A common mechanism for ATP hydrolysis in ABC transporter and helicase superfamilies.

ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporters and helicases are large superfamilies of seemingly unrelated proteins, whose functions depend on the energy provided by ATP hydrolysis. Comparison of the 3D structures of their nucleotide-binding domains reveals that, besides two well-characterized ATP-binding signatures, the folds of their nucleotide-binding sites are similar. Furthermore, there are striking similarities in the positioning of residues thought to be important for ATP binding or hydrolysis. Interestingly, structures have recently been obtained for two ABC proteins that are not involved in transport activities, but that have a function related to DNA modification. These ABC proteins, which contain a nucleotide-binding site akin to those of typical ABC transporters, might constitute the missing link between the two superfamilies.

Catalytic cooperativity of beef heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase revealed by using 2',3'-O-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)-ATP as a substrate; an indication of mutually activating catalytic sites.

The interaction of 2',3'-O-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)ATP (TNP-ATP) with bovine mitochondrial F1-ATPase (MF1) was examined under substoichiometric and stoichiometric conditions to investigate the relationship between the amount of bound TNP-AT(D)P and extent of inhibition on steady state ATP hydrolysis. The hydrolysis of bound TNP-ATP under substoichiometric condition proceeded slowly, with a first order rate constant of 0.014 s-1. However, hydrolysis was greatly accelerated by addition of excess ATP. The hydrolyzed product, TNP-ADP, did not dissociate from the enzyme even after the addition of excess ATP. These properties were the same for both native and nucleotide depleted enzyme. The difference spectrum induced by binding TNP-ATP to MF1 had a distinct peak at 410 nm and a deep trough at 395 nm, which were similar to those induced when TNP-ATP bound to the isolated beta subunit of the thermophilic F1-ATPase. The magnitude of difference spectra as a function of TNP-ATP concentration suggested the presence of at least two types of binding sites on the MF1 molecule. The first site, where substoichiometric TNP-ATP was hydrolyzed, had a very high affinity for TNP-ATP. TNP-AT(D)P bound to this site did not dissociate even in the presence of excess ATP. TNP-AT(D)P bound to the second site dissociated slowly when excess ATP was added. The steady state ATPase activity at 100 microM ATP was linearly suppressed as pre-loaded TNP-ATP increased. The binding of 2 mol of TNP-ATP per mol of MF1 was required to abolish ATPase activity. A model which assumes mutually-activating two catalytic sites is presented to explain these results.

Purification from a yeast mutant of mitochondrial F1 with modified beta-subunit. High affinity for nucleotides and high negative cooperativity of ATPase activity.

Mitochondrial F1 containing genetically modified beta-subunit was purified for the first time from a mutant of the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Precipitation by poly(ethylene glycol) allowed us to obtain a very stable and pure enzyme from either mutant or wild-type strain. In the presence of EDTA, purified F1 retained high amounts of endogenous nucleotides: 4.6 mol/mol and 3.7 mol/mol for mutant and wild-type F1, respectively. The additional nucleotide in mutant F1 was ATP; it was lost in the presence of Mg2+, which led to a total of 3.4 mol of nucleotides/mol whereas wild-type F1 retained all its nucleotides. Mutant F1 bound more exogenous ADP than wild-type F1 and the same total nucleotide amount was reached with both enzymes. Kinetics of ATPase activity revealed a much higher negative cooperativity for mutant than for wild-type F1. Bicarbonate abolished this negative cooperativity, but higher concentrations were required for mutant F1. The mutant enzyme was more sensitive than the wild-type one to azide inhibition and ADP competitive inhibition; this indicated stronger interactions between nucleotide and F1 in the mutant enzyme. The latter also showed increased sensitivity to N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide irreversible inhibition.

ADP tethered to tyrosine-beta 345 at the catalytic site of the bovine heart F1-ATPase is converted to tethered AMP by Mg(2+)-dependent hydrolysis when the enzyme is photoinactivated with 2-N3-ADP.

