The influence of extracellular-side Ca2+ on the activity of the plasma membrane H+-ATPase from wheat roots

Plasma membrane vesicles were purified from wheat roots by discontinuous sucrose gradient centrifugation and two-phase partitioning methods. The influence of extracellular-side Ca2+ on the activity of the plasma membrane H+ -ATPase from wheat roots was studied. The results showed that the ATP hydrolytic activities of the plasma membrane H+ -ATPase were inhibited by the cytoplasmic-side Ca2+. Within 0~200 µmol/L the ATPase activity decreased gradually with the increase in Ca2+ concentration; the ATPase activity was inhibited by 40% when Ca2+ concentration was 1000 µmol/L. However, the ATP hydrolytic activities were recovered by the presence of extracellular-side Ca2+. Results showed that the ATPase activities were increased with the increase in extracellular-side Ca2+; when the extracellular-side Ca2+ was 1000 µmol/L, the ATPase activity was recovered by 87.5%. Further studies found that the extracellular-side Ca2+ increased the DPH polarisation and decreased the MC540 fluorescence intensity, showing that membrane fluidity was decreased and membrane stacking was increased by the external Ca2+. The above results suggested that the plasma membrane H+ -ATPase could be regulated by the extracellular side Ca2+ through affecting the plasma membrane physical states.