Impact of bound ssRNA length on allostery in the Dengue Virus NS3 helicase.

The presence of ATP is known to stimulate helicase activity of the Dengue Virus Non-structural protein 3 helicase (NS3h), and the presence of RNA stimulates NS3h ATPase activity, however this coupling is still mechanistically unclear. Here we use atomistic models and molecular dynamics simulations to evaluate the single-stranded RNA (ssRNA)-length dependence of the NS3h-ssRNA binding affinity and its modulation by bound ATP. Considering complexes with 7, 11, 16 and 26 nucleotides (nts), we observe that both the binding affinity and its modulation by bound ATP are augmented with increased ssRNA lengths. In models with at least 11 nts bound, the binding of ATP results in a shift from a tightly bound to a weakly bound state. We find that the weakly bound state persists during both the ADP-Pi- and ADP-bound stages of the catalytic cycle. We obtain the equilibrium association constants for NS3h binding to an ssRNA 10-mer in vitro, both in the absence and presence of ADP, which further support the alternation between tightly and weakly bound states during the catalytic cycle. The length of bound ssRNA is critical for understanding the NS3h-RNA interaction as well as how it is modulated during the catalytic cycle.

Susceptibility of Cu(I) transport ATPases to sodium dodecyl sulfate. Relevance of the composition of the micellar phase.

Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) is a well-known protein denaturing agent. A less known property of this detergent is that it can activate or inactivate some enzymes at sub-denaturing concentrations. In this work we explore the effect of SDS on the ATPase activity of a hyper-thermophilic and a mesophilic Cu(I) ATPases reconstituted in mixed micelles of phospholipids and a non-denaturing detergent. An iterative procedure was used to evaluate the partition of SDS between the aqueous and the micellar phases, allowing to determine the composition of micelles prepared from phospholipid/detergent mixtures. The incubation of enzymes with SDS in the presence of different amounts of phospholipids reveals that higher SDS concentrations are required to obtain the same degree of inactivation when the initial concentration of phospholipids is increased. Remarkably, we found that, if represented as a function of the mole fraction of SDS in the micelle, the degree of inactivation obtained at different amounts of amphiphiles converges to a single inactivation curve. To interpret this result, we propose a simple model involving active and inactive enzyme molecules in equilibrium. This model allowed us to estimate the Gibbs free energy change for the inactivation process and its derivative with respect to the mole fraction of SDS in the micellar phase, the latter being a measure of the susceptibility of the enzyme to SDS. Our results showed that the inactivation free energy changes are similar for both proteins. Conversely, susceptibility to SDS is significantly lower for the hyperthermophilic ATPase, suggesting an inverse relation between thermophilicity and susceptibility to SDS.

Conserved Glu-47 and Lys-50 residues are critical for UDP-N-acetylglucosamine/UMP antiport activity of the mouse Golgi-associated transporter Slc35a3.

Nucleotide sugar transporters (NSTs) regulate the flux of activated sugars from the cytosol into the lumen of the Golgi apparatus where glycosyltransferases use them for the modification of proteins, lipids, and proteoglycans. It has been well-established that NSTs are antiporters that exchange nucleotide sugars with the respective nucleoside monophosphate. Nevertheless, information about the molecular basis of ligand recognition and transport is scarce. Here, using topology predictors, cysteine-scanning mutagenesis, expression of GFP-tagged protein variants, and phenotypic complementation of the yeast strain Kl3, we identified residues involved in the activity of a mouse UDP-GlcNAc transporter, murine solute carrier family 35 member A3 (mSlc35a3). We specifically focused on the putative transmembrane helix 2 (TMH2) and observed that cells expressing E47C or K50C mSlc35a3 variants had lower levels of GlcNAc-containing glycoconjugates than WT cells, indicating impaired UDP-GlcNAc transport activity of these two variants. A conservative substitution analysis revealed that single or double substitutions of Glu-47 and Lys-50 do not restore GlcNAc glycoconjugates. Analysis of mSlc35a3 and its genetic variants reconstituted into proteoliposomes disclosed the following: (i) all variants act as UDP-GlcNAc/UMP antiporters; (ii) conservative substitutions (E47D, E47Q, K50R, or K50H) impair UDP-GlcNAc uptake; and (iii) substitutions of Glu-47 and Lys-50 dramatically alter kinetic parameters, consistent with a critical role of these two residues in mSlc35a3 function. A bioinformatics analysis revealed that an EXXK motif in TMH2 is highly conserved across SLC35 A subfamily members, and a 3D-homology model predicted that Glu-47 and Lys-50 are facing the central cavity of the protein.