Comparison of profiles of radioactive peptides resolved by HPLC from tryptic digests of the bovine heart F1-ATPase depleted of nucleotides (nd-MF1) which had been photoinactivated with 2-N3-[beta-32P]ADP, on the one hand, and 2-[8-3H]ADP, on the other, shows that the beta phosphate of ADP tethered to tyrosine-beta 345 is slowly hydrolyzed in the presence of Mg2+. When nd-MF1 was photoinactivated with 2-N3-[8-3H]ADP in the absence of Mg2+, hydrolysis of the beta phosphate from ADP tethered to tyrosine-beta 345 was not observed. Subsequent addition of Mg2+ initiated conversion of ADP tethered to tyrosine-beta 345 to tethered AMP suggesting that functional groups at the catalytic site participate in the hydrolytic reaction.

Structure-function relationships of mitochondrial ATPase-ATPsynthase using Schizosaccharomyces pombe yeast mutants with altered F1 subunits.

Phenotypic revertants have been selected from mutants of the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe devoid of either alpha or beta subunits of mitochondrial ATPase-ATPsynthase. In contrast to parental mutants, phenotypic revertants are able to grow on glycerol respiratory medium and show immunodetectable alpha and beta subunits. However, growth and cellular respiration are only partially restored as compared to the wild strain, indicating that the recovered subunits are mutated. ATPase activity of revertant submitochondrial particles shows markedly different parameters: more acidic optimal pH, absence of bicarbonate activation and decreased sensitivity to azide inhibition in the alpha subunit-modified R3.51. Opposite differences are observed in the beta subunit-modified R4.3: more alkaline optimal pH, much higher bicarbonate activation, and increased sensitivity to azide. The ITPase activity of R4.3 submitochondrial particles is also more sensitive to azide as compared to the wild strain. ATPase activity of purified F1 also exhibits marked differences: loss of bicarbonate-sensitive negative cooperativity, decreased sensitivity to both ADP and azide inhibitions in the R3.51 revertant. On the contrary, increased negative cooperativity and increased sensitivity to both ADP and azide inhibitions are observed for the R4.3 revertant enzyme which in addition exhibits a much lower maximal rate. The beta subunit-mutation of R4.3 also increases the sensitivity of ITPase activity to tripolyphosphate inhibition, whereas the alpha subunit-mutation of R3.51 is without any effect. Soluble F1 with beta subunit-mutation is very sensitive to high ammonium sulfate concentrations required for enzyme precipitation and concentration and known to partially deplete the enzyme from its endogenous nucleotides. On the contrary, poly(ethylene)glycol is very efficient for preparing from any strain a pure and very stable enzyme retain-ing high amounts of endogenous nucleotides. The R4.3 revertant F1 retains even more nucleotides than the wild-strain F1 and is much less sensitive to high iodide concentrations which favor enzyme dissociation and precipitation. The tryptophan intrinsic fluorescence of F1 is modified by both mutations that increase the maximal emission intensity. The most important effect is produced by beta subunit-mutation which decreases the quenchable fraction, one-third to one-half tryptophans being no longer accessible to iodide. The overall results suggest that both mutations modify enzyme-nucleotide interactions: the alpha subunit-mutation of R3.51 would favor ADP release by lowering interactions with the adenine moiety, whereas the beta subunit-mutation of R4.3 would lower ADP release by strengthening interactions with the phosphate chain moiety.

Hysteretic inhibition of the bovine heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase is due to saturation of noncatalytic sites with ADP which blocks activation of the enzyme by ATP.

Prior incubation of the bovine heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase depleted of endogenous nucleotides (nd-MF1) with saturating ADP in the presence or absence of Mg2+ induces inhibition of hydrolysis of 2 mM ATP or ITP. After incubation of nd-MF1 with free ADP, inhibition develops hysteretically which is characterized by an uninhibited initial rate which decelerates to an inhibited, steady-state rate. When prior incubation of nd-MF1 is performed with ADP in the presence of Mg2+, the enzyme is partially inhibited when diluted into assay medium and more extensive inhibition develops hysteretically during turnover. Correlation of binding of [14C]ADP, in the presence or absence of Mg2+, with the extent of hysteretic inhibition induced suggests that maximal inhibition occurs when at least two noncatalytic sites are filled with ADP. Hysteretic inhibition is also induced by prior incubation of the enzyme with 2-N3-ADP. Prior incubation of nd-MF1 with increasing concentrations of 2-N3-[beta-32P]ADP, in the presence or absence of Mg2+, increases the extent of induced inhibition which correlates with increasing derivatization of tyrosine beta 368 following irradiation of loaded enzyme. This demonstrates that binding of ADP to noncatalytic sites is, in part, responsible for induction of hysteretic inhibition. After inducing inhibition by prior incubation with ADP, the steady-state kinetic behavior of nd-MF1 differs from that of uninhibited enzyme. Lineweaver-Burk plots of steady-state rates of inhibited enzyme as a function of ATP concentration are linear rather than biphasic which is observed for uninhibited enzyme. The composite results suggest that prior saturation of noncatalytic sites of nd-MF1 with ADP prevents activation of the enzyme by blocking the binding of ATP to these sites which is necessary to promote dissociation of inhibitory MgADP from a catalytic site.

