Partial characterization of a phosphorylated intermediate associated with the plasma membrane ATPase of corn roots

The phosphorylated protein associated with a deoxycholate-extracted plasma membrane fraction from corn (Zea mays L. var WF9 x Mol7) roots was characterized in order to correlate its properties with those of plasma membrane ATPase. Its phosphorylation, like that of plasma membrane ATPase, was dependent on Mg(2+), substrate specific for ATP, insensitive to azide, oligomycin, or molybdate, and sensitive to N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, diethylstilbestrol, or vanadate. Monovalent cations affected the phosphorylation of the protein in a manner consistent with their stimulatory effects on ATPase. For K(+), this was shown to occur through an increase in the turnover of the phosphoenzyme. Analysis of the phosphorylated protein by NaDodSO(4)/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis revealed the presence of a single labeled polypeptide with a molecular weight of about 100,000. Phosphorylation of this polypeptide was dependent on Mg(2+), sensitive to K(+), and inhibited by vanadate. It is concluded that this polypeptide represents the catalytic subunit of the plasma membrane ATPase. These results are discussed in terms of a model for the coupling of metabolic energy to H(+) and K(+) transport in higher plants.