Analysis of transmembrane segment 10 of the Glut1 glucose transporter by cysteine-scanning mutagenesis and substituted cysteine accessibility.

The Glut1 glucose transporter has been proposed to form an aqueous sugar translocation pathway through the lipid bilayer via the clustering of several transmembrane helices (Mueckler, M., Caruso, C., Baldwin, S. A., Panico, M., Blench, I., Morris, H. R., Allard, W. J., Lienhard, G. E., and Lodish, H. F. (1985) Science 229, 941-945). The participation of transmembrane helix 10 in the formation of this putative aqueous tunnel was tested using cysteine-scanning mutagenesis in conjunction with the membrane-impermeant, sulfhydryl-specific reagent, p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonate (pCMBS). A series of 21 mutants was created from a fully functional, cysteine-less, parental Glut1 molecule by changing each residue within putative transmembrane segment 10 to cysteine. Each mutant was then expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and its plasma membrane content, 2-deoxyglucose uptake activity, and sensitivity to pCMBS were measured. Helix 10 exhibited a highly distinctive reaction profile to scanning mutagenesis whereby cysteine substitution at residues within the cytoplasmic N-terminal half of the helix tended to increase specific transport activity, whereas substitution at residues within the exoplasmic C-terminal half of the helix tended to decrease specific transport activity. Four residues within helix 10 were clearly accessible to pCMBS as judged by inhibition or stimulation of transport activity. All four of these residues were clustered along one face of a putative alpha-helix. These results combined with previously published data suggest that transmembrane segment 10 of Glut1 forms part of the sugar permeation pathway. Two-dimensional models for the conformation of the 12 transmembrane helices and the exofacial glucose-binding site of Glut1 are proposed that are consistent with existing experimental data.     

Cysteine-scanning mutagenesis and substituted cysteine accessibility analysis of transmembrane segment 4 of the Glut1 glucose transporter

A low resolution model has been proposed for the exofacial conformation of the Glut1 glucose transporter in which eight transmembrane segments form an inner helical bundle stabilized by four outer helices. The role of transmembrane segment 4, predicted to be an inner helix in this structural model, was investigated by cysteine-scanning mutagenesis in conjunction with the substituted cysteine accessibility method using the membrane-impermeant, sulfhydryl-specific reagent, p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonate (pCMBS). A functional, cysteine-less, parental Glut1 molecule was used to produce 21 Glut1 point mutants by individually changing each residue along transmembrane helix 4 to a cysteine. The single cysteine mutants were then expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and their expression levels, transport activities, and sensitivities to pCMBS were determined. In striking contrast to all of the other seven predicted inner helices, none of the 21 helix 4 single-cysteine mutants was demonstrably inhibited by pCMBS. However, cysteine substitution within helix 4 resulted in an unusually high number of severely transport-defective mutants. The low absolute transport activities of two of these mutants (G130C and G134C) were due to their extremely low levels of expression, presumably a result of structural instability and consequent degradation in oocytes, suggesting that these two residues play an important role in maintaining the native structure of Glut1. The other two transport-defective mutants (Y143C and E146C) exhibited low specific transport activities, implying that these two residues play an important role in the transport cycle. Based on these data, we conclude that the exoplasmic end of helix 4 lies outside the inner helical bundle in the exofacial configuration of Glut1.     

Cysteine-scanning mutagenesis of transmembrane segment 1 of glucose transporter GLUT1: extracellular accessibility of helix positions

Transmembrane segment 1 of the cysteine-less GLUT1 glucose transporter was subjected to cysteine-scanning mutagenesis. The majority of single-cysteine mutants were functional transporters, as assessed by 2-deoxy-d-glucose uptake or 3-O-methyl-d-glucose transport. Substitution of cysteine for Leu-21, Gly-22, Ser-23, Gln-25, and Gly-27, however, led to uptake rates that were less than 10% of that of the nonmutated cysteine-less GLUT1. NEM, a membrane-permeable agent, was used to identify positions that are sensitive to transport alteration by sulfhydryl reagents, whereas uptake modification by the membrane-impermeant pCMBS indicated accessibility to water-soluble solutes from the external cell environment. Twelve of the 21 single-cysteine mutants were significantly (p < 0.01) affected by NEM, and on the basis of this sensitivity, four positions were identified by pCMBS to form a water-accessible surface within helix 1. The pCMBS-sensitive positions are localized at the exofacial C-terminal end along a circumference of the helix.     

