phenotype (17% of the ATPase activity of wild-type vacuoles). When MgATP-dependent stripping of the peripheral subunits by 100 mM KNO3 was examined in these three mutants, only the E785G mutant exhibited significant stripping, suggesting that ATP hydrolysis, even at relatively low levels, generates a conformation susceptible to dissociation. Plasmids containing the mutations E751G and F752S partially complemented the growth defects and resulted in partial defects in ATPase activity that appear to reflect reduced catalytic efficiency. Partial defects in growth and ATPase activity were also seen in the Y797H mutant, but this mutation caused an assembly defect manifested as a preferential loss of two of the peripheral subunits of the enzyme. The phenotypes of these mutants are interpreted in the context of homologies with other V-type and F-type ATPases.

The vacuolar ATPase: sulfite stabilization and the mechanism of nitrate inactivation

Using vacuolar membranes from Neurospora crassa, we observed that sulfite prevented the loss of vacuolar ATPase activity that otherwise occurred during 36 h at room temperature. Sulfite neither activated nor changed the kinetic behavior of the enzyme. Further, in the presence of sulfite, the vacuolar ATPase was not inhibited by nitrate. We tested the hypothesis that sulfite acts as a reducing agent to stabilize the enzyme, while nitrate acts as an oxidizing agent, inhibiting the enzyme by promoting the formation of disulfide bonds. All reducing agents tested, dithionite, selenite, thiophosphate, dithiothreitol and glutathione, prevented the loss of ATPase activity. On the other hand, all oxidizing agents tested, bromate, iodate, arsenite, perchlorate, and hydrogen peroxide, were potent inhibitors of ATPase activity. The inhibitory effect of the oxidizing agents was specific for the vacuolar ATPase. The mitochondrial ATPase, assayed under identical conditions, was not inhibited by any of the oxidizing agents. Analysis of proteins with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis indicated that nitrate can promote the formation of disufide bonds between proteins in the vacuolar membrane. These data suggest a mechanism to explain why nitrate specifically inhibits vacuolar ATPases, and they support the proposal by Feng and Forgac (Feng, Y., and Forgac, M. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 13244-13230) that oxidation and reduction of critical cysteine residues may regulate the activity of vacuolar ATPases in vivo.

Effects of osmotic stress and growth stage on cellular pH and polyphosphate metabolism in Neurospora crassa as studied by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

High-resolution 31P-NMR was employed to investigate the effects of growth stage and environmental osmolarity on changes of polyphosphate metabolism and intracellular pH in intact Neurospora crassa cells. Our study showed that changes of these parameters were growth-dependent. The ratio of polyphosphate to orthophosphate in vacuoles increased from 2.4 to 13.5 in N. crassa as cells grew from early log phase to stationary phase. Cytoplasmic pH and vacuolar pH changed, respectively, from 6.91 and 6.49 in early log phase cells to 7.25 and 6.84 in stationary phase cells. Hypoosmotic shock of N. crassa produced growth-dependent changes including: (i) a rapid hydrolysis of polyphosphate with a concomitant increase in the concentration of the cytoplasmic phosphate, (ii) an increase in cytoplasmic pH, and (iii) an increase in vacuolar pH. Early log phase cells produced the most dramatic response whereas the stationary phase cells appeared to be recalcitrant to the osmotic stress. Thus, 95% and 60% of polyphosphate in the early log phase and mid-log phase cells, respectively, disappeared in response to hypoosmotic shock, but little or no hydrolysis of polyphosphate occurred in stationary cells. The cytoplasmic pH and the vacuolar pH increased in response to hypoosmotic shock by 0.4 and 0.53 unit, respectively, in early log phase cells; and by 0.22 and 0.27 unit, respectively, in the mid-log phase cells. In contrast, hypoosmotic shock of the stationary phase cells did not cause any change in intracellular pH. The osmotic stress-induced polyphosphate hydrolysis and pH changes in early log and mid-log phase cells were reversible, suggesting that these changes were related environment osmolarity. Addition of polyamines or basic amino acids which are known to be sequestered in vacuoles did not effect polyphosphate metabolism.

