Mg2+ is known to be a potent inhibitor of F1 ATPases from various sources. Such inhibition requires the presence of a tightly bound ADP at a catalytic site. Results with the spinach chloroplast F1 ATPase (CF1) show that the time delays of up to 1 min or more in the induction or the relief of the inhibition are best explained by a slow binding and slow release of Mg2+ rather than by slow enzyme ...

Calcium accumulation by two fractions of sarcoplasmic reticulum presumably derived from longitudinal tubules (light vesicles) and terminal cisternae (heavy vesicles) was examined radiochemically in the presence of various free Mg2+ concentrations. Both fractions of sarcoplasmic reticulum exhibited a Mg2+-dependent increase in phosphate-supported calcium uptake velocity, though half-maximal velo...

Available evidence suggests that Mg2+ ions are involved in reactions catalyzed by hammerhead ribozymes. However, the activity in the presence of exclusively monovalent ions led us to question whether divalent metal ions really function as catalysts when they are present. We investigated ribozyme activity in the presence of high levels of Mg2+ ions and the effects of Li+ ions in promoting ribozy...

Measurements have been made of cytoplasmic pH, (pHi) and free Mg2+ concentration, ( [Mg2+]i), in pig and mouse lymphocytes. pHi was measured in four ways: by a digitonin null-point technique; by direct measurement of the pH of freeze-thawed cell pellets; from the 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrum of intracellular inorganic phosphate; and by the use of a newly synthesized, intracellu...

Accruing evidence indicates that the levels of extracellular Mg2+ and Ca2+ can have a distinct impact on the adhesive and migratory activities of many cell types. The physiological relevance of these observations, however, has remained largely unexplored. In the present study, wound fluids collected throughout the early stages of cutaneous wound repair were examined for possible Mg2+ and Ca2+ f...

Kir channels display voltage-dependent block by cytosolic cations such as Mg2+ and polyamines that causes inward rectification. In fact, cations can regulate K channel activity from both the extracellular and intracellular sides. Previous studies have provided insight into the up-regulation of Kir channel activity by extracellular K+ concentration. In contrast, extracellular Mg2+ has been found...

Preeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder that is unique to pregnancy. Magnesium (Mg2+) supplementation is a potential new therapy to ameliorate development of hypertension. The aim of this work was to compare the effects of Mg2+ supplementation on systolic blood pressure (SBP) in young and aged rats. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were divided into young (6-week-old male, n = 10) and old ...

We fully agree with Funato and colleagues on the relevance of CNNM proteins for the maintenance of Mg2+ homeostasis (Funato et al. 2018). Both of our papers summarize the solid body of evidence demonstrating thatCNNM2 is key for renalMg2+ handling, while CNNM4 regulates intestinal Mg2+ transport. Nevertheless, we do not share the conclusions presented by Funato and colleagues suggesting that CN...

1. The effect of preincubation of extracts of lactating rat mammary gland with ATP, Mg2+ and micromolar concentrations of Ca2+ on the activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase was studied. 2. Both Mg2+ and Ca2+ activated the enzyme. Activation with Mg2+ (5 mM) was larger than that with Ca2+ (calculated free Ca2+ concentration = 20-50 microM), but the activity decreased after reaching a peak. The activ...

For cell division, negatively charged chromatin, in which nucleosome fibers (10 nm fibers) are irregularly folded [1-5], must be condensed into chromosomes and segregated. While condensin and other proteins are critical for organizing chromatin into the appropriate chromosome shape [6-17], free divalent cations such as Mg2+ and Ca2+, which condense chromatin or chromosomes in vitro [18-28], hav...