A method for determining the unitary functional capacity of cloned channels and transporters expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes

Toward New AQP4 Inhibitors: ORI-TRN-002

Cerebral edema is a life-threatening condition that can cause permanent brain damage or death if left untreated. Existing therapies aim at mitigating the associated elevated intracranial pressure, yet they primarily alleviate pressure rather than prevent edema formation. Prophylactic anti-edema therapy necessitates novel drugs targeting edema formation. Aquaporin 4 (AQP4), an abundantly expressed water pore in mammalian glia and ependymal cells, has been proposed to be involved in cerebral edema formation. A series of novel compounds have been tested for their potential inhibitory effects on AQP4. However, selectivity, toxicity, functional inhibition, sustained therapeutic concentration, and delivery into the central nervous system are major challenges. Employing extensive density-functional theory (DFT) calculations, we identified a previously unreported thermodynamically stable tautomer of the recently identified AQP4-specific inhibitor TGN-020 (2-(nicotinamide)-1,3,4-thiadiazol). This novel form, featuring a distinct hydrogen-bonding pattern, served as a template for a COSMOsim-3D-based virtual screen of proprietary compounds from Origenis™. The screening identified ORI-TRN-002, an electronic homologue of TGN-020, demonstrating high solubility and low protein binding. Evaluating ORI-TRN-002 on AQP4-expressing Xenopus laevis oocytes using a high-resolution volume recording system revealed an IC50 of 2.9 ± 0.6 µM, establishing it as a novel AQP4 inhibitor. ORI-TRN-002 exhibits superior solubility and overcomes free fraction limitations compared to other reported AQP4 inhibitors, suggesting its potential as a promising anti-edema therapy for treating cerebral edema in the future.

Aquaporin Gating: A New Twist to Unravel Permeation through Water Channels

Aquaporins (AQPs) are small transmembrane tetrameric proteins that facilitate water, solute and gas exchange. Their presence has been extensively reported in the biological membranes of almost all living organisms. Although their discovery is much more recent than ion transport systems, different biophysical approaches have contributed to confirm that permeation through each monomer is consistent with closed and open states, introducing the term gating mechanism into the field. The study of AQPs in their native membrane or overexpressed in heterologous systems have experimentally demonstrated that water membrane permeability can be reversibly modified in response to specific modulators. For some regulation mechanisms, such as pH changes, evidence for gating is also supported by high-resolution structures of the water channel in different configurations as well as molecular dynamics simulation. Both experimental and simulation approaches sustain that the rearrangement of conserved residues contributes to occlude the cavity of the channel restricting water permeation. Interestingly, specific charged and conserved residues are present in the environment of the pore and, thus, the tetrameric structure can be subjected to alter the positions of these charges to sustain gating. Thus, is it possible to explore whether the displacement of these charges (gating current) leads to conformational changes? To our knowledge, this question has not yet been addressed at all. In this review, we intend to analyze the suitability of this proposal for the first time.

The energetic barrier to single-file water flow through narrow channels

Various nanoscopic channels of roughly equal diameter and length facilitate single-file diffusion at vastly different rates. The underlying variance of the energetic barriers to transport is poorly understood. First, water partitioning into channels so narrow that individual molecules cannot overtake each other incurs an energetic penalty. Corresponding estimates vary widely depending on how the sacrifice of two out of four hydrogen bonds is accounted for. Second, entropy differences between luminal and bulk water may arise: additional degrees of freedom caused by dangling OH-bonds increase entropy. At the same time, long-range dipolar water interactions decrease entropy. Here, we dissect different contributions to Gibbs free energy of activation, ΔG ^‡, for single-file water transport through narrow channels by analyzing experimental results from water permeability measurements on both bare lipid bilayers and biological water channels that (i) consider unstirred layer effects and (ii) adequately count the channels in reconstitution experiments. First, the functional relationship between water permeabilities and Arrhenius activation energies indicates negligible differences between the entropies of intraluminal water and bulk water. Second, we calculate ΔG ^‡ from unitary water channel permeabilities using transition state theory. Plotting ΔG ^‡ as a function of the number of H-bond donating or accepting pore-lining residues results in a 0.1 kcal/mol contribution per residue. The resulting upper limit for partial water dehydration amounts to 2 kcal/mol. In the framework of biomimicry, our analysis provides valuable insights for the design of synthetic water channels. It thus may aid in the urgent endeavor towards combating global water scarcity.

The Molecular Basis of Glucose Galactose Malabsorption in a Large Swedish Pedigree

Glucose-galactose malabsorption (GGM) is due to mutations in the gene coding for the intestinal sodium glucose cotransporter SGLT1 (SLC5A1). Here we identify the rare variant Gln457Arg (Q457R) in a large pedigree of patients in the Västerbotten County in Northern Sweden with the clinical phenotype of GGM. The functional effect of the Q457R mutation was determined in protein expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes using biophysical and biochemical methods. The mutant failed to transport the specific SGLT1 sugar analog α-methyl-D-glucopyranoside (αMDG). Q457R SGLT1 was synthesized in amounts comparable to the wild-type (WT) transporter. SGLT1 charge measurements and freeze-fracture electron microscopy demonstrated that the mutant protein was inserted into the plasma membrane. Electrophysiological experiments, both steady-state and presteady-state, demonstrated that the mutant bound sugar with an affinity lower than the WT transporter. Together with our previous studies on Q457C and Q457E mutants, we established that the positive charge on Q457R prevented the translocation of sugar from the outward-facing to inward-facing conformation. This is contrary to other GGM cases where missense mutations caused defects in trafficking SGLT1 to the plasma membrane. Thirteen GGM patients are now added to the pedigree traced back to the late 17^th century. The frequency of the Q457R variant in Västerbotten County genomes, 0.0067, is higher than in the general Swedish population, 0.0015, and higher than the general European population, 0.000067. This explains the high number of GGM cases in this region of Sweden.

The Xenopus Oocyte as an Expression System for Functional Analyses of Fish Aquaporins

Aquaporins are membrane proteins present in all organisms that selectively transport water and small, uncharged solutes across biological membranes along an osmotic gradient. Recent gene editing technologies in zebrafish (Danio rerio) have started to uncover the physiological functions of the aquaporins in teleosts, but these approaches require methods to establish the effects of specific mutations on channel function. The oocytes of the South African frog Xenopus laevis are widely used for the expression of bacterial, plant, and animal aquaporins, and this heterologous system has contributed to numerous discoveries in aquaporin biology. This chapter focuses on techniques used for oocyte preparation and aquaporin expression and gives an overview of specific methods to determine water and solute permeability of the channels and their intracellular trafficking in oocytes.

Calcein Fluorescence Quenching to Measure Plasma Membrane Water Flux in Live Mammalian Cells

Aquaporins (AQPs) are membrane channel proteins that facilitate the movement of water down osmotic gradients across biological membranes. This protocol allows measurements of AQP-mediated water transport across the plasma membrane of live mammalian cells. Calcein is a fluorescent dye that is quenched in a concentration-dependent manner. Therefore, on short timescales, its concentration-dependent fluorescence can be used as a probe of cell volume, and therefore a probe of water transport into or out of cells. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Kitchen et al. (2020) and Kitchen and Conner (2015). For the underlying methodology development, please refer to Fenton et al. (2010) and Solenov et al. (2004).

Clearance of activity-evoked K+ transients and associated glia cell swelling occur independently of AQP4: A study with an isoform-selective AQP4 inhibitor

The mammalian brain consists of 80% water, which is continuously shifted between different compartments and cellular structures by mechanisms that are, to a large extent, unresolved. Aquaporin 4 (AQP4) is abundantly expressed in glia and ependymal cells of the mammalian brain and has been proposed to act as a gatekeeper for brain water dynamics, predominantly based on studies utilizing AQP4-deficient mice. However, these mice have a range of secondary effects due to the gene deletion. An efficient and selective AQP4 inhibitor has thus been sorely needed to validate the results obtained in the AQP4^-/- mice to quantify the contribution of AQP4 to brain fluid dynamics. In AQP4-expressing Xenopus laevis oocytes monitored by a high-resolution volume recording system, we here demonstrate that the compound TGN-020 is such a selective AQP4 inhibitor. TGN-020 targets the tested species of AQP4 with an IC₅₀ of ~3.5 μM, but displays no inhibitory effect on the other AQPs (AQP1-AQP9). With this tool, we employed rat hippocampal slices and ion-sensitive microelectrodes to determine the role of AQP4 in glia cell swelling following neuronal activity. TGN-020-mediated inhibition of AQP4 did not prevent stimulus-induced extracellular space shrinkage, nor did it slow clearance of the activity-evoked K⁺ transient. These data, obtained with a verified isoform-selective AQP4 inhibitor, indicate that AQP4 is not required for the astrocytic contribution to the K⁺ clearance or the associated extracellular space shrinkage.

