title: Protein expression and subcellular localization of the general purine transporter UapC from Aspergillus nidulans.
abstract: The uapC gene of Aspergillus nidulans belongs to a family of nucleobase-specific transporters conserved in prokaryotic and eucaryotic organisms. We report the use of immunological and green fluorescent protein based strategies to study protein expression and subcellular distribution of UapC. A chimeric protein containing a plant-adapted green fluorescent protein (sGFP) fused to the C-terminus of UapC was shown to be functional in vivo, as it complements a triple mutant (i.e., uapC(-) uapA(-) azgA(-)) unable to grow on uric acid as the sole nitrogen source. UapC-GFP is located in the plasma membrane and, secondarily, in internal structures observed as fluorescent dots. A strong correlation was found between cellular levels of UapC-GFP fluorescence and known patterns of uapC gene expression. This work represents the first in vivo study of protein expression and subcellular localization of a filamentous fungal nucleobase transporter.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química Biológica (CIQUIBIC-CONICET), Universidad de Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Valdez-Taubas
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Diallinas
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scazzocchio
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rosa
mesh_terms: D001233:Aspergillus nidulans / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D005470:Fluorometry; D005656:Fungal Proteins; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; C114088:UapC protein, Aspergillus nidulans; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins