The ␥ modulator (FXYD 2) is a member of the FXYD family of single transmembrane proteins that modulate the kinetic behavior of Na,K-ATPase. This study concerns the identification of regions in the ␣ subunit that are important for its functional interaction with ␥. An important effect of ␥ is to increase K ؉ antagonism of cytoplasmic Na ؉ activation apparent as an increase in K Na at high. We show that although ␥ associates with ␣1, ␣2, and ␣3 isoforms, it increases the K Na of ␣1 and ␣3 but not ␣2. Accordingly, chimeras of ␣1 and ␣2 were used to identify regions of ␣ critical for the increased K Na . As with ␣1 and ␣2, all chimeras associate with ␥. Kinetic analysis of ␣2 front /␣1 back chimeras indicate that the C-terminal (Lys 907 -Tyr 1018 ) region of ␣1, which includes transmembrane (TM)9 close to ␥, is important for the increase in K Na . However, similar experiments with ␣1 front /␣2 back chimeras indicate a modulatory role of the loop between TMs 7 and 8. Thus, as long as the ␣1 L7/8 loop is present, replacement of TM9 of ␣1 with that of ␣2 does not abrogate the ␥ effect on K Na . In contrast, as long as TM9 is that of ␣1, replacement of L7/8 of ␣1 with that of ␣2 does not abolish the effect. It is suggested that structural association of the TM regions of ␣ and FXYD 2 is not the sole determinant of this effect of FXYD on K Na but is subject to long range modulation by the extramembranous L7/8 loop of ␣.The Na,K-ATPase or sodium pump is an integral membrane protein found in the cells of virtually all higher eukaryotes. It couples the hydrolysis of one molecule of ATP to the electrogenic exchange of three intracellular Na ϩ for two extracellular K ϩ ions against their electrochemical gradients.The sodium pump is an oligomer of two subunits, a large catalytic ␣ subunit and a smaller, highly glycosylated  subunit whose role is to ensure the proper folding, insertion, and maturation of ␣ in the plasma membrane. Four isoforms of ␣ and three of  are expressed in a tissue-and development-specific manner. (for reviews, see Refs. 1 and 2). The sodium pump is subject to diverse modes of regulation by substrates, membrane-associated components, hormones, and neurotransmitters (3). In recent years, considerable attention has been focused on tissue-specific regulation by small transmembrane proteins referred to as FXYD proteins (for reviews, see Refs. 4 -7). These proteins belong to a gene family of small, single transmembrane proteins, with the exception of MAT-8 which has two transmembranes (TM(s)).3 There are at least seven members of which several (FXYDs 1-4 and 7) appear to regulate the kinetic behavior of the sodium pump in distinct and specific ways, in particular the apparent affinity of the enzyme for ligands (Na ϩ , K ϩ , and ATP). Members possess a 35-amino-acid signature sequence that includes 6 invariant amino acids before, in, and after the TM domain. The N-terminal FXYD (Phe-Xaa-Tyr-Asp) motif is invariant, along with two glycines in the TM domain, and a serine in the C-terminal domain. The first FXYD...