[Enzyme activity of myosin activated by different cations in a mixed H2O--D2O solvent]

The rate of enzymic reaction of ATP, ITP, GTP with myosin is studied in the presence of potassiu, ammonium and calcium ions in H2O--D2O solutions. There is no kinetic isotope effect of ITPase and GTPase reaction in the neutral pH region (VHVD = 1). The value VH/VD for the ATPase reaction in the pH range from 6.5 to 8.5 with all cations studied varies from 1.05 to 1.26. Such changes of myosin enzymic activity in D2O infer that small changes in the interaction of subunits is not the decisive one in the regulation of myosin ATPase. The equality of isotope effects in potassium salts and ammonium solution suggests that a specific effect of ammonium ion as a proton donor affects the ATPase reaction of myosin. The relationship between the value of isotope effect and D2O concentration in solution in non-linear. The shape of concentration curve suggests essential conformational changes of myosin during ATP hydrolysis.