Slow binding of ATP to noncatalytic nucleotide binding sites which accelerates catalysis is responsible for apparent negative cooperativity exhibited by the bovine mitochondrial F1-ATPase.

The bovine heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase depleted of nucleotides (nd-MF1) hydrolyzes 50 microM ATP in three kinetic phases at 30 degrees C. An initial "burst" rapidly transforms into an intermediate, slower rate, which slowly accelerates to the final, steady-state rate. The intermediate phase disappears progressively as the concentration of ATP in the assay medium is increased and is absent at 2 mM. Activation in the intermediate phase is lost when nd-MF1 is inactivated by 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine, which modifies three noncatalytic sites. Correlation of [3H]ATP binding to nd-MF1, after treatment either with 50 microM Mg[3H]ATP plus a regenerating system or 10 mM free [3H]ATP, with stimulation of the intermediate phase suggests that this phase is abolished when at least two noncatalytic sites are filled with ATP. Prior incubation of nd-MF1 with MgPPi stimulates hydrolysis of 30 microM to 2 mM ATP and abolishes the intermediate phase. Following incubation with Mg[32P]PPi, 3.3 mol of [32P]PPi/mol of enzyme are bound, 1 and 0.5 mol of which are released by cold chases with MgATP and MgITP, respectively. Since the cold chases diminish activation only slightly, the stimulatory effect is not caused by PPi binding to catalytic sites. A Lineweaver-Burk plot of initial rates of the intermediate phase for hydrolysis of 30 microM to 2 mM ATP by nd-MF1 is biphasic, extrapolating to apparent Km values of 120 and 440 microM. The latter value is the same as the apparent Kd determined from dependence of the rate of activation of the intermediate phase on ATP concentration in the assay medium. After prior incubation of nd-MF1 with MgPPi or free ATP, Lineweaver-Burk plots are linear with the highest Km disappearing. Thus, this Km reflects rate acceleration when ATP binds to noncatalytic sites. From these results it is concluded that slow binding of ATP to noncatalytic sites during hydrolysis of low concentrations of substrate, which accelerates catalysis, is responsible for apparent negative cooperativity exhibited by MF1.

Inhibition and inactivation of the F1 adenosinetriphosphatase from Bacillus PS3 by dequalinium and activation of the enzyme by lauryl dimethylamine oxide.

The F1-ATPase from Bacillus PS3 (TF1) hydrolyzes 50 microM ATP in three kinetic phases. An initial burst rapidly decelerates to a partially inhibited, intermediate phase, which, in turn, gradually accelerates to an uninhibited, final steady-state rate. Lauryl dimethylamine oxide (LDAO) stimulates the final rate over 4-fold. The stimulatory effect saturates at about 0.1% LDAO. Under these conditions, the intermediate phase is nearly absent. Dequalinium inhibits TF1 reversibly in the dark in the presence or absence of LDAO. The apparent affinity of TF1 for dequalinium increases in the presence of LDAO. Dixon plots of the initial rates of the intermediate phase and the final rates against dequalinium concentration at a series of fixed ATP concentrations in the presence and absence of 0.03% LDAO indicate noncompetitive inhibition in each case. Replots of the slopes of the Dixon plots for the initial rate of the intermediate phase and the final rate against 1/[ATP] reveal apparent Km values of 770 microM and 144 microM, respectively, when obtained in the absence of LDAO. The apparent Km values determined from the data obtained in the presence of LDAO for the same phases are 303 microM and 163 microM, respectively. These results suggest that LDAO stimulates ATPase activity either by increasing the affinity of noncatalytic sites for ATP, which promotes release of inhibitory MgADP from a catalytic site, or by directly promoting release of MgADP from the affected catalytic site. Dequalinium retards this process without affecting the affinity of noncatalytic sites for ATP. When irradiated in the presence of dequalinium, TF1 is rapidly inactivated with an apparent Kd of 12.5 microM in the presence or absence of LDAO.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Lowered temperature or binding of pyrophosphate to sites for noncatalytic nucleotides modulates the ATPase activity of the beef heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase by decreasing the affinity of a catalytic site for inhibitory MgADP.

