Plasma Membrane Ca-ATPase of Radish Seedlings

Abstract

The effect of calmodulin on the activity of the plasma membrane Ca-ATPase was investigated on plasma membranes purified from radish (Raphanus sativus L.) seedlings. Calmodulin stimulated the hydrolytic activity and the transport activity of the plasma membrane Ca-ATPase to comparable extents in a manner dependent on the free Ca(2+) concentration. Stimulation was marked at low, nonsaturating Ca(2+) concentrations and decreased increasing Ca(2+), so that the effect of calmodulin resulted in an increase of the apparent affinity of the enzyme for free Ca(2+). The pattern of calmodulin stimulation of the plasma membrane Ca-ATPase activity was substantially the same at pH 6.9 and 7.5, in the presence of ATP or ITP, and when calmodulin from radish seeds was used rather than that from bovine brain. At pH 6.9 in the presence of 5 micromolar free Ca(2+), stimulation of the plasma membrane Ca-ATPase was saturated by 30 to 50 micrograms per milliliter bovine brain calmodulin. The calmodulin antagonist calmidazolium inhibited both basal and calmodulin-stimulated plasma membrane Ca-ATPase activity to comparable extents.