No abstract

The functional role of essential residue alpha-Arg-376 in the catalytic site of F1-ATPase was studied. The mutants alpha R376C, alpha R376Q, and alpha R376K were constructed, and combined with the mutation beta Y331W, to investigate catalytic site nucleotide-binding parameters, and to assess catalytic transition state formation by measurement of MgADP-fluoroaluminate binding. Each mutation caused large impairment of ATP synthesis and hydrolysis. Despite the apparent proximity of alpha-Arg-376 to bound nucleoside di- and triphosphate in published X-ray structures, the mutations had little effect on MgADP or MgATP binding affinities, particularly at the highest affinity catalytic site, site 1. Both Cys and Gln mutants abolished transition state formation, demonstrating that alpha-Arg-376 is normally involved at this step of catalysis. A model of the F1-ATPase catalytic transition state structure is presented and discussed. The Lys mutant, although severely impaired, supported transition state formation, suggesting that an additional essential role for the alpha-Arg-376 guanidinium group exists, likely in alpha/beta conformational signal transmission required for steady-state catalysis. Parallels between alpha-Arg-376 and GAP/G-protein "arginine finger" residues are evident.

The stator in F(1)F(0)-ATP synthase resists strain generated by rotor torque. In Escherichia coli the b(2)delta subunit complex comprises the stator, bound to subunit a in F(0) and to alpha(3)beta(3) hexagon of F(1). Proteolysis and cross-linking had suggested that N-terminal residues of alpha subunit are involved in binding delta. Here we demonstrate that a synthetic peptide consisting of the first 22 residues of alpha ("alpha N1-22") binds specifically to isolated wild-type delta subunit with high affinity (K(d) = 130 nm), accounting for a major portion of the binding energy when delta-depleted F(1) and isolated delta bind together (K(d) = 1.4 nm). Stoichiometry of binding of alpha N1-22 to delta at saturation was 1/1, showing that in intact F(1)F(0)-ATP synthase only one of the three alpha subunits is involved in delta binding. When alpha N1-22 was incubated with delta subunits containing mutations in helices 1 or 5 on the F(1)-binding face of delta, peptide binding was impaired as was binding of delta-depleted F(1). Residues alpha 6-18 are predicted to be helical, and a potential helix capping box occurs at residues alpha 3-8. Circular dichroism measurements showed that alpha N1-22 had significant helical content. Hypothetically a helical region of residues alpha N1-22 packs with helices 1 and 5 on the F(1)-binding face of delta, forming the alpha/delta interface.

Three critical residues, ␤-Lys-155, ␤-Asp-242, and ␤-Glu-181, situated close to the ␥-phosphate of MgATP in F 1 -ATPase catalytic sites, were investigated. The mutations ␤K155Q, ␤D242N, and ␤E181Q were each combined with the ␤Y331W mutation; the fluorescence signal of ␤-Trp-331 was used to determine MgATP, MgADP, ATP, and ADP binding parameters for the three catalytic sites of the enzyme. The quantitative contribution of side chains to binding energy at all three catalytic sites was calculated. The following conclusions were made. The major functional interaction of ␤-Lys-155 is with the ␥-phosphate of MgATP and is of primary importance at site 1 (the site of highest affinity) and site 2. Release of MgATP during oxidative phosphorylation requires conformational re-positioning of this residue. The major functional interaction of ␤-Asp-242 is with the magnesium of the magnesium nucleotide at site 1; it has little or no influence at site 2 or 3. In steady-state turnover, the MgATP hydrolysis reaction occurs at site 1. ␤-Glu-181 contributes little to nucleotide binding; its major catalytic effect derives apparently from a role in reaction chemistry per se. This work also emphasizes that nucleotide binding cooperativity shown by the three catalytic sites toward MgATP and MgADP is absolutely dependent on the presence of magnesium.

Coordination of the Mg2+ ion in Mg-nucleotide substrates by amino acid residue side chains in the catalytic site of Escherichia coli F1-ATPase was investigated. From the X-ray structure of the mitochondrial enzyme [Abrahams, J. P., Leslie, A. G. W., Lutter, R., and Walker, J. E. (1994) Nature 370, 621-628], it may be inferred that the hydroxyl of betaThr-156 is a direct ligand of Mg2+, whereas the carboxyls of betaGlu-181, betaGlu-185, and betaAsp-242 might contribute via intervening water molecules. Elimination of each respective functional group by site-directed mutagenesis, followed by determination of Mg-nucleotide and uncomplexed nucleotide binding affinities using a tryptophan probe, showed that betaThr-156, betaGlu-185, and betaAsp-242 are all involved in Mg2+ coordination, whereas betaGlu-181 is not. A derived structural model for the octahedral coordination around the Mg2+ ion is presented. The results indicate that the ADP-containing site in the X-ray structure is the catalytic site of highest affinity. Correct Mg2+ coordination is required for catalytic activity at physiological rates. Elimination of any one of the Mg2+-coordinating residues led to complete loss of Mg2+-dependent nucleotide binding cooperativity of the catalytic sites.