Lineweaver-Burk plots for ATP hydrolysis catalyzed by bovine heart mitochondrial F1-ATPase (MF1) at 30 degrees C are biphasic, whereas they are linear at 15 degrees C. The rate of inactivation of the enzyme at 23 degrees C by 5'-[(p-fluorosulfonyl)benzoyl]adenosine (FSBA), which derivatizes noncatalytic nucleotide binding sites, is about 4 times faster when loss of activity is monitored at 15 degrees C as opposed to 30 degrees C. This suggests that maximal loss of ATPase monitored at 15 degrees C is observed when a single noncatalytic site is derivatized, whereas maximal inactivation at 30 degrees C requires modification of three noncatalytic sites. Prior incubation of MF1 depleted of endogenous nucleotides (nd-MF1) with pyrophosphate (PPi) stimulates ATPase activity 2-fold when assayed at 30 degrees C and pH 8.0. This stimulation correlates with binding of [32P]PPi to the second and third binding sites for PPi to be filled. Prior binding of PPi to nd-MF1 increases the rate of inactivation of the enzyme by FSBA at 23 degrees C about 4-fold when loss of activity is monitored at 30 degrees C and pH 8.0, whereas it does not affect the rate of inactivation when loss of ATPase is monitored at 15 degrees C or loss of ITPase is monitored at 30 degrees C. This indicates that the accelerated rate of inactivation induced by PPi when assays are conducted at 30 degrees C is not due to an increased rate of derivatization of noncatalytic sites. After 85% inactivation with FSBA, nd-MF1 retains the capacity to bind 2.8 mol of [32P]PPi per mole.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Preparation of highly phosphorylating mitochondria from the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Schizosaccharomyces pombe yeast cells grown on either fermentable or respiratory media were efficiently converted to stable spheroplasts by the alpha-(1-->3)-glucanase Novozym 234 in the presence of 1.2 M sorbitol. Lysis of spheroplasts by gentle homogenization in dilute sorbitol resulted in the preparation of mitochondria with a structure similar to that observed within the starting yeast cells. The isolated mitochondria exhibited high oxidation rates with various respiratory substrates, NADH being the most efficient. The mitochondria appeared well coupled since the second State 4 rate observed after ADP consumption was identical to the initial one. The State 3 rate in the presence of ADP was completely inhibited by low oligomycin concentrations, similarly to the concomitant ATP synthesis of 900 nmol/min x mg protein. These NADH oxidation and dependent ATP-synthesis activities are much higher than those previously described for mitochondria isolated from Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and similar to the highest values reported for Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Functional sites in F1-ATPases: location and interactions.

This review focuses on the location and interaction of three functional sites in F1-ATPases. These are catalytic sites which are located in beta subunits, noncatalytic nucleotide-binding sites which are located at interfaces of alpha and beta subunits and modulate the hydrolytic activity of the enzyme, and a site that binds inhibitory amphipathic cations which is at an interface of alpha and beta subunits. The latter site may participate in transmission of conformational signals between catalytic sites in F1 and the proton-conducting apparatus of F0 in the intact ATP synthases.

Alteration of apparent negative cooperativity of ATPase activity by alpha-subunit glutamine 173 mutation in yeast mitochondrial F1. Correlation with impaired nucleotide interaction at a regulatory site.

The first described alpha-subunit mutation of yeast mitochondrial F1 has been recently identified as a single Gln173----Leu substitution in a strongly conserved sequence (Falson, P., Maffey, L., Conrath, K., and Boutry, M. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 287-293). This mutation is shown here to greatly modify the biphasic pattern of ATPase activity as a function of pH: (i) the shoulder observed at acidic pH is significantly increased; (ii) the main peak, at alkaline pH, is markedly lowered; (iii) the optimal pH is shifted from 8.8 to 7.7. The mutation lowers both apparent negative cooperativity and sensitivity to azide inhibition which concomitantly increase when the assay pH decreases. Azide partial inhibition produces apparent negative cooperativity which can be further abolished by bicarbonate. The mutation increases both activation energies determined from biphasic Arrhenius plots. The mutation decreases the inactivation rate by 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine and abolishes the protection by nucleotide binding at the adenine-specific regulatory site. On the contrary, it does not modify the reactivity of 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoylguanosine at the less-selective catalytic site. In addition, partial inactivation by 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoyladenosine, as opposed to 5'-p-fluorosulfonylbenzoylguanosine, produces apparent negative cooperativity under conditions where unmodified-enzyme kinetics are noncooperative. The results show that alpha-Gln173 participates in nucleotide interaction at a regulatory site which controls the negative cooperativity of F1-ATPase activity.

Evidence for a second nucleotide binding site in rat elongation factor eEF-2 specific for adenylic nucleotides.

The rat elongation factor eEF-2 catalyzes the translocation step of protein synthesis. Besides its well-characterized GTP/GDP binding properties, we have previously shown that ATP and ADP bind to eEF-2 [Sontag, B., Reboud, A. M., Divita, G., Di Pietro, A., Guillot, D., and Reboud, J. P. (1993) Biochemistry 32, 1976-1980]. However, whether the adenylic and guanylic nucleotide binding sites were different or not remained unclear. To further characterize these sites, eEF-2 was incubated in the presence of N-methylanthraniloyl (Mant) fluorescent derivatives of GTP, GDP, ATP, and ADP. This led to an increase in the probe fluorescence and to a partial quenching of eEF-2 tryptophans in each case. The Mant-derivatives and the unmodified corresponding nucleotides were shown to bind to eEF-2 with a similar affinity. Competition experiments between Mant-labeled and unmodified nucleotides suggested the presence of two different sites binding either guanylic or adenylic nucleotides. A Förster's transfer between tryptophan residues and the Mant-probe is obtained with both the adenylic and the guanylic Mant-nucleotides, and comparison of the transfer efficiencies confirmed the presence of a second binding site specific for adenylic nucleotides. A sequence alignment of EF-Gs with eEF-2s from different species suggests the presence of potential Walker A and B motifs in an insert of the G-domain of eEF-2s from higher eukaryotes. Our results raise the possibility that a site specific for adenylic nucleotides and located in this insert has appeared in the course of evolution although its physiological function is still unknown.

Probing the specificity of nucleotide binding to the F1-ATPase from thermophilic Bacillus PS3 and its isolated alpha and beta subunits with 2-N3-[beta, gamma-32P]ATP.

Irradiation of the F1-ATPase from Bacillus PS3 (TF1) in the presence of 134 microM 2-N3-[beta, gamma-32P]ATP plus Mg2+ for 90 min led to 95% inactivation of the ATPase activity which was accompanied by exclusive labeling of the beta subunit. The isolated alpha and beta subunits were also treated separately with 2-N3-[beta, gamma-32P]ATP under similar conditions. Fractionation of a tryptic digest of photolabeled TF1 by reversed-phase HPLC resolved a major and a minor radioactive peptide. Sequence analyses showed that the major peptide contained labeled Tyr-beta 364, whereas the minor one contained labeled Tyr-beta 341, residues known to be part of noncatalytic and catalytic sites, respectively. Two closely eluting radioactive peptides were obtained when a tryptic digest of the photolabeled, isolated beta subunit was fractionated by HPLC. Sequence analyses revealed that both contained labeled Tyr-beta 341. Fractionation of a tryptic digest of the photolabeled, isolated alpha subunit by HPLC resolved two peptides which contained the majority of the radioactivity incorporated. When subjected to eight cycles of automatic Edman degradation, one gave the sequence APGVXDR, corresponding to residues 133-139, in which X is a gap and corresponds to Met-alpha 137, which presumably is the derivatized residue. Only the first five cycles yielded phenylthiohydantoin derivatives when the other radioactive peptide derived from the alpha subunit was submitted to automatic Edman degradation which revealed the sequence APGVM, suggesting that Asp-alpha 138 is derivatized. The overall results suggest that the isolated beta subunit is a useful model for studying binding of nucleotides to catalytic sites, whereas the isolated alpha subunit may be of limited value in modeling interactions of nucleotides with noncatalytic sites.

Does the gamma subunit move to an abortive position of ATP hydrolysis when the F1.ADP.Mg complex isomerizes to the inactive F1*.ADP.Mg complex?