Pannexin 1 activation and inhibition is permeant-selective

KEY POINTS

The large-pore channel pannexin 1 (Panx1) is expressed in many cell types and can open upon different, yet not fully established, stimuli. Panx1 permeability is often inferred from channel permeability to fluorescent dyes, but it is currently unknown whether dye permeability translates to permeability to other molecules. Cell shrinkage and C-terminal cleavage led to a Panx1 open-state with increased permeability to atomic ions (current), but did not alter ethidium uptake. Panx1 inhibitors affected Panx1-mediated ion conduction differently from ethidium permeability, and inhibitor efficiency towards a given molecule therefore cannot be extrapolated to its effects on the permeability of another. We conclude that ethidium permeability does not reflect equal permeation of other molecules and thus is no measure of general Panx1 activity.

ABSTRACT

Pannexin 1 (Panx1) is a large-pore membrane channel connecting the extracellular milieu with the cell interior. While several activation regimes activate Panx1 in a variety of cell types, the selective permeability of an open Panx1 channel remains unresolved: does a given activation paradigm increase Panx1's permeability towards all permeants equally and does fluorescent dye flux serve as a proxy for biological permeation through an open channel? To explore permeant-selectivity of Panx1 activation and inhibition, we employed Panx1-expressing Xenopus laevis oocytes and HEK293T cells. We report that different mechanisms of activation of Panx1 differentially affected ethidium and atomic ion permeation. Most notably, C-terminal truncation or cell shrinkage elevated Panx1-mediated ion conductance, but had no effect on ethidium permeability. In contrast, extracellular pH changes predominantly affected ethidium permeability but not ionic conductance. High [K⁺ ]_o did not increase the flux of either of the two permeants. Once open, Panx1 demonstrated preference for anionic permeants, such as Cl^- , lactate and glutamate, while not supporting osmotic water flow. Panx1 inhibitors displayed enhanced potency towards Panx1-mediated currents compared to that of ethidium uptake. We conclude that activation or inhibition of Panx1 display permeant-selectivity and that permeation of ethidium does not necessarily reflect an equal permeation of smaller biological molecules and atomic ions.

Claudin-15 forms a water channel through the tight junction with distinct function compared to claudin-2

AIM

Claudin-15 is mainly expressed in the small intestine and indirectly involved in glucose absorption. Similar to claudin-2 and -10b, claudin-15 is known to form a paracellular channel for small cations. Claudin-2, but not claudin-10b, also forms water channels. Here we experimentally tested whether claudin-15 also mediates water transport and if yes, whether water transport is Na⁺ -coupled, as seen for claudin-2.

METHODS

MDCK C7 cells were stably transfected with claudin-15. Ion and water permeability were investigated in confluent monolayers of control and claudin-15-expressing cells. Water flux was induced by an osmotic or ionic gradient.

RESULTS

Expression of claudin-15 in MDCK cells strongly increased cation permeability. The permeability ratios for monovalent cations indicated a passage of partially hydrated ions through the claudin-15 pore. Accordingly, its pore diameter was determined to be larger than that of claudin-2 and claudin-10b. Mannitol-induced water flux was elevated in claudin-15-expressing cells compared to control cells. In contrast to the Na⁺ -coupled water flux of claudin-2 channels, claudin-15-mediated water flux was inhibited by Na⁺ flux. Consequently, water flux was increased in Na⁺ -free solution. Likewise, Na⁺ flux was decreased after induction of water flux through claudin-15.

CONCLUSION

Claudin-15, similar to claudin-2, forms a paracellular cation and water channel. In functional contrast to claudin-2, water and Na⁺ fluxes through claudin-15 inhibit each other. Claudin-15 allows Na⁺ to retain part of its hydration shell within the pore. This then reduces the simultaneous passage of additional water through the pore.

Deletion of Seventeen Amino Acids at the C-Terminal End of Aquaporin 0 Causes Distortion Aberration and Cataract in the Lenses of AQP0ΔC/ΔC Mice

Purpose

Investigate the effects of the absence of 17 amino acids at the C-terminal end of Aquaporin 0 (AQP0) on lens transparency, focusing property, and homeostasis.

Methods

A knockin (KI) mouse model (AQP0ΔC/ΔC) was developed to express AQP0 only as the end-cleaved form in the lens. For this, AQP0 was genetically engineered as C-terminally end-cleaved with amino acids 1 to 246, instead of the full length 1 to 263 of the wild type (WT). After verifying the KI integration into the genome and its expression, the mouse model was bred for several generations. AQP0 KI homozygous (AQP0ΔC/ΔC) and heterozygous (AQP0+/ΔC) lenses were imaged and analyzed at different developmental stages for transparency. Correspondingly, aberrations in the lens were characterized using the standard metal grid focusing method. Data were compared with age-matched WT, AQP0 knockout (AQP0-/-), and AQP0 heterozygous (AQP0+/-) lenses.

Results

AQP0ΔC/ΔC lenses were transparent throughout the embryonic development and until postnatal day 15 (P15) in contrast to age-matched AQP0-/- lenses, which developed cataract at embryonic stage itself. However, there was distortion aberration in AQP0ΔC/ΔC lens at P5; after P15, cataract began to develop and progressed faster surpassing that of age-matched AQP0-/- lenses. AQP0+/ΔC lenses were transparent even at the age of 1 year in contrast to AQP0+/- lenses; however, there was distortion aberration starting at P15.

Conclusions

A specific distribution profile of intact and end-cleaved AQP0 from the outer cortex to the inner nucleus is required in the lens for establishing refractive index gradient to enable proper focusing without aberrations and for maintaining transparency.

Tonic Calcium-Activated Chloride Current Sustained by ATP Release and Highly Desensitizing Human P2X1 Receptors

Extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) participates in maintaining the vascular tone in the CNS, particularly in the retina, via the tonic activity of ligand gated activated P2X1 receptors. P2X1 receptors are characterized by their high affinity for ATP and their strong desensitization to concentrations of ATP that are 200-fold lower than their EC₅₀. The mechanism behind P2X1 tonic activity remains unclear. In this study, we expressed human P2X1 (hP2X1) homomeric receptors in Xenopus oocytes to explore the relationship between ATP release from oocytes at rest, hP2X1, and Ca²⁺-activated Cl^- channels. Our results indicate that Xenopus oocytes release ATP at rest via vesicular exocytosis, and this process is a constitutive phenomenon independent of extracellular Ca²⁺. Our results also indicate that hP2X1 receptors are able to sustain a tonic activity of Ca²⁺-activated Cl^- channels. In the presence of extracellular Ca²⁺ the activity of hP2X1 receptors is greatly amplified by its coupling with Ca²⁺-activated Cl^- channels. Future studies addressing the relationship between hP2X1 receptors and Ca²⁺-activated Cl^- channels in vascular smooth muscle cells should provide information about additional mechanisms that regulate the vascular tone and their potential as pharmaceutical targets. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Honoring Ricardo Miledi - outstanding neuroscientist of XX-XXI centuries.

C-Terminal End of Aquaporin 0 Regulates Lens Gap Junction Channel Function

Purpose

We reported previously that aquaporin 0 (AQP0) modulates lens fiber cell gap junction (GJ) channel function. The present study was conducted to find out whether the C-terminal end of AQP0 is involved in this regulation.

Methods

A mouse model, AQP0ΔC/ΔC, was genetically engineered to express AQP0 with 1-246 amino acids, without the normal intact AQP0 (1-263 amino acids) in the lens. Transparency and focusing of the lens were assessed. Intracellular impedance was measured to determine GJ coupling resistance. Intracellular hydrostatic pressure (HP) was also determined. Western blotting was performed to determine connexin (Cx46 and Cx50) expression levels.

Results

At postnatal day 10, AQP0ΔC/ΔC mouse lenses relative to age-matched wild-type lenses showed loss of transparency and abnormal optical distortion; GJ coupling resistance increased in the differentiating (1.6-fold) and mature (8-fold) fiber cells; lens HP increased approximately 1.5-fold at the junction between the differentiating and mature fiber cells and approximately 2.0-fold in the center; there was no significant change (P > 0.05) in expression levels of Cx46 or Cx50.

Conclusions

The increase in GJ coupling resistance was not associated with reduced connexin expression, suggesting either a reduction in the open probability or some physical change in plaque location. The increase in resistance was significantly greater than the increase in HP, suggesting less pressure-driven water flow through each open GJ channel. These changes may lead to a loss of transparency and abnormal optical distortion. Overall, our data demonstrate the C-terminal end of AQP0 is involved in modulating GJ coupling to maintain lens transparency and homeostasis.

Experimental and Simulation Studies of Aquaporin 0 Water Permeability and Regulation

We begin with the history of aquaporin zero (AQP0), the most prevalent membrane protein in the eye lens, from the early days when AQP0 was a protein of unknown function known as Major Intrinsic Protein 26. We progress through its joining the aquaporin family as a water channel in its own right and discuss how regulation of its water permeability by pH and calcium came to be discovered experimentally and linked to lens homeostasis and development. We review the development of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of lipid bilayers and membrane proteins, including aquaporins, with an emphasis on simulation studies that have elucidated the mechanisms of water conduction, selectivity, and proton exclusion by aquaporins in general. We also review experimental and theoretical progress toward understanding why mammalian AQP0 has a lower water permeability than other aquaporins and the evolution of our present understanding of how its water permeability is regulated by pH and calcium. Finally, we discuss how MD simulations have elucidated the nature of lipid interactions with AQP0.

Intrinsic Membrane Permeability to Small Molecules

Spontaneous solute and solvent permeation through membranes is of vital importance to human life, be it gas exchange in red blood cells, metabolite excretion, drug/toxin uptake, or water homeostasis. Knowledge of the underlying molecular mechanisms is the sine qua non of every functional assignment to membrane transporters. The basis of our current solubility diffusion model was laid by Meyer and Overton. It correlates the solubility of a substance in an organic phase with its membrane permeability. Since then, a wide range of studies challenging this rule have appeared. Commonly, the discrepancies have their origin in ill-used measurement approaches, as we demonstrate on the example of membrane CO₂ transport. On the basis of the insight that scanning electrochemical microscopy offered into solute concentration distributions in immediate membrane vicinity of planar membranes, we analyzed the interplay between chemical reactions and diffusion for solvent transport, weak acid permeation, and enzymatic reactions adjacent to membranes. We conclude that buffer reactions must also be considered in spectroscopic investigations of weak acid transport in vesicular suspensions. The evaluation of energetic contributions to membrane translocation of charged species demonstrates the compatibility of the resulting membrane current with the solubility diffusion model. A local partition coefficient that depends on membrane penetration depth governs spontaneous membrane translocation of both charged and uncharged molecules. It is determined not only by the solubility in an organic phase but also by other factors like cholesterol concentration and intrinsic electric membrane potentials.

Single-file transport of water through membrane channels

Water at interfaces governs many processes on the molecular scale from electrochemical and enzymatic reactions to protein folding. Here we focus on water transport through proteinaceous pores that are so narrow that the water molecules cannot overtake each other in the pore. After a short introduction into the single-file transport theory, we analyze experiments in which the unitary water permeability, pf, of water channel proteins (aquaporins, AQPs), potassium channels (KcsA), and antibiotics (gramicidin-A derivatives) has been obtained. A short outline of the underlying methods (scanning electrochemical microscopy, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, measurements of vesicle light scattering) is also provided. We conclude that pf increases exponentially with a decreasing number NH of hydrogen bond donating or accepting residues in the channel wall. The variance in NH is responsible for a more than hundredfold change in pf. The dehydration penalty at the channel mouth has a smaller effect on pf. The intricate link between pf and the Gibbs activation energy barrier, ΔG‡t, for water flow suggests that conformational transitions of water channels act as a third determinant of pf.

The molecular mechanism of SLC34 proteins: insights from two decades of transport assays and structure-function studies

The expression cloning some 25 years ago of the first member of SLC34 solute carrier family, the renal sodium-coupled inorganic phosphate cotransporter (NaPi-IIa) from rat and human tissue, heralded a new era of research into renal phosphate handling by focussing on the carrier proteins that mediate phosphate transport. The cloning of NaPi-IIa was followed by that of the intestinal NaPi-IIb and renal NaPi-IIc isoforms. These three proteins constitute the main secondary-active Na⁺-driven pathways for apical entry of inorganic phosphate (P_i) across renal and intestinal epithelial, as well as other epithelial-like organs. The key role these proteins play in mammalian P_i homeostasis was revealed in the intervening decades by numerous in vitro and animal studies, including the development of knockout animals for each gene and the detection of naturally occurring mutations that can lead to P_i-handling dysfunction in humans. In addition to characterising their physiological regulation, research has also focused on understanding the underlying transport mechanism and identifying structure-function relationships. Over the past two decades, this research effort has used real-time electrophysiological and fluorometric assays together with novel computational biology strategies to develop a detailed, but still incomplete, understanding of the transport mechanism of SLC34 proteins at the molecular level. This review will focus on how our present understanding of their molecular mechanism has evolved in this period by highlighting the key experimental findings.

A de novo Ser111Thr variant in aquaporin-4 in a patient with intellectual disability, transient signs of brain ischemia, transient cardiac hypertrophy, and progressive gait disturbance

Aquaporin-4, encoded by AQP4, is the major water channel in the central nervous system and plays an important role in the brain's water balance, including edema formation and clearance. Using genomic copy-number analysis and trio-exome sequencing, we investigated a male patient with intellectual disability, hearing loss, and progressive gait dysfunction and found a de novo missense change Ser111Thr in AQP4 as the only suspicious finding. Perinatally, signs of brain ischemia were detected in relation to acute collapse 2 h after birth that resolved a few days later. At the age of 3 mo, cardiac hypertrophy was detected that persisted through childhood but was completely resolved by age 16. In theory, this neurodevelopmental disorder with transient cardiomyopathy could be caused by a disturbance of cellular water balance. Ser111 is an extremely conserved residue in the short cytoplasmic loop between AQP4 transmembrane helix 2 and 3, present across all AQP isoforms from plants to mammals, and it does not appear to be a phosphorylation site. We found that the Ser111Thr change does not affect water permeability or protein stability, suggesting another and possibly regulatory role. Although causality remains unproven, this case study draws attention to AQP4 as a candidate gene for a unique developmental disorder and to a specific serine as a residue of possibly great functional importance in many AQPs.

Aquaporin 0 Modulates Lens Gap Junctions in the Presence of Lens-Specific Beaded Filament Proteins

Purpose

The objective of this study was to understand the molecular and physiologic mechanisms behind the lens cataract differences in Aquaporin 0-knockout-Heterozygous (AQP0-Htz) mice developed in C57 and FVB (lacks beaded filaments [BFs]) strains.

Methods

Lens transparency was studied using dark field light microscopy. Water permeability (P_f) was measured in fiber cell membrane vesicles. Western blotting/immunostaining was performed to verify expression of BF proteins and connexins. Microelectrode-based intact lens intracellular impedance was measured to determine gap junction (GJ) coupling resistance. Lens intracellular hydrostatic pressure (HP) was determined using a microelectrode/manometer system.

