Since inhibition of myo-inositol monophosphatase (EC 3.1 3.25) by lithium ions and the resulting attenuation of phosphatidylinositol cycle activity may be the mechanism by which lithium exerts its therapeutic effect in the treatment of manic depression, it is of great interest to understand the mechanism of the enzyme and how lithium and other metals interact with it. Divalent magnesium is essential for enzyme activity, whereas Li' and high concentrations of Mg" act as unconipetitive inhibitors with respect to substrate. From the recently solved crystal structure of the human enzyme, several amino acid residues in the active site were targeted for mutagenesis studies. Nine singleresidue substituted mutants were characterized with regard to catalytic parameters. Mg" dependence, and Li' inhibition. In addition, a terbium fluorescence assay was developed to determine the metal binding properties of the wild-type and mutant enzymcs. Although nonc of these mutations affected K, for substrate subs~antially, the mutations Glu70+Gln, Glu70+Asp, A s p 9 0 j A s n and Thr95+Ala, in which residues within coordinating distance of the active site metal were modified, all resulted in large reductions in catalytic activity. The position of Glu70 in the crystal structure further suggests that this residue may be involved in activating water for nucleophilic attack on the substrate. The mutations Lys36+Ile, Asp90+Asn, Thr95+Ala, Thr95+Ser, His217+Gln, and Cys2 18+Ala all resulted in parallel reductions in both lithium and magnesium affinity, suggesting that Li' and Mg' ' share a common binding site.Although lithium ion has been used as a treatment for manic depression for over 40 years (Cadc, 1949). the molecular basis for its thcrapeutic effects remains uncertain. Evidence in reccnt ycars (Hallcher and Sherman, 1980: Nahorski et al., 1992; Atack ct al., 1992) has shown that Li' interferes with thc dcphosphorylation of inositol monophosphatcs in the phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) secondary inessenger pathway (Berridge and Irvine, 1989;Berridge et al., 1989). While a direct link between lithium's cfrccts on the PtdIns cyclc and on manic depression remains to be proved, this ubiquitous intracellular cycle is linked to multiple signal transduction pathways (Berridge and Trvine, 1989; Fisher el al., 1992) and it is no1 surprising that interference with it should have profound effects.In the PtdIns cycle, receptor-activated phospholipase C hydrolyzes phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate, to form two second messengers, diacylglycerol and inositol 1,4,5-Currvspondrnce t o S . .I. Pollack. Merck Sharp