P-type ATPases mediate sodium and potassium effluxes in Schwanniomyces occidentalis

Two genes isolated from Schwanniomyces occidentalis, ENA1 and ENA2, encode P-type ATPases highly homologous to the Na-ATPases of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and complement the Na+ sensitivity of an S. cerevisiae mutant strain lacking its own Na-ATPases. The expression of both ENA1 and ENA2 was highly dependent on a high external pH, but whereas a high pH was sufficient for the expression of ENA2, the expression of ENA1 required a high pH and the presence of Na+. Disruption of ENA1 rendered the cells less tolerant to Na+ than the wild-type strain and decreased their capacity for Na+ extrusion. Disruption of ENA2 did not affect Na+ tolerance, but decreased both the growth at high pH and K+ efflux. We discuss these results and propose that fungal Na-ATPases should be considered alkali cation ATPases. By sequence comparison, we found that fungal Na-ATPases form a homogeneous group that can be distinguished from other cation-pumping P-type ATPases, except from the cta3 Ca-ATPase of Schizosaccharomyces pombe.