Improving the stability of the malachite green method for the determination of phosphate using Pluronic F68.

The analytical determination of phosphate constitutes a fundamental step for the evaluation of catalytic activities of many enzymes involved in the hydrolysis of phosphate-containing biomolecules. The most sensitive colorimetric methods to quantify phosphate are based on measuring the spectral changes produced by the adsorption of malachite green to 12-molybdophosphoric acid. Malachite green methods are time-consuming because they require the preparation of color reagent on the day of use, due to its low stability. In this work we propose a modification of the malachite green method that overcomes these problems and only requires a one-step, ready-to-use stock solution including perchloric acid and Pluronic F68. The improved reaction mixture allowed the quantification of phosphate with a limit of detection of 0.22 µM, a dynamical range up to 80 µM depending on the optical path-length, and a molar absorption coefficient at 640 nm of 94000 M-1cm-1. Color development reaches a steady level within 30 min and remains constant for at least 2 h. The high stability of the color reagent allows long-term storage for at least 1 year. The optimized procedure is especially useful to measure phosphate-containing biomolecule levels and enzyme activities when low values are critical.

The promiscuous phosphomonoestearase activity of Archaeoglobus fulgidus CopA, a thermophilic Cu+ transport ATPase.

Membrane transport P-type ATPases display two characteristic enzymatic activities: a principal ATPase activity provides the driving force for ion transport across biological membranes, whereas a promiscuous secondary activity catalyzes the hydrolysis of phosphate monoesters. This last activity is usually denoted as the phosphatase activity of P-ATPases. In the present study, we characterize the phosphatase activity of the Cu(+)-transport ATPase from Archaeglobus fulgidus (Af-CopA) and compare it with the principal ATPase activity. Our results show that the phosphatase turnover number was 20 times higher than that corresponding to the ATPase activity, but it is compensated by a high value of Km, producing a less efficient catalysis for pNPP. This secondary activity is enhanced by Mg(2+) (essential activator) and phospholipids (non-essential activator), and inhibited by salts and Cu(+). Transition state analysis of the catalyzed and noncatalyzed hydrolysis of pNPP indicates that Af-CopA enhances the reaction rates by a factor of 10(5) (ΔΔG(‡)=38 kJ/mol) mainly by reducing the enthalpy of activation (ΔΔH(‡)=30 kJ/mol), whereas the entropy of activation is less negative on the enzyme than in solution. For the ATPase activity, the decrease in the enthalpic component of the barrier is higher (ΔΔH(‡)=39 kJ/mol) and the entropic component is small on both the enzyme and in solution. These results suggest that different mechanisms are involved in the transference of the phosphoryl group of p-nitrophenyl phosphate and ATP.

PIP Water Transport and Its pH Dependence Are Regulated by Tetramer Stoichiometry.

Many plasma membrane channels form oligomeric assemblies, and heterooligomerization has been described as a distinctive feature of some protein families. In the particular case of plant plasma membrane aquaporins (PIPs), PIP1 and PIP2 monomers interact to form heterotetramers. However, the biological properties of the different heterotetrameric configurations formed by PIP1 and PIP2 subunits have not been addressed yet. Upon coexpression of tandem PIP2-PIP1 dimers in Xenopus oocytes, we can address, for the first time to our knowledge, the functional properties of single heterotetrameric species having 2:2 stoichiometry. We have also coexpressed PIP2-PIP1 dimers with PIP1 and PIP2 monomers to experimentally investigate the localization and biological activity of each tetrameric assembly. Our results show that PIP2-PIP1 heterotetramers can assemble with 3:1, 1:3, or 2:2 stoichiometry, depending on PIP1 and PIP2 relative expression in the cell. All PIP2-PIP1 heterotetrameric species localize at the plasma membrane and present the same water transport capacity. Furthermore, the contribution of any heterotetrameric assembly to the total water transport through the plasma membrane doubles the contribution of PIP2 homotetramers. Our results also indicate that plasma membrane water transport can be modulated by the coexistence of different tetrameric species and by intracellular pH. Moreover, all the tetrameric species present similar cooperativity behavior for proton sensing. These findings throw light on the functional properties of PIP tetramers, showing that they have flexible stoichiometry dependent on the quantity of PIP1 and PIP2 molecules available. This represents, to our knowledge, a novel regulatory mechanism to adjust water transport across the plasma membrane.

