High resolution 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra at 145.7 MHz are presented for intact yeast cells. Several peaks are resolved and assigned. They include the middle phosphate peaks from long chain or cyclic polyphosphates. Our results are consistent with the suggestion that these polyphosphates act as a phosphate store in the cell. We have also been able to measure cytoplasmic pH using the orthophosphate peak inside the cell, as compared with outside the cell. The results show that yeast cells maintain their cytoplasmic pH around 6.3. This value is considerably higher than the acidic extracellular pH at which they normally live. These preliminary results indicate that 31P NMR at 145.7 MHz can be a rapid, informative, and non-invasive method for probing biochemical events within living cells. 0.5 g of MgSO4; 0.5 g of CaC12; and 50 g of glucose. The pH was adjusted to 5 at the beginning of growth. The cells were grown to stationary phase. Cells grown on intermediate-and low-phosphate media had the same initial composition as above except for the amount of KH2PO4 added (intermediate = 10-2 g and low = 10-4 g). When the stationary phase of growth (determined by the number of cells per ml) was reached, the cultures of yeast cells were harvested by lowspeed centrifugation at 40 in a Sorvall high-speed centrifuge. The cells, always in the cold, were packed to about 250% by volume and brought to room temperature when the extracellular pH was measured. D20 was added to these cells to about a 10% level and the sample was placed in the NMR sample tube. When the extracellular pH was changed from the normal acidic level to more alkaline values NaOH was used. The sodium tripolyphosphate used for titration in these experiments was obtained as a gift from Monsanto in New Jersey.The 31P NMR spectra were measured on a Bruker HX-360 spectrometer at 145.7 MHz (84.5 kG) although one spectrum taken at 40.5 MHz on a Varian XL-100 NMR spectrometer is presented for comparison. In the XL-100 12 mm diameter tubes were used, whereas in the HX-360 10 mm tubes were used and both samples were 1.0 cm high. Unless otherwise specified, spectra were measured at 250. The pulsed Fourier transform technique was used on both instruments. In the HX-360 the field homogeneity was adjusted on 10% D20 added to the cell suspensions and the field was locked on that signal. In some cases, D20 in a 4 mm capillary at the center of a 10 mm sample tube was used for the field lock. For the spectrum observed with the XL-100 the field was locked on the H20 signal. In our experience with yeast and other cells, spinning the sample did not measurably sharpen most of the 31P lines observed, although it did sometimes sharpen the narrow lines observed from extracellular orthophosphate (see below). Nevertheless, sample spinning was usually employed. All spectra are reported relative to 85% phosphoric acid at 0 parts per million ppm.

No abstract

Stilbenedisulfonates are potent inhibitors of Band 3 mediated anion exchange. They bind tightly to the protein and form a 1-to-1 reversible complex. Those stilbenedisulfonates which contain isothocyanato groups such as DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyanato-2,2'-stilbenedisulfonate) and H2DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyanatodihydrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate) can also react rapidly with lysine residues within the binding pocket to yield an irreversible covalent adduct. The reactive lysine residue is known as lysine-A, and is thought to have an unusually low pKa. In this report, we characterize the kinetics of DIDS adduct formation with respect to the effect of substrate anions, competitive inhibitory anions, and pH on the rate of covalent adduct formation. We investigate the following: (a) whether stilbenedisulfonates bind to or block access of substrate anions to the transport site; (b) whether the rapidity of the covalent reaction of DIDS at neutral pH is due to a low pKa for lysine-A within the binding pocket; and (c) whether once bound, DIDS and H2DIDS isothiocyanato groups are accessible to reagents. For this latter experiment, we have utilized a newly discovered reaction of the DIDS isothiocyanato groups with azide to test for accessibility. Our results show that substrate anions, DIDS, and Band 3 form a ternary complex. Significantly, the binding of large substrate anions, such as iodide, is not weakened by DIDS to any greater extent than is the binding of smaller substrates such as chloride or fluoride. These results are not consistent with a "partial blockade" hypothesis for the relationship between the stilbenedisulfonate and transport sites. Rather, they support an allosteric site-site interaction hypothesis. Our pH dependence results show that the apparent pKa for the DIDS/lysine-A reaction is greater than 9.26. This is consistent with typical lysine pKa values, and indicates that lysine-A does not have an unusually low pKa. Finally, we show that azide can react with the isothiocyanato groups of DIDS and H2DIDS within their Band 3 complexes, indicating that the stilbenedisulfonate binding site is accessible to solute. These results support a view which suggests that the stilbenedisulfonate site is a superficial inhibitory site on Band 3 which inhibits transport by allosteric interactions within the protein, rather than by either direct or partial blockade of the transport site.

The molecular basis for chloride and stilbenedisulfonate interaction with band 3 was investigated by measuring the kinetics of stilbenedisulfonate release from its complex with the transporter. We found that 150 mM NaCl accelerated the rate of release of DBDS (4,4'-dibenzamidostilbene-2,2'-dibenzamidostilbene-2,2'-disu lfonate) and H2DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyanodihydrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate) by more than 10-fold at constant ionic strength. The acceleration effect saturated as a function of chloride concentration. This is an indication of specific binding within a ternary complex involving stilbenedisulfonate, chloride, and band 3. To see if stilbenedisulfonates block an access channel to the transport site, we studied the effect of rapidly mixing DBDS-saturated resealed ghosts with chloride at constant ionic strength and osmotic pressure. Once again, we observe a large, uniform acceleration in the rate of DBDS release. These findings are not consistent with molecular models where stilbenedisulfonates are proposed to block access to a deeper transport site. We suggest that the intramonomeric stilbenedisulfonate site is not located on the chloride transport pathway but rather interacts with the transport site though heterotropic allosteric site-site interactions. On the basis of our kinetic evidence for ternary complex formation and on transport inhibition evidence in the literature showing a linear dependence of KI-app on substrate, we suggest that stilbenedisulfonates are linear mixed-type inhibitors of band 3 anion exchange, not pure competitive inhibitors as has been assumed on the basis of analysis of transport inhibition data alone.

Fluorescence spectroscopy was used to follow the kinetics of covalent binding of DIDS (4,4'-diisothiocyanato-2,2'-stilbenedisulfonate) to isolated band 3 in C12E8. We have discovered a dilution-induced loss in the ability of band 3 monomer to form a covalent adduct with DIDS. The loss in DIDS reactivity with dilution followed a 50:50 biphasic time course despite the use of a homogeneous preparation of band 3 oligomers. The loss in reactivity generally correlated with the association of band 3 dimers and tetramers to higher oligomeric structures. The final aggregated product was capable of binding BADS (4-benzamido-4'-amino-2,2'-stilbenedisulfonate) reversibly, but with an affinity nearly 30-fold lower than that of the starting material. Removal of the cytoplasmic domain of band 3 slowed the conformational interconversion of the integral domain by about 5-fold and inhibited the aggregation process. The conformational interconversion was slowed in the presence of 150 mM chloride but not in 90 mM sulfate. Covalent binding of DIDS inhibited the aggregation of band 3. Addition of 250 microM lipid inhibited both the loss of DIDS reactivity and the protein aggregation process. While several types of lipid offer protection, phosphatidic acid accelerated the decay process by eliminating the biphasicity. We conclude that the conformation of the integral domain of band 3 can be modulated allosterically by the addition of ligands, including various lipids. The results offer direct evidence for cooperative interactions between band 3 subunits during loss of activity, and they show that the cytoplasmic domain participates in the control of this transition.