Large-scale structural changes in the sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase appear essential for calcium transport.

Model refinement calculations utilizing the results from time-resolved x-ray diffraction studies indicate that specific, large-scale changes (i.e., structural changes over a large length scale or long range) occur throughout the cylindrically averaged profile structure of the sarcoplasmic reticulum ATPase upon its phosphorylation during calcium active transport. Several physical-chemical factors, all of which slow the kinetics of phosphoenzyme formation, induce specific, large-scale changes throughout the profile structure of the unphosphorylated enzyme that in general are opposite to those observed upon phosphorylation. These results suggest that such large-scale structural changes in the ATPase occurring upon its phosphorylation are required for its calcium transport function.