title: Cloning and functional characterization of a new subtype of the amino acid transport system N.
abstract: We have cloned a new subtype of the amino acid transport system N2 (SN2 or second subtype of system N) from rat brain. Rat SN2 consists of 471 amino acids and belongs to the recently identified glutamine transporter gene family that consists of system N and system A. Rat SN2 exhibits 63% identity with rat SN1. It also shows considerable sequence identity (50-56%) with the members of the amino acid transporter A subfamily. In the rat, SN2 mRNA is most abundant in the liver but is detectable in the brain, lung, stomach, kidney, testis, and spleen. When expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and in mammalian cells, rat SN2 mediates Na(+)-dependent transport of several neutral amino acids, including glycine, asparagine, alanine, serine, glutamine, and histidine. The transport process is electrogenic, Li(+) tolerant, and pH sensitive. The transport mechanism involves the influx of Na(+) and amino acids coupled to the efflux of H(+), resulting in intracellular alkalization. Proline, alpha-(methylamino)isobutyric acid, and anionic and cationic amino acids are not recognized by rat SN2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia 30912, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakanishi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kekuda
authors.forename: Y J
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Fei
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hatanaka
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Martindale
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Leibach
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Prasad
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ganapathy
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D026923:Amino Acid Transport Systems, Basic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D026921:Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D006801:Humans; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D000074011:Peptide Transporter 1; D010857:Pigment Epithelium of Eye / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D051381:Rats; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013379:Substrate Specificity; D027981:Symporters; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D026923:Amino Acid Transport Systems, Basic; D026921:Amino Acid Transport Systems, Neutral; D000596:Amino Acids; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D000074011:Peptide Transporter 1; D020033:Protein Isoforms; C082186:SLC15A1 protein, human; C489940:Slc15a1 protein, rat; C442247:Slc38a5 protein, rat; D027981:Symporters; C403222:system N protein 1; D012965:Sodium Chloride