title: A conformationally sensitive residue on the cytoplasmic surface of serotonin transporter.
abstract: Serotonin transporter (SERT) contains a single reactive external cysteine residue at position 109 (Chen, J. G., Liu-Chen, S., and Rudnick, G. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 1479-1486) and seven predicted cytoplasmic cysteines. A mutant of rat SERT (X8C) in which those eight cysteine residues were replaced by other amino acids retained approximately 32% of wild type transport activity and approximately 56% of wild type binding activity. In contrast to wild-type SERT or the C109A mutant, X8C was resistant to inhibition of high affinity cocaine analog binding by the cysteine reagent 2-(aminoethyl)methanethiosulfonate hydrobromide (MTSEA) in membrane preparations from transfected cells. Each predicted cytoplasmic cysteine residue was reintroduced, one at a time, into the X8C template. Reintroduction of Cys-357, located in the third intracellular loop, restored MTSEA sensitivity similar to that of C109A. Replacement of only Cys-109 and Cys-357 was sufficient to prevent MTSEA sensitivity. Thus, Cys-357 was the sole cytoplasmic determinant of MTSEA sensitivity in SERT. Both serotonin and cocaine protected SERT from inactivation by MTSEA at Cys-357. This protection was apparently mediated through a conformational change following ligand binding. Although both ligands bind in the absence of Na(+) and at 4 degrees C, their ability to protect Cys-357 required Na(+) and was prevented at 4 degrees C. The accessibility of Cys-357 to MTSEA inactivation was increased by monovalent cations. The K(+) ion, which is believed to serve as a countertransport substrate for SERT, was the most effective ion for increasing Cys-357 reactivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8066, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Androutsellis-Theotokis
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ghassemi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rudnick
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003545:Cysteine / Q000378:metabolism*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism*; D005020:Ethyl Methanesulfonate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D051381:Rats; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D008024:Ligands; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D050486:Serotonin Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins; C493232:Slc6a4 protein, rat; C093171:methanethiosulfonate ethylammonium; D005020:Ethyl Methanesulfonate; D003545:Cysteine