Proton inactivation of Ca2+ transport by sarcoplasmic reticulum

The effects of acid on fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum from rabbit white skeletal muscle have been studied. Brief exposure of sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes to pH values in the range 5.5 to 6.0 at 37 degrees caused rapid inactivation of calcium accumulation measured at 25 degrees in the presence of oxalate (calcium uptake) while (Ca2+, Mg2+)-ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) activity was enhanced by 75%. ATPase activity, measured at 37 degrees in the absence of oxalate and in the calcium steady state, was unaltered when calcium uptake was inactivated. Calcium efflux from sarcoplasmic reticulum vesicles, previously loaded passibely with 45CaCl2, was only slightly increased when calcium uptake was abolished. At still lower pH values, 5.0 to 5.5, (Ca2+, Mg2+)-ATPase was inactivated while Mg2+ ATPase was more acid-resistant. Acid inactivation of calcium uptake followed simple first order kinetics for at least 80% of the time course. The rate constant, k, increased from 0.043 min-1 to 1.63 min-1 between pH 6.50 and pH 5.35. At pH 4.65, Ea, the energy of activation, was 31 kcal mol-1 between 24 degrees and 43 degrees. Inactivation, once initiated, was irreversible. Aged suspensions of sarcoplasmic reticulum were more sensitive to acid inactivation. Ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)N,N'-tetraacetic acid enhanced inactivation, and calcium specifically protected against inactivation with half-maximal effect at 1 to 2 mM. The sulfhydryl reagent, dithiothreitol (1 mM), caused significantly increased rates of inactivation. Calcium binding was studied by dual wavelength spectrophotometry and stopped flow analysis. Acid inactivation distinguished two ATP-induced binding sites, previously described (Entman, M. L., Snow, T. R., Freed, D., and Schwartz, A. (1973) J. Biol. Chem. 248, 7762-7772) as a superficial Mg2+-independent Site A which binds and releases calcium rapidly and a deeper Mg2+-dependent Site B which binds and releases calcium more slowly. Rates of binding to both sites were decreased by acid inactivation. Binding of calcium to Site A increased, however, from 4.6 to 6.4 nmol mg of protein-1 whereas that to Site B decreased from 17.0 to 6.9 nmol mg of protein-1. Passive binding of calcium to sites of medium affinity (K = 7 X 10(4) M-1) was unaffected by acid inactivation of calcium uptake. Temperature dependence of (Ca2+, Mg2+)-ATPase was unchanged in the range 9-34 degrees. Above 34 degrees, the higher activation energy process (Ealpha = 33.7 kcal mol-1) observed in control sarcoplasmic reticulum and thought to arise from a conformational change in the ATPase (Inesi, G., Millman, M., and Eletr, S. (1973) J. Mol. Biol. 81, 483-504) was diminished by acid inactivation (Ealpha = 8.2 kcal mol-1) in a manner suggesting that it is related to active calcium transport. The ATP in equilibrium 32Pi exchange reaction was diminished by acid, but 25% of the activity remained when calcium uptake was completely abolished...