Energetics of low affinity amino acid transport into brain slices

Influx of gamma-aminobutyric acid and alpha-aminoisobutyric acid into mouse cerebrum slices incubated in a pyruvate medium with or without added glucose or glucose analogues compared with influx from a glucose medium

Concentrative influx of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and alpha-amino-isobutyric acid (AIB) into incubated mouse cerebrum slices is decreased when pyruvate is substituted for glucose. Influx of GABA from pyruvate medium is not increased by presence of glucose, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DOG), or 3-O-methyl-D-glucose (3-O-MeG). Influx of AIB is restored to the rate from glucose medium if 2-DOG is present initially, but is not restored if 2-DOG is added with AIB. Influx is not restored if 3-O-MeG is present initially, but is restored if 3-O-MeG is added with AIB. Influx is restored if glucose is present initially or is added with AIB.

The relation between membrane potential and the transport activity of system A and L in plasma membrane vesicles of the Ehrlich cell

Plasma membrane vesicles isolated from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells have been used to investigate the role of the transmembrane potential in the energetics of Systems A and L. As expected, Na+ -dependent System A was responsive to changes in membrane potential. System L activity, as measured by transport of 2-amino-norbornane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH), was shown to be Na+ -independent and was not altered by changes in the membrane potential. The combination of valinomycin and nigericin decreased accumulation of MeAIB but not that of BCH. The presence of nigericin alone caused a significant decrease in uptake by System A and a decrease in uptake by System L to a lesser degree. The inhibitory action of nigericin might reflect its ability to dissipate the Na+ gradient rather than an effect on K+ or H+ flows. The results indicate that modes of energization not produced through the transmembrane potential must account for any uphill operation of System L.