F1-ATPases transiently entrap inhibitory MgADP in a catalytic site during turnover when noncatalytic sites are not saturated with ATP. An initial burst of ATP hydrolysis rapidly decelerates to a slow intermediate rate that gradually accelerates to a final steady-state rate. Transition from the intermediate to the final rate is caused by slow binding of ATP to noncatalytic sites which promotes dissociation of inhibitory MgADP from the affected catalytic site. Evidence from several laboratories suggests that the gamma subunit rotates with respect to alpha/beta subunit pairs of F1-ATPase during ATP hydrolysis. The alpha 3 beta 3 and alpha 3 beta 3 delta subcomplexes of the TF1-ATPase do not entrap inhibitory MgADP in a catalytic site during turnover, suggesting involvement of the gamma subunit in the entrapment process. From these observations, it is proposed that the gamma subunit moves into an abortive position for ATP hydrolysis when inhibitory MgADP is entrapped in a catalytic site during ATP hydrolysis.

An attempt to convert noncatalytic nucleotide binding site of F1-ATPase to the catalytic site: hydrolysis of tethered ATP by mutated alpha subunits in the enzyme.

The alpha and beta subunits of F1-ATPase are homologous in primary structure and have similar folding topologies. The position of the essential Glu residue in the catalytic sites which reside in the beta subunits is occupied by a Gln residue in the noncatalytic nucleotide binding sites which reside in the alpha subunits. To test if an exchange of catalytic and noncatalytic binding sites is possible, we have replaced the Gln-Lys sequence in the noncatalytic binding site of the alpha subunit with Glu-Arg and, reciprocally, the Glu in the catalytic site of the beta subunit with Gln. The resultant mutant alpha3beta3gamma complex lost steady-state ATPase activity. However, HPLC analysis of tryptic digests of the mutant alpha3beta3gamma complex which had been photolabeled with 2-N3-[8-3H]ATP revealed that ATP tethered to the noncatalytic binding side was hydrolyzed, indicating that a primitive catalytic ability was generated at the alpha subunit by the introduced Glu.

The isocitrate dehydrogenase kinase/phosphatase from Escherichia coli is highly sensitive to in-vitro oxidative conditions role of cysteine67 and cysteine108 in the formation of a disulfide-bonded homodimer.

Isocitrate dehydrogenase kinase/phosphatase (IDHK/P) is a homodimeric enzyme which controls the oxidative metabolism of Escherichia coli, and exibits a high intrinsic ATPase activity. When subjected to electrophoresis under nonreducing conditions, the purified enzyme migrates partially as a dimer. The proportion of the dimer over the monomer is greatly increased by treatment with cupric 1,10 phenanthrolinate or 5,5'-dithio-bis(2-nitrobenzoic acid), and fully reversed by dithiothreitol, indicating that covalent dimerization is produced by a disulfide bond. To identify the residue(s) involved in this intermolecular disulfide-bond, each of the eight cysteines of the enzyme was individually mutated into a serine. It was found that, under nonreducing conditions, the electrophoretic patterns of all corresponding mutants are identical to that of the wild-type, except for the Cys67-->Ser which migrates exclusively as a monomer and for the Cys108-->Ser which migrates preferentially as a dimer. Furthermore, in contrast to the wild-type enzyme and all the other mutants, the Cys67-->Ser mutant still migrates as a monomer after treatment with cupric 1,10 phenanthrolinate. This result indicates that the intermolecular disulfide bond involves only Cys67 in each IDHK/P wild-type monomer. This was further supported by mass spectrum analysis of the tryptic peptides derived from either the cupric 1,10 phenanthrolinate-treated wild-type enzyme or the native Cys108-->Ser mutant, which show that they both contain a Cys67-Cys67 disulfide bond. Moreover, both the cupric 1,10 phenanthrolinate-treated wild-type enzyme and the native Cys108-->Ser mutant contain another disulfide bond between Cys356 and Cys480. Previous results have shown that this additional Cys356-Cys480 disulfide bond is intramolecular [Oudot, C., Jault, J.-M., Jaquinod, M., Negre, D., Prost, J.-F., Cozzone, A.J. & Cortay, J.-C. (1998) Eur. J. Biochem. 258, 579-585].

Chemical modification of alpha-subunit tryptophan residues in Schizosaccharomyces pombe mitochondrial F1 adenosine 5'-triphosphatase: differential reactivity and role in activity.