Modulation of plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase by neutral phospholipids: effect of the micelle-vesicle transition and the bilayer thickness.

The effects of lipids on membrane proteins are likely to be complex and unique for each membrane protein. Here we studied different detergent/phosphatidylcholine reconstitution media and tested their effects on plasma membrane Ca(2+) pump (PMCA). We found that Ca(2+)-ATPase activity shows a biphasic behavior with respect to the detergent/phosphatidylcholine ratio. Moreover, the maximal Ca(2+)-ATPase activity largely depends on the length and the unsaturation degree of the hydrocarbon chain. Using static light scattering and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, we monitored the changes in hydrodynamic radius of detergent/phosphatidylcholine particles during the micelle-vesicle transition. We found that, when PMCA is reconstituted in mixed micelles, neutral phospholipids increase the enzyme turnover. The biophysical changes associated with the transition from mixed micelles to bicelles increase the time of residence of the phosphorylated intermediate (EP), decreasing the enzyme turnover. Molecular dynamics simulations analysis of the interactions between PMCA and the phospholipid bilayer in which it is embedded show that in the 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine bilayer, charged residues of the protein are trapped in the hydrophobic core. Conversely, in the 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine bilayer, the overall hydrophobic-hydrophilic requirements of the protein surface are fulfilled the best, reducing the thermodynamic cost of exposing charged residues to the hydrophobic core. The apparent mismatch produced by a 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine thicker bilayer could be a structural foundation to explain its functional effect on PMCA.

Molecular Basis of Hydroperoxide Specificity in Peroxiredoxins: The Case of AhpE from Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) constitute a ubiquitous family of Cys-dependent peroxidases that play essential roles in reducing hydrogen peroxide, peroxynitrite, and organic hydroperoxides in almost all organisms. Members of the Prx subfamilies show differential oxidizing substrate specificities that await explanations at a molecular level. Among them, alkyl hydroperoxide reductases E (AhpE) is a novel subfamily comprising Mycobacterium tuberculosis AhpE and AhpE-like proteins expressed in some bacteria and archaea. We previously reported that MtAhpE reacts ∼10(4) times faster with an arachidonic acid derived hydroperoxide than with hydrogen peroxide, and suggested that this surprisingly high reactivity was related to the presence of a hydrophobic groove at the dimer interface evidenced in the crystallography structure of the enzyme. In this contribution we experimentally confirmed the existence of an exposed hydrophobic patch in MtAhpE. We found that fatty acid hydroperoxide reduction by the enzyme showed positive activation entropy that importantly contributed to catalysis. Computational dynamics indicated that interactions of fatty acid-derived hydroperoxides with the enzyme properly accommodated them inside the active site and modifies enzyme's dynamics. The computed reaction free energy profile obtained via QM/MM simulations is consistent with a greater reactivity in comparison with hydrogen peroxide. This study represents new insights on the understanding of the molecular basis that determines oxidizing substrate selectivity in the peroxiredoxin family, which has not been investigated at an atomic level so far.

Copper resistance in the cold: Genome analysis and characterisation of a PIB-1 ATPase in Bizionia argentinensis.

Copper homeostasis is a fundamental process in organisms, characterised by unique pathways that have evolved to meet specific needs while preserving core resistance mechanisms. While these systems are well-documented in model bacteria, information on copper resistance in species adapted to cold environments is scarce. This study investigates the potential genes related to copper homeostasis in the genome of Bizionia argentinensis (JUB59-T), a psychrotolerant bacterium isolated from Antarctic seawater. We identified several genes encoding proteins analogous to those crucial for copper homeostasis, including three sequences of copper-transport P1B-type ATPases. One of these, referred to as BaCopA1, was chosen for cloning and expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. BaCopA1 was successfully integrated into yeast membranes and subsequently extracted with detergent. The purified BaCopA1 demonstrated the ability to catalyse ATP hydrolysis at low temperatures. Structural models of various BaCopA1 conformations were generated and compared with mesophilic and thermophilic homologous structures. The significant conservation of critical residues and structural similarity among these proteins suggest a shared reaction mechanism for copper transport. This study is the first to report a psychrotolerant P1B-ATPase that has been expressed and purified in a functional form.

The Structural Stability of Membrane Proteins Revisited: Combined Thermodynamic and Spectral Phasor Analysis of SDS-induced Denaturation of a Thermophilic Cu(I)-transport ATPase.