Stimulatory effect of NH4+ on the transport of leucine and glucose in an anaerobic alkaliphile

An anaerobic alkaliphile, EP01, specifically requires NH4+ for the acceleration of amino acid and glucose transport [Koyama, N. (1988) FEBS Lett. 253, 187-189]. In this paper, we attempted to clarify how NH4+ is involved in the transport system. The bacterium acidifies the cytoplasm, which was suggested to result in NH4+ accumulation when NH4Cl was added to the medium. Increase of the NH4Cl concentration administered to the medium caused the acceleration of leucine and glucose transport, which was accompanied by an increase in the internal pH and the absolute internal concentration of NH4+, whereas a decrease in the concentration ratio of internal NH4+/external NH4+ was observed. The addition of 3 mM NH4Cl, which resulted in significant stimulation of leucine and glucose transport, raised the internal NH4+ concentration by 42 mM, but the internal pH only by 0.1 units. It seems more likely that leucine and glucose transport are accelerated depending on the increase in the internal NH4+ concentration rather than the increase in the internal pH. By the imposition of an inwardly directed Na+ gradient, the K(+)-loaded membrane vesicles accumulated leucine and glucose, indicating that a sodium chemical potential is available for active transport. The membrane of the bacterium exhibited a Na(+)-stimulated ATPase activity which was remarkably enhanced by the addition of NH4Cl, depending on its concentration, and was inhibited by vanadate. Leucine and glucose transport were inhibited by vanadate. Based on these results, we propose a mechanism in which NH4+ contributes internally to leucine and glucose transport, depending on its concentration, by the activation of a Na(+)-translocating ATPase responsible for the generation of a sodium chemical potential.

The vacuolar ATPase of Neurospora crassa

The filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa has many small vacuoles which, like mammalian lysosomes, contain hydrolytic enzymes. They also store large amounts of phosphate and basic amino acids. To generate an acidic interior and to drive the transport of small molecules, the vacuolar membranes are densely studded with a proton-pumping ATPase. The vacuolar ATPase is a large enzyme, composed of 8-10 subunits. These subunits are arranged into two sectors, a complex of peripheral subunits called V1 and an integral membrane complex called V0. Genes encoding three of the subunits have been isolated. vma-1 and vma-2 encode polypeptides homologous to the alpha and beta subunits of F-type ATPases. These subunits appear to contain the sites of ATP binding and hydrolysis. vma-3 encodes a highly hydrophobic polypeptide homologous to the proteolipid subunit of vacuolar ATPases from other organisms. This subunit may form part of the proton-containing pathway through the membrane. We have examined the structures of the genes and attempted to inactivate them.

Dissociation and Reassembly of the Vacuolar H-ATPase Complex from Oat Roots

Conditions for the dissociation and reassembly of the multi-subunit vacuolar proton-translocating ATPase (H(+)-ATPase) from oat roots (Avena sativa var Lang) were investigated. The peripheral sector of the vacuolar H(+)-ATPase is dissociated from the membrane integral sector by chaotropic anions. Membranes treated with 0.5 molar KI lost 90% of membrane-bound ATP hydrolytic activity; however, in the presence of Mg(2+) and ATP, only 0.1 molar KI was required for complete inactivation of ATPase and H(+)-pumping activities. A high-affinity binding site for MgATP (dissociation constant = 34 micromolar) was involved in this destabilization. The relative loss of ATPase activity induced by KI, KNO(3), or KCl was accompanied by a corresponding increase in the peripheral subunits in the supernatant, including the nucleotide-binding polypeptides of 70 and 60 kilodaltons. The order of effectiveness of the various ions in reducing ATPase activity was: KSCN > KI > KNO(3) > KBr > K-acetate > K(2)SO(4) > KCl. The specificity of nucleotides (ATP > GTP > ITP) in dissociating the ATPase is consistent with the participation of a catalytic site in destabilizing the enzyme complex. Following KI-induced dissociation of the H(+)-ATPase, the removal of KI and MgATP by dialysis resulted in restoration of activity. During dialysis for 24 hours, ATP hydrolysis activity increased to about 50% of the control. Hydrolysis of ATP was coupled to H(+) pumping as seen from the recovery of H(+) transport following 6 hours of dialysis. Loss of the 70 and 60 kilodalton subunits from the supernatant as probed by monoclonal antibodies further confirmed that the H(+)-ATPase complex had reassembled during dialysis. These data demonstrate that removal of KI and MgATP resulted in reassociation of the peripheral sector with the membrane integral sector of the vacuolar H(+)-ATPase to form a functional H(+) pump. The ability to dissociate and reassociate in vitro may have implications for the regulation, biosynthesis, and assembly of the vacuolar H(+)-ATPase in vivo.

