We relate solution behavior to the crystal structure of the Ca
2+ ATPase (SERCA). We findthat nucleotide binding occurs with high affinity through interaction of the adenosine moiety with the Ndomain, even in the absence of Ca
2+ and Mg
2+, or to the closed conformation stabilized by thapsigargin(TG). Why then is Ca
2+ crucial for ATP utilization? The influence of adenosine 5'-(
,
-methylene)triphosphate (AMPPCP), Ca
2+,
and Mg
2+ on proteolytic digestion patterns, interpreted in the light ofknown crystal structures, indicates that a Ca
2+-dependent conformation of the ATPase headpiece is requiredfor a further transition induced by nucleotide binding. This includes opening of the headpiece, which inturn allows inclination of the "A" domain
and bending of the "P" domain. Thereby, the phosphate chainof bound ATP acquires an extended configuration allowing the
-phosphate to reach Asp351 to form acomplex including Mg
2+. We demonstrate by Asp351 mutation that this "productive" conformation ofthe substrate-enzyme complex is unstable because of electrostatic repulsion at the phosphorylation site.However, this conformation is subsequently stabilized by covalent engagement of the
-phosphate yieldingthe phosphoenzyme intermediate. We also demonstrate that the ADP product remains bound with highaffinity to the transition state complex but dissociates with lower affinity as the phosphoenzyme undergoesa further conformational change (i.e., E1-P to E2-P transition). Finally, we measured low-affinity ATPbinding to stable phosphoenzyme analogues, demonstrating that the E1-P to E2-P transition
and theenzyme turnover are accelerated by ATP binding to the phosphoenzyme in exchange for ADP.