Mutagenesis of residue betaArg-246 in the phosphate-binding subdomain of catalytic sites of Escherichia coli F1-ATPase.

Residues responsible for phosphate binding in F(1)F(0)-ATP synthase catalytic sites are of significant interest because phosphate binding is believed linked to proton gradient-driven subunit rotation. From x-ray structures, a phosphate-binding subdomain is evident in catalytic sites, with conserved betaArg-246 in a suitable position to bind phosphate. Mutations betaR246Q, betaR246K, and betaR246A in Escherichia coli were found to impair oxidative phosphorylation and to reduce ATPase activity of purified F(1) by 100-fold. In contrast to wild type, ATPase of mutants was not inhibited by MgADP-fluoroaluminate or MgADP-fluoroscandium, showing the Arg side chain is required for wild-type transition state formation. Whereas 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole (NBD-Cl) inhibited wild-type ATPase essentially completely, ATPase in mutants was inhibited maximally by approximately 50%, although reaction still occurred at residue betaTyr-297, proximal to betaArg-246 in the phosphate-binding pocket. Inhibition characteristics supported the conclusion that NBD-Cl reacts in betaE (empty) catalytic sites, as shown previously by x-ray structure analysis. Phosphate protected against NBD-Cl inhibition in wild type but not in mutants. The results show that phosphate can bind in the betaE catalytic site of E. coli F(1) and that betaArg-246 is an important phosphate-binding residue.