Glutaraldehyde crosslinking analysis of the C12E8 solubilized H,K-ATPase

A soluble porcine H,K-ATPase preparation was obtained with the nonionic detergent, C12E8. ATP hydrolysis by the soluble H,K-ATPase was stimulated with respect to the native preparation at pH 6.1, while the K(+)-phosphatase activity was comparable to the native enzyme. The soluble enzyme demonstrated characteristic ligand-dependent effects on ATP hydrolysis, including ATP activation of K(+)-stimulated hydrolysis with a K0.5 of 28 +/- 4 microM ATP, and inhibition with an IC50 of 2.1 mM ATP. The activation and inhibition of ATP hydrolysis by K+ was also observed with a K0.5 for activation of 2.8 +/- 0.4 mM KCl at 2.0 mM ATP (pH 6.1) and inhibition with an IC50 of 135 mM KCl at 0.05 mM ATP. 2-Methyl-8-(phenylmethoxy)imidazo[1,2a]pyridine-3-acetonitrile (SCH 28080), a specific inhibitor of the native H,K-ATPase, competitively inhibited the K(+)-stimulated activity with a Ki of 0.035 microM. The soluble enzyme was stable with a t0.5 for ATPase activity of 6 h between 4 and 11 degrees C. The demonstration of these related ligand responses in the catalytic reactions of the soluble preparation indicates that it is an appropriate medium for investigation of the subunit associations of the functional H,K-ATPase. Subunit associations of the active soluble enzyme were assessed following treatment with the crosslinking reagent, glutaraldehyde. The distribution of crosslinked particles was independent of the soluble protein concentration in the crosslinking buffer within the protein range 0.3 to 2.0 mg/ml or the detergent to protein ratio varied from 1 to 15 (w/w). The crosslinked pattern was unaffected by the presence or absence of K during crosslinking or nucleotide concentration. These observations suggest that crosslinking occurs in associated subunits that do not undergo rapid associations dependent upon enzyme turnover. Phosphorylation of the soluble enzyme with 0.1 mM MgATP produced a phosphoprotein at 94 kDa. A phosphoprotein obtained after glutaraldehyde treatment exhibited identical electrophoretic mobility to the crosslinked particle identified by silver stain. Glutaraldehyde treatment of soluble protein fractions resolved on a linear 10-35% glycerol gradient revealed several smaller peptides partially resolved from the crosslinked pump particle, but no active fraction enriched in the monomeric H,K-ATPase. This data indicates that the functional porcine gastric H,K-ATPase is organized as a structural dimer.