Two types of H+-ATPase are involved in the acidification of internal compartments in Trypanosoma cruzi

ATP-driven acidification of internal compartments of Trypanosoma cruziepimastigotes was assayed spectrophotometrically with Acridine Orange and cells permeabilized with filipin. H+-ATPase activity was not inhibited fully by either 500 nM concanamycin A or 500 µM orthovanadate, but a combination of 5 nM concanamycin A and 25 µM vanadate completely inhibited activity, suggesting the operation of separate V-type (concanamycin-sensitive) and P-type (vanadate-sensitive) H+-ATPase activities in the permeabilized cells. This was supported by different kinetics of Acridine Orange uptake seen in the presence of the different inhibitors, and by different optimal protein (cell) concentrations for the two apparent activities. The use of different buffers further distinguished the ATPases. The V-H+-ATPase activity was stimulated by K+ and inhibited by a lack of anions or the replacement of Cl- with gluconate. The P-type H+-ATPase activity was not affected by a lack of Cl- or K+ but was substantially inhibited in a largely anion-free buffer. This inhibition could be annulled by the addition of the K+ ionophore valinomycin, which probably acted via the establishment of a countercurrent efflux of K+ from the compartment containing the P-type H+-ATPase and the relief of the potential difference generated by the electrogenic proton pump. Valinomycin showed some stimulation of P-type activity in all buffers tested, but its effects on V-H+-ATPase activity were at best transient except in a K+-free buffer, which suggested that the V-H+-ATPase was located in an organelle with relatively low [K+] that was different from that which accommodated the P-type activity. On the basis of acidity and K+ content, these organelles might correspond, in part at least, to the acidocalcisomes (V-H+-ATPase activity) and the reservosomes (P-type activity) previously identified in these cells. Both activities could also be found in the human-infective forms of the parasite, amastigotes and trypomastigotes, but the P-type activity was relatively weak in these cells types, which is correlated with a lack of reservosomes in these forms.

Acidification of rat liver lysosomes: quantitation and comparison with endosomes

Both lysosomes and endosomes are acidified by an electrogenic proton pump, although studies in intact cells indicate that the steady-state internal pH (pHi) of lysosomes is more acid than that of endosomes. We undertook the present study to examine in detail the acidification mechanism of purified rat liver secondary lysosomes and to compare it with that of a population of early endosomes. Both endosomes and lysosomes exhibited ATP-dependent acidification, but proton influx rates were 2.4- to 2.7-fold greater for endosomes than for lysosomes because of differences in both buffering capacity and acidification rates, suggesting that endosomes exhibited greater numbers or rates of proton pumps. Lysosomes, however, exhibited a more acidic steady-state pHi due in part to a slower proton leak rate. Changes in medium Cl- increased acidification rates of endosomes more than lysosomes, and the lysosome ATP-dependent interior-positive membrane potential was only partially eliminated by high-Cl- medium. Permeability studies suggested that lysosomes were less permeable to Na+, Li+, and Cl- and more permeable to K+ and PO4(2-) than endosomes. Na-K-adenosine-triphosphatase did not appear to regulate acidification of either vesicle type. Endosome and lysosome acidification displayed similar inhibition profiles to N-ethylmaleimide, dicyclohexyl-carbodiimide, and vanadate, although lysosomes were somewhat more sensitive [concentration producing 50% maximal inhibition (IC50) 1 nM] to bafilomycin A1 than endosomes (IC50 7.6 nM). Oligomycin (1.5-3 microM) stimulated lysosome acidification due to shunting of membrane potential. Overall, acidification of endosomes and lysosomes was qualitatively similar but quantitatively somewhat different, possibly related to differences in the density or rate of proton pumps as well as vesicle permeability to protons, anions, and other cations.

The insect V-ATPase, a plasma membrane proton pump energizing secondary active transport: molecular analysis of electrogenic potassium transport in the tobacco hornworm midgut.

