Identification and Properties of an ATPase in Vacuolar Membranes of Neurospora Crassa

Using a vacuolar preparation virtually free of contamination by other organelles, we isolated vacuolar membranes and demonstrated that they contain an ATPase. Sucrose density gradient profiles of vacuolar membranes show a single peak of ATPase activity at a density of 1.11 g/cm3. Comparison of this enzyme with the two well-studied proton-pumping ATPases of Neurospora plasma membranes and mitochondria shows that it is clearly distinct. The vacuolar membrane ATPase is insensitive to the inhibitors oligomycin, azide, and vanadate, but sensitive to N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (Ki = 2 microM). It has a pH optimum of 7.5, requires a divalent cation (Mg2+ or Mn2+) for activity, and is remarkably unaffected (+/- 20%) by a number of monovalent cations, anions, and buffers. In its substrate affinity (Km for ATP = 0.2 mM), substrate preference (ATP greater than GTP, ITP greater than UTP greater than CTP), and loss of activity with repeated 1 mM ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid washes, the vacuolar membrane ATPase resembles the F1F0 type of ATPase found in mitochondria and differs from the integral membrane type of ATPase in plasma membranes.