Studies on (Na+ +K+) activated ATPase. XLI. Effects of N-ethylmaleimide on overall and partial reactions.

1. Preincubation with N-ethylmaleimide inhibits the overall activity of highly purified (Na+ +K+)-ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3) preparations of rabbit kidney outer medulla. 2. This inhibition is decreased by addition of ATP or 4-nitrophenylphosphate under non-phosphorylating conditions, and also by addition of ADP or adenylylimidodiphosphate. 3. N-ethylmaleimide treatment leads to inhibition of K+-stimulated 4-nitrophenylphosphatase activity, Na+-stimulated ATPase activity, and phosphorylation by ATP as well as by inorganic phosphate. These inhibitions strictly parallel that of the overal (Na+ +K+)-ATPase reaction. 4. N-ethylmaleimide lowers the number of sites which are phosphorylated by inorganic phosphate, without affecting the dissociation constant of the enzyme-phosphate complex. 5. N-ethylmaleimide does not affect the relative stimulation by ATP of the K+-stimulated 4-nitrophenylphosphatase activity. 6. These effects of N-ethylmaleimide can be explained as a complete loss of active enzyme, either by reaction of N-ethylmaleimide inside the active center, or by alterations in the quaternary structure through reactions outside the active center.