Goblet cell apical membranes in the larval midgut of Manduca sexta are the site of active and electrogenic K+ secretion. They possess a vacuolar-type ATPase which, in its immunopurified form, consists of at least nine polypeptides. cDNAs for the A and B subunits screened by monoclonal antibodies to the A subunit of the Manduca V-ATPase or by hybridisation with a cDNA probe for a plant V-ATPase B subunit have been cloned and sequenced. There is a high degree of identity to the sequences of the respective subunits of other V-ATPases. The M. sexta plasma membrane V-ATPase is an electrogenic proton pump which energizes, by the electrical component of the proton-motive force, electrogenic K+/nH+ antiport, resulting in net electrogenic K+ secretion. Since the midgut lacks a Na+/K(+)-ATPase, all solute fluxes in this epithelium seem to be energized by the V-ATPase. Thus, the midgut provides an alternative to the classical concept of animal plasma membrane energization by the Na(+)-motive force generated by the Na+/K(+)-ATPase.

Effect of metabolic acidosis and alkalosis on NEM-sensitive ATPase in rat nephron segments

An N-ethylmaleimide (NEM)-sensitive adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) displaying the kinetic and pharmacological properties of an electrogenic proton pump has been described in the different segments of rat nephron, where it mediates part of the active tubular proton secretion. This study was therefore designed to evaluate whether changes in urinary acidification observed during metabolic acidosis or alkalosis were associated with alterations of the activity of tubular NEM-sensitive ATPase, and if so, to localize the nephron segments responsible for these changes. Within 1 wk after the onset of ammonium chloride treatment, rats developed a metabolic acidosis, and NEM-sensitive ATPase activity was markedly increased in the medullary thick ascending limb of Henle's loop and outer medullary collecting tubule, and slightly increased in the cortical collecting tubule. Conversely, treatment with sodium bicarbonate induced a metabolic alkalosis that was accompanied by decreased NEM-sensitive ATPase activity in medullary thick ascending limb and outer medullary collecting tubule. NEM-sensitive ATPase activity was not altered in any other nephron segment tested in alkalotic and acidotic rats, i.e., the proximal tubule and the cortical thick ascending limb of Henle's loop. Changes qualitatively similar were observed as soon as 3 h after the onset of NaHCO3 or NH4Cl-loading. In the medullary collecting tubule, alterations of NEM-sensitive ATPase activity are in part due to hyperaldosteronism observed in both acidotic and alkalotic rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Evidence for the Presence of an Electrogenic Proton Pump on the Trout Gill Epithelium

Ion transport inhibitors, amiloride, SITS, vanadate and acetazolamide, wereadded to the water to determine the effect of ion transfer mechanisms on the acidification of water passing over the gills. In neutral water, proton excretion causes a marked reduction in gill water pH. If water pH is 2.5 units lower than blood pH, however, then this proton excretion is inhibited and all water pH changes can be accounted for by CO2 hydration and ammonia protonation. Proton excretion across the gills is insensitive to 0.1mmoll−1 amiloride and SITS but sensitive to vanadate, acetazolamide and water pH; thus, we conclude that proton excretion is mediated by an active proton pump on the apical membrane of the gill epithelium similar to that reported for the frog skin. Higher concentrations of amiloride (0.5 and 1mmoll−1) reduced both ammonia and acid excretion, presumably because of inhibition of Na+/K+-ATPase on the basolateral border ofthe gill epithelium.

Normal chemotaxis in Dictyostelium discoideum cells with a depolarized plasma membrane potential

We examined a possible role for the plasma membrane potential in signal transduction during cyclic AMP-induced chemotaxis in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum. Chemotaxis, cyclic GMP and cyclic AMP responses in cells with a depolarized membrane potential were measured. Cells can be completely depolarized by two different methods: (1) by treatment with azide; this probably causes inhibition of the electrogenic proton pump, which was shown earlier to regulate plasma membrane potential in D. discoideum. (2) By electroporation, which causes the formation of large non-ion-selective pores in the plasma membrane. It was found that in depolarized cells the cyclic AMP-mediated cyclic AMP accumulation was inhibited. In contrast, chemotaxis to a cyclic AMP source was normal; the cyclic AMP-induced accumulation of cyclic GMP, which is known to mediate the chemotactic response, was also not affected. We conclude that membrane-potential-regulated processes, such as voltage-gated ion channels, do not play an essential role in chemotaxis in D. discoideum.