Visualization of conformational transition of GRP94 in solution

GRP94, an ER paralog of the heat-shock protein 90 family, binds and hydrolyses ATP to chaperone the folding and maturation of its selected clients. Compared with other hsp90 proteins, the in-solution conformational dynamics of GRP94 along the ATP hydrolysis cycle are less understood, hindering our understanding of its chaperoning mechanism. Leveraging small-angle X-ray scattering, negative-staining EM, and hydrogen-deuterium exchange coupled mass-spec, here we show that in its apo form, ∼60% of mouse GRP94 (mGRP94) populates an "extended" conformation, whereas the rest exist in either "close V" or "twist V" like "compact" conformations. Different from other hsp90 proteins, the presence of AMPPNP only impacts the relative abundance of the two compact conformations, rather than shifting the equilibrium between the "extended" and "compact" conformations of mGRP94. HDX-MS study of apo, AMPPNP-bound, and ADP-bound mGRP94 suggests a conformational transition from "twist V" to "close V" upon ATP binding and a back transition from "close V" to "twist V" upon ATP hydrolysis. These results illustrate the dissimilarities of GRP94 in conformation transition during ATP hydrolysis from other hsp90 paralogs.

Drug-Induced Conformational Dynamics of P-Glycoprotein Underlies the Transport of Camptothecin Analogs

P-glycoprotein (Pgp) plays a pivotal role in drug bioavailability and multi-drug resistance development. Understanding the protein's activity and designing effective drugs require insight into the mechanisms underlying Pgp-mediated transport of xenobiotics. In this study, we investigated the drug-induced conformational changes in Pgp and adopted a conformationally-gated model to elucidate the Pgp-mediated transport of camptothecin analogs (CPTs). While Pgp displays a wide range of conformations, we simplified it into three model states: 'open-inward', 'open-outward', and 'intermediate'. Utilizing acrylamide quenching of Pgp fluorescence as a tool to examine the protein's tertiary structure, we observed that topotecan (TPT), SN-38, and irinotecan (IRT) induced distinct conformational shifts in the protein. TPT caused a substantial shift akin to AMPPNP, suggesting ATP-independent 'open-outward' conformation. IRT and SN-38 had relatively moderate effects on the conformation of Pgp. Experimental atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging supports these findings. Further, the rate of ATPase hydrolysis was correlated with ligand-induced Pgp conformational changes. We hypothesize that the separation between the nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs) creates a conformational barrier for substrate transport. Substrates that reduce the conformational barrier, like TPT, are better transported. The affinity for ATP extracted from Pgp-mediated ATP hydrolysis kinetics curves for TPT was about 2-fold and 3-fold higher than SN-38 and IRT, respectively. On the contrary, the dissociation constants (KD) determined by fluorescence quenching for these drugs were not significantly different. Saturation transfer double difference (STDD) NMR of TPT and IRT with Pgp revealed that similar functional groups of the CPTs are accountable for Pgp-CPTs interactions. Efforts aimed at modifying these functional groups, guided by available structure-activity relationship data for CPTs and DNA-Topoisomerase-I complexes, could pave the way for the development of more potent next-generation CPTs.

Unlicensed origin DNA melting by MCV and SV40 polyomavirus LT proteins is independent of ATP-dependent helicase activity

Cellular eukaryotic replication initiation helicases are first loaded as head-to-head double hexamers on double-stranded (ds) DNA origins and then initiate S-phase DNA melting during licensed (once per cell cycle) replication. Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCV) large T (LT) helicase oncoprotein similarly binds and melts its own 98-bp origin but replicates multiple times in a single cell cycle. To examine the actions of this unlicensed viral helicase, we quantitated multimerization of MCV LT molecules as they assembled on MCV DNA origins using real-time single-molecule microscopy. MCV LT formed highly stable double hexamers having 17-fold longer mean lifetime (τ, >1,500 s) on DNA than single hexamers. Unexpectedly, partial MCV LT assembly without double-hexamer formation was sufficient to melt origin dsDNA as measured by RAD51, RPA70, or S1 nuclease cobinding. DNA melting also occurred with truncated MCV LT proteins lacking the helicase domain, but was lost from a protein without the multimerization domain that could bind only as a monomer to DNA. SV40 polyomavirus LT also multimerized to the MCV origin without forming a functional hexamer but still melted origin DNA. MCV origin melting did not require ATP hydrolysis and occurred for both MCV and SV40 LT proteins using the nonhydrolyzable ATP analog, adenylyl-imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP). LT double hexamers formed in AMP-PNP, and melted DNA, consistent with direct LT hexamer assembly around single-stranded (ss) DNA without the energy-dependent dsDNA-to-ssDNA melting and remodeling steps used by cellular helicases. These results indicate that LT multimerization rather than helicase activity is required for origin DNA melting during unlicensed virus replication.

