Potassium-stimulated ATPase activity and hydrogen transport in gastric microsomal vesicles

The Mg2+-dependent, K+-stimulated ATPase of microsomes from pig gastric mucosa has been studied in relation to observed active H+ transport into vesicular space. Uptake of fluorescent dyes (acridine orange and 9-aminoacridine) was used to monitor the generated pH gradient. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy showed that the vesicular gastric microsomes have an asymmetric distribution of intramembraneous particles (P-face was particulate; E-face was relatively smooth. Valinomycin stimulated both dye uptake and K+-ATPase (valinomycin-stimulated K+-ATPase); stimulation by valinomycin was due to increased K+ entry to some intravesicular activating site, which in turn depends upon the accompanying anion. Using the valinomycin-stimulated K+-ATPase and H+ accumulation as an index, the sequence for anion permeation was NO-3 greater than Br- greater than Cl- greater than I- greater than acetate approximately isethionate. When permeability to both K+ and H+ was increased (e.g using valinomycin plus a protonophore or nigericin), stimulation of K+-ATPase was much less dependent on the anion and the observed dissipation of the vesicular pH gradient was consistent with an 'uncoupling' of ATP hydrolysis from H+ accumulation. Thiocyanate interacts with valinomycin inhibiting the typical action of the K+ ionophore. But stimulation of ATPase activity was seen by adding 10 mM SCN- to membranes preincubated with valinomycin. From the relative activation of the valinomycin-stimulated K+-ATPase, it appears that SCN- is a very permeant anion which can be placed before NO-3 in the sequence of permeation. Valinomycin-stimulated ATPase and H+ uptake showed similar dependent correlations, including: dependence on [ATP] and [K+], pH optima, temperature activation, and selective inhibition by SH- or NH2-group reagents. These results are consistent with a pump-leak model for the gastric microsomal K+-ATPase which was simulated using Nernst-Planck conditions for passive pathways and simple kinetics for the pump. The pump is a K+/H+ exchange pump requiring K+ at an internal site. Rate of K+ entry would depend on permeability to K+ as well as the counterion, either (1) the anion to accompany K+ or (2) the H+ efflux path as an exchange ion. The former leads to net accumulation of H+ and anion, while the latter results in non-productive stimulation of ATP hydrolysis.