Assessing membrane protein stability is among the major challenges in protein science due to their inherent complexity, which complicates the application of conventional biophysical tools. In this work, sodium dodecyl sulfate-induced denaturation of AfCopA, a Cu(I)-transport ATPase from Archaeoglobus fulgidus, was explored using a combined model-free spectral phasor analysis and a model-dependent thermodynamic analysis. Decrease in tryptophan and 1-anilino-naphthalene-8-sulfonate fluorescence intensity, displacements in the spectral phasor space, and the loss of ATPase activity were reversibly induced by this detergent. Refolding from the SDS-induced denatured state yields an active enzyme that is functionally and spectroscopically indistinguishable from the native state of the protein. Phasor analysis of Trp spectra allowed us to identify two intermediate states in the SDS-induced denaturation of AfCopA, a result further supported by principal component analysis. In contrast, traditional thermodynamic analysis detected only one intermediate state, and including the second one led to overparameterization. Additionally, ANS fluorescence spectral analysis detected one more intermediate and a gradual change at the level of the hydrophobic transmembrane surface of the protein. Based on this evidence, a model for acquiring the native structure of AfCopA in a membrane-like environment is proposed.

Fifty years of biophysics in Argentina.

In 1972, a group of young Argentinean scientists nucleated in the so-called Membrane Club constituted the Biophysical Society of Argentina (SAB). Over the years, this Society has grown and embraced new areas of research and emerging technologies. In this commentary, we provide an overview of the early stages of biophysics development in Argentina and highlight some of the notable achievements made during the past five decades. The SAB Annual Meetings have been a platform for intense scientific discussions, and the Society has fostered numerous international connections, becoming a hallmark of SAB activities over these 50 years. Initially centered on membrane biophysics, SAB focus has since expanded to encompass diverse fields such as molecular, cellular, and systems biophysics.

Cooperativity in regulation of membrane protein function: phenomenological analysis of the effects of pH and phospholipids.

Interaction between membrane proteins and ligands plays a key role in governing a wide spectrum of cellular processes. These interactions can provide a cooperative-type regulation of protein function. A wide variety of proteins, including enzymes, channels, transporters, and receptors, displays cooperative behavior in their interactions with ligands. Moreover, the ligands involved encompass a vast diversity and include specific molecules or ions that bind to specific binding sites. In this review, our particular focus is on the interaction between integral membrane proteins and ligands that can present multiple "binding sites", such as protons or membrane phospholipids. The study of the interaction that protons or lipids have with membrane proteins often presents challenges for classical mechanistic modeling approaches. In this regard, we show that, like Hill's pioneering work on hemoglobin regulation, phenomenological modeling constitutes a powerful tool for capturing essential features of these systems.

The Latin American Federation of Biophysical Societies (LAFeBS).

The Latin American Federation of Biophysical Societies (LAFeBS) was constituted in 2007 in Montevideo, Uruguay, as a collaborative effort among the Biophysical Societies of Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay. This visionary collaboration foresees the future of Biophysics in Latin America. In this commentary, we will briefly review the history of LAFeBS, the remarkable path undertaken since its foundation 16 years ago, and its key initiative, the Latin American Postgraduate Program in Biophysics (POSLATAM).

Functional characterization of Legionella pneumophila Cu+ transport ATPase. The activation by Cu+ and ATP.

Cu+-ATPases are integral membrane proteins belonging to the IB subfamily of the P-type ATPases that couple Cu+ transport to the hydrolysis of ATP. As some structural and functional particularities arise for Cu+-ATPases, several authors suggest that some of the reaction steps of the Albers-Post model postulated for other P-ATPases may be different. In this work we describe a functional characterization of Legionella pneumophila Cu+-ATPase (LpCopA), the first PIB-ATPase whose structure was determined by X-ray crystallography. Cu+-ATPase activity of the enzyme presents a maximum at ∼37 °C and pH 6.6-6.8. Phospholipids enhance LpCopA Cu+-ATPase activity in a non-essential mode where optimal activity is achieved at an asolectin molar fraction of 0.15 and an amphiphile-protein ratio of ~30,000. As described for other P-ATPases, Mg2+ acts as an essential activator. Furthermore, Cu+-ATPase activity dependence on [Cu+] and [ATP] can both be described by a sum of two hyperbolic functions. Based on that, and the [Cu+] and [ATP] dependencies of the best fitting parameters of the hyperbolae pointed above, we propose a minimal reaction scheme for the catalytic mechanism that shares the basic reaction steps of the Albers-Post model for P-type ATPases. The reaction scheme postulated contemplates two different binding affinities for a single ATP (apparent affinities of 0.66 and 550 µM at [Cu+] â†’ ∞) and binding of at least 2 Cu+ with different affinities as well (apparent affinities of 1.4 and 102.5 µM at [ATP] â†’ ∞).

