title: Cloning of a cDNA coding for an amino acid carrier from Ricinus communis (RcAAP1) by functional complementation in yeast: kinetic analysis, inhibitor sensitivity and substrate specificity.
abstract: A cDNA for the amino acid permease gene RcAAP1 has been isolated from Ricinus communis by yeast complementation and subjected to a detailed kinetic analysis. RcAAP1 cDNA is 1.5 kb with an open reading frame that codes for a protein with 486 amino acids and a calculated molecular mass of 53.1 kDa. RcAAP1-mediated histidine uptake was pH dependent with highest transport rates at acidic pH; it was sensitive to protonophores and uncouplers and the Km for histidine uptake was 96 microM. The substrate specificity was investigated by measuring the levels of inhibition of histidine uptake by a range of amino acids. The basic amino acids (histidine, lysine and arginine) showed strongest inhibition of uptake whereas acidic amino acids competed less effectively. Alanine was the most efficient competitor of the neutral amino acids. Glutamine, serine, asparagine, methionine and cysteine showed moderate inhibition whereas threonine, isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan showed only low levels of inhibition. Glycine, proline and citrulline caused slight stimulation. More detailed competition kinetics indicated that both lysine and arginine showed simple competitive inhibition of histidine uptake. When direct uptake measurements were carried out, both lysine and arginine were found to be effective substrates for RcAAP1.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Bassett Crescent East, Southampton S016 7PX, UK.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Marvier
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neelam
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bick
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D026905:Amino Acid Transport Systems; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001120:Arginine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D001667:Binding, Competitive; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000502:physiology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D002367:Ricinus communis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005816:Genetic Complementation Test; D006639:Histidine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007476:Ionophores / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D008239:Lysine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D010947:Plants, Toxic; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D026905:Amino Acid Transport Systems; D000596:Amino Acids; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007476:Ionophores; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D010940:Plant Proteins; D006639:Histidine; D001120:Arginine; D008239:Lysine