Presence Of ATP-Mg Research Articles

Metabolite regulation of the interaction between Arabidopsis thaliana PII and N-acetyl- l-glutamate kinase

The metabolic control of the interaction between Arabidopsis N-acetyl- l-glutamate kinase (NAGK) and the PII protein has been studied. Both gel exclusion and affinity chromatography analyses of recombinant, affinity-purified PII (trimeric complex) and NAGK (hexameric complex) showed that NAGK strongly interacted with PII only in the presence of Mg-ATP, and that this process was reversed by 2-oxoglutarate (2-OG). Furthermore, metabolites such as arginine, glutamate, citrate, and oxalacetate also exerted a negative effect on the PII-NAGK complex formation in the presence of Mg-ATP. Using chloroplast protein extracts and PII affinity chromatography, NAGK interacted with PII only in the presence of ATP-Mg 2+, and this process was antagonized by 2-OG. These results reveal a complex metabolic control of the PII interaction with NAGK in the chloroplast stroma of higher plants.

Conformational Change Induced by ATP Binding in the Multidrug ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter BmrA

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are involved in the transport of a wide variety of substrates, and ATP-driven dimerization of their nucleotide binding domains (NBDs) has been suggested to be one of the most energetic steps of their catalytic cycle. Taking advantage of the propensity of BmrA, a bacterial multidrug resistance ABC transporter, to form stable, highly ordered ring-shaped structures [Chami et al. (2002) J. Mol. Biol. 315, 1075-1085], we show here that addition of ATP in the presence of Mg2+ prevented ring formation or destroyed the previously formed rings. To pinpoint the catalytic step responsible for such an effect, two classes of hydrolysis-deficient mutants were further studied. In contrast to hydrolytically inactive glutamate mutants that behaved essentially as the wild-type, lysine Walker A mutants formed ring-shaped structures even in the presence of ATP-Mg. Although the latter mutants still bound ATP-Mg, and even slowly hydrolyzed it for the K380R mutant, they were most likely unable to undergo a proper NBD dimerization upon ATP-Mg addition. The ATP-driven dimerization step, which was still permitted in glutamate mutants and led to a stable conformation suitable to monitor the growth of 2D crystals, appeared therefore responsible for destabilization of the BmrA ring structures. Our results provide direct visual evidence that the ATP-induced NBD dimerization triggers a conformational change large enough in BmrA to destabilize the rings, which is consistent with the assumption that this step might constitute the "power stroke" for ABC transporters.

Glucuronate, the precursor of vitamin C, is directly formed from UDP‐glucuronate in liver

The conversion of UDP-glucuronate to glucuronate, usually thought to proceed by way of glucuronate 1-phosphate, is a site for short-term regulation of vitamin C synthesis by metyrapone and other xenobiotics in isolated rat hepatocytes. Our purpose was to explore the mechanism of this effect in cell-free systems. Metyrapone and other xenobiotics stimulated, by approximately threefold, the formation of glucuronate from UDP-glucuronate in liver extracts enriched with ATP-Mg, but did not affect the formation of glucuronate 1-phosphate from UDP-glucuronate or the conversion of glucuronate 1-phosphate to glucuronate. This and other data indicated that glucuronate 1-phosphate is not an intermediate in glucuronate formation from UDP-glucuronate, suggesting that this reaction is catalysed by a 'UDP-glucuronidase'. UDP-glucuronidase was present mainly in the microsomal fraction, where its activity was stimulated by UDP-N-acetylglucosamine, known to stimulate UDP-glucuronosyltransferases by enhancing the transport of UDP-glucuronate across the endoplasmic reticulum membrane. UDP-glucuronidase and UDP-glucuronosyltransferases displayed similar sensitivities to various detergents, which stimulated at low concentrations and generally inhibited at higher concentrations. Substrates of glucuronidation inhibited UDP-glucuronidase activity, suggesting that the latter is contributed by UDP-glucuronosyltransferase(s). Inhibitors of beta-glucuronidase and esterases did not affect the formation of glucuronate, arguing against the involvement of a glucuronidation-deglucuronidation cycle. The sensitivity of UDP-glucuronidase to metyrapone and other stimulatory xenobiotics was lost in washed microsomes, even in the presence of ATP-Mg, but it could be restored by adding a heated liver high-speed supernatant or CoASH. In conclusion, glucuronate formation in liver is catalysed by a UDP-glucuronidase which is closely related to UDP-glucuronosyltransferases. Metyrapone and other xenobiotics stimulate UDP-glucuronidase by antagonizing the inhibition exerted, presumably indirectly, by a combination of ATP-Mg and CoASH.

