Novel $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase Found in the Human Milk Membrane Fraction

Calcium-stimulated ATPase ($Ca^{2+}$-ATPase) which has optimal pH value at 7.0 was found in the membrane fraction of human milk, and its enzymatic properties were studied. The purified $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase required 0.45 mM Ca ion for maximal activity. Among the nucleosides, $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase showed a higher substrate specificity to ATP and UTP than to CTP and GTP. $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase had apparent Km value of 0.065, and V max of 7.63 mol ATP hydrolyzed/mg pro-tein per min, respectively. $Ca^{2+}$-ATPase was potently inhibited by lanthanide, vanadate, and p-chloromercuribenzoate, and inactivated by EDTA, and CDTA and EGTA, but were unaffected by N-ethylmaleimide, $NaN_3$, ouabain, or oligomycin, and was completely inactivated by heating at $60^{\circ}C$ for 10 min. This enzyme activity was concentrated in the membrane fraction of the cream and skim milk membrane, but not founded in bovine milk.