Results

Lens opacity and spherical aberration were more distinct in AQP0-Htz lenses from FVB than C57 strains. In either background, compared to wild type (WT), AQP0-Htz lenses showed decreased P_f (approximately 50%), which was restored by transgenic expression of AQP1 (TgAQP1/AQP0-Htz), but the opacities and differences between FVB and C57 persisted. Western blotting revealed no change in connexin expression levels. However, in C57 AQP0-Htz and TgAQP1/AQP0-Htz lenses, GJ coupling resistance decreased approximately 2.8-fold and the HP gradient decreased approximately 1.9-fold. Increased P_f in TgAQP1/AQP0-Htz did not alter GJ coupling resistance or HP.

Conclusions

In C57 AQP0-Htz lenses, GJ coupling resistance decreased. HP reduction was smaller than the coupling resistance reduction, a reflection of an increase in fluid circulation, which is one reason for the less severe cataract in C57 than FVB. Overall, our results suggest that AQP0 modulates GJs in the presence of BF proteins to maintain lens transparency and homeostasis.

Active site voltage clamp fluorometry of the sodium glucose cotransporter hSGLT1

Site-directed fluorometry was used to understand conformational changes of the Na⁺/glucose symporter. SGLT1 functions by a mechanism where the substrate-binding site alternates between the two faces of the membrane, but little is known about the underlying conformational changes. Rhodamines were covalently inserted into the substrate cavity, and changes of fluorescence were measured in real time with the opening and closing of the outer gate as SGLT1 was driven between inward and outward conformations using voltage jumps. Structural modeling indicated that the quenching with gating opening was due to an increased solvation of rhodamine and an increase in polar residues lining the wall of the cavity. This experimental approach will lead to a better understanding of the mechanism of membrane transport.

In the human sodium glucose cotransporter (hSGLT1) cycle, the protein undergoes conformational changes where the sugar-binding site alternatively faces the external and internal surfaces. Functional site-directed fluorometry was used to probe the conformational changes at the sugar-binding site. Residues (Y290, T287, H83, and N78) were mutated to cysteines. The mutants were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and tagged with environmentally sensitive fluorescent rhodamines [e.g., tetramethylrhodamine (TMR)-thiols]. The fluorescence intensity was recorded as the mutants were driven into different conformations using voltage jumps. Sugar binding and transport by the fluorophore-tagged mutants were blocked, but Na⁺ binding and the voltage-dependent conformational transitions were unaffected. Structural models indicated that external Na⁺ binding opened a large aqueous vestibule (600 ų) leading to the sugar-binding site. The fluorescence of TMR covalently linked to Y290C, T287C, and H83C decreased as the mutant proteins were driven from the inward to the outward open Na⁺-bound conformation. The time courses of fluorescence changes (milliseconds) were close to the SGLT1 capacitive charge movements. The quench in rhodamine fluorescence indicated that the environment of the chromophores became more polar with opening of the external gates as the protein transitioned from the inward to outward facing state. Structural analyses showed an increase in polar side chains and a decrease in hydrophobic side chains lining the vestibule, and this was reflected in solvation of the chromophore. The results demonstrate the opening and closing of external gates in real time, with the accompanying changes of polarity of the sugar vestibule.

Gain-of-function mutations in Aqp3a influence zebrafish pigment pattern formation through the tissue environment

The development of the pigmentation pattern in zebrafish is a tightly regulated process that depends on both the self-organizing properties of pigment cells and extrinsic cues from other tissues. Many of the known mutations that alter the pattern act cell-autonomously in pigment cells, and our knowledge about external regulators is limited. Here, we describe novel zebrafish mau mutants, which encompass several dominant missense mutations in Aquaporin 3a (Aqp3a) that lead to broken stripes and short fins. A loss-of-function aqp3a allele, generated by CRISPR-Cas9, has no phenotypic consequences, demonstrating that Aqp3a is dispensable for normal development. Strikingly, the pigment cells from dominant mau mutants are capable of forming a wild-type pattern when developing in a wild-type environment, but the surrounding tissues in the mutants influence pigment cell behaviour and interfere with the patterning process. The mutated amino acid residues in the dominant alleles line the pore surface of Aqp3a and influence pore permeability. These results demonstrate an important effect of the tissue environment on pigment cell behaviour and, thereby, on pattern formation.

Summary: Dominant mutations in the water channel Aquaporin 3a cause defective pigment patterning in zebrafish, due at least in part to an effect of the mutant tissue environment on the pigment cells.

When size matters: transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 channel as a volume-sensor rather than an osmo-sensor

KEY POINTS

Mammalian cells are frequently exposed to stressors causing volume changes. The transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) channel translates osmotic stress into ion flux. The molecular mechanism coupling osmolarity to TRPV4 activation remains elusive. TRPV4 responds to isosmolar cell swelling and osmolarity translated via different aquaporins. TRPV4 functions as a volume-sensing ion channel irrespective of the origin of the cell swelling.

ABSTRACT

Transient receptor potential channel 4 of the vanilloid subfamily (TRPV4) is activated by a diverse range of molecular cues, such as heat, lipid metabolites and synthetic agonists, in addition to hyposmotic challenges. As a non-selective cation channel permeable to Ca²⁺ , it transduces physical stress in the form of osmotic cell swelling into intracellular Ca²⁺ -dependent signalling events. Its contribution to cell volume regulation might include interactions with aquaporin (AQP) water channel isoforms, although the proposed requirement for a TRPV4-AQP4 macromolecular complex remains to be resolved. To characterize the elusive mechanics of TRPV4 volume-sensing, we expressed the channel in Xenopus laevis oocytes together with AQP4. Co-expression with AQP4 facilitated the cell swelling induced by osmotic challenges and thereby activated TRPV4-mediated transmembrane currents. Similar TRPV4 activation was induced by co-expression of a cognate channel, AQP1. The level of osmotically-induced TRPV4 activation, although proportional to the degree of cell swelling, was dependent on the rate of volume changes. Importantly, isosmotic cell swelling obtained by parallel activation of the co-expressed water-translocating Na⁺ /K⁺ /2Cl^- cotransporter promoted TRPV4 activation despite the absence of the substantial osmotic gradients frequently employed for activation. Upon simultaneous application of an osmotic gradient and the selective TRPV4 agonist GSK1016790A, enhanced TRPV4 activation was observed only with subsaturating stimuli, indicating that the agonist promotes channel opening similar to that of volume-dependent activation. We propose that, contrary to the established paradigm, TRPV4 is activated by increased cell volume irrespective of the molecular mechanism underlying cell swelling. Thus, the channel functions as a volume-sensor, rather than as an osmo-sensor.

Use of Xenopus laevis Oocytes to Study Auxin Transport

Xenopus laevis oocytes are an expression system that is particularly well suited for the characterization of membrane transporters. Oocytes possess only very little endogenous transport systems and therefore transporters can be studied with a high signal-to-noise ratio. This book chapter provides the basic methods to use Xenopus oocytes for the characterization of transporters by radiotracer experiments. While the methods described here were established to study auxin transport they can easily be adapted to study other hormone transporters and their substrates.

Structural and functional significance of water permeation through cotransporters

Membrane transporters, in addition to their major role as specific carriers for ions and small molecules, can also behave as water channels. However, neither the location of the water pathway in the protein nor their functional importance is known. Here, we map the pathway for water and urea through the intestinal sodium/glucose cotransporter SGLT1. Molecular dynamics simulations using the atomic structure of the bacterial transporter vSGLT suggest that water permeates the same path as Na+ and sugar. On a structural model of SGLT1, based on the homology structure of vSGLT, we identified and mutated residues lining the sugar transport pathway to cysteine. The mutants were expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and the unitary water and urea permeabilities were determined before and after modifying the cysteine side chain with reversible methanethiosulfonate reagents. The results demonstrate that water and urea follow the sugar transport pathway through SGLT1. The changes in permeability, increases or decreases, with side-chain modifications depend on the location of the mutation in the region of external or internal gates, or the sugar binding site. These changes in permeability are hypothesized to be due to alterations in steric hindrance to water and urea, and/or changes in protein folding caused by mismatching of side chains in the water pathway. Water permeation through SGLT1 and other transporters bears directly on the structural mechanism for the transport of polar solutes through these proteins. Finally, in vitro experiments on mouse small intestine show that SGLT1 accounts for two-thirds of the passive water flow across the gut.

