Requirements for cholera toxin-dependent ADP-ribosylation of the purified regulatory component of adenylate cyclase.

The requirements for cholera toxin-catalyzed ADP ribosylation of the purified regulatory component of adenylate cyclase are described. In addition to the toxin, this reaction is dependent on or is facilitated by NAD, GTP, phospholipid, and a factor found associated with plasma membranes from several sources. Factor activity is heat-labile and protease-sensitive but is unaffected by treatment with N-ethylmaleimide. Gel filtration indicates that the factor behaves as a monodisperse species with a Stokes radius of 3.2 nm. The factor thus appears to be a protein that is distinct from any of the known components of adenylate cyclase. Factor activity was also detected in the cytoplasm of S49 cells. The cytoplasmic factor was smaller (Stokes radius = 2.0 nm) than the membrane-derived factor, and it was inactivated in the presence of sodium cholate. The initial rate of activation of the regulatory component of adenylate cyclase by toxin was found to be linearly related to the amount of factor present in the reaction. This has allowed the quantitation and partial purification (33-fold from detergent extracts) of the factor from turkey erythrocyte membranes.