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Magnetic field affects enzymatic ATP synthesis.
Anatoly L Buchachenko1, Dmitry A Kuznetsov
1N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119991, Russia. abuchach@chph.ras.ru
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|September 9, 2008
Summary
Magnetic fields influence ATP synthesis in creatine kinase. Specific magnesium isotopes (25Mg) significantly boost ATP yield, revealing an ion-radical mechanism in this enzyme.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Enzymology
- Biophysics
Background:
- Creatine kinase (CK) is crucial for cellular energy homeostasis.
- The role of magnetic fields and isotopes in enzymatic reactions is an emerging area of research.
- Vipera xanthia venom contains enzymes with potential biotechnological applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of magnetic fields on ATP synthesis by creatine kinase from Vipera xanthia venom.
- To explore the influence of magnesium (Mg2+) isotopes with different magnetic properties on enzyme activity.
- To elucidate the underlying mechanism of magnetic field and isotope effects on ATP production.
Main Methods:
- Purification of creatine kinase from Vipera xanthia venom.
- Assaying ATP synthesis rates under varying static magnetic field strengths (e.g., 55 mT, 80 mT).
- Utilizing magnesium isotopes (24Mg, 25Mg, 26Mg) in the enzyme's catalytic sites for comparative analysis.
Main Results:
- ATP synthesis rate showed a field-dependent response.
- Enzymes with 24Mg2+ and 26Mg2+ exhibited a 7-8% increase in ATP yield at 55 mT, decreasing at 80 mT.
- Enzymes with 25Mg2+ displayed significantly higher ATP yield increases (50% at 55 mT, 70% at 80 mT).
- A 2.5-fold higher ATP synthesis rate was observed in Earth's magnetic field for enzymes with 25Mg compared to those with 24Mg or 26Mg.
Conclusions:
- ATP synthesis by creatine kinase is demonstrably affected by magnetic fields and magnesium isotopes.
- The observed magnetic isotope effect strongly suggests an ion-radical mechanism.
- Zeeman interaction and hyperfine coupling in intermediate ion-radical pairs are key factors influencing the reaction pathway.
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