Activation of (Na+ + K+)-dependent ATPase by lipid vesicles of negative phospholipids.

1. Kidney (Na+ + K+)-stimulated ATPase was depleted of phospholipids by extraction with lubrol and inserted in lipid structures of known composition. Both ouabain-sensitive ATPase and phosphatase reactions could be partially restored by lipid replacement. 2. Lipid vesicles of natural and synthetic negative phospholipids proved to be effective. The low activity of uncharged liposomes was increased when negative charges were included into the bilayer structure. 3. Reactivation by negative phospholipids was accompanied by spontaneous re-assembly of a stable lipid-protein complex. By contrast, the interaction of lipid deficient ATPase complex with uncharged lamellae was possible only after sonication of lipid-protein suspension. Reactivation did not ensue. 4. The ouabain-sensitive ATPase reactivated by synthetic dioleoylphosphatidylglycerol yielded curvilinear Arrhenius plots. The same pattern was seen with the original undepleted microsomal preparation. A discontinuity close to the temperature of fluid-order transition was found with dimyristoyl phosphatidylglycerol. 5. It is concluded that reassembly of lipid-deficient (Na+ + K+)-stimulated ATPase requires the addition of diacylphospholipids with fluid acyl-chains and negatively charged polar heads able to assemble in an expanded lamellar configuration.