Differential regulation of the HepG2 and adipocyte/muscle glucose transporters in 3T3L1 adipocytes. Effect of chronic glucose deprivation.

Glucose transport in 3T3L1 adipocytes is mediated by two facilitated diffusion transport systems. We examined the effect of chronic glucose deprivation on transport activity and on the expression of the HepG2 (GLUT 1) and adipocyte/muscle (GLUT 4) glucose transporter gene products in this insulin-sensitive cell line. Glucose deprivation resulted in a maximal increase in 2-deoxyglucose uptake of 3.6-fold by 24 h. Transport activity declined thereafter but was still 2.4-fold greater than the control by 72 h. GLUT 1 mRNA and protein increased progressively during starvation to values respectively 2.4- and 7.0-fold greater than the control by 72 h. Much of the increase in total immunoreactive GLUT 1 protein observed later in starvation was the result of the accumulation of a non-functional or mistargeted 38 kDa polypeptide. Immunofluorescence microscopy indicated that increases in GLUT 1 protein occurred in presumptive plasma membrane (PM) and Golgi-like compartments during prolonged starvation. The steady-state level of GLUT 4 protein did not change during 72 h of glucose deprivation despite a greater than 10-fold decrease in the mRNA. Subcellular fractionation experiments indicated that the increased transport activity observed after 24 h of starvation was principally the result of an increase in the 45-50 kDa GLUT 1 transporter protein in the PM. The level of the GLUT 1 transporter in the PM and low-density microsomes (LDM) was increased by 3.9- and 1.4-fold respectively, and the GLUT 4 transporter content of the PM and LDM was 1.7- and 0.6-fold respectively greater than that of the control after 24 h of glucose deprivation. These data indicate that newly synthesized GLUT 1 transporters are selectively shuttled to the PM and that GLUT 4 transporters undergo translocation from an intracellular compartment to the PM during 24 h of glucose starvation. Thus glucose starvation results in an increase in glucose transport in 3T3L1 adipocytes via a complex series of events involving increased biosynthesis, decreased turnover and subcellular redistribution of transporter proteins.     

Localization of sequences regulating ancestral and acquired sites of esterase6 activity in Drosophila melanogaster

We have broadly defined the DNA regions regulating esterase6 activity in several life stages and tissue types of D. melanogaster using P- element-mediated transformation of constructs that contain the esterase6 coding region and deletions or substitutions in 5' or 3' flanking DNA. Hemolymph is a conserved ancestral site of EST6 activity in Drosophila and the primary sequences regulating its activity lie between -171 and -25 bp relative to the translation initiation site: deletion of these sequences decrease activity approximately 20-fold. Hemolymph activity is also modulated by four other DNA regions, three of which lie 5' and one of which lies 3' of the coding region. Of these, two have positive and two have negative effects, each of approximately twofold. Esterase6 activity is present also in two male reproductive tract tissues; the ejaculatory bulb, which is another ancestral activity site, and the ejaculatory duct, which is a recently acquired site within the melanogaster species subgroup. Activities in these tissues are at least in part independently regulated: activity in the ejaculatory bulb is conferred by sequences between -273 and -172 bp (threefold decrease when deleted), while activity in the ejaculatory duct is conferred by more distal sequences between -844 and -614 bp (fourfold decrease when deleted). The reproductive tract activity is further modulated by two additional DNA regions, one in 5' DNA (-613 to -284 bp; threefold decrease when deleted) and the other in 3' DNA (+1860 to +2731 bp; threefold decrease when deleted) that probably overlaps the adjacent esteraseP gene. Collating these data with previous studies suggests that expression of EST6 in the ancestral sites is mainly regulated by conserved proximal sequences while more variable distal sequences regulate expression in the acquired ejaculatory duct site.      

Intraspecific diversity in the fungal speciesChaunopycnis alba: Implications for microbial screening programs

Intraspecific variation among 84 isolates of the anamorphic fungusChaunopycnis alba from 26 different geographical locations was analyzed by investigating optimal growth temperatures, differences in the production of secondary metabolites and presence or absence of the cyclosporin synthetase gene. The genetic diversity was assessed using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Analysis of these data showed high genetic, metabolic and physiological diversity within this species. Isolates from the Antarctic represented the most homogeneous group withinC. alba and together with isolates from the Arctic these polar strains differed from alpine, temperate and tropical strains by low optimal growth temperatures and by low production of secondary metabolites. Isolates from tropical climes were characterized by high optimal growth temperatures and by the production of comparatively diverse metabolite spectra. Most of the isolates that were similar in the combination of their physiological and metabolic characters were also genetically related. Isolates from different geographical origins did not show many similarities, with the exception of the cyclosporin A-producing isolates, and large diversity could be observed even within a single habitat. This leads us to the suggestion that for pharmaceutical screening programs samples should be collected from a diversity of different geographical and climatic locations. For the selection of strains for screening the RAPD assay seems to be the most powerful tool. It reflected the highest intraspecific diversity and the results corresponded well with the other characteristics.     

