Reconstitution of vacuolar-type rotary H+-ATPase/synthase from Thermus thermophilus

Vacuolar-type rotary H(+)-ATPase/synthase (V(o)V(1)) from Thermus thermophilus, composed of nine subunits, A, B, D, F, C, E, G, I, and L, has been reconstituted from individually isolated V(1) (A(3)B(3)D(1)F(1)) and V(o) (C(1)E(2)G(2)I(1)L(12)) subcomplexes in vitro. A(3)B(3)D and A(3)B(3) also reconstituted with V(o), resulting in a holoenzyme-like complexes. However, A(3)B(3)D-V(o) and A(3)B(3)-V(o) did not show ATP synthesis and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide-sensitive ATPase activity. The reconstitution process was monitored in real time by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between an acceptor dye attached to subunit F or D in V(1) or A(3)B(3)D and a donor dye attached to subunit C in V(o). The estimated dissociation constants K(d) for V(o)V(1) and A(3)B(3)D-V(o) were ～0.3 and ～1 nm at 25 °C, respectively. These results suggest that the A(3)B(3) domain tightly associated with the two EG peripheral stalks of V(o), even in the absence of the central shaft subunits. In addition, F subunit is essential for coupling of ATP hydrolysis and proton translocation and has a key role in the stability of whole complex. However, the contribution of the F subunit to the association of A(3)B(3) with V(o) is much lower than that of the EG peripheral stalks.     

Identification of Domains within the V-ATPase Accessory Subunit Ac45 Involved in V-ATPase Transport and Ca2+-dependent Exocytosis

The vacuolar (H(+))-ATPase (V-ATPase) is crucial for maintenance of the acidic microenvironment in intracellular organelles, whereas its membrane-bound V(0)-sector is involved in Ca(2+)-dependent membrane fusion. In the secretory pathway, the V-ATPase is regulated by its type I transmembrane and V(0)-associated accessory subunit Ac45. To execute its function, the intact-Ac45 protein is proteolytically processed to cleaved-Ac45 thereby releasing its N-terminal domain. Here, we searched for the functional domains within Ac45 by analyzing a set of deletion mutants close to the in vivo situation, namely in transgenic Xenopus intermediate pituitary melanotrope cells. Intact-Ac45 was poorly processed and accumulated in the endoplasmic reticulum of the transgenic melanotrope cells. In contrast, cleaved-Ac45 was efficiently transported through the secretory pathway, caused an accumulation of the V-ATPase at the plasma membrane and reduced dopaminergic inhibition of Ca(2+)-dependent peptide secretion. Surprisingly, removal of the C-tail from intact-Ac45 caused cellular phenotypes also found for cleaved-Ac45, whereas C-tail removal from cleaved-Ac45 still allowed its transport to the plasma membrane, but abolished V-ATPase recruitment into the secretory pathway and left dopaminergic inhibition of the cells unaffected. We conclude that domains located in the N- and C-terminal portions of the Ac45 protein direct its trafficking, V-ATPase recruitment and Ca(2+)-dependent-regulated exocytosis.     

Inhibitors of V-ATPase proton transport reveal uncoupling functions of tether linking cytosolic and membrane domains of V0 subunit a (Vph1p)

