Functional role of charged residues in the transmembrane segments of the yeast plasma membrane H+-ATPase.

As defined by hydropathy analysis, the membrane-spanning segments of the yeast plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase contain seven negatively charged amino acids (Asp and Glu) and four positively charged amino acids (Arg and His). To explore the functional role of these residues, site-directed mutants at all 11 positions and at Glu-288, located near the cytoplasmic end of M3, have been constructed and expressed in yeast secretory vesicles. Substitutions at four of the positions (Glu-129, Glu-288, Asp-833, and Arg-857) had no significant effect on ATP hydrolysis or ATP-dependent proton pumping, substitutions at five additional positions (Arg-695, His-701, Asp-730, Asp-739, and Arg-811) led to misfolding of the ATPase and blockage at an early stage of biogenesis, and substitutions of Asp-143 allowed measurable biogenesis but nearly abolished ATP hydrolysis and proton transport.

Structural features of the yeast plasma-membrane H(+)-ATPase.

The yeast plasma-membrane H(+)-ATPase is a member of the P-family of cation transporters, which share a characteristic membrane topology together with consensus sequences for ATP binding and formation of a beta-aspartyl phosphate reaction intermediate. Although direct knowledge of ATPase structure has been difficult to obtain, several indirect approaches have yielded useful information. This chapter describes new results on the physical interaction between domains of the yeast ATPase and on the role of cysteine residues in structure, function, and biogenesis.

RNase T affects Escherichia coli growth and recovery from metabolic stress.

To determine the essentiality and role of RNase T in RNA metabolism, we constructed an Escherichia coli chromosomal rnt::kan mutation by using gene replacement with a disrupted, plasmid-borne copy of the rnt gene. Cell extracts of a strain with mutations in RNases BN, D, II, and I and an interuppted rnt gene were devoid of RNase T activity, although they retained a low level (less than 10%) of exonucleolytic activity on tRNA-C-C-[14C]A due to two other unidentified RNases. A mutant lacking tRNA nucleotidyltransferase in addition to the aforementioned RNases accumulated only about 5% as much defective tRNA as did RNase T-positive cells, indicating that this RNase is responsible for essentially all tRNA end turnover in E.