Chemical modification of mitochondrial F1-ATPase from Schizosaccharomyces pombe by the tryptophan-specific reagent N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) at pH 5.0 in the presence of 20% glycerol produced a characteristic lowering in both enzyme absorbance at 280 nm and intrinsic fluorescence at 332 nm that varied with NBS/F1 molar ratio up to a value of 130. Fluorometric titration of tryptophans and correlation to residual ATPase activity showed that modification of three reactive residues among the seven present on alpha- and epsilon-subunits did not markedly modify the enzyme activity but efficiently released endogenous ATP and abolished the fluorescence quenching related to GDP or ATP binding to the catalytic site. Additional modification of one, less reactive, tryptophan altered both negative cooperativity of ATP hydrolysis and sensitivity to azide inhibition and produced a nearly complete inactivation at high NBS/F1 molar ratio. NBS-induced inactivation of F1 was favored by catalytic-site saturation with GDP or low ATP concentration and on the contrary was prevented by noncatalytic-site saturation with ADP or high ATP concentration. When reactive tryptophans were selectively modified by NBS in the presence of ADP, and subunits were isolated after guanidine hydrochloride dissociation by one-step purification on reversed-phase HPLC, the absorbance of alpha-subunit at 280 nm was decreased, whereas that of epsilon-subunit was unchanged. Cyanogen bromide cleavage of alpha-subunit and fragments separation by reversed-phase HPLC showed that one peptide of 3 kDa apparent molecular mass had decreased absorbance. N-Terminal sequencing allowed its identification to fragment 255-282 that contains tryptophan257.

Glutamine 170 to tyrosine substitution in yeast mitochondrial F1 beta-subunit increases catalytic site interaction with GDP and IDP and produces negative cooperativity of GTP and ITP hydrolysis.

Glutamine 170 to tyrosine mutation in the beta-subunit from Schizosaccharomyces pombe mitochondrial F1 was found to increase both affinity for ADP, apparent negative cooperativity of ATPase activity, and sensitivity to azide inhibition (Falson, P., Di Pietro, A., Jault, J.-M., Gautheron, D.C., and Boutry, M. (1989) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 975, 119-126). The mutation is shown here to increase the affinity for GDP, IDP, and guanosine 5'-(beta,gamma-imidotriphosphate), which are competitive inhibitors of GTPase and ITPase activities. Various fluorescence approaches also reveal an increased affinity of the catalytic site in mutant as compared with wild-type enzyme for GDP, IDP, and 2'(3')-N-methylanthraniloyl GDP. The mutation alters the maximal rates and pH dependence of GTPase and ITPase activities, whereas wild-type F1 exhibits single optima at pH 7.5-8.0. The pH activity profiles of the mutant enzyme for these substrates are biphasic, with optima at pH 8.5-9.0 and below 6.5. The mutation increases the sensitivity of GTPase and ITPase activities to azide inhibition, which increases with decreasing pH. At pH 6.0-7.0, an apparent negative cooperativity is observed when mutant F1 hydrolyzes GTP or ITP, whereas the wild-type enzyme shows Michaelian kinetics. Addition of bicarbonate at pH 7.0 substantially stimulates GTP or ITP hydrolysis and abolishes the apparent negative cooperativity by the mutant enzyme; on the contrary, the anion produces a slight inhibition of these activities catalyzed by wild-type F1. The overall results suggest that apparent negative cooperativity can be observed with GTP or ITP hydrolysis provided that the release of the respective diphosphate is a rate-limiting step.

Revertant of the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe with modified alpha subunits of mitochondrial ATPase-ATPsynthase: impaired nucleotide interactions with soluble and membrane-bound enzyme.

A partial revertant from a mutant with modified alpha subunits of mitochondrial ATPase-ATPsynthase has been obtained for the first time from the yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. The purified F1 contains a lower amount of endogenous nucleotides as compared to the wild-strain enzyme. In contrast to the wild-type, the F1 ATPase activity from the revertant does not exhibit bicarbonate-sensitive negative cooperativity. The revertant Michaelis constant for Mg-ATP is very similar to that of normal F1 in the presence of bicarbonate while the Vm is slightly lower. The revertant enzyme is much less sensitive to inhibitions by ADP and by azide. It is proposed that the lack of negative cooperativity of revertant F1 ATPase activity is due to lower affinity for ADP, the release of which is no longer the rate-limiting step.