Analysis of the transmembrane topology and membrane assembly of the GAT-1 gamma-aminobutyric acid transporter

Turnover rate of the gamma-aminobutyric acid transporter GAT1

We combined electrophysiological and freeze-fracture methods to estimate the unitary turnover rate of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter GAT1. Human GAT1 was expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, and individual cells were used to measure and correlate the macroscopic rate of GABA transport and the total number of transporters in the plasma membrane. The two-electrode voltage-clamp method was used to measure the transporter-mediated macroscopic current evoked by GABA (I(NaCl)(GABA)), macroscopic charge movements (Q (NaCl)) evoked by voltage pulses and whole-cell capacitance. The same cells were then examined by freeze-fracture and electron microscopy in order to estimate the total number of GAT1 copies in the plasma membrane. GAT1 expression in the plasma membrane led to the appearance of a distinct population of 9-nm freeze-fracture particles which represented GAT1 dimers. There was a direct correlation between Q (NaCl) and the total number of transporters in the plasma membrane. This relationship yielded an apparent valence of 8 +/- 1 elementary charges per GAT1 particle. Assuming that the monomer is the functional unit, we obtained 4 +/- 1 elementary charges per GAT1 monomer. This information and the relationship between I(NaCl)(GABA) and Q (NaCl) were used to estimate a GAT1 unitary turnover rate of 15 +/- 2 s(-1) (21 degrees C, -50 mV). The temperature and voltage dependence of GAT1 were used to estimate the physiological turnover rate to be 79-93 s(-1) (37 degrees C, -50 to -90 mV).

Determination of the external loops and the cellular orientation of the N- and the C-termini of the human organic anion transporter hOAT1

The OAT (organic anion transporter) family mediates the absorption, distribution and excretion of a diverse array of environmental toxins and clinically important drugs. OAT dysfunction significantly contributes to renal, hepatic, neurological and fetal toxicity and disease. As a first step to establish the topological model of hOAT1 (human OAT1), we investigated the external loops and the cellular orientation of the N- and the C-termini of this transporter. Combined approaches of immunofluorescence studies and site-directed chemical labelling were used for such purpose. Immunofluorescence microscopy of Myc-tagged hOAT1 expressed in cultured cells identified that both the N- and the C-termini of the transporter were located in the cytoplasm. Replacement of Lys59 in the predicted extracellular loop I with arginine resulted in a mutant (K59R), which was largely inaccessible for labelling by membrane-impermeable NHS (N-hydroxysuccinimido)-SS (dithio)-biotin present in the extracellular medium. This result suggests that loop I faces outside of the cell membrane. A single lysine residue introduced into putative extracellular loops III, V and VI of mutant K59R, which is devoid of extracellular lysine, reacted readily with membrane-impermeable NHS-SS-biotin, suggesting that these putative extracellular loops are in the extracellular domains of the protein. These studies provided the first experimental evidence on the extracellular loops and the cellular orientation of the N- and the C-termini of hOAT1.

Topology of transmembrane segments 1-4 in the human chloride/bicarbonate anion exchanger 1 (AE1) by scanning N-glycosylation mutagenesis

Human AE1 (anion exchanger 1), or Band 3, is an abundant membrane glycoprotein found in the plasma membrane of erythrocytes. The physiological role of the protein is to carry out chloride/bicarbonate exchange across the plasma membrane, a process that increases the carbon-dioxide-carrying capacity of blood. To study the topology of TMs (transmembrane segments) 1-4, a series of scanning N-glycosylation mutants were created spanning the region from EC (extracellular loop) 1 to EC2 in full-length AE1. These constructs were expressed in HEK-293 (human embryonic kidney) cells, and their N-glycosylation efficiencies were determined. Unexpectedly, positions within putative TMs 2 and 3 could be efficiently glycosylated. In contrast, the same positions were very poorly glycosylated when present in mutant AE1 with the SAO (Southeast Asian ovalocytosis) deletion (DeltaA400-A408) in TM1. These results suggest that the TM2-3 region of AE1 may become transiently exposed to the endoplasmic reticulum lumen during biosynthesis, and that there is a competition between proper folding of the region into the membrane and N-glycosylation at introduced sites. The SAO deletion disrupts the proper integration of TMs 1-2, probably leaving the region exposed to the cytosol. As a result, engineered N-glycosylation acceptor sites in TM2-3 could not be utilized by the oligosaccharyltransferase in this mutant form of AE1. The properties of TM2-3 suggest that these segments form a re-entrant loop in human AE1.

