Structural studies of sodium and potassium ion-activated adenosine triphosphatase. The relationship between molecular structure and the mechanism of active transport.

Sodium and potassium ion-activated adenosine triphosphatase is the enzyme responsible for the active transport of sodium and potassium across the plasma membrane. Strophanthidin, from the external surface of the membrane, and an antibody, from the cytoplasmic surface, bind simultaneously to the large polypeptide subunit of the enzyme. These results demonstrate that this polypeptide chain must span the plasma membrane, having different surfaces exposed on each side. When (Na+ + K+)-ATPase is incubated in the presence of cupric phenanthroline, a reagent which catalyzes the oxidation of cysteine residues to form intermolecular and intramolecular disulfide bonds, a covalent dimer of the larger chains is formed. Several characteristics of this dimerization reaction are consistent with the proposal that at least a noncovalent dimer of large chains exists in the native enzyme. These conclusions are discussed in the context of a specific description for the molecular mechanism of active transport.