Dictyostelium discoideum acidic ribosomal phosphoproteins: identification and in vitro phosphorylation

Four acidic phosphoproteins from the ribosomes of the slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum have been identified and partially characterized. These proteins are selectively released from ribosomal particles by salt/ethanol washes, have low molecular weight and acidic pI, and tend to aggregate in solution to form homodimers. These features correspond to proteins of different origins that have been included in the conserved family of eukaryotic A-ribosomal proteins, and, therefore, we have named them Dictyostelium ribosomal proteins A1, A2, A3 and A4. We also demonstrate that Dictyostelium ribosomal A-proteins are specifically phosphorylated in vitro by a type II casein kinase previously identified in Dictyostelium. Isoelectric focusing separation has permitted us to identify four proteins (or P-proteins) that may consist of the phosphorylated forms of A-proteins. A-proteins from Dictyostelium and yeast do not present immunological cross-reactivity. Dictyostelium A-proteins contain, therefore, some specific features in their amino acid sequence that distinguish them from other members of the conserved eukaryotic A-protein family; this conclusion is coherent with data deduced from the nucleotide sequence of cDNA clones encoding two Dictyostelium A-proteins (P1 and P2) which we have recently reported.

Physiological controls and regulation of ergot alkaloid formation

Innovation and technical development of ergot alkaloids (EA) has moved closer to scientific research. Circumstantial evidence presently links the initiation of EA metabolism to changes in a range of parameters--morphology, concentrations of enzymes and their substrates, nutrients and external stress. The biosynthesis of EA begins at the level of the genetic information apparatus and continues at the level of physiological expression. EA and their formation play a role in the physiology of the production organism. Insufficient insight into Claviceps physiology hampers the deployment of computers in the control and regulation of the EA process. Knowledge of physiological controls and genetic manipulation are the principal tools of modern EA production. In principle it is now possible to improve EA yields by a concerted breeding of the ergot fungus by sexual and parasexual genetic engineering.

ATPase activities in peroxisome-proliferating yeast

Preliminary studies on yeast peroxisomes have suggested that the membrane of these organelles may contain a proton-pumping ATPase. It has been reported that peroxisome-associated activity is similar to the F0-F1 mitochondrial type ATPase in its sensitivity to azide at pH 9.0, but characteristics of the plasma membrane type ATPase are also evident in peroxisomal preparations in that they exhibit pH 6.5 activity that is sensitive to vanadate. A comparative study of the prominent organellar ATPase activities was undertaken as a probe into the existence of an enzyme that is unique to the peroxisome, and biochemical properties of yeast mitochondrial, plasma membrane, together with peroxisomally-associated H(+)-ATPases are presented. Enzyme marker analysis of sucrose gradient fractions revealed a high degree of correlation between the amount of azide-sensitive pH 9.0 ATPase activity and that of the mitochondrial membrane marker, cytochrome c oxidase, in peroxisomal preparations. Purified mitochondrial and peroxisomally-associated activities were highly sensitive to the presence of sodium azide, N,N' -dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) and venturicidin when measured at pH 9.0. Comparisons of peroxisomal activities with those of the purified plasma membrane at pH 6.0 in the presence of azide showed similar sensitivity profiles with respect to inhibitors of yeast plasma membrane ATPases such as vanadate and p-chloromercuriphenyl-sulfonic acid (CMP). Purified peroxisomal membranes, furthermore, reacted with antibody to the mitochondrial F1 subunit (as revealed by Western blot analysis), and [35S] methionine-labeled, glucose-grown cells processed with unlabeled methanol-grown cells, yielded sucrose gradient fractions that were radioactive in bands that were also recognized by F1 antibody. Isolated fractions in these experiments had similar ratios of cpm:pH 9.0 ATPase activities, suggesting that this activity is mitochondrial in origin. The data presented for the characteristics of the peroxisomally-associated activity strongly suggest that the majority of the ATPase activity found in peroxisomal preparations is derived from other organelles.

The fungal vacuole: composition, function, and biogenesis

The fungal vacuole is an extremely complex organelle that is involved in a wide variety of functions. The vacuole not only carries out degradative processes, the role most often ascribed to it, but also is the primary storage site for certain small molecules and biosynthetic precursors such as basic amino acids and polyphosphate, plays a role in osmoregulation, and is involved in the precise homeostatic regulation of cytosolic ion and basic amino acid concentration and intracellular pH. These many functions necessitate an intricate interaction between the vacuole and the rest of the cell; the vacuole is part of both the secretory and endocytic pathways and is also directly accessible from the cytosol. Because of the various roles and properties of the vacuole, it has been possible to isolate mutants which are defective in various vacuolar functions including the storage and uptake of metabolites, regulation of pH, sorting and processing of vacuolar proteins, and vacuole biogenesis. These mutants show a remarkable degree of genetic overlap, suggesting that these functions are not individual, discrete properties of the vacuole but, rather, are closely interrelated.

