Rotational motion of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase.

Using saturation transfer electron paramagnetic resonance, we have detected the rotational motion of a spin label rigidly attached to the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (ATP phosphohydrolase, EC 3.6.1.3). At 4 degrees C, the spectrum indicates an effective rotational correlation time of 60 microsec, determined by comparison with reference spectra obtained from theoretical calculations and from experiments on model systems. This motion appears to correspond to rotation of the enzyme with respect to the membrane, because the motion persists when the membrane fragments are immobilized by sedimentation and the motion stops when the polypeptide chains, but not the membrane vesicles, are crosslinked by glutaraldehyde. The rotational mobility of the enzyme increases with increasing temperature, and this increase becomes more gradual when the temperature exceeds 20 degrees C; the same kind of temperature dependence has been observed previously for lipid fluidity and enzymatic activity.