Effects of sodium and potassium ions on the elementary steps in the reaction of Na+-K+-dependent ATPase1.

The effects of Na+ and K+ ions on the elementary steps in the reaction of Na+-K+-dependent ATPase (EC 3.6.1.3) were investigated in 0.5-600mM NaCL and 0-10mM KCL, at a fixed concentration (1mM) OF MgCL2, AT PH 8.5 and at 15 degrees. The data were analyzed on the basis of the reaction mechanism in which a phosphorylated intermediate, E ADP P (abbreviated as EP), is formed via two kinds of enzyme-substrate comples, E1ATP and E2ATP, and EP is in equilibrium with E2ATP, and is hydrolyzed to produce P1 and ADP. The following results were obtained: 1. The rate od E2ATP-formation, vf, increased with increase in the Na+ concentration, reached a maximum level, and then decreased with further increase in the Na+ concentration at various K+ concentrations. The value of vf was given as (see article). 2. The reciprocal of the equilibrium constants, K2, of the step E1ATPEQUILIBRIUM E ADP P in the presence of low concentrations of Na+ was larger than that in the presence of high concrntrations of Na+, indicating that the equilibrium shifted markedly toward E2ATP at low concentrations of Na+. The relation of K3 with Na concentration was rather complicated on varying the concentration of K+. However, generally speaking, it increased with increase in the K+ concentration. 3. The decomposition of EP was markedly activated by even low concentrations of K+, and inhibited by high concentrations of Na+. The inhibition by Na+ was partially suppressed by K+. The rate constant of EP-decomposition, vo/(EP), was given by (see article) where (vo/(EP) K+EQUALS0 was the value of vo/[EP] in the absence of K+.