Polyubiquitin serves as a recognition signal, rather than a ratcheting molecule, during retrotranslocation of proteins across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane

Polyubiquitination is required for retrotranslocation of proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum back into the cytosol, where they are degraded by the proteasome. We have tested whether the release of a polypeptide chain into the cytosol is caused by a ratcheting mechanism in which the attachment of polyubiquitin prevents the chain from moving back into the endoplasmic reticulum. Using a permeabilized cell system in which major histocompatibility complex class I heavy chains are retrotranslocated under the influence of the human cytomegalovirus protein US11, we demonstrate that polyubiquitination alone is insufficient to provide the driving force for retrotranslocation. Substrate release into the cytosol requires an additional ATP-dependent step. Release requires a lysine 48 linkage of ubiquitin chains. It does not occur when polyubiquitination of the substrate is carried out with glutathione S-transferase (GST)-ubiquitin, and this correlates with poly-GST-ubiquitin not being recognized by a ubiquitin-binding domain in the Ufd1-Npl4 cofactor of the ATPase p97. These data suggest that polyubiquitin does not serve as a ratcheting molecule. Rather, it may serve as a recognition signal for the p97-Ufd1-Npl4 complex, a component implicated in the movement of substrate into the cytosol.

Chaperonins GroEL and GroES: views from atomic force microscopy

The Escherichia coli chaperonins, GroEL and GroES, as well as their complexes in the presence of a nonhydrolyzable nucleotide AMP-PNP, have been imaged with the atomic force microscope (AFM). We demonstrate that both GroEL and GroES that have been adsorbed to a mica surface can be resolved directly by the AFM in aqueous solution at room temperature. However, with glutaraldehyde fixation of already adsorbed molecules, the resolution of both GroEL and GroES was further improved, as all seven subunits were well resolved without any image processing. We also found that chemical fixation was necessary for the contact mode AFM to image GroEL/ES complexes, and in the AFM images. GroEL with GroES bound can be clearly distinguished from those without. The GroEL/ES complex was about 5 nm higher than GroEL alone, indicating a 2 nm upward movement of the apical domains of GroEL. Using a slightly larger probe force, unfixed GroEL could be dissected: the upper heptamer was removed to expose the contact surface of the two heptamers. These results clearly demonstrate the usefulness of cross-linking agents for the determination of molecular structures with the AFM. They also pave the way for using the AFM to study the structural basis for the function of GroE system and other molecular chaperones.

Three-dimensional cryoelectron microscopy of dimeric kinesin and ncd motor domains on microtubules

Kinesin and ncd motor proteins are homologous in sequence yet move in opposite directions along microtubules. We have previously shown that monomeric kinesin and ncd bind in the same orientation on equivalent sites relative to the ends of tubulin sheets of known polarity. We now report cryoelectron microscope images of 16-protofilament microtubules decorated with both single- and double-headed kinesin and double-headed ncd. Three-dimensional density maps and difference maps show that, in adenosine 5'-[beta,gamma-imido]triphosphate, both dimeric motors bind tightly to microtubules via one head, leaving the other free, though apparently in a fixed position. The attached heads of dimers bind to tubulin in the same way as single kinesin heads. The second heads are connected to the tops of the first but, whereas the second kinesin head is closely associated with the first, pairs of ncd heads are splayed apart. There is also a distinct difference in orientation: the second kinesin head is tilted toward the microtubule plus end, while the second head of ncd points toward the minus end.