Movement of the Helical Domain of the ε Subunit Is Required for the Activation of Thermophilic F1-ATPase

The inhibitory effect of epsilon subunit in F(1)-ATPase from thermophilic Bacillus PS3 was examined focusing on the structure-function relationship. For this purpose, we designed a mutant for epsilon subunit similar to the one constructed by Schulenberg and Capaldi (Schulenberg, B., and Capaldi, R. A. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 28351-28355). We introduced two cysteine residues at the interface of N-terminal beta-sandwich domain (S48C) and C-terminal alpha-helical domain (N125C) of epsilon subunit. The alpha(3)beta(3)gammaepsilon complex containing the reduced form of this mutant epsilon subunit showed suppressed ATPase activity and gradual activation during the measurement. This activation pattern was similar to the complex with the wild type epsilon subunit. The conformation of the mutant epsilon subunit must be fixed and similar to the reported three-dimensional structure of the isolated epsilon subunit, when the intramolecular disulfide bridge was formed on this subunit by oxidation. This oxidized mutant epsilon subunit could form the alpha(3)beta(3)gammaepsilon complex but did not show any inhibitory effect. The complex was converted to the activated state, and the cross-link in the mutant epsilon subunit in the complex was efficiently formed in the presence of ATP-Mg, whereas no cross-link was observed without ATP-Mg, suggesting the conformation of the oxidized mutant epsilon subunit must be similar to that in the activated state complex. A non-hydrolyzable analog of ATP, 5'-adenylyl-beta,gamma-imidodiphosphate, could stimulate the formation of the cross-link on the epsilon subunit. Furthermore, the cross-link formation was stimulated by nucleotides even when this mutant epsilon subunit was assembled with a mutant alpha(3)beta(3)gamma complex lacking non-catalytic sites. These results indicate that binding of ATP to the catalytic sites induces a conformational change in the epsilon subunit and triggers transition of the complex from the suppressed state to the activated state.

Stathmin interaction with HSC70 family proteins.

Stathmin is a ubiquitous cytosolic phosphoprotein participating in the relay and integration of diverse intracellular signaling pathways involved in the control of cell proliferation, differentiation, and activities. It is phosphorylated in response to diverse extracellular signals including hormones and growth factors, and it is highly expressed during development and in diverse tumoral cells and tissues. Stathmin interacts with tubulin and other potential protein partners such as BiP, KIS, CC1 and CC2/tsg101. In our present search for further functional partners of stathmin, we identified proteins in the Hsp70 family, and in particular Hsc70, as interacting with stathmin in vitro. Hsc70 is among the proteins coimmunoprecipitated with stathmin, and it is the main protein retained specifically on stathmin-Sepharose beads identified by one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis and immunoblots. Bovine serum albumin (BSA)-Sepharose did not bind Hsc70, and anti-stathmin antisera specifically inhibited the interaction of Hsc70 with stathmin-Sepharose. The binding of Hsc70 to stathmin is dependent on the phosphorylation status of stathmin, as it did not occur with a "pseudophosphorylated" mutant form of stathmin. This interaction is further dependent on the ATP status of Hsc70. It was inhibited in the presence of ATP-Mg++ but not in the presence of ATP-Mg++ and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or of ADP. Our results suggest that the interaction of stathmin with Hsc70 is specific in both proteins and most likely biologically relevant in the context of their functional implication in the control of numerous intracellular signaling and regulatory pathways, and hence of normal cell growth and differentiation.

