Affinity labelling with MgATP analogues reveals coexisting Na+ and K+ forms of the α-subunits of Na+/K+-ATPase

To test the hypothesis that Na+/K+-ATPase works as an (alpha beta)(2)-diprotomer with interacting catalytic alpha-subunits, tryptic digestion of pig kidney enzyme, that had been inactivated with substitution-inert MgATP complex analogues, was performed. This led to the demonstration of coexisting C-terminal Na+-like 80-kDa as well as K+-like 60-kDa peptides and N-terminal 40-kDa peptides of the alpha-subunit. To localize the ATP binding sites on tryptic peptides, studies with radioactive MgATP complex analogues were performed: Co(NH3)(4)-8-N-3-ATP specifically modified the E(2)ATP (low affinity) binding site of Na+/K+-ATPase with an inactivation rate constant (k(2)) of 12 x 10(-3) . min(-1) at 37 degrees C and a dissociation constant (K-d) of 207 +/- 28 mu M. Tryptic digestion of the [gamma(32)P]Co(NH3)(4)-8-N-3-ATP-inactivated and photolabelled alpha-subunit (M-r = 100 kDa) led, in the absence of univalent cations, to a K+-like C-terminal 60-kDa fragment which was labelled in addition to an unlabelled Na+-like C-terminal 80-kDa fragment. Tryptic digestion of [alpha(32)P]-or [gamma(32)P]Cr(H2O)(4)ATP bound to the E(1)ATP (high affinity) site - led to the labelling of a Nat-like 80-kDa fragment besides the immediate formation of an unlabelled K+-like N-terminal 40-kDa fragment and a C-terminal 60-kDa fragment. Because a labelled Na+-like 80-kDa fragment cannot result from an unlabelled K+-like 60-kDa fragment, and because unlabelled alpha-subunits did not show any catalytic activity, the findings are consistent with a situation in which Na+- and K+-like conformations are stabilized by tight binding of substitution-inert MgATP complex analogues to the E(1)ATP and E(2)ATP sites. Hence, all data are consistent with the hypothesis that ATP binding induces coexisting Na+ and K+ conformations within an (alpha beta)(2)-diprotomeric Na+/K+-ATPase.