PURIFICATION AND REGULATION OF AN AMP-SPECIFIC CYTOSOLIC 5'-NUCLEOTIDASE FROM DOG HEART

The major enzyme responsible for adenosine production during myocardial hypoxia or ischemia is 5'-nucleotidase. We purified an AMP-specific 5'-nucleotidase to homogeneity from the 150,000-g supernatant of dog heart homogenate using phosphocellulose. DEAE-cellulose, and ADP-agarose affinity chromatography. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified enzyme yielded a single protein band of 43 kDa. The molecular mass of the holoenzyme, determined by gel filtration and sucrose density-gradient centrifugation, was approximately 166 kDa, suggesting a tetrameric structure. Dog heart cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase was active at physiological pH (6.8-7.8) and demonstrated a preference for AMP over IMP as substrate. The enzyme exhibited sigmoidal saturation kinetics, with half-maximal activity at 2.6 mM AMP in the absence of ADP. ADP (0-250 muM) activated cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase by increasing maximal velocity and affinity for AMP. The enzyme was inhibited by 4 mM ATP, but 5'-nucleotidase activity increased as [ATP] was reduced. Mg2+ was required for activity, with maximal activation at approximately 3.5 mM free Mg2+. These data suggest that the regulation of AMP-specific cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase by adenine nucleotides and free Mg2+ may be important in the production of adenosine during conditions promoting ATP hydrolysis, such as myocardial hypoxia or ischemia.