1. The chromium(II1) complex of ATP, an MgATP complex analogue, inactivates (Na' + K+)-ATPase by forming a stable chromo-phosphointermediate. The rate constant k2 of inactivation at 37 OC of the &y-bidentate of CrATP is enhanced by Na' = 15 mM) and Mg2+ = 0.7 mM). These cations did not affect the dissociation constant of the enzyme-chromium-ATP complex.2. The inactive chromophosphoenzyme is reactivated slowly by high concentrations of Na+ at 37°C. The half-maximal effect on the reactivation was reached at 40 mM NaCl, when the maximally observable reactivation was studied. However, 126 mM NaCl was necessary to see the half-maximal effect on the apparent reactivation velocity constant. K + ions hindered the reactivation with a Ki of 70 pM.3. Formation of the chromophosphoenzyme led to a reduction of the Rb' binding sites and of the capacity to occlude Rb'.
4.The lJ,y-bidentate of chromium(II1)ATP (Kd = 8 pM) had a higher affinity than the a,lJ,y-tridentate of chromium(II1)ATP (Kd = 44 pM) or the cobalt tetramine complex of ATP (Kd = 500 pM). The P,y-bidentate of the chromium(II1) complex of adenosine 5'-[PJ-methyleneltriphosphate also inactivated (Na' + K+)ATPase.
5.Although CrATP could not support Na+,K+ exchange in everted vesicles prepared from human red blood cells, it supported the Na+-Na+ and Rb+-Rb+ exchange.6. It is concluded that CrATP opens up Na' and K + channels by forming a relatively stable modified enzymeCrATP complex. This stable complex is also formed in the presence of the chromium complex of adenosine 5'-[B,y-methyleneltriphosphate. Because the P,y-bidentate of chromium ATP is recognized better than the a,lJ,ytridentate, it is concluded that the triphosphate site recognizes MgATP with a straight polyphosphate chain and that the Mg2' resides between the P-and the y-phosphorus. The enhancement of inactivation by Mg2+ and Na' may be caused by conformational changes at the triphosphate site.Incubation of (Na' + K+)-ATPase with the MgATP complex analogue chromium(II1)ATP leads to the inactivation of the enzyme by the formation of a stable phosphointermediate [l]. This inhibition occurs in the absence of Na+ and Mg", which otherwise are absolutely necessary to build up the two differently reactive forms of phosphointermediate from ATP [2 -51. Such two forms of phosphointermediate, which are passed through during active Na+ and K + transport [2 -51, have also been found to exist during the active Ca2 + transport catalyzed by the CaZ +-ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum [6]. When the latter enzyme is incubated with CrATP, Ca2+ is occluded in a stable form and the enzyme is phosphorylated and inactivated [7]. Since occlusion of Na'and Rb' ions in (Na' + K+)-ATPase has been reported [3, 8,9], it seemed possible that Na' ions might also be occluded in the CrATP-inactivated enzyme in a more stable way. Using the relatively stable MgATP complex analogue CrATP, it should also be possible to resolve some of the uncertainties concerning the functions of Mg2 + and MgATP in the catalytic and ion transport process: ...