Chimeras of X+, K+-ATPases. The M1-M6 region of Na+, K+-ATPase is required for Na+-activated ATPase activity, whereas the M7-M10 region of H+, K+-ATPase is involved in K+ de-occlusion.

In this study we reveal regions of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and H(+),K(+)-ATPase that are involved in cation selectivity. A chimeric enzyme in which transmembrane hairpin M5-M6 of H(+),K(+)-ATPase was replaced by that of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase was phosphorylated in the absence of Na(+) and showed no K(+)-dependent reactions. Next, the part originating from Na(+),K(+)-ATPase was gradually increased in the N-terminal direction. We demonstrate that chimera HN16, containing the transmembrane segments one to six and intermediate loops of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, harbors the amino acids responsible for Na(+) specificity. Compared with Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, this chimera displayed a similar apparent Na(+) affinity, a lower apparent K(+) affinity, a higher apparent ATP affinity, and a lower apparent vanadate affinity in the ATPase reaction. This indicates that the E(2)K form of this chimera is less stable than that of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, suggesting that it, like H(+),K(+)-ATPase, de-occludes K(+) ions very rapidly. Comparison of the structures of these chimeras with those of the parent enzymes suggests that the C-terminal 187 amino acids and the beta-subunit are involved in K(+) occlusion. Accordingly, chimera HN16 is not only a chimeric enzyme in structure, but also in function. On one hand it possesses the Na(+)-stimulated ATPase reaction of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, while on the other hand it has the K(+) occlusion properties of H(+),K(+)-ATPase.