Vacuolar ATPases (V-ATPases) are important for many cellular processes, as they regulate pH by pumping cytosolic protons into intracellular organelles. The cytoplasm is acidified when V-ATPase is inhibited; thus we conducted a high-throughput screen of a chemical library to search for compounds that acidify the yeast cytosol in vivo using pHluorin-based flow cytometry. Two inhibitors, alexidine dihydrochloride (EC(50) = 39 μM) and thonzonium bromide (EC(50) = 69 μM), prevented ATP-dependent proton transport in purified vacuolar membranes. They acidified the yeast cytosol and caused pH-sensitive growth defects typical of V-ATPase mutants (vma phenotype). At concentrations greater than 10 μM the inhibitors were cytotoxic, even at the permissive pH (pH 5.0). Membrane fractions treated with alexidine dihydrochloride and thonzonium bromide fully retained concanamycin A-sensitive ATPase activity despite the fact that proton translocation was inhibited by 80-90%, indicating that V-ATPases were uncoupled. Mutant V-ATPase membranes lacking residues 362-407 of the tether of Vph1p subunit a of V(0) were resistant to thonzonium bromide but not to alexidine dihydrochloride, suggesting that this conserved sequence confers uncoupling potential to V(1)V(0) complexes and that alexidine dihydrochloride uncouples the enzyme by a different mechanism. The inhibitors also uncoupled the Candida albicans enzyme and prevented cell growth, showing further specificity for V-ATPases. Thus, a new class of V-ATPase inhibitors (uncouplers), which are not simply ionophores, provided new insights into the enzyme mechanism and original evidence supporting the hypothesis that V-ATPases may not be optimally coupled in vivo. The consequences of uncoupling V-ATPases in vivo as potential drug targets are discussed.     

RNA interference-mediated repression of sucrose-phosphatase in transgenic potato tubers (Solanum tuberosum) strongly affects the hexose-to-sucrose ratio upon cold storage with only minor effects on total soluble carbohydrate accumulation

Storage of potato tubers at low temperatures leads to the accumulation of glucose and fructose in a process called 'cold sweetening'. The aim of this work was to investigate the role of sucrose-phosphatase (SPP) in potato tuber carbohydrate metabolism at low temperature (4 degrees C). To this end, RNA interference (RNAi) was used to reduce SPP expression in transgenic potato tubers. Analysis of SPP specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), SPP protein accumulation and enzyme activity indicated that SPP silencing in transgenic tubers was stable during the cold treatment. Analysis of soluble carbohydrates showed that in transgenic tubers, cold-induced hexogenesis was inhibited while, despite strongly reduced SPP activity, sucrose levels exceeded wild-type (WT) values four- to fivefold after 34 d of cold treatment. This led to a drastic change in the hexose-to-sucrose ratio from 1.9 in WT tubers to 0.15 to 0.11 in transgenic tubers, while the total amount of soluble sugars was largely unchanged in both genotypes. Sucrose-6(F)-phosphate (Suc6P), the substrate of SPP, accumulated in transgenic tubers in the cold which most likely enables the residual enzyme to operate with maximal catalytic activity in vivo and thus, in the long term, counterbalances reduced SPP activity in the transformants. Northern analysis revealed that cold-induced expression of vacuolar invertase (VI) was blocked in SPP-silenced tubers explaining a reduced sucrose-to-hexose conversion. Suc6P levels were found to negatively correlate with VI expression. A possible role of Suc6P in regulating VI expression is discussed.     

Sink development, sucrose metabolising enzymes and carbohydrate status in turnip (Brassica rapa L.)

Accumulation of 60–70 % of biomass in turnip root takes place between 49–56 days after sowing. To understand the phenomenon of rapid sink filling, the activities of sucrose metabolising enzymes and carbohydrate composition in leaf blades, petiole and root of turnip from 42–66 days of growth were determined. An increase (2–3 folds) in glucose and fructose contents of roots accompanied by an increase in activities of acid and alkaline invertases was observed during rapid biomass accumulating phase of roots. The observed decrease in the activities of acid and alkaline invertases along with sucrose synthase (cleavage) in petiole during this period could facilitate unrestricted transport of sucrose from leaves to the roots. During active root filling period, a decrease in sucrose synthase (cleavage) and alkaline invertase activities was also observed in leaf blades. A rapid decline in the starch content of leaf blades was observed during the phase of rapid sink filling. These metabolic changes in the turnip plant led to increase in hexose content (35–37 %) of total dry biomass of roots at maturity. High hexose content of the roots appears to be due to high acid invertase activity of the root.