The interaction of ATP‐analogues possessing a blocked gamma‐phosphate group with the sodium pump in human red cells.

The (Na++K+)-ATPase of red cell membranes is unable to hydrolyse ATP-analogues in which the oxygen atom linking the beta- and gamma-phosphate groups is replaced by a minusCH2minus or minusNH-bridge. 2. In resealed ghosts both these ATP-analogues support K:K exchange but not Na:K exchange. ATP supports both modes of operation of the sodium pump, whereas neither occurs without any nucleotide. 3. These results support the hypothesis that ATP is needed as a cofactor for K:K exchange to occur, and make it extremely unlikely that phosphorylation from ATP is involved.