The Extracellular C-loop Domain Plays an Important Role in the Cell Adhesion Function of Aquaporin 0

PURPOSE

Although aquaporin 0 (AQP0) is a member of the AQP family, it has limited water permeability compared with other members. AQP0 may also have cell adhesion-related functions, but the evidence is still limited. Here, we studied the relationship of AQP0 to cell adhesion and determined the region required for cell adhesion.

METHODS

L-cell fibroblasts stably expressing AQP0 or AQP1 (L-AQP0 or L-AQP1) were established. One group of cells was stained with CellTracker Red and cultured into a confluent monolayer, whereas the other group was loaded with CellTracker Blue and seeded over the monolayer. To study cell adhesion, the percentages of lower and upper layer cells were measured using flow cytometry. To determine the region of AQP0 required for adhesion, activity was done by pull-down assay using glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins. To study the water permeability, Xenopus laevis oocyte expressing AQP0 wild-type or AQP0 mutated in C-loop was transferred to a hypotonic solution and photographed, and the diameter was measured to calculate the volume.

RESULTS

More cells adhered to the lower cells in the L-AQP0 homotypic pair than other pairs such as L-AQP1 homotypic or L-AQP0/L-AQP1 heterotypic pairs. Pull-down assays revealed that AQP0 could bind to itself via the C-loop extracellular domain. Furthermore, we determined that ¹⁰⁹Pro and ¹¹⁰Pro in the C-loop were important for cell adhesion. However, mutation of the C-loop in AQP0 did not affect its water permeability.

CONCLUSIONS

AQP0 is known to bind lipids in the opposing membrane. Our data suggest that this cell-to-cell adhesion occurs not only in the AQP0/liquids but also via AQP0/AQP0 interaction through the C-loop domain. Mutations in the C-loop amino acids did not affect the water permeability of AQP0 but did affect its cell adhesion function. These independent dual functions of AQP0 are important for lens transparency.

Cl- channels in apoptosis

A remarkable feature of apoptosis is the initial massive cell shrinkage, which requires opening of ion channels to allow release of K+, Cl-, and organic osmolytes to drive osmotic water movement and cell shrinkage. This article focuses on the role of the Cl- channels LRRC8, TMEM16/anoctamin, and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in cellular apoptosis. LRRC8A-E has been identified as a volume-regulated anion channel expressed in many cell types. It was shown to be required for regulatory and apoptotic volume decrease (RVD, AVD) in cultured cell lines. Its presence also determines sensitivity towards cytostatic drugs such as cisplatin. Recent data point to a molecular and functional relationship of LRRC8A and anoctamins (ANOs). ANO6, 9, and 10 (TMEM16F, J, and K) augment apoptotic Cl- currents and AVD, but it remains unclear whether these anoctamins operate as Cl- channels or as regulators of other apoptotic Cl- channels, such as LRRC8. CFTR has been known for its proapoptotic effects for some time, and this effect may be based on glutathione release from the cell and increase in cytosolic reactive oxygen species (ROS). Although we find that CFTR is activated by cell swelling, it is possible that CFTR serves RVD/AVD through accumulation of ROS and activation of independent membrane channels such as ANO6. Thus activation of ANO6 will support cell shrinkage and induce additional apoptotic events, such as membrane phospholipid scrambling.

Aquaporin 4 as a NH3 Channel

Ammonia is a biologically potent molecule, and the regulation of ammonia levels in the mammalian body is, therefore, strictly controlled. The molecular paths of ammonia permeation across plasma membranes remain ill-defined, but the structural similarity of water and NH3 has pointed to the aquaporins as putative NH3-permeable pores. Accordingly, a range of aquaporins from mammals, plants, fungi, and protozoans demonstrates ammonia permeability. Aquaporin 4 (AQP4) is highly expressed at perivascular glia end-feet in the mammalian brain and may, with this prominent localization at the blood-brain-interface, participate in the exchange of ammonia, which is required to sustain the glutamate-glutamine cycle. Here we observe that AQP4-expressing Xenopus oocytes display a reflection coefficient <1 for NH4Cl at pH 8.0, at which pH an increased amount of the ammonia occurs in the form of NH3 Taken together with an NH4Cl-mediated intracellular alkalization (or lesser acidification) of AQP4-expressing oocytes, these data suggest that NH3 is able to permeate the pore of AQP4. Exposure to NH4Cl increased the membrane currents to a similar extent in uninjected oocytes and in oocytes expressing AQP4, indicating that the ionic NH4 (+) did not permeate AQP4. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed partial pore permeation events of NH3 but not of NH4 (+) and a reduced energy barrier for NH3 permeation through AQP4 compared with that of a cholesterol-containing lipid bilayer, suggesting AQP4 as a favored transmembrane route for NH3 Our data propose that AQP4 belongs to the growing list of NH3-permeable water channels.

The Sodium Glucose Cotransporter SGLT1 Is an Extremely Efficient Facilitator of Passive Water Transport

The small intestine is void of aquaporins adept at facilitating vectorial water transport, and yet it reabsorbs ∼8 liters of fluid daily. Implications of the sodium glucose cotransporter SGLT1 in either pumping water or passively channeling water contrast with its reported water transporting capacity, which lags behind that of aquaporin-1 by 3 orders of magnitude. Here we overexpressed SGLT1 in MDCK cell monolayers and reconstituted the purified transporter into proteoliposomes. We observed the rate of osmotic proteoliposome deflation by light scattering. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy served to assess (i) SGLT1 abundance in both vesicles and plasma membranes and (ii) flow-mediated dilution of an aqueous dye adjacent to the cell monolayer. Calculation of the unitary water channel permeability, pf, yielded similar values for cell and proteoliposome experiments. Neither the absence of glucose or Na(+), nor the lack of membrane voltage in vesicles, nor the directionality of water flow grossly altered pf Such weak dependence on protein conformation indicates that a water-impermeable occluded state (glucose and Na(+) in their binding pockets) lasts for only a minor fraction of the transport cycle or, alternatively, that occlusion of the substrate does not render the transporter water-impermeable as was suggested by computational studies of the bacterial homologue vSGLT. Although the similarity between the pf values of SGLT1 and aquaporin-1 makes a transcellular pathway plausible, it renders water pumping physiologically negligible because the passive flux would be orders of magnitude larger.

The fast-off hypothesis revisited: A functional kinetic study of antipsychotic antagonism of the dopamine D2 receptor

Newer, "atypical" antipsychotics carry a lower risk of motor side-effects than older, "typical" compounds. It has been proposed that a ~100-fold faster dissociation from the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) distinguishes atypical from typical antipsychotics. Furthermore, differing antipsychotic D2R affinities have been suggested to reflect differences in dissociation rate constants (koff), while association rate constants (kon) were assumed to be similar. However, it was recently demonstrated that lipophilic accumulation of ligand in the cell interior and/or membrane can cause underestimation of koff, and as high-affinity D2R antagonists are frequently lipophilic, this may have been a confounding factor in previous studies. In the present work, a functional electrophysiology assay was used to measure the recovery of dopamine-mediated D2R responsivity from antipsychotic antagonism, using elevated concentrations of dopamine to prevent the potential bias of re-binding of lipophilic ligands. The variability of antipsychotic kon was also reexamined, capitalizing on the temporal resolution of the assay. kon was estimated from the experimental recordings using a simple mathematical model assumed to describe the binding process. The time course of recovery from haloperidol (typical antipsychotic) was only 6.4- to 2.5-fold slower than that of the atypical antipsychotics, amisulpride, clozapine, and quetiapine, while antipsychotic kons were found to vary more widely than previously suggested. Finally, affinities calculated using our kon and koff estimates correlated well with functional potency and with affinities reported from radioligand binding studies. In light of these findings, it appears unlikely that typical and atypical antipsychotics are primarily distinguished by their D2R binding kinetics.

