Effects of pH on proton transport by vacuolar pumps from maize roots

Protons pumps of the tonoplast may be involved in the regulation of cytosolic pH, but the effects of pH on the coupled activities of these transporters are poorly understood. The effects of pH on the activities of the H + ‐translocating pyrophosphatase (PP i ase) and vacuolar‐type H + ‐translocating adenosine triphosphatase (H + ‐ATPase) from maize ( Zea mays L. cv. FRB 73) root membranes were assessed by model that simultaneously considers proton transport by the pump and those processes that reduce net transport. The addition of either pyrophosphate or ATP to either microsomal or tonoplast membranes generated a pH gradient. The pH gradient generated in the presence of both substrates was not the sum of the gradients produced by the two substrates added separately. When membranes were separated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation, pyrophosphate (PP i )‐dependent proton transport was associated with light density membranes having tonoplast H + ‐ATPase activity. These results indicate that some portion of the PP i ase was located on the same membrane system as the tonoplast ATPase; however, tonoplast vesicles may be heterogeneous, differing slightly in the ratio of ATP‐ to PP i ‐dependent transport. Proton transport by both the PP i ase and ATPase had maximal activity at pH 7.0 to 8.0 Decreases in proton transport by the ATPase at pH above the optimum were associated with increases in the processes that reduce net transport. Such an association was not observed at pH values below the optimum. These results are discussed in terms of in situ regulation of cytoplasmic pH by the two pumps.