3D reconstruction by combining data from sections cut oblique to different unit cell axes

Oblique section reconstruction (OSR) can produce a 3D image from a single micrograph of a section through a 2D or 3D crystal. Resolution, however, is limited in a direction perpendicular to the section plane. When data from sections cut at different orientations are combined, the inherent resolution limitation for single sections can be overcome. In the extreme, combination of sections cut oblique to different principal planes of the unit cell can produce a 3D reconstruction with isotropic resolution. The merging of data from different sections requires determination of section thickness and orientation. A method for section thickness determination is described that is generally applicable event to space groups with little or no symmetry. In addition, an approach has been developed to determine rotational orientation within the hexagonal lattice of insect flight muscle. Finally, an iterative least-squares fitting method is applied to determine a 3D set of deconvoluted structure factors from the merged data.

Alkylation of cysteine 89 of the gamma subunit of chloroplast coupling factor 1 with N-ethylmaleimide alters nucleotide interactions

Alkylation of Cys-89 of the gamma subunit of the coupling factor portion (CF1) of the chloroplast ATP synthase by N-ethylmaleimide was previously shown to inhibit ATP synthesis and hydrolysis. The gamma subunit interacts with the inhibitory epsilon subunit. Alkylation of gamma Cys-89 could cause changes that result in the strengthening of the interactions between the two subunits which would be inhibitory. We show that the inhibition of the ATPase activity of CF1 in solution persists after removal of the epsilon subunit. Additionally, epsilon rebinds to control and alkylated CF1 at very similar CF1 to epsilon concentration ratios. Although the bound nucleotide contents of control and alkylated CF1 were similar, the rate of exchange of nucleotide bound to one site with medium nucleotide was accelerated by more than two orders of magnitude by alkylation. We show that ATP-induced release of bound 2'(3')-O-trinitrophenyl-adenosine 5'-diphosphate can be monitored conveniently by stopped-flow fluorescence. The effects of N-ethylmaleimide modification are likely to be felt over long distances. As determined by fluorescence resonance energy transfer, no nucleotide binding site so far mapped is closer than 5 nm to Cys-89. The bulky maleimide probably causes structural changes that perturb subunit and catalytic site interactions.

DNA transport by a type II DNA topoisomerase: evidence in favor of a two-gate mechanism

DNA substrates in which a supercoiled DNA is singly linked to a nicked or relaxed DNA ring were used to analyze the transport of one DNA ring through another by yeast DNA topoisomerase II. The enzyme binds preferentially to the supercoiled DNA and promotes decatenation efficiently upon binding of a nonhydrolyzable ATP analog. Analysis of the reaction products shows that the nicked or relaxed DNA ring released is not associated with the enzyme-supercoiled DNA complex. These results favor a two-gate model in which the DNA ring being transported can exit from the interior of the enzyme through a gate on the opposite side of the entrance gate, which is irreversibly closed upon binding of the nonhydrolyzable ATP analog.

An immunoreactive homolog of mammalian kinesin in Nicotiana tabacum pollen tubes

A cytoskeletal apparatus is involved in the movement of vesicles, organelles, and gametes in the pollen tube. The function of microfilaments has been defined quite precisely, but the role of microtubules needs to be further clarified. On the basis of immunological and biochemical investigations, we have identified a polypeptide showing common properties with kinesin, a microtubule-based motor mainly described in nonplant tissues, in the pollen tube of Nicotiana tabacum. Like mammalian kinesin, the kinesin-immunoreactive homolog from Nicotiana tabacum pollen tubes binds to mammalian microtubules in an AMP-PNP dependent manner. The kinesin-like component is likely to be involved in the movement of vesicular material in the growing pollen tube.

