Protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation of Na+/K+-ATPase opens intracellular C-terminal water pathway leading to third Na+-binding site in molecular dynamics simulations

J Biol Chem. 2012 May 4;287(19):15959-65. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M112.340406. Epub 2012 Mar 20.

Abstract

Phosphorylation is one of the major mechanisms for posttranscriptional modification of proteins. The addition of a compact, negatively charged moiety to a protein can significantly change its function and localization by affecting its structure and interaction network. We have used all-atom Molecular Dynamics simulations to investigate the structural consequences of phosphorylating the Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase (NKA) residue Ser(936), which is the best characterized phosphorylation site in NKA, targeted in vivo by protein kinase A (PKA). The Molecular Dynamics simulations suggest that Ser(936) phosphorylation opens a C-terminal hydrated pathway leading to Asp(926), a transmembrane residue proposed to form part of the third sodium ion-binding site. Simulations of a S936E mutant form, for which only subtle effects are observed when expressed in Xenopus oocytes and studied with electrophysiology, does not mimic the effects of Ser(936) phosphorylation. The results establish a structural association of Ser(936) with the C terminus of NKA and indicate that phosphorylation of Ser(936) can modulate pumping activity by changing the accessibility to the ion-binding site.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation*
  • Mutation
  • Phosphorylation
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Protein Subunits / chemistry
  • Protein Subunits / genetics
  • Protein Subunits / metabolism
  • Sodium / metabolism*
  • Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / chemistry
  • Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / genetics
  • Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase / metabolism*
  • Swine
  • Water / chemistry
  • Water / metabolism
  • Xenopus laevis

Substances

  • Protein Subunits
  • Water
  • Sodium
  • Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases
  • Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase