Effect of pH on stability of sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium pump in rabbit heart

The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) membranes isolated from rabbit heart were preincubated at pH 6.8 or 7.8 and their Ca2+ pump properties were compared at pH 6.8. The ATP-dependent azide insensitive oxalate-stimulated Ca2+ uptake was reduced more rapidly from the membranes preincubated at 37°C at pH 7.8 than from those preincubated at pH 6.8. The Ca2+−Mg2+-ATPase, and the Ca2+-dependent formation of 110 kDa acylphosphate were also inhibited by the preincubation at the higher pH. Including 1 mM DTT in the preincubation medium reduced the inactivation. The preincubation at 37°C in the presence or absence of DTT caused membranes to become more leaky as the loss of Ca2+ uptake was more rapid than that of ATPase or the acylphosphate formation. The loss of these activities was not accompanied by a breakdown of the protein as monitored in Western blots. It is hypothesized that the SR Ca2+ pump inactivation involves a key-SH group and that the lower pH provides a compensatory protective mechanism for the SR during acidosis.