Bioinformatic Analysis of Na, K-ATPase Regulation through Phosphorylation of the Alpha-Subunit N-Terminus.

The Na, K-ATPase is an integral membrane protein which uses the energy of ATP hydrolysis to pump Na and K ions across the plasma membrane of all animal cells. It plays crucial roles in numerous physiological processes, such as cell volume regulation, nutrient reabsorption in the kidneys, nerve impulse transmission, and muscle contraction. Recent data suggest that it is regulated via an electrostatic switch mechanism involving the interaction of its lysine-rich N-terminus with the cytoplasmic surface of its surrounding lipid membrane, which can be modulated through the regulatory phosphorylation of the conserved serine and tyrosine residues on the protein's N-terminal tail.