In vitro model systems to investigate bile salt export pump (BSEP) activity and drug interactions: A review

The bile salt export pump protein (BSEP), expressed on the canalicular membranes of hepatocytes, is primarily responsible for the biliary excretion of bile salts. The inhibition of BSEP transport activity can lead to an increase in intracellular bile salt levels and liver injury. This review discusses the various in vitro assays currently available for assessing the effect of drugs or other chemical entities to modulate BSEP transport activity. BSEP transporter assays use one of the following platforms: Xenopus laevis oocytes; canalicular membrane vesicles (CMV); BSEP-expressed membrane vesicles; cell lines expressing BSEP; sandwich cultured hepatocytes (SCH); and hepatocytes in suspension. Two of these, BSEP-expressed insect membrane vesicles and sandwich cultured hepatocytes, are the most commonly used assays. BSEP membrane vesicles prepared from transfected insect cells are useful for assessing BSEP inhibition or substrate specificity and exploring mechanisms of BSEP-associated genetic diseases. This model can be applied in a high-throughput format for discovery-drug screening. However, experimental results from use of membrane vesicles may lack physiological relevance and the model does not allow for investigation of in situ metabolism in modulation of BSEP activity. Hepatocyte-based assays that use the SCH format provide results that are generally more physiologically relevant than membrane assays. The SCH model is useful in detailed studies of the biliary excretion of drugs and BSEP inhibition, but due to the complexity of SCH preparation, this model is used primarily for determining biliary clearance and BSEP inhibition in a limited number of compounds. The newly developed hepatocyte in suspension assay avoids many of the complexities of the SCH method. The use of pooled cryopreserved hepatocytes in suspension minimizes genetic variance and individual differences in BSEP activity and also provides the opportunity for higher throughput screening and cross-species comparisons.

H95 Is a pH-Dependent Gate in Aquaporin 4

Aquaporin 4 (AQP4) is a transmembrane protein from the aquaporin family and is the predominant water channel in the mammalian brain. The regulation of permeability of this protein could be of potential therapeutic use to treat various forms of damage to the nervous tissue. In this work, based on data obtained from in silico and in vitro studies, a pH sensitivity that regulates the osmotic water permeability of AQP4 is demonstrated. The results indicate that AQP4 has increased water permeability at conditions of low pH in atomistic computer simulations and experiments carried out on Xenopus oocytes expressing AQP4. With molecular dynamics simulations, this effect was traced to a histidine residue (H95) located in the cytoplasmic lumen of AQP4. A mutant form of AQP4, in which H95 was replaced with an alanine (H95A), loses sensitivity to cytoplasmic pH changes in in vitro osmotic water permeability, thereby substantiating the in silico work.

Vasopressin receptors V1a and V2 are not osmosensors

Herein, we investigated whether G protein-coupled signaling via the vasopressin receptors of the V1_a and V2 subtypes (V1_aR and V2R) could be obtained as a direct response to hyperosmolar challenges and/or whether hyperosmolar challenges could augment classical vasopressin-dependent V1_aR signaling. The V1_aR-dependent response was monitored indirectly via its effects on aquaporin 4 (AQP4) when heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes and V1_aR and V2R function was directly monitored following heterologous expression in COS-7 cells. A tendency toward an osmotically induced, V1_aR-mediated reduction in AQP4-dependent water permeability was observed, although osmotic challenges failed to mimic vasopressin-dependent V1_aR-mediated internalization of AQP4. Direct monitoring of inositol phosphate (IP) production of V1_aR-expressing COS-7 cells demonstrated an efficient vasopressin-dependent response that was, however, independent of hyperosmotic challenges. Similarly, the cAMP production by the V2R was unaffected by hyperosmotic challenges although, in contrast to the V1_aR, the V2R displayed an ability to support alternative signaling (IP production) at higher concentration of vasopressin. V1_aR and V2R respond directly to vasopressin exposure, but they do not have an ability to act as osmo- or volume sensors when exposed to an osmotic gradient in the absence or presence of vasopressin.

Insect glycerol transporters evolved by functional co-option and gene replacement

Transmembrane glycerol transport is typically facilitated by aquaglyceroporins in Prokaryota and Eukaryota. In holometabolan insects however, aquaglyceroporins are absent, yet several species possess polyol permeable aquaporins. It thus remains unknown how glycerol transport evolved in the Holometabola. By combining phylogenetic and functional studies, here we show that a more efficient form of glycerol transporter related to the water-selective channel AQP4 specifically evolved and multiplied in the insect lineage, resulting in the replacement of the ancestral branch of aquaglyceroporins in holometabolan insects. To recapitulate this evolutionary process, we generate specific mutants in distantly related insect aquaporins and human AQP4 and show that a single mutation in the selectivity filter converted a water-selective channel into a glycerol transporter at the root of the crown clade of hexapod insects. Integration of phanerozoic climate models suggests that these events were associated with the emergence of complete metamorphosis and the unparalleled radiation of insects.

The mobility of single-file water molecules is governed by the number of H-bonds they may form with channel-lining residues

Channel geometry governs the unitary osmotic water channel permeability, p_f, according to classical hydrodynamics. Yet, p_f varies by several orders of magnitude for membrane channels with a constriction zone that is one water molecule in width and four to eight molecules in length. We show that both the p_f of those channels and the diffusion coefficient of the single-file waters within them are determined by the number N_H of residues in the channel wall that may form a hydrogen bond with the single-file waters. The logarithmic dependence of water diffusivity on N_H is in line with the multiplicity of binding options at higher N_H densities. We obtained high-precision p_f values by (i) having measured the abundance of the reconstituted aquaporins in the vesicular membrane via fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and via high-speed atomic force microscopy, and (ii) having acquired the vesicular water efflux from scattered light intensities via our new adaptation of the Rayleigh-Gans-Debye equation.

AQP4 plasma membrane trafficking or channel gating is not significantly modulated by phosphorylation at COOH-terminal serine residues

Aquaporin 4 (AQP4) is the predominant water channel in the mammalian brain and is mainly expressed in the perivascular glial endfeet at the brain-blood interface. AQP4 serves as a water entry site during brain edema formation, and regulation of AQP4 may therefore be of therapeutic interest. Phosphorylation of aquaporins can regulate plasma membrane localization and, possibly, the unit water permeability via gating of the AQP channel itself. In vivo phosphorylation of six serine residues in the COOH terminus of AQP4 has been detected by mass spectrometry: Ser(276), Ser(285), Ser(315), Ser(316), Ser(321), and Ser(322). To address the role of these phosphorylation sites for AQP4 function, serine-to-alanine mutants were created to abolish the phosphorylation sites. All mutants were detected at the plasma membrane of transfected C6 cells, with the fraction of the total cellular AQP4 expressed at the plasma membrane of transfected C6 cells being similar between the wild-type (WT) and mutant forms of AQP4. Activation of protein kinases A, C, and G in primary astrocytic cultures did not affect the plasma membrane abundance of AQP4. The unit water permeability was determined for the mutant AQP4s upon heterologous expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes (along with serine-to-aspartate mutants of the same residues to mimic a phosphorylation). None of the mutant AQP4 constructs displayed alterations in the unit water permeability. Thus phosphorylation of six different serine residues in the COOH terminus of AQP4 appears not to be required for proper plasma membrane localization of AQP4 or to act as a molecular switch to gate the water channel.

Evidence from mathematical modeling that carbonic anhydrase II and IV enhance CO2 fluxes across Xenopus oocyte plasma membranes

Exposing an oocyte to CO2/HCO3 (-) causes intracellular pH (pHi) to decline and extracellular-surface pH (pHS) to rise to a peak and decay. The two companion papers showed that oocytes injected with cytosolic carbonic anhydrase II (CA II) or expressing surface CA IV exhibit increased maximal rate of pHi change (dpHi/dt)max, increased maximal pHS changes (ΔpHS), and decreased time constants for pHi decline and pHS decay. Here we investigate these results using refinements of an earlier mathematical model of CO2 influx into a spherical cell. Refinements include 1) reduced cytosolic water content, 2) reduced cytosolic diffusion constants, 3) refined CA II activity, 4) layer of intracellular vesicles, 5) reduced membrane CO2 permeability, 6) microvilli, 7) refined CA IV activity, 8) a vitelline membrane, and 9) a new simulation protocol for delivering and removing the bulk extracellular CO2/HCO3 (-) solution. We show how these features affect the simulated pHi and pHS transients and use the refined model with the experimental data for 1.5% CO2/10 mM HCO3 (-) (pHo = 7.5) to find parameter values that approximate ΔpHS, the time to peak pHS, the time delay to the start of the pHi change, (dpHi/dt)max, and the change in steady-state pHi. We validate the revised model against data collected as we vary levels of CO2/HCO3 (-) or of extracellular HEPES buffer. The model confirms the hypothesis that CA II and CA IV enhance transmembrane CO2 fluxes by maximizing CO2 gradients across the plasma membrane, and it predicts that the pH effects of simultaneously implementing intracellular and extracellular-surface CA are supra-additive.

