Some vertebrates go with the GLO.
Most vertebrates synthesize vitamin C (ascorbate) de novo from glucose, but humans and certain other mammals cannot. In this issue, Montel-Hagen et al. (2008) demonstrate that erythrocytes from these ascorbate auxotrophs switch the preference of their glucose transporter Glut1 from glucose to dehydroascorbate (DHA), the oxidized form of vitamin C. This substrate preference switch is mediated by the membrane protein stomatin and is an evolutionary adaptation to vitamin C deficiency.
Troadec
Marie-Berengere
MB
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA.
Kaplan
Jerry
J
D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D003683:Dehydroascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D051246:Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D051246:Glucose Transport Proteins, Facilitative; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D003683:Dehydroascorbic Acid