A Cl(-)-translocating adenosinetriphosphatase in Acetabularia acetabulum. 1. Purification and characterization of a novel type of adenosinetriphosphatase that differs from chloroplast F1 adenosinetriphosphatase

ATPases were solubilized from membranes of Acetabularia acetabulum using nonanoyl-N-methylgluconamide and purified by ion-exchange and gel permeation chromatography. Three fractions of ATPase, Mono Q-I, -II, and -III, were separated. Activity in fraction Mono Q-I was very labile and could not be accurately determined. Fractions Mono Q-II and -III had specific activities of 0.6 and 6 units/mg of protein, respectively. By SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, and peptide mapping, it was shown that fractions Mono Q-II and -III consisted of the same polypeptides with molecular masses of 54K (a-subunit) and 50K (b-subunit). Fractions Mono Q-II and -III had the following catalytic properties: pH optimum at 6.0; substrate specificity, ATP = GTP = ITP much greater than UTP = CTP (Km for ATP 0.6 mM); divalent cation requirement, Mn2+ = Mg2+ greater than Co2+ greater than Zn2+ much greater than Ca2+, Ni2+. Both activities were inhibited by monovalent anions, while monovalent cations had neither inhibitory nor stimulatory effects. Orthovanadate inhibited both activities to 50% at 1 mM, and the most effective inhibitor of both was azide (95% inhibition at 100 microM). An enzyme-phosphate complex was formed after incubation of fraction Mono Q-III with [gamma-32P]ATP. The CF1-ATPase subcomplexes were isolated from the same organism and compared with the fraction Mono Q-III. Data supported the difference of fraction Mono Q-III from CF1-ATPase.

H-ATPase Activity from Storage Tissue of Beta vulgaris: IV. N,N'-Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide Binding and Inhibition of the Plasma Membrane H-ATPase

The molecular weight and isoelectric point of the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase from red beet storage tissue were determined using N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD) and a H(+)-ATPase antibody. When plasma membrane vesicles were incubated with 20 micromolar [(14)C]-DCCD at 0 degrees C, a single 97,000 dalton protein was visualized on a fluorograph of a sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel. A close correlation between [(14)C]DCCD labeling of the 97,000 dalton protein and the extent of ATPase inhibition over a range of DCCD concentration suggests that this 97,000 dalton protein is a component of the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase. An antibody raised against the plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase of Neurospora crassa cross-reacted with the 97,000 dalton DCCD-binding protein, further supporting the identity of this protein. Immunoblots of two-dimensional gels of red beet plasma membrane vesicles indicated the isoelectric point of the H(+)-ATPase to be 6.5.

The plasma membrane ATPase of Neurospora: a proton-pumping electroenzyme

Probably the best marker enzyme for plasma membranes of eukaryotic cells is a magnesium-dependent, vanadate-inhibited ATPase whose primary function is the transmembrane transport of cations. In animal cells, different species of the enzyme transport different cations: sodium ions released in unequal exchange for potassium ions, calcium ions extruded alone (perhaps), or protons secreted in equal exchange for potassium ions. But in plants and fungi only proton secretion has been clearly demonstrated. A useful model cell for studying the proton-secreting ATPase has been the ascomycete fungus Neurospora, in which the enzyme drives an outward current of protons that can exceed 50 microA/cm2 and can support membrane potentials greater than 300 mV. Both thermodynamic and kinetic studies have shown that the proton-pumping ATPase of Neurospora normally transports only a single proton for each ATP molecule split; and kinetic modelling studies have suggested (contrary to conventional assumptions) that the fast steps in the overall reaction are transmembrane transit of the proton and its dissociation following transport, while the slow steps are the binding of protons and/or ATP. The primary structure of the Neurospora enzyme, recently deduced by gene sequencing, is very close to that of the yeast (Saccharomyces) enzyme, and the hydropathic patterns for both closely resemble those for the animal-cell plasma-membrane ATPases. All of these enzymes appear to have 6-10 membrane-spanning alpha-helices, plus a large cytoplasmic headgroup which bears the catalytic nucleotide-binding site. Structural data, taken together with the electrical-kinetic behavior, suggest that the catalytic headgroup functions as an energized gate for protons. From a geometric point of view, action of such a gate would transfer the membrane field across the "transported" ion, rather than vice versa.

