Sequential substitution of K(+) bound to Na(+),K(+)-ATPase visualized by X-ray crystallography.

Na(+),K(+)-ATPase transfers three Na(+) from the cytoplasm into the extracellular medium and two K(+) in the opposite direction per ATP hydrolysed. The binding and release of Na(+) and K(+) are all thought to occur sequentially. Here we demonstrate by X-ray crystallography of the ATPase in E2·MgF4(2-)·2K(+), a state analogous to E2·Pi·2K(+), combined with isotopic measurements, that the substitution of the two K(+) with congeners in the extracellular medium indeed occurs at different rates, substantially faster at site II.

Crystal structures of the calcium pump and sarcolipin in the Mg2+-bound E1 state.

P-type ATPases are ATP-powered ion pumps that establish ion concentration gradients across biological membranes, and are distinct from other ATPases in that the reaction cycle includes an autophosphorylation step. The best studied is Ca(2+)-ATPase from muscle sarcoplasmic reticulum (SERCA1a), a Ca(2+) pump that relaxes muscle cells after contraction, and crystal structures have been determined for most of the reaction intermediates. An important outstanding structure is that of the E1 intermediate, which has empty high-affinity Ca(2+)-binding sites ready to accept new cytosolic Ca(2+).

Intermediate phosphorylation reactions in the mechanism of ATP utilization by the copper ATPase (CopA) of Thermotoga maritima.

Recombinant and purified Thermotoga maritima CopA sustains ATPase velocity of 1.78-2.73 micromol/mg/min in the presence of Cu+ (pH 6, 60 degrees C) and 0.

Conformational fluctuations of the Ca2+-ATPase in the native membrane environment. Effects of pH, temperature, catalytic substrates, and thapsigargin.

Digestion with proteinase K or trypsin yields complementary information on conformational transitions of the Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) in the native membrane environment. Distinct digestion patterns are obtained with proteinase K, revealing interconversion of E1 and E2 or E1 approximately P and E2-P states. The pH dependence of digestion patterns shows that, in the presence of Mg(2+), conversion of E2 to E1 pattern occurs (even when Ca(2+) is absent) as H(+) dissociates from acidic residues.

Junctional adhesion molecule-A, JAM-A, is a novel cell-surface marker for long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells.

Junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A/JAM-1/F11R) is a cell adhesion molecule expressed in epithelial and endothelial cells, and also hematopoietic cells, such as leukocytes, platelets, and erythrocytes. Here, we show that JAM-A is expressed at a high level in the enriched hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) fraction; that is, CD34(+)c-Kit(+) cells in embryonic day 11.5 (E11.

Mitochondria and apicoplast of Plasmodium falciparum: behaviour on subcellular fractionation and the implication.

The mitochondrion and the apicoplast of the malaria parasite, Plasmodium spp. is microscopically observed in a close proximity to each other. In this study, we tested the suitability of two different separation techniques--Percoll density gradient centrifugation and fluorescence-activated organelle sorting--for improving the purity of mitochondria isolated from the crude organelle preparation of Plasmodium falciparum.