title: Intracellular pH regulation by the plasma membrane V-ATPase in Malpighian tubules of Drosophila larvae.
abstract: The functional significance of the apical vacuolar-type proton pump (V-ATPase) in Drosophila Malpighian tubules was studied by measuring the intracellular pH (pHi) and luminal pH (pHlu) with double-barrelled pH-microelectrodes in proximal segments of the larval anterior tubule immersed in nominally bicarbonate-free solutions (pHo 6.9). In proximal segments both pHi (7.43 +/- 0.20) and pHlu (7.10 +/- 0.24)) were significantly lower than in distal segments (pHi 7.70 +/- 0.29, pHlu 8.09 +/- 0.15). Steady-state pHi of proximal segments was much less sensitive to changes in pHo than pH of the luminal fluid (delta pHlu/delta pHo was 0.49 while delta pHi/delta pHo was 0.18; pHo 6.50-7.20). Re-alkaliniziation from an NH4Cl-induced intracellular acid load (initial pHi recovery rate 0.55 +/- 0.34 pH.min-1) was nearly totally inhibited by 1 mmol.l-1 KCN (96% inhibition) and to a large degree (79%) by 1 mumol.l-1 bafilomycin A1. In contrast, both vanadate (1 mmol.l-1) and amiloride (1 mmol.l-1) inhibited pHi recovery by 38% and 33%, respectively. Unlike amiloride, removal of Na+ from the bathing saline had no effect on pHi recovery, indicating that a Na+/H+ exchange is not significantly involved in pHi regulation. Instead pHi regulation apparently depended largely on the availability of ATP and on the activity of the bafilomycin-sensitive proton pump.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Allgemeine und Spezielle Zoologie, Justus-Liebig-Universität, Giessen, Germany.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bertram
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wessing
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000502:physiology*; D000643:Ammonium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D017920:Antiporters / Q000378:metabolism; D002021:Buffers; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000201:enzymology; D004330:Drosophila / Q000378:metabolism*; D006706:Homeostasis; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007425:Intracellular Membranes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008317:Malpighian Tubules / Q000378:metabolism*; D027961:Potassium-Hydrogen Antiporters; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D017920:Antiporters; D002021:Buffers; D027961:Potassium-Hydrogen Antiporters; D000643:Ammonium Chloride; D006859:Hydrogen; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases