Cl- -HCO3- -stimulated ATPase in intestinal mucosa of Aplysia

The serosa negative transepithelial potential difference across Aplysia intestine is generated by a Na+-independent, active electrogenic Cl- absorptive mechanism. In an attempt to clarify the Cl- absorptive mechanism an anion-stimulated ATPase was prepared from plasma membranes from Aplysia enterocytes utilizing differential centrifugation and sucrose density gradient techniques. ATPase activity, which could be activated by either Cl- or HCO3-, was found in the plasma membrane fraction. Maximal anion-ATPase activity was achieved with either 25 mM Cl- or 25 mM HCO3-. The apparent Km for Cl- activation of the ATPase was 10.3 mM, whereas apparent Km for HCO3- was 9.7 mM. ATP was the most effective nucleotide substrate for both HCO3- and Cl- -ATPase activities, whereas optimum pH for both activities was 7.8. These enzyme activities were inhibited more than 30% by thiocyanate (10 mM). Acetazolamide and vanadate were also found to strongly inhibit both Cl- and HCO3- -ATPase activities, whereas 10 microM 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid, 1 mM furosemide, or 1 mM ouabain had little or no effect. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the active Cl- transport mechanism in Aplysia intestine could be a Cl- -HCO3- -stimulated ATPase found in the enterocyte plasma membrane.