Replacement of ATP with ADP affects the dynamic and conformational properties of actin monomer

The effect of the replacement of ATP with ADP on the conformational and dynamic properties of the actin monomer was investigated, by means of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and fluorescence spectroscopic methods. The measurement of the ATP concentration during these experiments provided the opportunity to estimate the time dependence of ADP-Mg-G-actin concentration in the samples. According to the results of the fluorescence resonance energy transfer experiments, the Gln-41 and Cys-374 residues are closer to each other in the ADP-Mg-G-actin than in the ATP-Mg-G-actin. The fluorescence resonance energy transfer efficiency increased simultaneously with the ADP-G-actin concentration and reached its maximum value within 30 min at 20 degrees C. The EPR data indicate the presence of an ADP-Mg-G-actin population that can be characterized by an increased rotational correlation time, which is similar to the one observed in actin filaments, and exists only transiently. We suggest that the conformational transitions, which were reflected by our EPR data, were coupled with the transient appearance of short actin oligomers during the nucleotide exchange. Besides these relatively fast conformational changes, there is a slower conformational transition that could be detected several hours after the initiation of the nucleotide exchange.