A genetic screen in Caenorhabditis elegans for dopamine neuron insensitivity to 6-hydroxydopamine identifies dopamine transporter mutants impacting transporter biosynthesis and trafficking

The presynaptic dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT) is a major determinant of synaptic DA inactivation, an important target for psychostimulants including cocaine and amphetamine, and a mediator of DA neuron vulnerability to the neurotoxins 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion. To exploit genetic approaches for the study of DATs and neural degeneration, we exploited the visibility of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged DA neurons in transgenic nematodes to implement a forward genetic screen for suppressors of 6-OHDA sensitivity. In our initial effort, we identified three novel dat-1 alleles conferring 6-OHDA resistance. Two of the dat-1 alleles derive from point mutations in conserved glycine residues (G55, G90) in contiguous DAT-1 transmembrane domains (TM1 and TM2, respectively), whereas the third allele results in altered translation of the transporter's COOH terminus. Our studies reveal biosynthetic, trafficking and functional defects in the DAT-1 mutants, exhibited both in vitro and in vivo. These studies validate a forward genetic approach to the isolation of DA neuron-specific toxin suppressors and point to critical contributions of the mutated residues, as well as elements of the DAT-1 COOH terminus, to functional expression of catecholamine transporters in neurons.

Interactions of antidepressants with the serotonin transporter: a contemporary molecular analysis

One of the most prevalent disorders in present society is depression. The development of treatments for this disorder, beginning with the tricyclic antidepressants and leading to the development of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, has focused on compounds that block the function of the serotonin transporter (SERT). In this paper, we have performed Comparative Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) using data generated from rat brain synaptosomes and heterologous expression systems expressing rat SERT. Using these models, we have described the molecular requirements for the interactions of antidepressants with SERTs. In addition, molecular studies were performed using chimeric human/Drosophila SERTs and SERT point mutants. These studies focused on identifying regions or discrete amino acids on SERT that may be responsible for recognizing antidepressants.

New insights into the mechanisms of antidepressant therapy

Depressive disorders are among the most frequent psychiatric diseases in the Western world with prevalence numbers between 9% and 18%. They are characterized by depressed mood, a diminished interest in pleasurable activities, feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt, decrease in appetite and libido, insomnia, and recurrent thoughts of death or suicide. Among other findings, reduced activity of monoaminergic neurotransmission has been postulated to play a role in the pathogenesis of depression. Consistent with this hypothesis, most antidepressive drugs exert their action by elevating the concentration of monoamines in the synaptic cleft. However, it is not the enhancement of monoaminergic signaling per se, but rather long-term, adaptive changes that may underlie the therapeutic effect. These include functional and structural changes that are discussed later. In addition, in the last years, evidence has emerged that remissions induced in patients using lithium or electroconvulsive therapy are accompanied by structural changes in neuronal networks thereby affecting synaptic plasticity in various regions of the brain.

Postsynaptic localization of ?-aminobutyric acid transporters and receptors in the outer plexiform layer of the goldfish retina: An ultrastructural study

The gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic system in the outer plexiform layer (OPL) of the goldfish retina was studied via light and electron immunohistochemistry. The subcellular distributions of immunoreactivity (-IR) of plasma membrane GABA transporters GAT2 and GAT3, the alpha1 and alpha3 subunits of the ionotropic GABA(A) receptor, and the rho1 subunit of the ionotropic GABA(C) receptor were determined. The localization of the GAT2-IR and GAT3-IR to horizontal cell dendrites at the base of the cone synaptic complex was the main characteristic at the ultrastructural level. Very rarely, GAT2-IR and GAT3-IR were found in horizontal cell dendrites innervating rod spherules. alpha1-IR and alpha3-IR were seen in wide bands in the OPL, whereas rho1-IR appeared as a narrow band in the OPL. Most alpha1-IR was intracellular in rod and cone terminals. Membrane-associated alpha1-IR was observed in cone pedicles but not in rod spherules; postsynaptic elements were also labeled. alpha3-IR was concentrated in the lateral elements of horizontal cell dendrites in cone pedicles. In contrast, rho1-IR was found mainly on the spinules of the horizontal cell dendrites in cone pedicles. In addition, in another type of cone pedicle, rho1-IR was found at the position of OFF-bipolar cell dendrites. alpha3-IR and rho1-IR were rarely found in horizontal cell dendrites innervating rods. We suggest that two GABAergic pathways exist in the outer retina- first, a GABAergic positive loop with GABA receptors mainly on the horizontal cell dendrites and spinules and, second, a GABAergic feedback pathway involving GABA receptors on cone pedicles and GABA transporters on horizontal cells and that this pathway presumably modulates feedback strength from horizontal cells to cones.

Characterization of a functional bacterial homologue of sodium-dependent neurotransmitter transporters

The tnaT gene of Symbiobacterium thermophilum encodes a protein homologous to sodium-dependent neurotransmitter transporters. Expression of the tnaT gene product in Escherichia coli conferred the ability to accumulate tryptophan from the medium and the ability to grow on tryptophan as a sole source of carbon. Transport was Na(+)-dependent and highly selective. The K(m) for tryptophan was approximately 145 nm, and tryptophan transport was unchanged in the presence of 100 microM concentrations of other amino acids. Tryptamine and serotonin were weak inhibitors with K(I) values of 200 and 440 microM, respectively. By using a T7 promoter-based system, TnaT with an N-terminal His(6) tag was expressed at high levels in the membrane and was purified to near-homogeneity in high yield.

Accessibility and conformational coupling in serotonin transporter predicted internal domains

The intracellular topology of serotonin transporter (SERT) was examined using mutants containing single cysteine residues in the predicted cytoplasmic domain of the protein. Cysteine residues in each predicted cytoplasmic domain, including the NH2 and COOH termini and the five predicted internal loops, reacted with methanethiosulfonate (MTS) reagents only when the plasma membrane was permeabilized with digitonin or in membrane preparations but not in intact cells. The reaction was monitored by inactivation of high-affinity binding activity and by incorporation of biotin groups into the protein. Of the seven endogenous cysteine residues predicted to lie in the cytoplasmic domain, modification of only Cys-357 in the third internal loop (IL3) led to loss of activity. Cys-15 in the NH2 terminus and Cys-622 in the COOH terminus also reacted with MTS reagents. Modification of cysteine residues inserted at positions 137 in IL1, 277 in IL2, and 441 in IL4 also led to inactivation, and at positions 157 in IL1 and 532 in IL5, cysteine was modified without an effect on binding activity. These results are in agreement with the originally proposed topology for SERT and argue against an alternative topology proposed for the closely related GABA and glycine transporters. The reactivity of many of the cytoplasmic cysteine residues studied was influenced by ion and ligand binding, suggesting that the internal domains of SERT participate in conformational changes during neurotransmitter transport.

The glial and the neuronal glycine transporters differ in their reactivity to sulfhydryl reagents

The neuronal (GlyT2) and glial (GlyT1) glycine transporters, two members of the Na(+)/Cl(-)-dependent neurotransmitter transporter superfamily, differ by many aspects, such as substrate specificity and Na(+) coupling. We have characterized under voltage clamp their reactivity toward the membrane impermeant sulfhydryl reagent [2-(trimethylammonium)-ethyl]-methanethiosulfonate (MTSET). In Xenopus oocytes expressing GlyT1b, application of MTSET reduced to the same extent the Na(+)-dependent charge movement, the glycine-evoked current, and the glycine uptake, indicating a complete inactivation of the transporters following cysteine modification. In contrast, this compound had no detectable effect on the glycine uptake and the glycine-evoked current of GlyT2a. The sensitivities to MTSET of the two transporters can be permutated by suppressing a cysteine (C62A) in the first extracellular loop (EL1) of GlyT1b and introducing one at the equivalent position in GlyT2a, either by point mutation (A223C) or by swapping the EL1 sequence (GlyT1b-EL1 and GlyT2a-EL1) resulting in AFQ <--> CYR modification. Inactivation by MTSET was five times faster in GlyT2a-A223C than in GlyT2a-EL1 or GlyT1b, suggesting that the arginine in position +2 reduced the cysteine reactivity. Protection assays indicate that EL1 cysteines are less accessible in the presence of all co-transported substrates: Na(+), Cl(-), and glycine. Application of dithioerythritol reverses the inactivation by MTSET of the sensitive transporters. Together, these results indicate that EL1 conformation differs between GlyT1b and GlyT2a and is modified by substrate binding and translocation.

Ca(2+) regulation of the carrier-mediated gamma-aminobutyric acid release from isolated synaptic plasma membrane vesicles

The regulation of the carrier-mediated gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) efflux was studied in isolated synaptic plasma membrane (SPM) vesicles, which are particularly useful to study neurotransmitter release without interference of the exocytotic machinery. We investigated the effect of micromolar intravesicular Ca(2+) on the GABA release from SPM vesicles under conditions of basal release (superfusion with 150 mM NaCl), homoexchange (superfusion with 500 microM GABA) and K(+) depolarization-induced release (superfusion with 150 mM KCl). We observed that, in the presence of intravesicular Ca(2+) (10 microM), the maximal velocity (J(max)) of K(+) depolarization-induced GABA release is decreased by about 64%, and this effect was abolished in the presence of the channel blocker, La(3+). In contrast, the other mechanisms were not significantly altered by these cations. In agreement with our earlier results, inhibition of GABA uptake by intravesicular Ca(2+) was also observed by determining the kinetic parameters (K(0.5) and J(max)) of influx into the SPM vesicles. Under these conditions, the J(max) of GABA uptake was 17.4 pmol/s per mg protein, whereas in control experiments (absence of Ca(2+)), this value achieved 25.5 pmol/s per mg protein. The inhibitory effect of Ca(2+) on translocation of GABA across SPM appears to be mediated by calcium/calmodulin activation of protein phosphatase 2B (calcineurin), since it was completely relieved by W7 (calmodulin antagonist) and by cyclosporin A (calcineurin inhibitor). These results show that the GABA transport system, operating either in forward or backward directions, requires phosphorylation of internally localized calcineurin-sensitive sites to achieve maximal net translocation velocity.

Mutation of arginine 44 of GAT-1, a (Na(+) + Cl(-))-coupled gamma-aminobutyric acid transporter from rat brain, impairs net flux but not exchange

The gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter GAT-1 is a prototype of a large family of neurotransmitter transporters that includes those of dopamine and serotonin. GAT-1 maintains low synaptic concentrations of neurotransmitter by coupling GABA uptake to the fluxes of sodium and chloride. Here we identify a stretch of four amino acid residues predicted to lie in the juxtamembrane region prior to transmembrane domain 1 in the cytoplasmic amino-terminal tail of GAT-1, which is critical for its function. Two residues, arginine 44 and tryptophan 47, are fully conserved within the transporter family, and their deletion abolishes GABA transport in the HeLa cell expression system used. Tryptophan 47 can be replaced only by aromatic residues without loss of activity. Arginine 44 is essential for activity. Only when it is replaced by lysine, low activity levels (around 15% of those of the wild type) are observed. Using a reconstitution assay, we show that mutants in which this residue is replaced by lysine or histidine exhibit sodium- and chloride-dependent GABA exchange similar to the wild type. This indicates that these mutants are selectively impaired in the reorientation of the unloaded transporter, a step in the translocation cycle by which net flux and exchange differ. The high degree of conservation in the consensus sequence RXXW suggests that this region may influence the reorientation step in related transporters as well.

Membrane topology and insertion of membrane proteins: search for topogenic signals

Integral membrane proteins are found in all cellular membranes and carry out many of the functions that are essential to life. The membrane-embedded domains of integral membrane proteins are structurally quite simple, allowing the use of various prediction methods and biochemical methods to obtain structural information about membrane proteins. A critical step in the biosynthetic pathway leading to the folded protein in the membrane is its insertion into the lipid bilayer. Understanding of the fundamentals of the insertion and folding processes will significantly improve the methods used to predict the three-dimensional membrane protein structure from the amino acid sequence. In the first part of this review, biochemical approaches to elucidate membrane protein topology are reviewed and evaluated, and in the second part, the use of similar techniques to study membrane protein insertion is discussed. The latter studies search for signals in the polypeptide chain that direct the insertion process. Knowledge of the topogenic signals in the nascent chain of a membrane protein is essential for the evaluation of membrane topology studies.

The reactivity of the gamma-aminobutyric acid transporter GAT-1 toward sulfhydryl reagents is conformationally sensitive. Identification of a major target residue

The gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter GAT-1 is a prototype of neurotransmitter transporters that maintain low synaptic levels of the transmitter. Transport by GAT-1 is sensitive to the polar sulfhydryl reagent 2-aminoethyl methanethiosulfonate. Following replacement of endogenous cysteines to other residues by site-directed mutagenesis, we have identified cysteine 399 as the major determinant of the sensitivity of the transporter to sulfhydryl modification. Cysteine-399 is located in the intracellular loop connecting putative transmembrane domains eight and nine. Binding of both sodium and chloride leads to a reduced sensitivity to sulfhydryl reagents, whereas subsequent binding of GABA increases it. Strikingly binding of the nontransportable GABA analogue SKF100330A gives rise to a marked protection against sulfhydryl modification. These effects were not observed in C399S transporters. Under standard conditions GAT-1 is almost insensitive toward the impermeant 2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl methanethiosulfonate. However, in a chloride-free medium, addition of SKF100330A renders wild type GAT-1, but not C399S, very sensitive to this impermeant reagent. These observations indicate that the accessibility of cysteine 399 is highly dependent on the conformation of GAT-1. Consequently, topological assignments based on accessibility of endogeneous or engineered cysteines to small polar sulfhydryl reagents need to be interpreted with extreme caution.

Transmembrane domain I contributes to the permeation pathway for serotonin and ions in the serotonin transporter

Mutation of a conserved Asp (D98) in the rat serotonin (5HT) transporter (rSERT) to Glu (D98E) led to decreased 5HT transport capacity, diminished coupling to extracellular Na+ and Cl-, and a selective loss of antagonist potencies (cocaine, imipramine, and citalopram but not paroxetine or mazindol) with no change in 5HT Km value. D98E, which extends the acidic side chain by one carbon, affected the rank-order potency of substrate analogs for inhibition of 5HT transport, selectively increasing the potency of two analogs with shorter alkylamine side chains, gramine, and dihydroxybenzylamine. D98E also increased the efficacy of gramine relative to 5HT for inducing substrate-activated currents in Xenopus laevis oocytes, but these currents were noticeably dependent on extracellular medium acidification. I-V profiles for substrate-independent and -dependent currents indicated that the mutation selectively impacts ion permeation coupled to 5HT occupancy. The ability of the D98E mutant to modulate selective aspects of substrate recognition, to perturb ion dependence as well as modify substrate-induced currents, suggests that transmembrane domain I plays a critical role in defining the permeation pathway of biogenic amine transporters.

Insertion of a bacterial secondary transport protein in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane

The sodium ion-dependent citrate carrier of Klebsiella pneumoniae (CitS) contains 12 hydrophobic potential transmembrane domains. Surprisingly, an alkaline phosphatase fusion study in Escherichia coli has suggested that only 9 of these domains are embedded in the membrane, and 3 are translocated to the periplasm (van Geest, M., and Lolkema, J. S. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 25582-25589). To provide independent data on the topology and mode of membrane insertion of CitS, we have investigated its insertion into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. By using in vitro translation of model proteins in the presence of dog pancreas microsomes, each of the putative transmembrane segments of CitS was assayed for its potency to insert into the ER membrane, both as an isolated segment as well as in the context of COOH-terminal truncation mutants. All 12 segments were able to insert into the membrane as Ncyt-Clum signal anchor sequences. In a series of COOH-terminal truncation mutants, the segments inserted in a sequential way except for one segment, segment Vb, which was translocated to the lumen. Hydrophobic segments VIII and IX, which, according to the alkaline phosphatase fusion study, are in the periplasm of E. coli, form a helical hairpin in the ER membrane. These observations suggest a topology for CitS with 11 transmembrane segments and also demonstrate that the sequence requirements for signal anchor and stop transfer function are different.

Cocaine alters the accessibility of endogenous cysteines in putative extracellular and intracellular loops of the human dopamine transporter

Cocaine and other psychostimulants act by blocking the dopamine transporter. Binding of the cocaine analog, [3H]2-beta-carbomethoxy-3-beta-(4-fluorophenyl) tropane (CFT) to the dopamine transporter is sensitive to polar sulfhydryl-specific derivatives of methanethiosulfonate (MTS). These reagents preferentially react with water-accessible, reduced cysteines. The human dopamine transporter has 13 cysteines. Their topology is not completely determined. We sought to identify those cysteine residues the modification of which affects CFT binding and to determine the topology of these reactive cysteines. We mutated each of the cysteines, one at a time and in various combinations, to residues that preserved binding and transport, and we tested the sensitivity of each of the mutant transporters to the reagents. One construct, X5C, had five mutated cysteines (C90A, C135A, C306A, C319F, and C342A). Using a membrane preparation in which both extracellular and intracellular cysteines could be accessible, we found that CFT binding in X5C, as compared with wild-type transporter, was two orders of magnitude less sensitive to MTS ethylammonium (MTSEA). The wild-type cysteines were substituted back into X5C, one at a time, and these constructs were tested in cells and in membranes. Cys-90 and Cys-306 appear to be extracellular, and Cys-135 and Cys-342 appear to be intracellular. Each of these residues is predicted to be in extramembranous loops. The binding of cocaine increases the rate of reaction of MTSEA and MTS ethyltrimethylammonium with the extracellular Cys-90 and therefore acts by inducing a conformational change. Cocaine decreases the rate of reaction of MTSEA with Cys-135 and Cys-342, acting either directly or indirectly on these intracellular residues.

