Optimizing charge breeding techniques for ISOL facilities in Europe: Conclusions from the EMILIE project.

The present paper summarizes the results obtained from the past few years in the framework of the Enhanced Multi-Ionization of short-Lived Isotopes for Eurisol (EMILIE) project. The EMILIE project aims at improving the charge breeding techniques with both Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Sources (ECRIS) and Electron Beam Ion Sources (EBISs) for European Radioactive Ion Beam (RIB) facilities. Within EMILIE, an original technique for debunching the beam from EBIS charge breeders is being developed, for making an optimal use of the capabilities of CW post-accelerators of the future facilities. Such a debunching technique should eventually resolve duty cycle and time structure issues which presently complicate the data-acquisition of experiments. The results of the first tests of this technique are reported here. In comparison with charge breeding with an EBIS, the ECRIS technique had lower performance in efficiency and attainable charge state for metallic ion beams and also suffered from issues related to beam contamination. In recent years, improvements have been made which significantly reduce the differences between the two techniques, making ECRIS charge breeding more attractive especially for CW machines producing intense beams. Upgraded versions of the Phoenix charge breeder, originally developed by LPSC, will be used at SPES and GANIL/SPIRAL. These two charge breeders have benefited from studies undertaken within EMILIE, which are also briefly summarized here.

Prospects for advanced electron cyclotron resonance and electron beam ion source charge breeding methods for EURISOL.

As the most ambitious concept of isotope separation on line (ISOL) facility, EURISOL aims at producing unprecedented intensities of post-accelerated radioactive isotopes. Charge breeding, which transforms the charge state of radioactive beams from 1+ to an n+ charge state prior to post-acceleration, is a key technology which has to overcome the following challenges: high charge states for high energies, efficiency, rapidity and purity. On the roadmap to EURISOL, a dedicated R&D is being undertaken to push forward the frontiers of the present state-of-the-art techniques which use either electron cyclotron resonance or electron beam ion sources. We describe here the guidelines of this R&D.

Calcium transport in basolateral plasma membranes from kidney cortex of Milan hypertensive rats.

Ca2+ transport was investigated in basolateral plasma membranes (BLM) isolated from kidney cortex of the Milan strain of genetically hypertensive rats (MHS) and their normotensive controls (MNS) during a pre-hypertensive stage (age 3-4 weeks). It was found that the Vmax of ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport (in the presence of calmodulin) was about 16% lower in MHS than in control rats. In membranes from MNS rats which had been isolated in the presence of EGTA, the ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport showed a hyperbolic Ca2+ concentration dependence, a high Km (Ca2+) and a low Vmax; upon addition of exogenous calmodulin, the kinetics became sigmoidal, the Km (Ca2+) was decreased and the Vmax was increased. In membranes from MHS rats, the Ca2+ concentration dependence of ATP-driven Ca2+ transport was sigmoidal and the Ca2+ affinity was high in the absence of added calmodulin. Addition of exogenous calmodulin to these membranes resulted in an increase in Vmax, but no change in other kinetic parameters. Low-affinity hyperbolic kinetics of Ca2+ transport could only be obtained in MHS rats if the membranes were extracted with hypotonic EDTA and hypertonic KCl. These data suggest that the plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase, which catalyses the ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport, exists in BLM of pre-hypertensive MHS rats predominantly in an activated, high-affinity form.

ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake and Ca2+-dependent protein phosphorylation in basolateral liver plasma membranes.

ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake was measured in vesicles of rat liver cell basolateral plasma membranes. Nucleotide-dependent uptake was specific for ATP and observed at pH 7.0 and 7.4/7.5 but not at pH 8.0. ATP-dependent Ca2+ transport was only observed in the presence of Mg2+. Kinetic analysis of ATP-dependent transport revealed an apparent Km in the submicromolar region. Addition of calmodulin and trifluoperazine had no effect on ATP-dependent uptake. A Ca2+-dependent, phosphorylated intermediate with the apparent molecular weight of 135,000 could be demonstrated in the basolateral plasma membranes. Phosphorylated intermediates with apparent molecular weights of 200,000 and 110,000 were demonstrated in microsomes and appeared to contaminate 'basolateral' membrane protein phosphorylation. The results suggest that a 135,000 molecular weight protein is a Ca2+-ATPase and the enzymatic expression of the liver cell basolateral membrane Ca2+ pump.