Analysis of transmembrane segment 7 of the dipeptide transporter hPepT1 by cysteine-scanning mutagenesis

To investigate the involvement of transmembrane segment 7 (TMS7) of hPepT1 in forming the putative central aqueous channel through which the substrate traverses, we individually mutated each of the 21 amino acids in TMS7 to a cysteine and analyzed the mutated transporters using the scanning cysteine accessibility method. Y287C- and M292C-hPepT1 did not express at the plasma membrane. Out of the remaining 19 transporters, three (F293C-, L296C-, and F297C-hPepT1) showed negligible glycyl-sarcosine (gly-sar) uptake activity and may play an important role in defining the overall hPepT1 structure. K278C-hPepT1 showed approximately 40% activity and the 15 other transporters exhibited more than 50% gly-sar uptake when compared with wild type (WT)-hPepT1. Gly-sar uptake for the 16 active transporters containing cysteine mutations was then measured in the presence of 2.5 mM 2-aminoethyl methanethiosulfonate hydrobromide (MTSEA) or 1 mM [2-(trimethylammonium) ethyl] methanethiosulfonate bromide (MTSET). Gly-sar uptake was significantly inhibited for each of the 16 single cysteine mutants in the presence of 2.5 mM MTSEA. In contrast, significant inhibition of uptake was only observed for K278C-, M279C-, V280C-, T281C-, M284C-, L286C-, P291C-, and D298C-hPepT1 in the presence of 1 mM MTSET. MTSET modification of R282C-hPepT1 resulted in a significant increase in gly-sar uptake. To investigate this further, we mutated WT-hPepT1 to R282A-, R282E-, and R282K-hPepT1. R282E-hPepT1 showed a 43% reduction in uptake activity, whereas R282A- and R282K-hPepT1 had activities comparable with WT-hPepT1, suggesting a role for the Arg-282 positive charge in substrate translocation. Most of the amino acids that were MTSET-sensitive upon cysteine mutation, including R282C, are located toward the intracellular end of TMS7. Hence, our results suggest that TMS7 of hPepT1 is relatively solvent-accessible along most of its length but that the intracellular end of the transmembrane domain is particularly so. From a structure-function perspective, we speculate that the extracellular end of TMS7 may shift following substrate binding, providing the basis for channel opening and substrate translocation.     

Cysteine-scanning mutagenesis of transmembrane segment 7 of the GLUT1 glucose transporter

The human erythrocyte facilitative glucose transporter (Glut1) is predicted to contain 12 transmembrane spanning alpha-helices based upon hydropathy plot analysis of the primary sequence. Five of these helices (3, 5, 7, 8, and 11) are capable of forming amphipathic structures. A model of GLUT1 tertiary structure has therefore been proposed in which the hydrophilic faces of several amphipathic helices are arranged to form a central aqueous channel through which glucose traverses the hydrophobic lipid bilayer. In order to test this model, we individually mutated each of the amino acid residues in transmembrane segment 7 to cysteine in an engineered GLUT1 molecule devoid of all native cysteines (C-less). Measurement of 2-deoxyglucose uptake in a Xenopus oocyte expression system revealed that nearly all of these mutants retain measurable transport activity. Over one-half of the cysteine mutants had significantly reduced specific activity relative to the C-less protein. The solvent accessibility and relative orientation of the residues within the helix was investigated by determining the sensitivity of the mutant transporters to inhibition by the sulfhydryl directed reagent p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate (pCMBS). Cysteine replacement at six positions (Gln(282), Gln(283), Ile(287), Ala(289), Val(290), and Phe(291)), all near the exofacial side of the cell membrane, produced transporters that were inhibited by incubation with extracellular pCMBS. Residues predicted to be near the cytoplasmic side of the cell membrane were minimally affected by pCMBS. These data demonstrate that the exofacial portion of transmembrane segment 7 is accessible to the external solvent and provide evidence for the positioning of this alpha-helix within the glucose permeation pathway.     