Fingerprints of hSGLT5 sugar and cation selectivity

Sodium glucose cotransporters (SGLTs) mediate the translocation of carbohydrates across the brush border membrane of different organs such as intestine, kidney, and brain. The human SGLT5 (hSGLT5), in particular, is localized in the kidney were it is responsible for mannose and fructose reabsorption from the glomerular filtrate as confirmed by more recent studies on hSGLT5 knockout mice. Here we characterize the functional properties of hSGLT5 expressed in a stable T-Rex-HEK-293 cell line using biochemical and electrophysiological assays. We confirmed that hSGLT5 is a sodium/mannose transporter that is blocked by phlorizin. Li(+) and H(+) ions were also able to drive mannose transport, and transport was electrogenic. Our results moreover indicate that substrates require a pyranose ring with an axial hydroxyl group (-OH) on carbon 2 (C-2). Compared with Na(+)/glucose cotransport, the level of function of Na(+)/mannose cotransport in rat kidney slices was low.

Structural determinants of water permeation through the sodium-galactose transporter vSGLT

Sodium-glucose transporters (SGLTs) facilitate the movement of water across the cell membrane, playing a central role in cellular homeostasis. Here, we present a detailed analysis of the mechanism of water permeation through the inward-facing state of vSGLT based on nearly 10 μs of molecular dynamics simulations. These simulations reveal the transient formation of a continuous water channel through the transporter that permits water to permeate the protein. Trajectories in which spontaneous release of galactose is observed, as well as those in which galactose remains in the binding site, show that the permeation rate, although modulated by substrate occupancy, is not tightly coupled to substrate release. Using a, to our knowledge, novel channel-detection algorithm, we identify the key residues that control water flow through the transporter and show that solvent gating is regulated by side-chain motions in a small number of residues on the extracellular face. A sequence alignment reveals the presence of two insertion sites in mammalian SGLTs that flank these outer-gate residues. We hypothesize that the absence of these sites in vSGLT may account for the high water permeability values for vSGLT determined via simulation compared to the lower experimental estimates for mammalian SGLT1.

Distinct permeation profiles of the connexin 30 and 43 hemichannels

Connexin 43 (Cx43) hemichannels may form open channels in the plasma membrane when exposed to specific stimuli, e.g. reduced extracellular concentration of divalent cations, and allow passage of fluorescent molecules and presumably a range of smaller physiologically relevant molecules. However, the permeability profile of Cx43 hemichannels remains unresolved. Exposure of Cx43-expressing Xenopus laevis oocytes to divalent cation free solution induced a gadolinium-sensitive uptake of the fluorescent dye ethidium. In spite thereof, a range of biological molecules smaller than ethidium, such as glutamate, lactate, and glucose, did not permeate the pore whereas ATP did. In contrast, permeability of glutamate, glucose and ATP was observed in oocytes expressing Cx30. Exposure to divalent cation free solutions induced a robust membrane conductance in Cx30-expressing oocytes but none in Cx43-expressing oocytes. C-terminally truncated Cx43 (M257) displayed increased dye uptake and, unlike wild type Cx43 channels, conducted current. Neither Cx30 nor Cx43 acted as water channels in their hemichannel configuration. Our results demonstrate that connexin hemichannels have isoform-specific permeability profiles and that dye uptake cannot be equaled to permeability of smaller physiologically relevant molecules in given settings.

Carbonic anhydrases and their interplay with acid/base-coupled membrane transporters

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) have not only been identified as ubiquitous enzymes catalyzing the fast reversible hydration of carbon dioxide to generate or consume protons and bicarbonate, but also as intra- and extracellular proteins, which facilitate transport function of many acid/base transporting membrane proteins, coined 'transport metabolon'. Functional interaction between CAs and acid/base transporters, such as chloride/bicarbonate exchanger (AE), sodium-bicarbonate cotransporter (NBC) and sodium/hydrogen exchanger (NHE) has been shown to require both catalytic CA activity as well as direct binding of the enzyme to specific sites on the transporter. In contrast, functional interaction between different CA isoforms and lactate-proton-cotransporting monocarboxylate transporters (MCT) has been found to be isoform-specific and independent of CA catalytic activity, but seems to require an intramolecular proton shuttle within the enzyme. In this chapter, we review the various types of interactions between acid/base-coupled membrane carriers and different CA isoforms, as studied in vitro, in intact Xenopus oocytes, and in various mammalian cell types. Furthermore, we discuss recent findings that indicate the significance of these 'transport metabolons' for normal cell functions.

Functional identification and characterization of sodium binding sites in Na symporters

Sodium cotransporters from several different gene families belong to the leucine transporter (LeuT) structural family. Although the identification of Na(+) in binding sites is beyond the resolution of the structures, two Na(+) binding sites (Na1 and Na2) have been proposed in LeuT. Na2 is conserved in the LeuT family but Na1 is not. A biophysical method has been used to measure sodium dissociation constants (Kd) of wild-type and mutant human sodium glucose cotransport (hSGLT1) proteins to identify the Na(+) binding sites in hSGLT1. The Na1 site is formed by residues in the sugar binding pocket, and their mutation influences sodium binding to Na1 but not to Na2. For the canonical Na2 site formed by two -OH side chains, S392 and S393, and three backbone carbonyls, mutation of S392 to cysteine increased the sodium Kd by sixfold. This was accompanied by a dramatic reduction in the apparent sugar and phlorizin affinities. We suggest that mutation of S392 in the Na2 site produces a structural rearrangement of the sugar binding pocket to disrupt both the binding of the second Na(+) and the binding of sugar. In contrast, the S393 mutations produce no significant changes in sodium, sugar, and phlorizin affinities. We conclude that the Na2 site is conserved in hSGLT1, the side chain of S392 and the backbone carbonyl of S393 are important in the first Na(+) binding, and that Na(+) binding to Na2 promotes binding to Na1 and also sugar binding.

The monomeric state of the proton-coupled folate transporter represents the functional unit in the plasma membrane

Folic acid is an essential vitamin required for de novo biosynthesis of nucleotides and amino acids. The proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT; SLC46A1) has been identified as the major contributor for intestinal folate uptake. It is also involved in folate transport across the blood-brain barrier and into solid tumors. PCFT belongs to the major facilitator superfamily. Major facilitator superfamily members can exist in either monomeric or homo-oligomeric form. Here, we utilized blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN/PAGE) and crosslinking with bi-functional chemicals to investigate the quaternary structure of human PCFT after heterologous expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes and CHO cells. PCFT was expressed in the plasma membrane in both expression systems. The functionality of the utilized PCFT construct was confirmed in oocytes by folic acid induced currents at acidic pH. For both the oocyte and CHO expression system [(3)H]folic acid uptake studies indicated that PCFT was functional. To analyze the oligomeric state of PCFT in the plasma membrane, plasma membranes were isolated by polymerization with colloidal silica and polyacrylic acid and subsequent centrifugation. The digitonin-solubilized non-denatured PCFT migrated during BN/PAGE as a monomer, as judged by comparison with a membrane protein (5-HT(3A) receptor) of known pentameric assembly that was used to create a molecular sizing ladder. The chemical crosslinkers glutaraldehyde and dimethyl adipimidate were not able to covalently link potential higher order PCFT structures to form oligomers that were stable following SDS treatment. Together, our results demonstrate that plasma-membrane PCFT functions as a monomeric protein.

