Reaction mechanism of the calcium-transport ATPase in endoplasmic reticulum of rat liver. Demonstration of different reactive forms of the phosphorylated intermediate.

A calcium-transport ATPase is inserted into the endoplasmic reticulum of rat liver. Catalysis of calcium translocation involves transient covalent binding of the terminal phosphate residue of ATP by the enzyme, resulting in the formation of an alkali- and hydroxylamine-labile phosphorylprotein intermediate. Both MgATP as well as CaATP can be utilized in the phosphorylation reaction which requires calcium as a cofactor. Magnesium accelerates the turnover of the phosphorylprotein intermediate. An ADP-reactive and ADP-unreactive state of the phosphoenzyme could be distinguished. In the ADP-reactive state with tightly bound calcium, the phosphoenzyme can transphosphorylate its phosphate residue to ADP, giving rise to synthesis of ATP. The ADP-reactive phosphoenzyme can be converted into an ADP-unreactive state by prolonged incubation with excess EGTA (ethylene glycol bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid). It is suggested that this conversion is brought about by the removal of tightly bound calcium from the phosphoenzyme. A strong homology of the sequential reaction steps during calcium translocation by the calcium-transport ATPases in endoplasmic reticulum from rat liver and sarcoplasmic reticulum from skeletal muscle is suggested.