Potential Role of Protein Phosphorylation in GTP-γ-S-Dependent Activation of Phospholipase D

Mammalian phospholipase D (PLD) is known to require nearly absolutely guanosine 5′- O -3-thiotriphosphate (GTP-γ-S) and a small G-protein for its activation. In streptolysin- O -permeabilized HL-60 cells, phorbol ester or diacylglycerol enhanced greatly this PLD activation in the presence of ATP-Mg 2+. Nonhydrolysable ATP analogue was inactive. This phorbol-ester-induced PLD activation was completely counteracted not only by protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors but also by tyrosine kinase inhibitors. In cell-free lysates, the GTP-γ-S-dependent activation of PLD was stimulated by ATP-Mg 2+. This stimulation by ATP-Mg 2+ did not respond to phorbol ester nor was it inhibited by PKC inhibitors, but was fully restrained by tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The results suggest that protein phosphorylation reactions by PKC and tyrosine kinase may take part, possibly in this order, in the small G-protein-coupled PLD activation.

Characterization of phosphofructokinase II and regulation of fructose 2,6-bisphosphate levels in Trichoderma reesei.

Phosphofructokinase II (PEK II) from Trichoderma reesei was partially purified (247-fold). The calculated Km values for fructose 6-phosphate and ATP were 0.7 mM and 40 microM, respectively. Upon incubation in the presence of [gamma-32P]ATP, the enzyme formed a radioactive phosphoprotein with molecular mass of 67 kDa in autoradiography analysis after SDS-PAGE. Upon incubation in the presence of ATP-Mg and the catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, its activity was not modified. The same result was obtained when a cell-free extract of T. reesei was incubated with ATP-Mg and cAMP. 2,4-Dinitrophenol caused a transient rise in cAMP levels in the fungal cell. The results provide evidence that the fructose 2,6-bisphosphate level in T. reesei is independent of cAMP concentrations and not related to a cAMP-dependent mechanism, but to the availability of substrate fructose 6-phosphate.

Ca 2+- and ATP-dependent reversible inactivation of pancreatic islet phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C activity

Phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) activity in whole homogenates of mouse pancreatic islets decreased 60–85% when the homogenates were incubated at 37°C for l h in the presence of down to micromolar concentrations of Ca 2+. Ca 2+-induced inactivation was augmented by calmodulin, the phorbol ester 12- O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate in the presence of ATP-Mg, and by Mg 2+. Inactivation was inhibited when ATP was removed and completely abolished by trifluoperazine and EGTA. Inactivation was not affected by the non-phosphorylating ATP analogue, AMP-PCP, GMP-PNP, glucose, Zn 2+ or a series of protease inhibitors. These observations suggest that PI-PLC in broken cell preparations of pancreatic islets may be inactivated via phosphorylation by Ca 2+-calmodulin-stimulated protein kinase and/or protein kinase C. Inactivation of PI-PLC was reversible. Reactivation started after approx. 2 h incubation, when the concentration of ATP in the homogenate was below 0.15 × 10 −6 M. PI-PLC activity returned to values approx. 25% higher than the initial values. PI-PLC inactivation via phosphorylation by the mentioned protein kinases may constitute a feedback control on the phosphoinositide response, attenuating subsequent diacylglycerol formation and/or Ca 2+ mobilization by inositol trisphosphate.

Phosphofructokinase from mollusc muscle is activated by phosphorylation

Phosphofructokinase was purified from muscle tissue of two different molluscs, edible snails, Helix pomatia (gastropoda), and mussels, Mytilus edulis (bivalvia). Under denaturing conditions, both enzymes had a molecular mass of 82 kDa. In the presence of ATP-Mg 2+, the enzymes were rapidly phosphorylated in vitro by the catalytic subunit of cyclic AMP (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase purified from snail muscle and also by the C subunit of protein kinase from bovine heart. The extent of phosphorylation was 0.6 and 0.5 phosphate residues per subunit for the snail and the mussel phosphofructokinase, respectively. Phosphorylation of both phosphofructokinases effected a decrease in ATP inhibition at neutral or slightly acidic pH values and increased the affinity for fructose 6-phosphate. The resulting activation in the presence of suboptimum fructose 6-phosphate concentrations was more distinct for the snail enzyme. In addition, phosphorylated phosphofructokinase from mussels exhibited a marked increase in V max when activated by either 5′-AMP or fructose 2,6-bisphosphate.