Characteristics of MgATP(2-)-dependent electrogenic proton transport in tonoplast vesicles of the facultative crassulacean-acid-metabolism plant Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L

Membrane vesicles were isolated from mesophyll cells of Mesembryanthemum crystallinum in the C3 state and in the crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) state. The distribution of ATP-hydrolysis and H(+)-transport activities, and the activities of hydroxypyruvate reductase and Antimycin-insensitive cytochrome-c-reductase on continuous sucrose gradients was studied. For isolations carried out routinely a discontinuous sucrose gradient (24%/37%/50%) was used. Nitrate-sensitive ATP-hydrolysis and H(+)-transport activities increased several-fold during the transition from C3 photosynthesis to CAM. Nitrate-sensitive ATPase showed a substrate preference for ATP with an apparent Km (MgATP(2-)) of 0.19-0.37 mM. In both C3 and CAM states the ATPase showed a concentration-dependent stimulation by the anions chloride and malate. However, the pH optima of the two states were different: the ATPase of C3- M. crystallinum had an optimum of pH 7.4 and that of CAM-M. crystallinum an optimum of pH 8.4. The optical probe oxonol-VI was used to demonstrate the formation of MgATP(2-)-dependent electric-potential gradients in tonoplast vesicles.

The proton pump ATPase of lysosomes and related organelles of the vacuolar apparatus

In this review, I hope to achieve the following: (a) to document the presence of a lysosome-like proton pump ATPase in many different membrane systems of animal, plant and microbial origin; (b) to glean from the diverse data common characteristics of these ATPases, especially as regards their similarities and differences with mitochondrial-type F1F0 proton pump ATPases; and (c) to consider questions of synthesis and regulation of a cellular proton pump system with such a widespread distribution.

The tonoplast proton-translocating ATPase of higher plants as a third class of proton-pumps

Taken together, all the data reported recently in the literature suggest that tonoplast ATPase belongs to a new class of proton pumps. To date, the most studied system is the proton-pumping ATPase from the tonoplast of Hevea latex. Its main characteristics are presented. It resembles the mitochondrial ATPase in its specificity, its substrate affinity, and its sensitivity to different inhibitors. However, for some aspects, it resembles the plasma membrane system in its response to other inhibitors tested (quercetin for example). It differs from both ATPases in its sensitivity to nitrate as well as by its molecular structure, i.e. a complex exhibiting a least 4 or 5 polypeptides. These results favor the existence of a third class of proton pumps, intermediate between the F1F0-class and the E1E2-class.

Isolation of ATPase I, the proton pump of chromaffin-granule membranes

Chromaffin-granule membranes contain two ATPases, which can be separated by (NH4)2SO4 fractionation after solubilization with detergents, or by phase segregation in Triton X-114. ATPase I (Mr 400000) is inhibited by trialkyltin, quercetin and alkylating agents, and hydrolyses both ATP and ITP. It contains up to five types of subunit, including a low-Mr hydrophobic polypeptide that reacts with dicyclohexylcarbodi-imide; these subunits are unrelated to those of mitochondrial F1F0-ATPase, as judged by size and reaction with antibodies. ATPase II (Mr 140000) is inhibited by vanadate, and is specific for ATP; it has not been extensively purified. Proton translocation by resealed chromaffin-granule 'ghosts', measured by uptake of methylamine or by quenching of the fluorescence of 9-amino-6-chloro-2-methoxyacridine, is supported by the hydrolysis of ATP or ITP, and inhibited by quercetin or alkylating agents, but not by vanadate. ATPase I must therefore be the proton translocator involved in the uptake of catecholamines and possibly of other components of the chromaffin-granule matrix, whereas ATPase II does not translocate protons.

