title: Sodium-independent currents of opposite polarity evoked by neutral and cationic amino acids in neutral and basic amino acid transporter cRNA-injected oocytes.
abstract: To elucidate the electrical events associated with the movement of amino acids by the neutral and basic amino acid transporter (NBAT)-encoded protein (Yan, N., Mosckovitz, R., Gerber, L.D., Mathew, S., Murty, V.V. V.S., Tate, S.S., and Udenfriend, S. (1994) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91, 7548-7552), we have investigated the membrane potential and current changes associated with the increased transport of amino acids across the cell membrane of NBAT cRNA-injected Xenopus laevis oocytes. Superfusion of 0.05 mM L-phenylalanine, in current-clamped NBAT-injected oocytes, caused a hyperpolarization (8.5 +/- 0.9 mV), but superfusion of L-arginine caused a depolarization (18.3 +/- 1.3 mV). In voltage-clamped (-60 mV) oocytes, superfusion of L-phenylalanine evoked a sodium- and chloride-independent, saturable (Km = 0.34 +/- 0.02 mM, Imax = 31.3 +/- 0.5 nA), outward current. This outward current was reduced in the presence of high external [K] and was barium-sensitive. Outward currents were also evoked by L-leucine, L-glutamine, L-alanine, D-phenylalanine, and L-beta-phenylalanine. Superfusion of L-arginine evoked a saturable (Km = 0.09 +/- 0.02 mM, Imax = -29.2 +/- 1.3 nA) inward current; L-lysine and D-arginine also evoked inward currents. L-Glutamate and beta-alanine failed to evoke any currents. Effluxes of L-[3H]phenylalanine and L-[3H]arginine were trans-stimulated in the presence of either amino acid. Flux-current comparisons indicated amino acid:charge movement stoichiometry of 1:1 for both neutral and cationic amino acids. These findings indicate that the amino acid transport activity(ies) expressed in NBAT cRNA-injected oocytes is electrogenic by a mechanism including the outward movement of a net positive charge (potassium ion or cationic amino acid) in exchange for uptake of a neutral amino acid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Physiology, University of Dundee, Scotland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Peter
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rennie
mesh_terms: D026923:Amino Acid Transport Systems, Basic; D026921:Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002412:Cations; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008845:Microinjections; D009865:Oocytes; D018075:RNA, Complementary; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015222:Sodium Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D026923:Amino Acid Transport Systems, Basic; D026921:Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral; D000596:Amino Acids; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D002412:Cations; D018075:RNA, Complementary; D015222:Sodium Channels; D012964:Sodium