Transient formation of water-conducting states in membrane transporters

Membrane transporters rely on highly coordinated structural transitions between major conformational states for their function, to prevent simultaneous access of the substrate binding site to both sides of the membrane--a mode of operation known as the alternating access model. Although this mechanism successfully accounts for the efficient exchange of the primary substrate across the membrane, accruing evidence on significant water transport and even uncoupled ion transport mediated by transporters has challenged the concept of perfect mechanical coupling and coordination of the gating mechanism in transporters, which might be expected from the alternating access model. Here, we present a large set of extended equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations performed on several classes of membrane transporters in different conformational states, to test the presence of the phenomenon in diverse transporter classes and to investigate the underlying molecular mechanism of water transport through membrane transporters. The simulations reveal spontaneous formation of transient water-conducting (channel-like) states allowing passive water diffusion through the lumen of the transporters. These channel-like states are permeable to water but occluded to substrate, thereby not hindering the uphill transport of the primary substrate, i.e., the alternating access model remains applicable to the substrate. The rise of such water-conducting states during the large-scale structural transitions of the transporter protein is indicative of imperfections in the coordinated closing and opening motions of the cytoplasmic and extracellular gates. We propose that the observed water-conducting states likely represent a universal phenomenon in membrane transporters, which is consistent with their reliance on large-scale motion for function.

The importance of being aromatic: π interactions in sodium symporters

In the LeuT family of sodium solute symporters, 13-17% of the residues in transmembrane domains are aromatic. The unique properties of aromatic amino acids allow them to play specialized roles in proteins, but their function in membrane transporters is underappreciated. Here we analyze the π bonding pattern in the LeuT (5TMIR) family and then describe the role of a triad of aromatic residues in sodium-dependent sugar cotransporters (SGLTs). In SLC5 symporters, three aromatic residues in TM6 (SGLT1 W289, Y290, and W291) are conserved in only those transporting sugars and inositols. We used biophysical analysis of mutants to discover their functional roles, which we have interpreted in terms of CH-π, π-π, and cation-π bonding. We discovered that (1) glucose binding involves CH-π stacking with Y290, (2) π T-stacking interactions between Y290 and W291 and H-bonding between Y290 and N78 (TM1) are essential to form the sodium and sugar binding sites, (3) the Na(+):sugar stoichiometry is determined by these residues, and (4) W289 may be important in stabilizing the structure through H-bonding to TM3. We also find that the WYW triad plays a role in Na(+) coordination at the Na1 site, possibly through cation-π interactions. Surprisingly, this Na(+) is not necessarily coupled to glucose translocation. Our analysis of π interactions in other LeuT proteins suggests that they also contribute to the structure and function in this whole family of transporters.

Functional consequences of sulfhydryl modification of the γ-aminobutyric acid transporter 1 at a single solvent-exposed cysteine residue

The aims of this study were to optimize the experimental conditions for labeling extracellularly oriented, solvent-exposed cysteine residues of γ-aminobutyric acid transporter 1 (GAT1) with the membrane-impermeant sulfhydryl reagent [2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl]methanethiosulfonate (MTSET) and to characterize the functional and pharmacological consequences of labeling on transporter steady-state and presteady-state kinetic properties. We expressed human GAT1 in Xenopus laevis oocytes and used radiotracer and electrophysiological methods to assay transporter function before and after sulfhydryl modification with MTSET. In the presence of NaCl, transporter exposure to MTSET (1–2.5 mM for 5–20 min) led to partial inhibition of GAT1-mediated transport, and this loss of function was completely reversed by the reducing reagent dithiothreitol. MTSET treatment had no functional effect on the mutant GAT1 C74A, whereas the membrane-permeant reagents N-ethylmaleimide and tetramethylrhodamine-6-maleimide inhibited GABA transport mediated by GAT1 C74A. Ion replacement experiments indicated that MTSET labeling of GAT1 could be driven to completion when valproate replaced chloride in the labeling buffer, suggesting that valproate induces a GAT1 conformation that significantly increases C74 accessibility to the extracellular fluid. Following partial inhibition by MTSET, there was a proportional reduction in both the presteady-state and steady-state macroscopic signals, and the functional and pharmacological properties of the remaining signals were indistinguishable from those of unlabeled GAT1. Therefore, covalent modification of GAT1 at C74 results in completely nonfunctional as well as electrically silent transporters.

Water channels and their roles in some ocular tissues

Water is a major component of the eye, and water channels (aquaporins) are ubiquitous in ocular tissues, and quite abundant at their different locations. AQP1 is expressed in corneal endothelium, lens epithelium, ciliary epithelium, and retinal pigment epithelium. AQP3 is expressed in corneal epithelium, and in conjunctival epithelium. AQP4 is expressed in ciliary epithelium and retinal Muller cells. AQP5 is expressed in corneal epithelium, and conjunctival epithelium. AQP0 is expressed in lens fiber cells. It is known that five ocular tissues transport fluid, namely: (1) Corneal endothelium; (2) Conjunctival epithelium; (3) Lens epithelium; (4) Ciliary epithelium; (5) Retinal pigment epithelium. For the corneal endothelium, aquaporins are not the main route for trans-tissue water movement, which is paracellular. Instead, we propose that aquaporins allow fast osmotic equilibration of the cell, which is necessary to maintain optimal rates of fluid movement since the cyclic paracellular water transfer mechanism operates separately and tends to create periodic osmotic imbalances (τ∼5 s).

A novel aquaporin 3 in killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) is not an arsenic channel

The Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) is a model environmental organism that has an extremely low assimilation rate of environmental arsenic. As a first step in elucidating the mechanism behind this phenomenon, we used quantitative real-time PCR to identify aquaglyceroporins (AQPs), which are arsenite transporters, in the killifish gill. A novel homolog killifish AQP3 (kfAQP3a) was cloned from the killifish gill, and a second homolog was identified as the consensus from a transcriptome database (kfAQP3b). The two were 99% homologous to each other, 98% homologous to a previously identified killifish AQP3 from embryos (kfAQP3ts), and 78% homologous to hAQP3. Expression of kfAQP3a in Xenopus oocytes significantly enhanced water, glycerol, and urea transport. However, kfAQP3a expressed in HEK293T cells did not transport significant amounts of arsenic. All sequence motifs thought to confer the ability of AQP3 to transport solutes were conserved in kfAQP3a, kfAQP3b, and kfAQP3ts; however, the C-terminal amino acids were different in kfAQP3a versus the other two homologs. Replacement of the three C-terminal amino acids of kfAQP3 (GKS) with the three C-terminal amino acids of kfAQP3b and kfAQP3ts (ANC) was sufficient to enable kfAQP3a to robustly transport arsenic. Thus, the C-terminus of kfAQP3b and kfAQP3ts confers arsenic selectivity in kfAQP3. Moreover, kfAQP3a, the only AQP expressed in killifish gill, is the first aquaglyceroporin identified that does not transport arsenic, which may explain, in part, why killifish poorly assimilate arsenic and are highly tolerant to environmental arsenic.

The structural pathway for water permeation through sodium-glucose cotransporters

Although water permeation across cell membranes occurs through several types of membrane proteins, the only permeation mechanism resolved at atomic scale is that through aquaporins. Crystallization of the Vibrio parahaemolyticus sodium-galactose transporter (vSGLT) allows investigation of putative water permeation pathways through both vSGLT and the homologous human Na-glucose cotransporter (hSGLT1) using computational methods. Grand canonical Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations were used to stably insert water molecules in both proteins, showing the presence of a water-filled pathway composed of ∼100 water molecules. This provides a structural basis for passive water permeation that is difficult to reconcile with the water cotransport hypothesis. Potential-of-mean-force calculations of water going through the crystal structure of vSGLT shows a single barrier of 7.7 kCal mol(-1), in agreement with previously published experimental data for cotransporters of the SGLT family. Electrophysiological and volumetric experiments performed on hSGLT1-expressing Xenopus oocytes showed that the passive permeation pathway exists in different conformational states. In particular, experimental conditions that aim to mimic the conformation of the crystal structure displayed passive water permeability. These results provide groundwork for understanding the structural basis of cotransporter water permeability.