Orientation of spin-labeled light chain 2 of myosin heads in muscle fibers

Electron paramagnetic resonance (e.p.r.) spectroscopy has been used to monitor the orientation of spin labels attached rigidly to a reactive SH residue on the light chain 2 (LC2) of myosin heads in muscle fibers. e.p.r. spectra from spin-labeled myosin subfragment-1 (S1), allowed to diffuse into unlabeled rigor (ATP-free) fibers, were roughly approximated by a narrow angular distribution of spin labels centered at 66 degrees relative to the fiber axis, indicating a uniform orientation of S1 bound to actin. On the other hand, spectra from spin-labeled heavy meromyosin (HMM) were roughly approximated by two narrow angular distributions centered at 42 degrees and 66 degrees, suggesting that the LC2 domains of the two HMM heads have different orientations. In contrast to S1 or HMM, the spectra from rigor fibers, in which LC2 of endogenous myosin heads was labeled, showed a random orientation which may be due to distortion imposed by the structure of the filament lattice and the mismatch of the helical periodicities of the thick and thin filaments. However, spectra from the fibers in the presence of ATP analog 5'-adenylyl imidodiphosphate (AMPPNP) were approximated by two narrow angular distributions similar to those obtained with HMM. Thus, AMPPNP may cause the LC2 domain to be less flexible and/or the S2 portion to be more flexible, so as to release the distortion of the LC2 domain and make it return to its natural position. At high ionic strength, AMPPNP disoriented the spin labels as ATP did under relaxing conditions, suggesting that the myosin head is detached from and/or weakly (flexibly) attached to a thin filament.

Correlation between the ATPase and microtubule translocating activities of sea urchin egg kinesin

Coupling between ATP hydrolysis and microtubule movement was demonstrated several years ago in flagellar axonemes and subsequent studies suggest that the relevant microtubule motor, dynein, uses ATP to drive microtubule sliding by a cross-bridge mechanism analogous to that of myosin in muscles. Kinesin, a microtubule-based motility protein which may participate in organelle transport and mitosis, binds microtubules in a nucleotide-sensitive manner, and requires hydrolysable nucleotides to translocate microtubules over a glass surface. Recently, neuronal kinesin was shown to possess microtubule-activated ATPase activity although coupling between ATP hydrolysis and motility was not demonstrated. Here we report that sea urchin egg kinesin, prepared either with or without a 5'-adenylyl imidodiphosphate(AMPPNP)-induced microtubule binding step, also possesses significant microtubule-activated ATPase activity when Mg-ATP is used as a substrate. This ATPase activity is inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by addition of Mg-free ATP, by chelation of Mg2+ with EDTA, by addition of Na3VO4, or by addition of AMPPNP with or without Mg2+. Addition of these same reagents also inhibits the microtubule-translocating activities of sea urchin egg kinesin in a dose-dependent manner, supporting the hypothesis that kinesin-driven motility is coupled to the microtubule-activated Mg2+-ATPase activity.

Identification of a novel force-generating protein, kinesin, involved in microtubule-based motility

Axoplasm from the squid giant axon contains a soluble protein translocator that induces movement of microtubules on glass, latex beads on microtubules, and axoplasmic organelles on microtubules. We now report the partial purification of a protein from squid giant axons and optic lobes that induces these microtubule-based movements and show that there is a homologous protein in bovine brain. The purification of the translocator protein depended primarily on its unusual property of forming a high affinity complex with microtubules in the presence of a nonhydrolyzable ATP analog, adenylyl imidodiphosphate. The protein, once released from microtubules with ATP, migrates on gel filtration columns with an apparent molecular weight of 600 kilodaltons and contains 110-120 and 60-70 kilodalton polypeptides. This protein is distinct in molecular weight and enzymatic behavior from myosin or dynein, which suggests that it belongs to a novel class of force-generating molecules, for which we propose the name kinesin.

A continuous spectrophotometric assay for Escherichia coli alanyl-transfer RNA synthetase

A new continuous spectrophotometric assay is demonstrated for Escherichia coli alanyl-tRNA synthetase. It involves beta-gamma adenylyl imidophosphate as a substitute for ATP in the pyrophosphate exchange reaction. The net conversion of beta-gamma adenylyl imidophosphate to ATP can be linked to NADP reduction by hexokinase and glucose-6-P dehydrogenase catalyzed reactions, which can be monitored at 340 nm. This assay can be extended to other aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases which can use beta-gamma nonhydrolyzable analogs of ATP as an ATP substitute.