Ice-induced partial unfolding and aggregation of an integral membrane protein.

Although the deleterious effects of ice on water-soluble proteins are well established, little is known about the freeze stability of membrane proteins. Here we explore this issue through a combined kinetic and spectroscopic approach using micellar-purified plasma membrane calcium pump as a model. The ATPase activity of this protein significantly diminished after freezing using a slow-cooling procedure, with the decrease in the activity being an exponential function of the storage time at 253K, with t(½)=3.9±0.6h. On the contrary, no significant changes on enzyme activity were detected when a fast cooling procedure was performed. Regardless of the cooling rate, successive freeze-thaw cycles produced an exponential decrease in the Ca(2+)-ATPase activity, with the number of cycles at which the activity was reduced to half being 9.2±0.3 (fast cooling) and 3.7±0.2 (slow cooling). PAGE analysis showed that neither degradation nor formation of SDS-stable aggregates of the protein takes place during protein inactivation. Instead, the inactivation process was found to be associated with the irreversible partial unfolding of the polypeptide chain, as assessed by Trp fluorescence, far UV circular dichroism, and 1-anilino-naphtalene-8-sulfonate binding. This inactive protein undergoes, in a later stage, a further irreversible transformation leading to large aggregates.

Kinetics and thermodynamics of the interaction of 1-anilino-naphthalene-8-sulfonate with proteins.

Although 1-anilino-naphthalene-8-sulfonate (ANS) has been widely used in protein folding and binding studies, the detailed mechanism of this interaction is not fully understood. In this work the binding of ANS was analyzed at pre-equilibrium and equilibrium conditions using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as model. We employed a combined approach including the analysis of fluorescence, near-UV circular dichroism and isothermal titration calorimetric data. Experiments at equilibrium with these techniques identify three ANS molecules bound at hydrophobic cavities in BSA. Pre-equilibrium fluorescence analysis unambiguously indicated that the binding of ANS at hydrophobic cavities of BSA occurs at two different and independent classes of sites with similar affinities and quantum yields, two features that are undetectable by the equilibrium analysis. The binding of ANS to the first site is thermodynamically favored by similar contributions of the enthalpic (DeltaH = -22 kJ/mol) and entropic terms (-TDeltaS = -17 kJ/mol), while the binding to the second site is enthalpically driven (DeltaH = -31 kJ/mol; -TDeltaS = -0.6 kJ/mol). Complementary information from molecular docking showed three ANS molecules bound at hydrophobic cavities in BSA subdomains IIA and IIIA with binding affinities in the order of those found experimentally and three additional ANS molecules bound at water exposed sites.

Gain of local structure in an amphipathic peptide does not require a specific tertiary framework.

In this work, we studied how an amphipathic peptide of the surface of the globular protein thioredoxin, TRX94-108, acquires a native-like structure when it becomes involved in an apolar interaction network. We designed peptide variants where the tendency to form alpha-helical conformation is modulated by replacing each of the leucine amino acid residues by an alanine. The induction of structure caused by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) binding was studied by capillary zone electrophoresis, circular dichroism, DOSY-NMR, and molecular dynamics simulations (MDS). In addition, we analyzed the strength of the interaction between a C18 RP-HPLC matrix and the peptides. The results presented here reveal that (a) critical elements in the sequence of the wild-type peptide stabilize a SDS/peptide supramolecular cluster; (b) the hydrophobic nature of the interaction between SDS molecules and the peptide constrains the ensemble of conformations; (c) nonspecific apolar surfaces are sufficient to stabilize peptide secondary structure. Remarkably, MDS shed light on a contact network formed by a limited number of SDS molecules that serves as a structural scaffold preserving the helical conformation of this module. This mechanism might prevail when a peptide with low helical propensity is involved in structure consolidation. We suggest that folding of peptides sharing this feature does not require a preformed tightly-packed protein core. Thus, the formation of specific tertiary interactions would be the consequence of peptide folding and not its cause. In this scenario, folding might be thought of as a process that includes unspecific rounds of structure stabilization guiding the protein to the native state.

