Structural effects of substrate utilization on the adenosinetriphosphatase chains of sarcoplasmic reticulum

Addition of ATP to suspensions of fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) containing low concentrations of a detergent that does not by itself produce major vesicular disruption is followed by a transient reduction in turbidity accompanied by solubilization of the vesicles. The effect of ATP is Ca2+ dependent and proceeds in parallel with utilization of the nucleotide as a substrate for the SR ATPase. Analogous effects are observed with other substrates producing enzyme phosphorylation at the catalytic site. The effect of ATP can also be detected in studies of fluorescence energy transfer between enzyme chains, by using the technique of Vanderkooi et al. [Vanderkooi, J., Ierokomas, A., Nakamura, H., & Martonosi, A. (1977) Biochemistry 16, 1262]. For this purpose, ATPase chains are labeled separately with N-(iodoacetyl)-N'-(5-sulfo-1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine (IAEDANS) and 6-(iodoacetamido) fluorescein (IAF). Samples of vesicles uniformly labeled with either IAEDANS or IAF, mixtures of two populations of vesicles uniformly labeled with either fluorophore, and vesicles containing randomized chains labeled with either fluorophore are used as experimental systems. In the last system, significant energy transfer from IAEDANS (donor) to IAF (acceptor) is revealed by fluorescence spectra and measurements of donor fluorescence intensity and lifetime. This is attributed to close interactions between ATPase chains within the membrane bilayer. It is then found that in the presence of low detergent concentrations, ATP changes the extent of energy transfer between labeled ATPase chains, consistent with destabilization of the interaction of chains. The observed effects are attributed to a reversible structural transition concomitant with enzyme phosphorylation and related to catalytic and transport function.