The α 1β 1 heterodimer, the unit of ATP synthase

The α 3 β 3 hexamer ( M r 319582) was reconstituted from the α and β subunits of the TF 1 portion of ATP synthase of thermophilic bacterium PS3 (Kagawa, Y. et al. (1989) FEBS Lett. 249, 67–69). The radius of gyration ( R g ) of the α 3 β 3 hexamer determined by small-angle X-ray scattering was 4.64±0.03 nm. However, in the presence of A(D)P-Mg, R g of the αβ complex was markedly reduced to 3.47 ± 0.02 nm, indicating the dissociation of the hexamer. The heterodimer was isolated by gel-permeation chromatography of the α 3 β 3 hexamer in the presence of AT(D)P-Mg. Judging from the apparent molecular weight by the gel permeation chromatography, the dissociation product was the α 1 β 1 heterodimer ( M r = 106 524). On gel electrophoresis, both the dimer and hexamer gave bands of material with ATPase activity (relative mobilities: TF 1 :α 3 β 3 :α:α 1 β 1 :β = 1:1.3:2.1:2.9:3.6, in 7.5% polyacrylamide gel at pH 8.8). The dissociation of the hexamer was induced by IT(D)P, but not by unyhydrolyzable ATP analogues — Mg, P i -Mg and Mg. During gel-permeation column chromatography in the presence of ATP-Mg, the ATPase activity appeared before the peak of the heterodimer (about 100 kDa). This observation strongly suggests the interconversion of the α 1 β 1 dimer to the α 3 β 3 hexamer during catalysis.

Differential inhibition of protein kinase C subtypes

Catalytic properties of protein kinase C isoforms purified from rat brain and bovine adrenocortical tissues were examined. The results showed that known inhibitors of PKC activity such as gossypol and H-7 were active on all the three isolated enzyme isoforms with similar IC 50 values. However, whereas the type III brain isozyme activity was not affected by a preincubation with phosphatidylserine (PS), the same treatment resulted in a virtually complete loss of the type I and II isoform activities within 4 min at 30°. This kinase inactivation caused by PS preincubation was prevented in the presence of ATP-Mg 2+ or its competitive inhibitor H-7. These findings indicate that the type III isoform can clearly be distinguished from the other members of the PKC family by this specific property. This approach was used to confirm the characterization of the single form of PKC detected in bovine adrenocortical tissue as a type III isotype. This specific behavior toward phosphatidylserine suggests that the molecular organization of the phospholipid sensitive, regulatory domain of the PKC isoform III with regard to its catalytic site and thus its mechanism of activation may differ from that of other PKC isotypes.

Differential scanning calorimetric study of rat brain hexokinase: Domain structure and stability

Rat brain hexokinase (ATP: d-hexose 6-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.1) has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry. In “high-ionic-strength” buffer (50 m m Tris-Cl, 0.5 m m EDTA, 10 m m monothioglycerol, pH 8.5), and assuming two-state behavior with calorimetric enthalpy equal to van't Hoff enthalpy, the endotherm could be deconvoluted into two transitions with T m values of about 48 and 51 °C and enthalpies of about 109 and 112 kcal/mol, respectively. A similar endotherm was seen when glucose or glucose 6-phosphate was present, except that T m values for both transitions were increased. The glucose analog, N-acetylglucosamine, had no observable effect on the endotherm, which is in agreement with previous studies indicating that this ligand, unlike glucose and glucose 6-phosphate, does not induce conformational changes that lead to increased stability of the enzyme. In “low-ionic-strength” buffer (5 m m Tris-Cl, 0.5 m m EDTA, 10 m m monothioglycerol, pH 8.5), the transitions were partially resolved even in the absence of ligands, with T m values of about 49 and 55 °C. Due to difficulties with erratic baseline behavior under the low-ionic-strength conditions, enthalpies were not routinely determined, but these appeared to be similar to those seen in high-ionic-strength buffer. Also similar was the increase in stability, as reflected by the increase in T m for both transitions, when glucose or glucose 6-phosphate was present. Correlation of these transitions with specific regions of the molecule was established by analysis of enzyme in which the domain corresponding to the first transition was selectively denatured by a partial scan in the calorimeter. Subsequent rescanning of these samples showed only the second transition, confirming the selective denaturation of the domain corresponding to the first transition and retention of the folded structure of the second domain. Discrimination between denatured (first transition) and undenatured (second transition) domains was based on the markedly increased susceptibility of the denatured region to tryptic digestion; regions of the molecule that retained their folded structure and resistance to proteolysis were identified by immunoblotting techniques using monoclonal antibodies recognizing epitopes having defined locations within the overall sequence. Based on this analysis, the first transition corresponds to unfolding of the C-terminal half of the molecule, with the second transition resulting from unfolding of the more stable N-terminal half. The order of unfolding could be reversed in the presence of ATP-Mg 2+ and N-acetylglucosamine, conditions which have been shown to result in selective stabilization of the C-terminal domain ( T. K. White and J. E. Wilson, Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 274, 375–393 (1989 ).

