Nucleocytoplasmic transport and distribution of an amino acid, in situ.
Ultra-low temperature techniques (microdissection and autoradiography) were used to study the nucleocytoplasmic distribution and transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) in an amino acid-accumulating cell. In amphibiam oocytes incubated in AIB, the nuclear concentration of this non-metabolizable  amino acid exceeds the cytoplasmic concentration by 45%, remaining constant both over time and variation in substrate concentration. The kinetics of uptake suggest that this nucleo-cytoplasmic asymmetry arises from solubility differences between the 2 compartments, and that the nuclear envelope plays a negligible role in amino acid transport. A solute exclusion model is offered to explain the nucleocytoplasmic asymmetry.
D000621:Aminoisobutyric Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001693:Biological Transport, Active; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007700:Kinetics; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D011894:Rana pipiens; D014867:Water
D000621:Aminoisobutyric Acids; D014867:Water