Fusicoccin was shown to stimulate the ATP-driven, intravesicular acidification of liposomes reconstituted with crude fusicoccin receptors and the H -translocating ATPase, both solubilized from maize (Zea mays L.) plasma membrane. The present paper reports optimal conditions for dual reconstitution and fusicoccin activation as well as the biochemical characterization of the effect of fusicoccin on this system. Fusicoccin stimulation of proton pumping was dependent on pH and fusicoccin concentration. Its specificity was demonstrated by the positive effect of two cotylenins that have a high affinity for fusicoccin receptors and by the negative response to 7,9-epideacetylfusicoccin, an inactive fusicoccin derivative. Kinetic measurements at different ATP concentrations showed that fusicoccin increases the V",, of the enzyme. Fusicoccin stimulation of maize H+-ATPase was also maintained when receptors from maize were substituted by those from spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.).The fungal metabolite FC2 is known to affect several physiological processes in all higher plants so far examined (19 (12, 21). In particular, this evidence was stressed by demonstrating that FC efficiently stimulates ATP-driven H+-pumping into proteoliposomes in which both maize H+-ATPase and FC receptors had been incorporated (4).In this paper, we report a more detailed biochemical characterization of the reconstituted system in view of its possible use as a tool for the elucidation ofthe molecular events linking FC receptors to H+-ATPase. In fact, the nature of the signal transduction pathway following the primary interaction ofFC with its receptors is still unknown.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
ChemicalsFC was prepared as described by Ballio et al. (7). 7,9-epiDeacetylfusicoccin was obtained as previously reported (8); in a recent paper (11), it was shown that epimerization involves C-7 and C-9, and not C-9 only as previously reported (8). Cotylenins A and G were kind gifts of Dr. T. Sassa, Yamagata University, Japan. The dye ACMA was purchased from Sigma Chemical Company. All other products were of analytical grade.