E.coli에서 발견된 ATP-dependent 효소인 Clp효소 중에서 Clp A의 ATPase 활성에 대한 영향을 검토하였다. Clp효소의 limiting amount으로 나타난 specific 활성은 일정하게 증가하는 효소의존성을 보였다. ATPase 활성을 나타내고 있는 ClP A는 casein에 의하여 활성화되어지며 2분자의 ATP가 결합하고 ATPase 활성을 나타내기 위한 ATP의 분해는 Clp효소의 단백질 분해 활성에 필요하다.
Clp is a relatively abundant ATP-dependent protease found in E. coli. Its specific activity was proportional to the concentration of the limiting amount of Clp A and an excess amount of Clp P, and vice versa. Clp A has an intrinsic ATPase activity that is stimulated by casein, and contains a second site for binding A TP, in addition to the ATPase site. The modification of sulfhydryl groups in Clp A with reagents which have bulky groups such as N-phenylmaleimide led to nullifying both ATPase and protease activity. The same sites were modified by sulfhydryl reagents. It seems that the sulfhydryl groups of Clp A are not directly involved in catalysis. Since non-hydrolyzable analogs of ATP do not activate Clp, ATP hydrolysis may be essential for the proteolytic activity of Clp protease. Clp A and Clp P did not associate in the absence of nucleotide. The results suggest that the activity of the proteolytic component, Clp P, is regulated by the A TP-dependent cycling of Clp A between the activator form and the non-activator form.
