Modification of system A amino acid carrier by diethyl pyrocarbonate

Evidence for allosteric regulation of pH-sensitive System A (SNAT2) and System N (SNAT5) amino acid transporter activity involving a conserved histidine residue

System A and N amino acid transporters are key effectors of movement of amino acids across the plasma membrane of mammalian cells. These Na+-dependent transporters of the SLC38 gene family are highly sensitive to changes in pH within the physiological range, with transport markedly depressed at pH 7.0. We have investigated the possible role of histidine residues in the transporter proteins in determining this pH-sensitivity. The histidine-modifying agent DEPC (diethyl pyrocarbonate) markedly reduces the pH-sensitivity of SNAT2 and SNAT5 transporters (representative isoforms of System A and N respectively, overexpressed in Xenopus oocytes) in a concentration-dependent manner but does not completely inactivate transport activity. These effects of DEPC were reversed by hydroxylamine and partially blocked in the presence of excess amino acid substrate. DEPC treatment also blocked a reduction in apparent affinity for Na+ (K0.5Na+) of the SNAT2 transporter at low external pH. Mutation of the highly conserved C-terminal histidine residue to alanine in either SNAT2 (H504A) or SNAT5 (H471A) produced a transport phenotype exhibiting reduced, DEPC-resistant pH-sensitivity with no change in K0.5Na+ at low external pH. We suggest that the pH-sensitivity of these structurally related transporters results at least partly from a common allosteric mechanism influencing Na+ binding, which involves an H+-modifier site associated with C-terminal histidine residues.

Molecular characteristics of small intestinal and renal brush border thiamin transporters in rats

The molecular characteristics of thiamin (T) transport were studied in the small intestinal and renal brush border membrane vesicles of rats, using [(3)H]T at high specific activity. The effects of various chemical modifiers (amino acid blockers) on T uptake were examined and their specificity assessed. Treatment with the carboxylic specific blockers 1-cyclohexyl-3-(2-morpholinoethyl) carbodiimide metho-p-toluene sulfonate, (1-ethyl-3-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-carbodiimide hydrochloride and N-ethyl-5-phenylisoaxolium-3'-sulfonate (Woodward's Reagent K) and with the sulfhydryl specific blocker p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate inhibited T transport in both types of vesicles. Phenylglyoxal, but not ninhydrin, both reagents for arginine residues, and diethylpyrocarbonate, a reagent for histidine residues, specifically decreased T transport only in renal and small intestinal vesicles respectively. Similarly 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole reacted, but not N-acetylimidazole, both of which are reagents for tyrosine residues. However, 7-chloro-4-nitrobenzo-2-oxa-1,3-diazole inhibition was aspecific. Acetylsalicylic acid, a reagent for lysine and serine residues, decreased T transport, but the lysine effect was aspecific. Acetylsalicylic acid serine blockage also eliminated T/H(+) exchange in small intestinal vesicles. Taken together, these results suggest that for T transport carboxylic and sulfhydryl groups and serine residues are essential in both renal and small intestinal brush border membrane vesicles. In addition, arginine and histidine residues are also essential respectively for renal and small intestinal transporters. Serine was essential for the T/H(+) antiport mechanism.

Cloning of an amino acid transporter with functional characteristics and tissue expression pattern identical to that of system A

We report here on the cloning and functional characterization of the protein responsible for the system A amino acid transport activity that is known to be expressed in most mammalian tissues. This transporter, designated ATA2 for amino acid transporter A2, was cloned from rat skeletal muscle. It is distinct from the neuron-specific glutamine transporter (GlnT/ATA1). Rat ATA2 consists of 504 amino acids and bears significant homology to GlnT/ATA1 and system N (SN1). ATA2-specific mRNA is ubiquitously expressed in rat tissues. When expressed in mammalian cells, ATA2 mediates Na(+)-dependent transport of alpha-(methylamino)isobutyric acid, a specific model substrate for system A. The transporter is specific for neutral amino acids. It is pH-sensitive and Li(+)-intolerant. The Na(+):amino acid stoichiometry is 1:1. When expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, transport of neutral amino acids via ATA2 is associated with inward currents. The substrate-induced current is Na(+)-dependent and pH-sensitive. The amino acid transport system A is particularly known for its adaptive and hormonal regulation, and therefore the successful cloning of the protein responsible for this transport activity represents a significant step toward understanding the function and expression of this transporter in various physiological and pathological states.

Molecular biology of mammalian plasma membrane amino acid transporters

Molecular biology entered the field of mammalian amino acid transporters in 1990-1991 with the cloning of the first GABA and cationic amino acid transporters. Since then, cDNA have been isolated for more than 20 mammalian amino acid transporters. All of them belong to four protein families. Here we describe the tissue expression, transport characteristics, structure-function relationship, and the putative physiological roles of these transporters. Wherever possible, the ascription of these transporters to known amino acid transport systems is suggested. Significant contributions have been made to the molecular biology of amino acid transport in mammals in the last 3 years, such as the construction of knockouts for the CAT-1 cationic amino acid transporter and the EAAT2 and EAAT3 glutamate transporters, as well as a growing number of studies aimed to elucidate the structure-function relationship of the amino acid transporter. In addition, the first gene (rBAT) responsible for an inherited disease of amino acid transport (cystinuria) has been identified. Identifying the molecular structure of amino acid transport systems of high physiological relevance (e.g., system A, L, N, and x(c)- and of the genes responsible for other aminoacidurias as well as revealing the key molecular mechanisms of the amino acid transporters are the main challenges of the future in this field.

Evidence for an essential histidine residue located in the binding site of the cysteine-specific lysosomal transport protein

Previously, we observed that the activity of the cysteine-specific lysosomal transport system increases 7-10-fold between pH 6 and 7.3 to be maximally active in the neutral pH range. To understand what factors contribute to this pH dependence, different chemical modifying agents were used to probe the nature of amino acid residues residing in the transport protein binding site. Diethyl pyrocarbonate (1 mM) and N-ethylmaleimide (5 mM) each strongly inactivated lysosomal cysteine uptake > or = 88%, whereas dicyclohexyl-carbodiimide (2.5 mM), phenylisothiocyanate (2 mM), N-acetylimidazole (33 mM), and phenylglyoxal (2 mM) had a moderate to small effect. Maximal inactivation by DEPC occurs within 12-15 min upon exposure to DEPC concentrations > or = 1 mM. DEPC inactivation is consistent with modification of a histidine residue, displaying no inactivation at pH < 6, half-maximal inactivation at pH 6.6, and maximal inactivation at pH > or = 7.3. The close correspondence of DEPC inactivation to the pH activity curve of cysteine uptake suggests the large increase in lysosomal cysteine transport activity between pH 6 and 7.3 reflects deprotonation of an essential histidine residue. The substrate, L-cysteine (4 mM), fully protects the transport protein from DEPC inactivation suggesting that this histidine residue is located in the carrier's substrate binding site. Finally, part of the pH dependence of the lysosomal cysteine carrier appears to be due to responsiveness to the lysosomal transmembrane proton gradient as indicated by lysosomal membrane vesicles which display a 1.5-fold greater rate of cysteine uptake when pH 7.4out > pH 5.3in than when pH 7.4out = pH 7.4in.

Effect of arginine modification on K(+)-dependent leucine uptake in brush-border membrane vesicles from the midgut of Philosamia cynthia larvae

The effect of phenylglyoxylation on the midgut K(+)-dependent leucine transport was studied using lepidopteran brush-border membrane vesicles. The inhibition of leucine uptake by phenylglyoxal (PGO) showed a biphasic inactivation pattern. The second-order rate constant for the slow and fast phases were 0.0020 mM-1 min-1 and 0.0091 mM-1 min-1, respectively. However, substitution of borate buffer for Hepes-Tris buffer produced a mono-exponential inactivation pattern, suggesting modification of a single arginine group. The effect of PGO was dose-dependent and the concentration causing half-maximal inhibition of leucine uptake was 5.1 +/- 0.3 mM. Leucine transport was significantly inhibited also in the absence of a potassium electrochemical gradient (i.e., [K+]in = [K+]out = 100 mM), suggesting that inhibition was not related to a decrease in the driving force. Moreover, intravesicular volume remained unchanged after preincubation with PGO. Kinetic analysis of the interaction of PGO with the leucine cotransporter revealed that (i) inhibition was related to a decrease in the Vmax value and (ii) neither leucine nor K+ were able to prevent the inhibition. Our results suggest an important role for arginine residues in the molecular mechanism of K+/leucine cotransport in lepidopteran larvae midgut.

Involvement of essential histidine residue(s) in the activity of Ehrlich cell plasma membrane NADH-ferricyanide oxidoreductase

The existence of histidine residue(s) implicated in the active site of NADH-ferricyanide oxidoreductase in plasma membrane vesicles isolated from Ehrlich ascites tumour cells is investigated. The shape of the pH-dependence curve of the enzyme activity suggests that one or more histidine residues are located at (or near) the active site of the enzyme. This hypothesis is supported by the following experimental data: the loss of activity after treatment with diethyl pyrocarbonate (DEPC) or photooxidation by using Rose bengal, and the strong inhibition caused by Zn2+ ions at micromolar concentrations. The combined arguments support the statement that histidine plays an essential role in the catalytic activity of NADH-ferricyanide oxidoreductase from Ehrlich ascites tumour cells.