Characterization of the correlation between ATP-dependent aminophospholipid translocation and Mg2+-ATPase activity in red blood cell membranes

Pseudosubstrates and inhibitors of ATPases were studied with respect to their capability to modulate the kinetic behavior of Mg2+-ATPase and aminophospholipid translocation in red blood cell ghosts. ATP was substituted by the pseudosubstrates of P-type ATPases acetyl phosphate and p-nitrophenyl phosphate. With both pseudosubstrates, aminophospholipid translocation from the outer to the inner leaflets of resealed erythrocyte ghosts could be observed, although with a significantly decreased velocity compared to that in presence of ATP, both with respect to phosphate hydrolysis and translocation. Similarly, the apparent affinities for the pseudosubstrates were much lower than for ATP. Among the inhibitors studied, suramin acted as a competitive inhibitor of ATP towards both Mg2+-ATPase activity and aminophospholipid translocation. However, the inhibition of translocation occurred at a higher inhibitor concentration than the inhibition of Mg2+-ATPase activity. With elaiophylin, only a partial inhibition of Mg2+-ATPase activity could be detected, but translocation of labeled phosphatidylserine was almost completely abolished. With eosin Y, an almost complete inhibition of both Mg2+-ATPase activity and translocation could be achieved. The observed responses of aminophospholipid translocation to ATPase inhibitors strongly suggest that a P-type ATPase, part of which displays a Mg2+-ATPase activity, is involved in aminophospholipid translocation.