Publications

• Substrate recognition by the mammalian proton-dependent amino acid transporter PAT1.

  Boll M., Foltz M., Anderson C.M., Oechsler C., Kottra G., Thwaites D.T., Daniel H.

  The PAT family of proton-dependent amino acid transporters has recently been identified at the molecular level. This paper describes the structural requirements in substrates for their interaction with the cloned murine intestinal proton/amino acid cotransporter (PAT1). By using the Xenopus laevis ... >> More

  The PAT family of proton-dependent amino acid transporters has recently been identified at the molecular level. This paper describes the structural requirements in substrates for their interaction with the cloned murine intestinal proton/amino acid cotransporter (PAT1). By using the Xenopus laevis oocytes as an expression system and by combining the two-electron voltage clamp technique with radiotracer flux studies, it was demonstrated that the aliphatic side chain of L-alpha-amino acids substrates can consist maximally of only one CH2-unit for high affinity interaction with PAT1. With respect to the maximal separation between the amino and carboxyl groups, only two CH2-units, as in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), are tolerated. PAT1 displays no or even a reversed stereoselectivity, tolerating serine and cystein only in the form of D-enantiomers. A methyl-substitution of the carboxyl group (e.g. O-methyl-glycine) markedly diminishes substrate affinity and transport rates, whereas methyl-substitutions at the amino group (e.g. sarcosine or betaine) have only minor effects on substrate interaction with the transporter binding site. Furthermore, it has been shown (by kinetic analyses of radiolabelled betaine influx and inhibition studies) that the endogenous PAT system of human Caco-2 cells has very similar transport characteristics to mouse PAT1. In summary, one has defined the structural requirements and limitations thet determine the substrate specificity of PAT1. A critical recognition criterion of PAT1 is the backbone charge separation distance and the side chain size, whereas substitutions on the amino group are well tolerated. << Less

  Mol Membr Biol 20:261-269(2003) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 8 other entries.

• Substrate specificity and transport mode of the proton-dependent amino acid transporter mPAT2.

  Foltz M., Oechsler C., Boll M., Kottra G., Daniel H.

  The PAT2 transporter has been shown to act as an electrogenic proton/amino acid symporter. The PAT2 cDNA has been cloned from various human, mouse and rat tissues and belongs to a group of four genes (pat1 to pat4) with PAT3 and PAT4 still resembling orphan transporters. The first immunolocalizati ... >> More

  The PAT2 transporter has been shown to act as an electrogenic proton/amino acid symporter. The PAT2 cDNA has been cloned from various human, mouse and rat tissues and belongs to a group of four genes (pat1 to pat4) with PAT3 and PAT4 still resembling orphan transporters. The first immunolocalization studies demonstrated that the PAT2 protein is found in the murine central nervous system in neuronal cells with a proposed role in the intra and/or intercellular amino acid transport. Here we provide a detailed analysis of the transport mode and substrate specificity of the murine PAT2 transporter after expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes, by electrophysiological techniques and flux studies. The structural requirements to the PAT2 substrates - when considering both low and high affinity type substrates - are similar to those reported for the PAT1 protein with the essential features of a free carboxy group and a small side chain. For high affinity binding, however, PAT2 requires the amino group to be located in an alpha-position, tolerates only one methyl function attached to the amino group and is highly selective for the L-enantiomers. Electrophysiological analysis revealed pronounced effects of membrane potential on proton binding affinity, but substrate affinities and maximal transport currents only modestly respond to changes in membrane voltage. Whereas substrate affinity is dependent on extracellular pH, proton binding affinity to PAT2 is substrate-independent, favouring a sequential binding of proton followed by substrate. Maximal transport currents are substrate-dependent which suggests that the translocation of the loaded carrier to the internal side is the rate-limiting step. << Less

  Eur. J. Biochem. 271:3340-3347(2004) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 6 other entries.

• Functional characterization of two novel mammalian electrogenic proton-dependent amino acid cotransporters.

  Boll M., Foltz M., Rubio-Aliaga I., Kottra G., Daniel H.

  We cloned two cDNAs encoding proton/amino acid cotransporters, designated as mPAT1 and mPAT2, from murine tissues. They were identified by sequence similarity to the amino acid/auxin permease family member of lower eukaryotes. We functionally characterized both transporters by flux studies and ele ... >> More

  We cloned two cDNAs encoding proton/amino acid cotransporters, designated as mPAT1 and mPAT2, from murine tissues. They were identified by sequence similarity to the amino acid/auxin permease family member of lower eukaryotes. We functionally characterized both transporters by flux studies and electrophysiology after expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Both mPAT1 and mPAT2 induced a pH-dependent electrogenic transport activity for small amino acids (glycine, alanine, and proline) that is altered by membrane potential. Direct evidence for amino acid/H(+)-symport was shown by intracellular acidification, and a flux coupling stoichiometry for proline/H(+)-symport of 1:1 was determined for both transporters. Besides small apolar L-amino acids, the transporters also recognize their D-enantiomers and selected amino acid derivatives such as gamma-aminobutyric acid. The mPAT1 transporter, the murine orthologue of the recently cloned rat LYAAT-1 transporter, can be considered as a low affinity system when compared with mPAT2. The mRNA of mPAT1 is highly expressed in small intestine, colon, kidney, and brain; the mPAT2-mRNA is mainly found in heart and lung. Phenotypically, the PAT1 transporter possesses the same functional characteristics as the previously described proton-dependent amino acid transport process in apical membranes of intestinal and renal epithelial cells. << Less

  J. Biol. Chem. 277:22966-22973(2002) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]

  This publication is cited by 7 other entries.

• Identification and characterization of the main beta-alanine uptake system in Escherichia coli.

  Schneider F., Kraemer R., Burkovski A.

  In Escherichia coli, beta-alanine is a direct precursor in the biosynthesis of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). Although a sufficient beta-alanine supply is crucial for biotechnological vitamin B5 production, nothing was known about beta-alanine transport in E. coli until now. The aim of this work w ... >> More

  In Escherichia coli, beta-alanine is a direct precursor in the biosynthesis of pantothenic acid (vitamin B5). Although a sufficient beta-alanine supply is crucial for biotechnological vitamin B5 production, nothing was known about beta-alanine transport in E. coli until now. The aim of this work was the characterization of beta-alanine transport by E. coli and the identification and overexpression of the corresponding carrier-encoding gene for the rational improvement of pantothenic acid-producing strains. beta-Alanine uptake was found to be an active process catalyzed by the amino acid carrier CycA. The corresponding gene was cloned and overexpressed, resulting in an increase in the uptake rate, compared with the wild type. In all tested strains, this overexpression led to a strong sensitivity to beta-alanine, but not to the other CycA substrates, such as L-alanine, D-alanine, and glycine. This prevented a direct application for the improvement of pantothenic acid-producing strains by an enhanced precursor supply. << Less

  Appl. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 65:576-582(2004) [PubMed] [EuropePMC]