Cytochemical demonstration of adenylate cyclase with strontium chloride in the rat pancreas

A cytochemical procedure for the localization of adenylate cyclase with Sr2+ as the capture ion and adenylyl imidodiphosphate as the specific substrate was evaluated in the rat pancreas. Incubation medium was unaffected by the addition of 5 mM strontium ions but became turbid in the presence of lead or strontium plus 10 mM NaF. Tissues were prefixed in 2% formaldehyde/0.5% glutaraldehyde and incubated, and the cytochemical precipitate was converted to the Pb2+ salt. Enzymatic activity was demonstrated on the plasma membrane of pancreatic acinar cells and responded to stimulation by secretin. Controls frequently contained Pb2+ sequestered in mitochondria, but otherwise only a few randomly distributed grains were observed. The controls were 1) omission of substrate from the medium; 2) incubation of tissue for 1 min in complete medium; and 3) tissue previously inactivated by microwave irradiation and incubated for 30 min in complete medium including secretin.

Cytochemical methods for the localization of adenylate cyclase. A review and evaluation of the efficacy of the procedures

The cytochemical procedures for localizing adenylate cyclase have been a source of controversy since their introduction. The importance of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP), the product of adenylate cyclase's action on adenosine triphosphate (ATP), in cell biology is clear. Thus, the ability to localize this enzyme system reliably is an important tool in the study of various cellular functions. This report reviews the literature and presents a biochemical evaluation of the methods for localizing adenylate cyclase. The review and data presented serve to clarify many of the controversies surrounding this important cytochemical procedure. It is evident that although there are problems associated with localizing the enzyme, several valid procedures are currently available for the cytochemical localization of adenylate cyclase. In using these procedures, the effects of fixation and the capture agent on adenylate cyclase activity in the particular tissue being studied should be considered. Only repurified adenylyl imidodiphosphate [App(NH)p] should be used in the incubation medium. If care is taken, the use of these techniques can be of great value in the continued study of the role of cyclic nucleotides in cell biology.

Sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase catalyzes hydrolysis of adenyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate

Sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase has been found to cleave the ATP analog adenyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate in a calcium-dependent reaction. The reaction products were determined by 31P NMR to be inorganic phosphate and adenyl-5'-yl phosphoramidate (AMP-PN). AMP-PNP hydrolysis, like ATP hydrolysis, drives active Ca2+ accumulation by sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles.

Spatial proximity of two divalent metal ions at the active site of S-adenosylmethionine synthetase

S-Adenosylmethionine synthetase from Escherichia coli is shown to require 2 divalent metal ions/enzyme subunit for maximal enzymatic activity. In the absence of substrate, the tetrameric enzyme binds 1 Mn(II) ion/subunit, whereas in the presence of a nucleotide substrate, adenylylimidodiphosphate, or the product pyrophosphate, there are two Mn(II)-binding sites/subunit. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of Mn(II) bound to the enzyme reveal a spin exchange interaction between 2 Mn(II) ions in complexes of enzyme and Mn(II) which also contain adenosylmethionine, K+, and either pyrophosphate or imidotriphosphate. Since a spin exchange interaction requires orbital overlap between the 2 ions, the metal ions must be bound close to one another, and they may share a common ligand.