Solubilization and purification of the ATPase from the tonoplast of Hevea

The tonoplast-bound ATPase of Hevea brasiliensis (caoutchouc tree) was solubilized with dichloromethan and purified 100-fold with two ammonium sulfate precipitation steps and a G-200 gel filtration step. The resulting ATPase activity eluted according to a molecular mass of approximately 200 kDa and chromatographed at an isoelectric pH of 5.3. Subunits of molecular mass 110 kDa, 68 kDa, 24 kDa and 12 kDa appeared after treatment with 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate or spontaneously during storage of the solubilized ATPase. Dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis yielded four polypeptides of molecular mass 54 kDa, 66 kDa, 23 kDa and 13 kDa. From protein determination by ultraviolet absorption and Coomassie stain it appears that the 54-kDa and the 66-kDa polypeptides exist in multiple copies. No close resemblance to the membrane-bound ATPase of mitochondria, plastids, plasmalemma, chromaffin granules and synaptic vesicles is seen. No antibody cross-reaction to F1 of bacteria is observed. Therefore it is concluded that the vacuolar ATPase represents a novel type of ATPase. Many properties of the tonoplast-bound ATPase such as pH-dependence, substrate specificity, ion-dependence and inhibitor sensitivity did not change when the enzyme had been solubilized and purified. The phosphatase activity was lost during the purification procedure. The stimulation of ATP-hydrolysis in tonoplast vesicles by uncouplers and ionophores was absent in the solubilized ATPase, and also the stimulation by chloride was significantly reduced. Anion channel blockers, such as triphenyltin and 4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2'-disulfonic acid stilbene, which are strong inhibitors of membrane-bound ATPase, fully or partly lost their inhibiting effect after solubilization of the ATPase. These results are interpreted to indicate that ionophores do not directly affect the ATPase molecule, whereas chloride might have a small direct effect on the ATPase besides its effect as a permeating anion.

Evidence for two distinct intracellular pools of inorganic sulfate in Penicillium notatum

A strain of Penicillium notatum unable to metabolize inorganic sulfate can accumulate sulfate internally to an apparent equilibrium concentration 10(5) greater than that remaining in the medium. The apparent Keq is near constant at all initial external sulfate concentrations below that which would eventually exceed the internal capacity of the cells. Under equilibrium conditions of zero net flux, external 35SO42- exchanges with internal, unlabeled SO42- at a rate consistent with the kinetic constants with the sulfate transport system. Efflux experiments demonstrated that sulfate occupies two distinct intracellular pools. Pool 1 is characterized by the rapid release of 35SO42- when the suspension of preloaded cells is adjusted to 10 mM azide at pH 8.4 (t 1/2, 0.38 min). 35SO42- in pool 1 also rapidly exchanges with unlabeled medium sulfate. Pool 2 is characterized by the slow release of 35SO42- induced by azide at pH 8.4 or unlabeled sulfate (t 1/2, 32 to 49 min). Early in the 35SO42- accumulation process, up to 78% of the total transported substrate is found in pool 1. At equilibrium, pool 1 accounts for only about 2% of the total accumulated 35SO42-. The kinetics of 35SO42- accumulation is consistent with the following sequential process: medium----pool 1----pool 2. Monensin (33 microns) accelerates the transfer of 35SO42- from pool 1 to pool 2. Valinomycin (0.2 microM) and tetraphenylboron- (1 mM) retard the transfer of 35SO42- from pool 1 to pool 2. At the concentrations used, neither of the ionophores nor tetraphenylboron- affect total 35SO42- uptake. Pool 2 may reside in a vacuole or other intracellular organelle. A model for the transfer of sulfate from pool 1 to pool 2 is presented.

Proton transport in isolated vacuoles from corn coleoptiles

Vacuoles were isolated from corn coleoptile protoplasts and ATP-dependent proton transport was measured by quinacrine fluorescence quenching or by the uptake of [(14)C]methylamine. Intact vacuoles were judged to be free of a surrounding plasma membrane based on fluorescent staining with fluoroscein-diacetate. Essentially all of the detectable ATP-stimulated methylamine uptake and alpha-mannosidase activities present in intact protoplasts were recovered in isolated vacuoles. In contrast, the activities of marker enzymes for plasma membranes, Golgi, endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria were reduced to 5 to 17% in vacuolar preparations. The characteristics of proton pumping by isolated vacuoles were compared to those of light microsomal membranes possibly derived from the tonoplast. ATP-dependent proton pumping by both isolated vacuoles and light microsomal vesicles was stimulated by Cl(-), and inhibited by NO(3) (-), carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenylhydrazone, N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, N-ethylmaleimide, 4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2'-stilbene disulfonic acid, diethylstilbestrol, and 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole, but not by vanadate. Both activities also showed substrate specificity for Mg-ATP. Finally, proton transport activities of vacuolar and microsomal fractions exhibited similar profiles after flotation in linear dextran gradients. We conclude that the microsomal proton pump previously characterized in corn coleoptiles (Mettler et al. 1982 Plant Physiol 70: 1738-1742) is derived from the tonoplast.