Characterization of trehalose‐6‐phosphate synthase and trehalose‐6‐phosphate phosphatase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The properties of yeast trehalose-6-phosphate synthase were reinvestigated in relation with the recent claim made by Panek et al. [Panek, A. C., de Araujo, P. S., Moura-Neto, V. and Panek, A. D. (1987) Curr. Genet. II, 459-465] that the enzyme would be stimulated by ATP and partially inactivated by cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase activity was measured by the sum of [14C]trehalose 6-phosphate and [14C]trehalose formed from UDP-[14C]glucose and glucose 6-phosphate. The activity measured in an extract of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was not affected by any treatment of the cells, such as incubation in the presence of glucose or of dinitrophenol, which are known to greatly increase the intracellular concentration of cAMP, nor by preincubation of the extract in the presence of ATP-Mg, cAMP and bovine heart cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The activity was also not significantly different in several mutants affected in the cAMP system. The kinetic properties of the partially purified enzyme were investigated; no effect of ATP could be detected but Pi acted as a potent noncompetitive inhibitor (Ki = 2 mM). The activity of trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase was measured by the amount of [14C]trehalose formed from [14C]trehalose 6-phosphate. The enzyme could be separated from other phosphatases and appeared to be highly specific for trehalose 6-phosphate. It was Mg dependent and its kinetics for trehalose 6-phosphate was hyperbolic. Studies performed with intact cells, crude extracts or the purified enzyme did not reveal any cAMP-dependent change in its activity. Remarkably, trehalose-6-phosphate synthase and trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase copurified in the course of different chromatographic procedures, suggesting that they are part of a single bifunctional protein. A 50-fold purification of the two enzymes could be achieved with a yield of only 2% by chromatography on Mono S followed by gel filtration on Superose 6B.

The effect of glucose on liver glycogen synthase phosphatase activity in the presence of ATP-Mg

Glycogen particle synthase phosphatase activity is stimulated by glucose with an A 0.5 of approximately 27 m m. The A 0.5 is higher than the usual concentrations present in the liver. However, in vitro, certain methylxanthines such as caffeine or theophylline reduce the glucose A 0.5 to approximately 10 m m, a concentration well within the normal range of liver glucose concentrations. Methylxanthines do not affect the maximum stimulation by glucose (2.3-fold greater than control rate). The phosphatase reaction also is inhibited by ATP-Mg ( I 0.5 = 0.1 mM). In the present studies, we have determined the interaction of these effectors. The presence of ATP-Mg at a concentration of 3 m m only slightly reduced the maximal stimulation by glucose. The A 0.5 for glucose was unaffected (24 m m). The synergistic effect of caffeine with glucose also was not changed by the presence of ATP-Mg. The A 0.5 for glucose was reduced to 11 m m, similar to that in the absence of ATP-Mg. In addition, maximum stimulation by glucose was unchanged. Similar results were obtained when theophylline replaced caffeine. We conclude that the ATP-Mg binding site on either the phosphatase or its substrate, synthase D, does not influence the glucose and methylxanthine binding sites. Effectively, ATP-Mg increased the range over which glucose stimulates the phosphatase activity. In the presence of ATP-Mg, the maximum stimulation by glucose is approximately 7-fold; whereas, in the absence of ATP-Mg it is approximately 2.3-fold. Thus, ATP-Mg may serve to increase the sensitivity of the synthase phosphatase reaction to glucose regulation under in vivo conditions.