S-Adenosylmethionine synthetase from Escherichia coli

Adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) synthetase has been purified to homogeneity from Escherichia coli. For this purification, a strain of E. coli which was derepressed for AdoMet synthetase and which harbors a plasmid containing the structural gene for AdoMet synthetase was constructed. This strain produces 80-fold more AdoMet synthetase than a wild type E. coli. AdoMet synthetase has a molecular weight of 180,000 and is composed of four identical subunits. In addition to the synthetase reaction, the purified enzyme catalyzes a tripolyphosphatase reaction that is stimulated by AdoMet. Both enzymatic activities require a divalent metal ion and are markedly stimulated by certain monovalent cations. AdoMet synthesis also takes place if adenyl-5'yl imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP) is substituted for ATP. The imidotriphosphate (PPNP) formed is not hydrolyzed, permitting dissociation of AdoMet formation from tripolyphosphate cleavage. An enzyme complex is formed which contains one equivalent (per subunit) of adenosylmethionine, monovalent cation, imidotriphosphate, and presumably divalent cation(s). The rate of product dissociation from this complex is 3 orders of magnitude slower than the rate of AdoMet formation from ATP. Studies with the phosphorothioate derivatives of ATP (ATP alpha S and ATP beta S) in the presence of Mg2+, Mn2+, or Co2+ indicate that a divalent ion is bound to the nucleotide during the reaction and provide information on the stereochemistry of the metal-nucleotide binding site.

Dissociation of the actin.subfragment 1 complex by adenyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate, ADP, and PPi

The ability of adenyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP), ADP, and PPi to dissociate the actin.myosin subfragment 1 (S-1) complex was studied using an analytical ultracentrifuge with UV optics, which enabled the direct determination of the dissociated S-1. At mu = 0.22 M, pH 7.0, 22 degrees C, with saturating nucleotide present, ADP weakens the binding of S-1 to actin about 40-fold (K congruent to 10(5) M-1), while both AMP-PNP and PPi weakens the binding about 400-fold (K congruent to 10(4) M-1). This 10-fold stronger dissociating effect of AMP-PNP and PPi compared to ADP correlates with our data showing that the binding of AMP-PNP and PPi to S-1 is about 10-fold stronger than the binding of ADP. In contrast, the binding constants of ADP, AMP-PNP, and PPi to acto.S-1 are nearly identical (K congruent to 5 x 10(3) M-1). At 4 degrees C, AMP-PNP has only a 3-fold stronger dissociating effect than ADP and, similarly, our data suggest that the binding of AMP-PNP and ADP to S-1 is quite similar at 4 degrees C. AMP-PNP and PPi are, therefore, somewhat better dissociating agents than ADP, but the difference among these three ligands is quite small. These data also show that actin and nucleotide bind to separate but interacting sites on S-1 and that the S-1 molecules bind independently along the F-actin filament with a binding constant of about 1 x 10(7) M-1 at 22 degrees C and physiological ionic strength.

Cytochemical localization of adenylate cyclase

This study examined 1) the effect of lead and fixation on adenylate cyclase activity, 2) the effect of lead on App(NH)p, and 3) the specificity of App(NH)p as a substrate for adenylate cyclase under the conditions of the cytochemical assay. The results indicated that: 1) fixation that provides adequate structural preservation inhibits enzyme activity to varying degrees depending on the tissue, fixative, length and temperature of fixation; 2) millimolar concentrations of lead do not negatively affect the adenylate cyclase activity of several different tissues (especially if 10 mM NaF is present); 3) lead does not cause the nonenzymatic hydrolysis of App(NH)p; 4) the App(NH)p obtained from the supplier is contaminated and should be purified before use, since lead can interact with the contaminants and this may be a source of error in the assay; and 5) adenylate cyclase appears to be the major enzyme that cleaves App(NH)p under cytochemical conditions.

Enthalpy of nucleotides binding to myosin

The enthalpies of binding adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP) and 5'-adenylyl imidodiphosphate [AMP-P(NH)P] to rabbit skeletal myosin have been measured in Pipes and Tris buffers at pH 7.8 and 15 degrees C. For ADP the enthalpy of binding was exothermic, whereas the enthalpy of binding AMP-P(NH)P, a nonhydrolyzable ATP analogue, was small and endothermic. For the reaction of ATP and myosin, the development of enthalpy was resolved into two phases: a fast endothermic phase, which is the summation of binding and hydrolysis, and a slow exothermic phase, which is associated with product-release steps. These results are discussed in terms of their implications for energy transduction.

