Regulation of the tertiary structure and function of coagulation factor IX by magnesium (II) ions.

The indispensable role of Ca2+ ions in the maintenance of the functional tertiary structures of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors has been definitively established but the participation of Mg2+ ions, another alkaline-earth metal that is present abundantly in blood plasma, in such a process is not yet understood. We show here that the Ca(2+)-stabilized conformation of coagulation factor IX undergoes a further conformational change upon binding of Mg2+ ions using three independent structural probes. The probes we used were (i) IX/X-bp, a snake venom anticoagulant that recognizes the Gla domains in coagulation factors IX and X, (ii) conformation-specific polyclonal antibodies against bovine factor IX, and (iii) monoclonal antibodies against the Gla domain of human factor IX. The binding of all these probes had an absolute requirement for Ca2+ ions, and Mg2+ ions alone were ineffective. However, when added together with Ca2+ ions, Mg2+ ions at physiological concentrations greatly augmented the binding of these probes to factor IX; the required concentration of Ca2+ ions was much reduced, and the affinity of each probe for factor IX was increased even in the presence of an excess of Ca2+ ions. These results suggest the presence of a Mg(2+)-specific binding site that does not interact with Ca2+ ions in factor IX. Furthermore, Mg2+ ions potentiated the susceptibility of factor IX to activation by factor XIa, concomitant with their effect on the conformation. Similarly, the required Ca2+ concentration was reduced by Mg2+ ions, and the rate of conversion to factor IXa was increased by Mg2+ ions in the presence of an excess of Ca2+ ions. At a saturating concentration of Ca2+ ions (5 mM), addition of 1 mM Mg2+ reduced the apparent Km value for factor IX from 0.31 to 0.18 microM, and in the presence of a physiological concentration of Ca2+ ions (1 mM), the reduction in Km by Mg2+ ions was far more striking (from 0.91 to 0.24 microM). The apparent Vmax values were hardly affected by Mg2+ ions. Our present data reveal a hitherto novel physiological role of the Mg2+ ions in plasma. Not only Ca2+ ions but also Mg2+ ions are important regulators of the stabilization of the native conformation of factor IX as well as of its efficient activation.