Potassium binding to the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase.

The number of K+ bound to the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase has been measured under equilibrium conditions by a differential-titration technique (Hastings, D.F. (1977) Anal. Biochem. 83, 416-432). 5.1 K+ were bound per 32P-labelling site. The K'D for K+ was dependent on the concentration of choline, which was included to give ionic strength. K'D was 59 +/- 2.5 microM with 97 mM choline, 26 +/-1.9 microM with 30 mM choline. The K+ : choline selectivity was 2564 : 1 and the calculated K'D for K+ with zero choline was 11 microM and for choline with zero K+ was 28 mM. 20 microM ATP in the presence of 97 mM choline incresed the K'D for potassium 3-fold to 177 +/- 14 microM. The K'D for K+ with 3 mM Na+ in the presence of 27 mM choline was 81 +/- 10 microM and with 30 mM Na+ without choline 700 +/- 250 microM. The calculated K'D for Na+ at zero K+ and zero choline was 0.6 +/- 0.2 mM. The K+ : Na+ selectivity was 54 : 1.