Diethylstilbestrol. Interactions with membranes and proteins and the different effects upon Ca2+- and Mg2+-dependent activities of the F1-ATPase from Rhodospirillum rubrum.

The hydrophobic compound diethylstilbestrol inhibits the generation of the proton gradient and the membrane potential in chromatophores from Rhodospirillum rubum and dissipates proton gradients over asolectin vesicle membranes. The Ca2+-ATPase activity of chromatophores, of purified F0F1-ATPase and of purified F1-ATPase is also decreased in the presence of diethylstilbestrol. Other repressed activities are the pyrophosphatase activity of soluble pyrophosphatase from yeast and the NADH oxidation by L-lactate:NAD oxidoreductase. We have previously reported that also ATP synthesis, PPi synthesis and PPi hydrolysis of R. rubrum chromatophores are inhibited by diethylstilbestrol [Strid et al. (1987) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 892, 236-244]. Addition of bovine serum albumin reverses or prevents diethylstilbestrol-induced inhibition of the activities tested. On the other hand, the Mg2+-ATPase activity of chromatophores, purified F0F1-ATPase and purified F1-ATPase are stimulated by low concentrations of diethylstilbestrol. On the basis of its hydrophobicity and the reversal of its inhibition by bovine serum albumin, diethylstilbestrol is proposed to act unspecifically on membranes and at hydrophobic domains of proteins. Such an attack upon the subunits of the F1-ATPase, altering the subunit interactions, is proposed to explain the different results obtained for the Ca2+-ATPase and the Mg2+-ATPase.