High affinity recognition of serotonin transporter antagonists defined by species-scanning mutagenesis. An aromatic residue in transmembrane domain I dictates species-selective recognition of citalopram and mazindol

Human and Drosophila melanogaster serotonin (5-HT) transporters (SERTs) exhibit similar 5-HT transport kinetics and can be distinguished pharmacologically by many, but not all, biogenic amine transporter antagonists. By using human and Drosophila SERT chimeras, major determinants of potencies of two transporter antagonists, mazindol and citalopram, were tracked to the amino-terminal domains encompassing transmembrane domains I and II. Species-scanning mutagenesis, whereby amino acid substitutions are made switching residues from one species to another, was employed on the eight amino acids that differ between human and Drosophila SERTs in this region, and antagonist potencies were reassessed in 5-HT uptake assays. A single mutation in transmembrane domain I of human SERT, Y95F, shifted both citalopram and mazindol to Drosophila SERT-like potencies. Strikingly, these potency changes were in opposite directions suggesting Tyr95 contributes both positive and negative determinants of antagonist potency. To gain insight into how the Y95F mutant might influence mazindol potency, we determined how structural variants of mazindol responded to the mutation. Our studies demonstrate the importance of the hydroxyl group on the heterocyclic nucleus of mazindol for maintaining species-selective recognition of mazindol and suggest that transmembrane domain I participates in the formation of antagonist-binding sites for amine transporters.

Neurotransmitter transporters as molecular targets for addictive drugs

The neurotransmitter dopamine lies at or near the center of current theories of drug abuse and dependence. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that dopaminergic cells play key roles in a variety of motivated behaviors. Accordingly, it is not surprising that cocaine and amphetamines--some of the most widely used illicit drugs--elevate extraneuronal dopamine concentrations through their actions on the plasma membrane dopamine transporter. From the point of view of developing novel pharmacological interventions for the treatment or prevention of psychostimulant abuse, practical benefits may arise from an improved understanding of how neurotransmitter transporters operate and how drugs interact with them.

Determination of external loop topology in the serotonin transporter by site-directed chemical labeling

The transmembrane topology of the serotonin transporter (SERT) has been examined by measuring the reactivity of selected lysine and cysteine residues with extracellular reagents. An impermeant biotinylating reagent, sulfosuccinimidyl 2-(biotinamido)ethyl-1, 3-dithiopropionate (NHS-SS-biotin), was shown to label SERT transiently expressed in cultured cells. Replacement of four lysine residues that were predicted to lie in external hydrophilic loops (eK-less) largely prevented the biotinylation reaction. Likewise, the cysteine-specific biotinylation reagent N-biotinylaminoethylmethanethiosulfonate (MTSEA-biotin) labeled wild type SERT but not a mutant in which Cys-109, predicted to lie in the first external loop, was replaced with alanine. These two mutant transporters reacted with the biotinylating reagents in digitonin-permeabilized cells, demonstrating that the abundant lysine and cysteine residues predicted to lie in intracellular hydrophilic domains were reactive but not accessible in intact cells. Mutants containing a single external lysine at positions 111, 194, 243, 319, 399, 490, and 571 reacted more readily with NHS-SS-biotin than did the eK-less mutant. Similarly, mutants with a single cysteine at positions 109, 310, 406, 489, and 564 reacted more readily with MTSEA-biotin than did the C109A mutant. All of these mutants were active and therefore likely to be folded correctly. These results support the original transmembrane topology and argue against an alternative topology proposed recently for the related glycine and gamma-aminobutyric acid transporters.

Topological localization of cysteine 74 in the GABA transporter, GAT1, and its importance in ion binding and permeation

Xenopus oocytes expressing the GABA transporter GAT1 were exposed to membrane-impermeant sulfhydryl reagents, resulting in decreased GABA transport current, decreased capacitive charge movements, and increased Na+ and Li+ leakage currents. Mutation of cysteine 74 to alanine (C74A) eliminated these effects. The W68S and W68L mutations significantly increased and decreased the transporter's sensitivity, respectively, to sulfhydryl reagents. At each of the positions 73 through 76, cysteine residues were accessible to external MTSET. These findings, together with recent evidence placing the HD2-HD3 loop on the extracellular side, suggest that the HD2 region does not traverse the membrane.