Intracellular targeting of the insulin-regulatable glucose transporter (GLUT4) is isoform specific and independent of cell type

Insulin stimulates glucose transport in adipocytes via the rapid redistribution of the GLUT1 and GLUT4 glucose transporters from intracellular membrane compartments to the cell surface. Insulin sensitivity is dependent on the proper intracellular trafficking of the glucose transporters in the basal state. The bulk of insulin-sensitive transport in adipocytes appears to be due to the translocation of GLUT4, which is more efficiently sequestered inside the cell and is present in much greater abundance than GLUT1. The cell type and isoform specificity of GLUT4 intracellular targeting were investigated by examining the subcellular distribution of GLUT1 and GLUT4 in cell types that are refractory to the effect of insulin on glucose transport. Rat GLUT4 was expressed in 3T3-L1 fibroblasts and HepG2 hepatoma cells by DNA-mediated transfection. Transfected 3T3-L1 fibroblasts over-expressing human GLUT1 exhibited increased glucose transport, and laser confocal immunofluorescent imaging of GLUT1 in these cells indicated that the protein was concentrated in the plasma membrane. In contrast, 3T3-L1 fibroblasts expressing GLUT4 exhibited no increase in transport activity, and confocal imaging demonstrated that this protein was targeted almost exclusively to cytoplasmic compartments. 3T3-L1 fibroblasts expressing GLUT4 were unresponsive to insulin with respect to transport activity, and no change was observed in the subcellular distribution of the protein after insulin administration. Immunogold labeling of frozen ultrathin sections revealed that GLUT4 was concentrated in tubulo-vesicular elements of the trans-Golgi reticulum in these cells. Sucrose density gradient analysis of 3T3-L1 homogenates was consistent with the presence of GLUT1 and GLUT4 in discrete cytoplasmic compartments. Immunogold labeling of frozen thin sections of HepG2 cells indicated that endogenous GLUT1 was heavily concentrated in the plasma membrane. Sucrose density gradient analysis of homogenates of HepG2 cells expressing rat GLUT4 suggested that GLUT4 is targeted to an intracellular location in these cells. The density of the putative GLUT4-containing cytoplasmic membrane vesicles was very similar in HepG2 cells, 3T3-L1 fibroblasts, 3T3-L1 adipocytes, and rat adipocytes. These data indicate that the intracellular trafficking of GLUT4 is isoform specific. Additionally, these observations support the notion that GLUT4 is targeted to its proper intracellular locale even in cell types that do not exhibit insulin-responsive glucose transport, and suggest that the machinery that regulates the intracellular targeting of GLUT4 is distinct from the factors that regulate insulin-dependent recruitment to the cell surface.     

Amino acid substitutions at tryptophan 388 and tryptophan 412 of the HepG2 (Glut1) glucose transporter inhibit transport activity and targeting to the plasma membrane in Xenopus oocytes.

All 6 tryptophan residues in the human HepG2-type glucose transporter (Glut1) were individually altered by site-directed mutagenesis to investigate the role of these residues in transport function. Tryptophan residues in positions 48, 65, 186, 363, 388, and 412 of Glut1 were changed to either a glycine or leucine residue. Mutant mRNAs were synthesized and injected into Xenopus laevis oocytes. Transporter function as assessed by uptake of 2-deoxy-D-[3H]glucose or transport of 3-O-[3H]methylglucose was decreased in the 388 and 412 mutants but was unaltered in all other mutants. The amount of the mutant transporters expressed in total membrane and plasma membrane fractions was measured using Glut1-specific antibodies. Calculation of the intrinsic transport activity of each of the mutants using these data demonstrated that the reduced transport activity of the 412 mutants was caused entirely by a dramatic decrease in the intrinsic activity of the mutant proteins whereas the reduced activity of the 388 mutants was a result of a decreased level of the protein in oocytes, decreased targeting to the plasma membrane, and a modest decrease in the intrinsic activity. Protease/glycosidase mapping of in vitro translation products indicated that the effects of the 388 and 412 point mutations could not be attributed to a disruption in the ability of the mutant proteins to insert properly into the membrane. The ID50 for cytochalasin B inhibition of 2-deoxyglucose uptake was increased from 5 x 10(-7) M for the wild-type Glut1 to 4 x 10(-6) M in the 388 mutants but was unaltered in the 412 mutants. These observations suggest that 1) Trp-412 may comprise part of a hexose binding site or is involved in maintaining a local tertiary structure critical for transport function; 2) Trp-388 is involved in stabilizing the equilibrium binding of cytochalasin B to the transporter. Trp-388 may therefore lie near a substrate binding site and also appears to participate in stabilization of local tertiary structure important for full catalytic activity and efficient targeting to the Xenopus plasma membrane.