The control of glycogen metabolism in yeast

Two interconvertible forms of glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase, one active (a) or the other less active (b), were predominantly present in a thermosensitive adenylate-cyclase-deficient mutant that had been preincubated at the restrictive temperature of 35 degrees C, either in the presence or in the absence of glucose. Glycogen phosphorylase was at least 20-fold less active after incubation of the cells in the presence of glucose, but this residual activity had kinetic properties identical to those of the active form of enzyme, obtained after incubation in the absence of glucose; this suggests that the b form might be completely inactive and that the low activity measured after glucose treatment must be attributed to a residual amount of phosphorylase a. By contrast, the kinetic properties of the two forms of glycogen synthase were very different. When measured in the absence of glucose 6-phosphate, the two forms of enzyme had a similar affinity for UDP-Glc but differed essentially by their Vmax. Glucose 6-phosphate had no effect on synthase a, but increased both Vmax and Km of synthase b; these effects, however, were in great part counteracted by sulfate and by inorganic phosphate, the latter also having the property of increasing the Km of the a form, without affecting Vmax. It was estimated that at physiological concentrations of substrates and effectors, synthase a was about 20-fold more active than synthase b. When an extract of cells that had been preincubated in the absence of glucose was gel-filtered and then incubated at 30 degrees C, phosphorylase was progressively fully inactivated and synthase was partially activated; these reactions were severalfold faster and, in the case of glycogen synthase, more complete in the presence of 10 mM glucose 6-phosphate. When a gel-filtered extract of cells that had been preincubated in the presence of glucose was incubated at 30 degrees C in the presence of ATP-Mg and EGTA, phosphorylase became activated and synthase was inactivated; the first of these two reactions was severalfold stimulated by micromolar concentrations of Ca2+, whereas both reactions were completely inhibited by 10 mM glucose 6-phosphate and only slightly and irregularly stimulated by cyclic AMP.

A quenched-flow study of a receptor-triggered second messenger response: Cyclic AMP burst elicited by isoproterenol in C6 glioma cell membranes

Fast kinetic studies of cAMP accumulation in C6 cell membranes show a burst of cAMP after β-adrenergic receptor stimulation by isoproterenol. This burst is no longer observed when the ATP present in membrane preparations is hydrolyzed, but can be restored by their preincubation in the presence of ATP-Mg. The size of the burst is much larger than the number of β-adrenergic receptors and is of the same order of magnitude as the value reported for G proteins. Further characterization of the burst will allow studies of the functional interaction of receptor-adenylate cyclase components in C6 membranes.

Regulation of liver glycogen synthase phosphatase activity by ATP-Mg

The kinetics of a synthase phosphatase reaction inhibited by ATP-Mg in a liver glycogen particle preparation were complex. In the presence of a physiological concentration of ATP-Mg, synthase phosphatase activity in the glycogen particle follows a biphasic course. Initially, the reaction was inhibited but later the reaction rate accelerated. The reaction was inhibited but the rate was constant in the presence of ATP-Mg with the addition of a physiological concentration of glucose 6-phosphate (Glc 6-P). Therefore, in most subsequent experiments Glc 6-P was added. The concentration of ATP-Mg at which 50% maximal inhibition (I 0.5) occurred was approximately 0.1 m m in preparations obtained from rats given glucagon prior to being killed. In preparations from animals given glucose, the I 0.5 was increased to 2.0 m m. The maximum inhibition was little changed in preparations from glucose- or glucagon-treated animals. Thus, administration of glucose in vivo reduced the sensitivity of the synthase phosphatase to ATP-Mg inhibition. Complexes of ATP with paramagnetic ions such as Co 2+ and Mn 2+ were less inhibitory than complexes with diamagnetic ions, including Ca 2+ and Mg 2+. Magnesium complexes of adenosine tetraphosphate and 5′-adenylimidodiphosphate also were inhibitory. Inhibition was independent of phosphorylase a and not a nonspecific, polyvalent anion effect. The best explanation for the distinctive effects of ATP-Mg in preparations from glucagon- and glucose-treated animals is that the respective treatments promote and stabilize different forms of synthase D or possibly synthase phosphatase with different affinities for ATP-Mg. These forms are interconvertible, as previously suggested, in studies employing EDTA (20).

