On the mechanism of sodium- and potassium-activated adenosine triphosphatase. Time course of intermediary steps examined by computer simulation of transient kinetics.

In order to learn whether the kinetics of transient phosphorylation of sodium plus potassium ion transport adenosine triphosphatase was compatible with the hydrolysis of ATP, computer simulation of experimental data was studied. The enzyme mechanism was described in terms of first order and pseudo-first order reactions. The resulting system of linear first order differential equations was solved by a Runge-Kutta method. Phosphorylation kinetics was studied by means of a rapid mixing apparatus at 21 degrees in the presence of 100 micron ATP, 3 mM MgCl2, 120 mM NaCl, and 10 mM KCl. Computer simulation gave a close fit to experimental data with a model of the reaction mechanism which included a sequence of two dephospho forms and two phospho forms of the enzyme. With this model, rate constants obtained by computer simulation were in agreement with constants which had been determined in separate phosphorylation and dephosphorylation experiments. Within experimental limits, the net flux of reaction in each partial step was compatible with the (Na+,K+)-stimulated hydrolysis of ATP (about 324 and 300 nmol-mg-1-min-1, respectively).