Adenosine triphosphatase from rat liver mitochondria - Evidence for a mercurial-sensitive site for the activating anion bicarbonate

The ATPase activity of purified mitochondrial ATPase (F₁) of rat liver is inhibited less than 15% by sulfhydryl reagents when assayed in TrisCl buffer. In Trisbicarbonate buffer the ATPase activity of the enzyme is two- to three-fold higher than in TrisCl. Significantly, the ATPase activity stimulated by bicarbonate can be inhibited by mercurial agents such as p-chloromercuribenzoate. The number of sulfhydryl groups accessible to ¹⁴C-p-chloromercuribenzoate is the same in TrisCl and Trisbicarbonate buffers. These experiments suggest that mercurials most likely inhibit bicarbonate-stimulated ATPase activity by blocking a site associated with bicarbonate binding rather than by blocking distinct sulfhydryl-sensitive hydrolytic sites induced by bicarbonate.