Calcium transport in plasma membrane subfractions of rat liver.

The selective demonstration of ATP dependent calcium uptake and calcium dependent phosphorylation of a 135 kD intermediate in isolated basolateral liver plasma membrane vesicles suggest that the basolateral plasma membrane of rat hepatocytes contains an ATP dependent calcium transport system with an apparent molecular weight of 135,000. The failure to demonstrate ATP dependent calcium uptake in simultaneously isolated canalicular plasma membrane vesicles suggests the absence of a similar ATP dependent calcium transport system on the canalicular domain. Additional phosphoproteins of 200 and 110 kD could be assigned to microsomal contamination of the isolated plasma membrane subfractions. A canalicular specific 70 kD phosphorylated intermediate presumably does not represent a Ca++ ATPase. Calcium dependent phosphorylation of the basolateral 135 kD intermediate is maximal at physiologic pH (7.0, 7.5), when the calcium pump is active but not at pH 8.0. The 135 kD phosphoprotein has also been shown for erythrocyte Ca++ ATPase and for kidney basolateral Ca++ ATPase (De Smedt et al., 1984; Niggli et al., 1979).

Calcium transport mechanisms in epithelial cell membranes.

The data which we have reviewed suggest that, at steady state, the cytosolic [Ca2+] is determined by the balance between Ca2+ influx across both the brush border and the basolateral membrane, and Ca2+ extrusion through the basolateral membrane catalyzed predominantly by the calmodulin-activated Ca2+ ATPase. Na+-Ca2+ exchange does not appear to play an important quantitative role in calcium extrusion but may participate in the regulation of cytosolic calcium as a function of luminal sodium entry. Ca2+ transport systems in endomembranes are probably activated only during Ca2+ transients in the cell. Thus, the reticular high-affinity Ca2+ ATPase allows for accumulation of limited amounts of Ca2+ into the reticulum at normal cytosolic Ca2+ concentrations of 0.1-0.2 M; Ca2+ can be rapidly released from this pool by IP3 produced in response to hormonal stimulation, which results in a transient increase in cytosolic Ca2+ and stimulation of calmodulin-dependent enzymes. When Ca2+ entry is stimulated to levels which exceed the capacity of Ca2+ ATPase in the basolateral membrane, cytosolic [Ca2+] may rise above the mitochondrial set point and mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation may occur. It remains to be investigated if the latter reaction occurs under physiological or only under pathological conditions.

Calcium uptake into rat small intestinal brush border membrane vesicles: characterization of transmembrane calcium transport at short initial incubation times.

Calcium transport into brush border vesicles from rat small intestine was investigated by determining uptake rates at very short incubation periods. At incubation times up to 1 second a linear relationship between calcium uptake and time was observed at free calcium concentrations ranging from 1 microM to 5 mM. At time points above 1 second calcium uptake deviates progressively from linearity. Several lines of evidences (EGTA-wash, dependency on membrane potential, temperature sensitivity and effect of the calcium ionophore A23187) suggest transmembrane transport rather than extravesicular binding of calcium as being responsible for calcium uptake. Saturation experiments performed under initial linear and curvilinear uptake conditions show a saturable transport component in the mu molar and only a tendency to saturate in the molar concentration range. It is concluded that uptake values far from equilibrium are characteristic for transmembrane flux of calcium. Transmembrane flux of calcium is mediated by multiple and potential-sensitive mechanisms.

Effect of pH on phosphate transport in rat renal brush border membrane vesicles.

The initial linear rate of phosphate uptake was analyzed in rat renal brush border membrane vesicles. An increase in medium pH from 6.0 to 8.0 increased the sodium gradient-dependent phosphate uptake about 20-fold. Sodium-independent phosphate uptake was not altered in this pH range. At pH 7.4 an intravesicular acid pH stimulated the initial linear uptake rate (20-25%). The apparent Km for sodium increased from about 100 to 200 mM when pH was decreased from 7.4 to 6.4. The Hill coefficient for sodium interaction was close to 2 and was unaffected by pH. Increasing external sodium reduced the apparent Km of the transport system for phosphate independent of pH. Variations of phosphate concentration had no influence on the apparent Km for sodium. At high sodium concentrations, small effects (20-30%) of pH on the apparent Vmax of the transport system were found; measured at saturating sodium concentrations, the apparent Km values calculated on the basis of total phosphate were increased (50-60%) when pH was decreased from 7.4 to 6.4. The data indicate that the major effect of pH is to modify the interaction of the transport system with sodium. At nonsaturating sodium concentrations, this resulted indirectly in a reduction in the affinity for phosphate related to a different occupancy of the sodium binding site. The differences of transport rate at low phosphate and high sodium concentrations could be explained by preferential transport of divalent phosphate as well as by pH effects on other carrier properties.