Effects of phosphatidylethanolamine glycation on lipid-protein interactions and membrane protein thermal stability.

Non-enzymatic glycation of biomolecules has been implicated in the pathophysiology of aging and diabetes. Among the potential targets for glycation are biological membranes, characterized by a complex organization of lipids and proteins interacting and forming domains of different size and stability. In the present study, we analyse the effects of glycation on the interactions between membrane proteins and lipids. The phospholipid affinity for the transmembrane surface of the PMCA (plasma-membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase) was determined after incubating the protein or the phospholipids with glucose. Results show that the affinity between PMCA and the surrounding phospholipids decreases significantly after phosphospholipid glycation, but remains unmodified after glycation of the protein. Furthermore, phosphatidylethanolamine glycation decreases by approximately 30% the stability of PMCA against thermal denaturation, suggesting that glycated aminophospholipids induce a structural rearrangement in the protein that makes it more sensitive to thermal unfolding. We also verified that lipid glycation decreases the affinity of lipids for two other membrane proteins, suggesting that this effect might be common to membrane proteins. Extending these results to the in vivo situation, we can hypothesize that, under hyperglycaemic conditions, glycation of membrane lipids may cause a significant change in the structure and stability of membrane proteins, which may affect the normal functioning of membranes and therefore of cells.

Cooperativity in proton sensing by PIP aquaporins.

One of the most intriguing properties of plasma membrane intrinsic protein (PIP) aquaporins (AQPs) is their ability to modulate water transport by sensing different levels of intracellular pH through the assembly of homo- and heterotetrameric molecular species in the plasma membrane. In this work, using a phenomenological modeling approach, we demonstrate that cooperativity in PIP biological response cannot be directly attributed to a cooperative proton binding, as it is usually considered, since it could also be the consequence of a cooperative conformation transition between open and closed states of the channel. Moreover, our results show that, when mixed populations of homo- and heterotetrameric PIP channels are coexpressed in the plasma membrane of the same cell, the observed decrease in the degree of positive cooperativity would result from the simultaneous presence of molecular species with different levels of proton sensing. Indeed, the random mixing between different PIP paralogues as subunits in a single tetramer, plus the possibility of mixed populations of homo- and heterotetrameric PIP channels widen the spectrum of cooperative responses of a cell membrane. Our approach offers a deep understanding of cooperative transport of AQP channels, as members of a multiprotein family where the relevant proton binding sites of each member have not been clearly elucidated yet.

Activation of Archaeoglobus fulgidus Cu(+)-ATPase CopA by cysteine.

CopA, a thermophilic ATPase from Archaeoglobus fulgidus, drives the outward movement of Cu(+) across the cell membrane. Millimolar concentration of Cys dramatically increases ( congruent with 800%) the activity of CopA and other P(IB)-type ATPases (Escherichia coli ZntA and Arabidopsis thaliana HMA2). The high affinity of CopA for metal ( congruent with 1 microM) together with the low Cu(+)-Cys K(D) (<10(-10)M) suggested a multifaceted interaction of Cys with CopA, perhaps acting as a substitute for the Cu(+) chaperone protein present in vivo. To explain the activation by the amino acid and further understand the mechanism of metal delivery to transport ATPases, Cys effects on the turnover and partial reactions of CopA were studied. 2-20 mM Cys accelerates enzyme turnover with little effect on CopA affinity for Cu(+), suggesting a metal independent activation. Furthermore, Cys activates the p-nitrophenyl phosphatase activity of CopA, even though this activity is metal independent. Cys accelerates enzyme phosphorylation and the forward dephosphorylation rates yielding higher steady state phosphoenzyme levels. The faster dephosphorylation would explain the higher enzyme turnover in the presence of Cys. The amino acid has no significant effect on low affinity ATP K(m) suggesting no changes in the E(1)<-->E(2) equilibrium. Characterization of Cu(+) transport into sealed vesicles indicates that Cys acts on the cytoplasmic side of the enzyme. However, the Cys activation of truncated CopA lacking the N-terminal metal binding domain (N-MBD) indicates that activation by Cys is independent of the regulatory N-MBD. These results suggest that Cys is a non-essential activator of CopA, interacting with the cytoplasmic side of the enzyme while this is in an E1 form. Interestingly, these effects also point out that Cu(+) can reach the cytoplasmic opening of the access path into the transmembrane transport sites either as a free metal or a Cu(+)-Cys complex.