Localization of Na + , K + -ATPase and other enzymes in teleost pseudobranch. I. Biochemical characterization of subcellular fractions.

In an effort to determine the subcellular localization of sodium- and potassium-activated adenosine triphosphatase (Na(+), K(+)-ATPase) in the pseudobranch of the pinfish Lagodon rhomboides, this tissue was fractionated by differential centrifugation and the activities of several marker enzymes in the fractions were measured. Cytochrome c oxidase was found primarily in the mitochondrial-light mitochondrial (M+L) fraction. Phosphoglucomutase appeared almost exclusively in the soluble (S) fraction. Monoamine oxidase was concentrated in the nuclear (N) fraction, with a significant amount also in the microsomal (P) fraction but little in M+L or S. Na(+), K(+)-ATPase and ouabain insensitive Mg(2+)-ATPase were distributed in N, M+L, and P, the former having its highest specific activity in P and the latter in M+L. Rate sedimentation analysis of the M+L fraction indicated that cytochrome c oxidase and Mg(2+)-ATPase were associated with a rapidly sedimenting particle population (presumably mitochondria), while Na(+), K(+)-ATPase was found primarily in a slowly sedimenting component. At least 75% of the Na(+), K(+)-ATPase in M+L appeared to be associated with structures containing no Mg(2+)-ATPase. Kinetic properties of the two ATPases were studied in the P fraction and were typical of these enzymes in other tissues. Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activity was highly dependent on the ratio of Na(+) and K(+) concentrations but independent of absolute concentrations over at least a fourfold range.

Localization of Na + , K + -ATPase and other enzymes in teleost pseudobranch. II. Morphological characterization of intact pseudobranch, subcellular fractions, and plasma membrane substructure.

The pseudobranch of the pinfish Lagodon rhomboides is an unusually homogeneous and structurally simple tissue, well suited to cell fractionation studies. Its principal cell type, closely related to the chloride cells of teleost gill, is characterized by numerous mitochondria in close association with abundant tubular invaginations of the plasma membrane. Other cytoplasmic organelles are rarely encountered. In broken fresh pseudobranch cells negatively stained with ammonium molybdate, a 40 A particulate layer was observed on the intracellular surface of the tubular plasma membrane fragments. Nuclear (N), mitochondrial-light mitochondrial (M+L), and microsomal (P) fractions, obtained by differential centrifugation, were characterized by examination of fixed, embedded pellets and unfixed preparations negatively stained with ammonium molybdate and potassium phosphotung-state. Mitochondria, in orthodox configuration and retaining their outer membranes, were observed in M+L and N. Significant amounts of tubular, sheetlike, or vesicular membrane fragments were observed in all three fractions. Many such fragments, when negatively stained, showed the 40 A particulate surface layer characteristic of plasma membrane invaginations, and in some cases 20-A projections could be resolved on the opposite (extracellular) surface. Since these morphological observations, together with previously presented biochemical data, suggest a plasma membrane localization of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase, the possible association of the enzyme with membrane projections is discussed.