Electrical potential accelerates the E1P(Na)----E2P conformational transition of (Na,K)-ATPase in reconstituted vesicles.

We have used renal (Na,K)-ATPase, covalently labeled with fluorescein, and phospholipid vesicles reconstituted with labeled enzyme, to detect conformational transitions induced by acetyl phosphate in the presence of Mg2+ and Na+ ions. Equilibrium fluorescence measurements show quenching of the fluorescein fluorescence, which is thought to reflect conversion of the initial E1 form to the phosphorylated E2P form. These fluorescence changes occur on inside-out-oriented pumps. The rates of acetyl phosphate-induced fluorescence changes have been measured using a stopped-flow fluorimeter. The rate of fluorescence quenching (1.5-3 s-1) is a measure of the rate of the E1P(Na)----E2P transition. The quenching is preceded by a fast fluorescence increase (12.3 +/- 4 s-1) associated with phosphorylation of E1 to E1P(Na), shown clearly in experiments with enzyme treated with oligomycin. Oligomycin greatly reduces the rate of the fluorescence quenching (0.044 +/- 0.01 s-1). Using potassium-loaded vesicles treated with valinomycin or lithium-loaded vesicles treated with Li+ ionophore N,N'-diheptyl-N,N'-didiethyl ether, 5,5-dimethyl-3,7-dioxanonanediamide in order to induce electrical diffusion potentials, negative inside, the rates of the fluorescence quenching are accelerated by up to 4-fold. The experiments demonstrate that the conformational transition E1P(Na)----E2P, associated with transport of 3 Na+ ions, is a voltage-sensitive reaction, carrying a net positive charge. This confirms a prediction based on transport experiments. In experiments with fluorescein-labeled (Na,K)-ATPase, the use of acetyl phosphate rather than ATP, which does not bind, provides a valuable tool to detect fluorescence signals accompanying steps in the turnover cycle.