Ca2+-stimulated, Mg2+-independent ATP hydrolysis and the high affinity Ca2+-pumping ATPase. Two different activities in rat kidney basolateral membranes.

The Mg2+-dependency of Ca2+-induced ATP hydrolysis is studied in basolateral plasma membrane vesicles from rat kidney cortex in the presence of CDTA and EGTA as Mg2+- and Ca2+-buffering ligands. ATP hydrolysis is strongly stimulated by Mg2+ with a Km of 13 microM in the absence or presence of 1 microM free Ca2+. At free Mg2+ concentrations of 1 microM and lower, ATP hydrolysis is Mg2+-independent, but is strongly stimulated by submicromolar Ca2+ concentrations (Km = 0.25 microM, Vmax = 24 mumol Pi/h per mg protein). The Ca2+-stimulated ATP hydrolysis strongly decreases at higher Mg2+ concentrations. The Ca2+-stimulated Mg2+-independent ATP hydrolysis is not affected by calmodulin or trifluoperazine and shows no specificity for ATP over ADP, ITP and GTP. In contrast, at high Mg2+ concentrations calmodulin and trifluoperazine affect the high affinity Ca2+-ATPase activity significantly and ATP is the preferred substrate. Control studies on ATP-dependent Ca2+-pumping in renal basolaterals and on Ca2+-ATPase in erythrocyte ghosts suggest that the Ca2+-pumping enzyme requires Mg2+. In contrast, a role of the Ca2+-stimulated Mg2+-independent ATP hydrolysis in active Ca2+ transport across basolateral membranes is rather unlikely.

Intravesicular NAD has no effect on sodium-dependent phosphate transport in isolated renal brush border membrane vesicles.

The effects of intravesicular NAD on Na+-dependent 32Pi uptake were investigated in isolated rat kidney brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV). NAD was introduced into the vesicles by osmotic shock, and extravesicular NAD was removed by passing the vesicles through a anion exchange column. The effectiveness of the osmotic shock procedure and the hydrolysis of extra- and intravesicular NAD were controlled by enzymatic analysis and thin layer chromatography. ADP-ribosylation of the membrane proteins was analyzed in vesicles osmotically shocked in the presence of either [adenylate-32P]-NAD or [adenine-2,8-3H]-NAD by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. It was found that the Na+-dependent Pi uptake was inhibited when the BBMV were incubated with NAD at alkaline pH, which resulted in rapid NAD hydrolysis. When NAD was present in the intravesicular space only, the Na+-dependent Pi uptake was not inhibited. 32P from NAD was rapidly incorporated into a number of brush border membrane proteins, but no incorporation of 3H-adenine could be detected. The results provide evidence that NAD does not inhibit Pi transport by a direct interaction with the cytoplasmic side of the brush border membrane. No evidence of ADP-ribosylation of the brush border membrane protein(s) was found.

A high-affinity, calmodulin-dependent Ca2+ pump in the basal-lateral plasma membranes of kidney cortex.

A purified preparation of kidney basolateral membrane vesicles is capable of ATP-dependent Ca2+ uptake. The reaction has high affinity for Ca2+ (Km about 0.1 microM) and a V of 5.8 nmol Ca2+ X mg-1 protein X min-1 in the predominantly right-side-out vesicular preparation used. It is inhibited by vanadate (K0.5 about 5 microM) and by anti-calmodulin drugs. A stimulatory effect of calmodulin is visible in membranes depleted of the activator. Exposure of basolateral membranes to 125I-azido-modified calmodulin results in the specific labeling of a membrane protein of Mr 141 000, which is tentatively suggested to be the Ca2+-pumping ATPase.