Observations on the kinetics, subunit composition, and sulfhydryl reactivity of myosin from Physarum polycephalum

A highly purified preparation of myosin from Physarum polycephalum has been shown by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to contain heavy chains and only one molecular weight class of light chains, of approx. 15 000 daltons. Kinetic investigations of the Ca2+-ATPase and Mg2+-ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolases, EC 3.6.1.3) at pH 8.0 gave Km and V values of 17.3 muM and 1.25 mumol Pi/min per mg, and 2.4 muM and 0.12 mumol Pi/min per mg, respectively. Adenylyl imidodiphosphate, a beta-gamma-imido ATP analog, inhibited the ATPase activity of Physarum myosin competitively with Ki values equal to 350 and 12 muM in the presence of Ca2+ and Mg2+, respectively. The ATPase activity of Physarum myosin was inhibited at a very low rate (t1/2 = 24 h) by the ATP analog, 6,6'-dithiobis(inosinyl imidodiphosphate), with concentrations of inhibitor previously shown to inactivate (t1/2 approximately 10 min) skeletal and cardiac myosins rapidly by reacting with key cysteines.

The proton and metal complexes of adenyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate

The formation constants of the complexes of adenyl-5'-yl imidodiphosphate with H+ Mg2+, Ca2+ and a number of bivalent transition-metal ions were measured potentionmetrically. The complexes are generally a little more stable than the analogous complexes of ATP. By measuring the formation constants at two temperatures, this increase in stability was shown to result from an increased enthalpy change on complex-formation.

The cytochemical localization of adenyl cyclase activity in rat sublingual gland

Adenyl cyclase activity in mucous acinar cells and serous demilune cells of the rat sublingual gland was localized cytochemically. After incubation with adenylyl-imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP) as substrate, deposits of reaction product are found along the cell membranes bordering the secretory surfaces of serous demilune cells. These are the membranes which participate directly in secretion by fusing with the granule membranes. The granule membranes of the demilune cells do not reveal reaction product, but the membranes of the granules which are fused with and become part of the cell membrane do show deposits. Thus, it appears that the cell membranes which fuse with granule membranes during secretion are associated with a high level of adenyl cyclase activity. In support of this, the luminal membranes of the mucous acinar cells which do not fuse with granule membranes during secretion are not associated with detectable amounts of adenyl cyclase activity.

Interaction of adenine nucleotides with multiple binding sites on beef heart mitochondrial adenosine triphosphatase

Beef heart mitochondrial ATPase (F1) contained 2 mol of ADP and 1 mol of ATP/mol of enzyme, which resisted removal by Sephadex chromatography with dilute buffers or repeated precipitation with ammonium sulfate. The native enzyme also contained two apparently equivalent binding sites, which participated in readily reversible binding of adenyl-5'-ylimidodiphosphate (AMP-P(NH)P), with a Kd of 1.3 mum. The failure of AMP-P(NH)P to compete effectively with ADP for binding sites on F1 may be related to the failure of the analog to inhibit oxidative phosphorylation. Virtually complete removal of all adenine nucleotides from F1 occurred when the enzyme was chromatographed on columns of Sephadex equilibrated with 50% glycerol. No loss in ATPase activity was observed following removal of nucleotides from the enzyme, which was then capable of binding more than 4 mol of ADP and almost 5 mol of AMP-P(NH)P/mol of protein. Subsequent chromatography on columns of Sephadex equilibrated with dilute buffers containing Mg2+ removed only 1.5 mol of ADP and no AMP-P(NH)P from the enzyme. Reconstitution of F1 with ADP or with almost 5 mol of AMP-P(NH)P resulted in preparations that exhibited an undiminished capacity to restore oxidative phosphorylation in F1-deficient submitochondrial particles.

Transient state kinetic studies of proton liberation by myosin and subfragment 1

Myosin and subfragment 1 give a maximum burst size of 0.25 to 0.30 protons per active site at pH 8 with ATP, alpha,beta-methylene-ATP, ADP, and adenylyl imidodiphosphate as substrates. The proton is derived from a change in conformation of the enzyme-substrate complex since it is produced by substrates which are not hydrolyzed. The rate constants for the binding of ATP and the proton release step in 0.1 M, 0.5 M, and 1.0 M KCl have been determined by analysis of the concentration dependence of the apparent rate. (see article)