Glycerol formation after the breaking of dormancy of Phycomyces blakesleeanus spores. Role of an interconvertible glycerol-3-phosphatase.

The breaking of dormancy of Phycomyces blakesleeanus spores by a heat shock was followed by a transient production of glycerol, which culminated within 5-10 min and was terminated at 20 min. Extracts of spores contained a magnesium-dependent glycerol-3-phosphatase active on both L-glycerol 3-phosphate and dihydroxyacetone phosphate but having more affinity for the first substrate than for the second. In extracts from dormant spores, the phosphatase was profoundly inhibited by physiological concentrations of inorganic phosphate, which induced cooperativity for the substrate, whereas the enzyme from heat-activated spores was much less inhibited and this difference in kinetic properties persisted after gel filtration of the enzymic preparation. When measured at 1 mM phosphate and 0.1 mM glycerol 3-phosphate, the phosphatase activity was undetectable in dormant spores, increased sharply during the heat treatment and the following 5 min at 25 degrees C, then fell again to a low value by 20 min. A similar transient activation of the enzyme was observed following the breaking of dormancy by incubation of the spores in the presence of 0.1 M ammonium acetate. Incubation of a cell-free extract or of the partially purified glycerol-3-phosphatase in the presence of ATP-Mg and the catalytic subunit of cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase released the enzyme from inhibition by phosphate and endowed it with the same kinetic properties as did the heat treatment of the spores. It appears therefore most likely that phosphorylation of glycerol-3-phosphatase by cyclic-AMP-dependent protein kinase causes its activation and that this transient process explains the equally transient formation of glycerol by the spores after the heat shock.

Identification of inhibitor-2 as the ATP-mg-dependent protein phosphatase modulator.

In previous reports (Yang, S. D., Vandenheede, J. R., Goris, J., and Merlevede, W. (1980) J. Biol. Chem. 255, 11759-11767; Vandenheede, J. R., Yang, S.-D., and Merlevede, W. (1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 5894-5900), we have described two slightly different purification procedures for the isolation of the inactive ATP-Mg-dependent protein phosphatase (FC) which could be activated by a protein activator (FA) in the presence of ATP-Mg. Although the two procedures consistently produced FC preparations that showed very similar polyacrylamide gel patterns, the specific activity of the purified enzymes varied considerably. The preparations characterized by a rather low specific activity could be stimulated up to 10-fold when a titrated amount of inhibitor-2 was included during the FA and ATP-Mg-mediated activation. Inhibitor-2, only recently implicated as an inactivating protein for activated FC (Vandenheede, J. R., Goris, J., Yang, S.-D., Camps, T., and Merlevede, W. (1981) FEBS Lett. 127, 1-3) has now been identified as a modulator protein, necessary for the reversible activation of the protein phosphatase.

Amino acid sequences at the two sites on glycogen synthetase phosphorylated by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase and their dephosphorylation by protein phosphatase-III

It has been established that glycogen synthetase activity in skeletal muscle can be regulated by two distinct protein kinases. One of these is cyclic AMPdependent protein kinase, while the other is an enzyme termed glycogen synthetase kinase-2 [ 1,2] . The phosphorylation of glycogen synthetase a in vitro by either kinase in the presence of ATP-Mg was found to reach a plateau when about one molecule of phosphate had been incorporated per subunit, and the resulting enzyme species were more dependent on the allosteric activator glucose-6-phosphate for activity. However cyclic AMP dependent protein kinase and glycogen synthetase kinase-2 produced different forms of glycogen synthetase, termed bi and bz respectively. These forms had different activity ratios (defined as the activity in the-absence of glucose-6-phosphate relative to the activity in the presence of this effector) and different activation constants (K,) for glucosedphosphate [2] . Moreover, the addition of both protein kinases resulted in the incorporation of almost two molecules of phosphate per subunit and the conversion of glycogen synthetase to a form, termed bl,2, which was almost completely inactive in the absence of glucosed-phosphate [2] . These results indicated that