Two tight binding sites for ADP and their interactions during nucleotide exchange in chloroplast coupling factor 1

Chloroplast coupling factor 1 (CF1) deficient in its epsilon subunit was loaded with 2'(3')-O-trinitrophenyl-ADP (TNP-ADP), and the release of tightly bound TNP-ADP was followed as a decrease in fluorescence. TNP-ADP could be exchanged for medium ADP, ATP, MgADP, and MgATP. The preferred substrate for exchange was MgADP, particularly in the presence of P(i). One nucleotide binding site contained ADP which was not displaced during TNP-ADP loading. When Mg2+ was bound at this site, complete exchange of bound TNP-ADP for medium nucleotide was prevented. This tightly bound MgADP was removed by incubation of the enzyme with EDTA. Tightly bound TNP-ADP was removed by high concentrations of sulfite, sulfate, or P(i) in the absence of medium nucleotide and free Mg2+, regardless of the bound Mg2+ content of the enzyme. Sulfite and P(i), in the presence of medium nucleotide and Mg2+, enabled complete exchange of tightly bound TNP-ADP. The combination of Mg2+ and sulfite, or Mg2+ and P(i), caused exchange of tightly bound ADP from two different sites. These results suggest that both sites exchange when the enzyme is fully active, and that at least three sites are likely to participate in catalysis.