Cysteine-scanning mutagenesis of transmembrane segment 11 of the GLUT1 facilitative glucose transporter

The glucose permeation pathway within the GLUT1 facilitative glucose transporter is hypothesized to be formed by the juxtaposition of the hydrophilic faces of several transmembrane alpha-helices. The role of transmembrane segment 11 in forming a portion of this central aqueous channel was investigated using cysteine-scanning mutagenesis in conjunction with sulfhydryl-directed chemical modification. Each of the amino acid residues within transmembrane segment 11 were individually mutated to cysteine in an engineered GLUT1 molecule devoid of all native cysteines (C-less). Measurement of 2-deoxyglucose uptake in a Xenopus oocyte expression system revealed that all of these mutants retain measurable transport activity. Four of the cysteine mutants (N411, W412, N415, and F422) had significantly reduced specific activity relative to the C-less protein. Specific activity was increased in five of the mutants (A402, A405, V406, F416, and M420). The solvent accessibility and relative orientation of the residues to the glucose permeation pathway were investigated by determining the sensitivity of the mutant transporters to inhibition by the sulfhydryl-directed reagent p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonate (pCMBS). Cysteine replacement at five positions (I404, G408, F416, G419, and M420) produced transporters that were inhibited by incubation with extracellular pCMBS. All of these residues cluster along a single face of the alpha-helix within the regions showing altered specific activities. These data demonstrate that the exofacial portion of transmembrane segment 11 is accessible to the external solvent and provide evidence for the positioning of this alpha-helix within or near the glucose permeation pathway.     

Analysis of transmembrane domain 2 of rat serotonin transporter by cysteine scanning mutagenesis

The second transmembrane domain (TM2) of neurotransmitter transporters has been invoked to control oligomerization and surface expression. This transmembrane domain lies between TM1 and TM3, which have both been proposed to contain residues that contribute to the substrate binding site. Rat serotonin transporter (SERT) TM2 was investigated by cysteine scanning mutagenesis. Six mutants in which cysteine replaced an endogenous TM2 residue had low transport activity, and two were inactive. Most of the reduction in transport activity was due to decreased surface expression. In contrast, M124C and G128C showed increased activity and surface expression. Random mutagenesis at positions 124 and 128 revealed that hydrophobic residues at these positions also increased activity. When modeled as an alpha-helix, positions where mutation to cysteine strongly affects expression levels clustered on the face of TM2 surrounding the leucine heptad repeat conserved within this transporter family. 2-(Aminoethyl)-methanethiosulfonate hydrobromide (MTSEA)-biotin labeled A116C and Y136C but not F117C, M135C, or Y134C, suggesting that these residues may delimit the transmembrane domain. None of the cysteine substitution mutants from 117 through 135 were sensitive to [2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl]methanethiosulfonate bromide (MTSET) or MTSEA. However, treatment with MTSEA increased 5-hydroxytryptamine transport by A116C. Activation of A116C by MTSEA was observed only in mutants containing Cys to Ile mutation at position 357, suggesting that modification of Cys-116 activated transport by compensating for a disruption in transport in response to Cys-357 replacement. The reactivity of A116C toward MTSEA was substantially increased in the presence of substrates but not inhibitors. This increase required Na+ and Cl-, and was likely to result from conformational changes during the transport process.     

Proximity of transmembrane segments 5 and 8 of the glutamate transporter GLT-1 inferred from paired cysteine mutagenesis

Background

GLT-1 is a glial glutamate transporter which maintains low synaptic concentrations of the excitatory neurotransmitter enabling efficient synaptic transmission. Based on the crystal structure of the bacterial homologue Glt_Ph, it has been proposed that the reentrant loop HP2, which connects transmembrane domains (TM) 7 and 8, moves to open and close access to the binding pocket from the extracellular medium. However the conformation change between TM5 and TM8 during the transport cycle is not clear yet. We used paired cysteine mutagenesis in conjunction with treatments with Copper(II)(1,10-Phenanthroline)₃ (CuPh), to verify the predicted proximity of residues located at these structural elements of GLT-1.

Methodology/Principal Findings

To assess the proximity of transmembrane domain (TM) 5 relative to TM8 during transport by the glial glutamate transporter GLT-1/EAAT2, cysteine pairs were introduced at the extracellular ends of these structural elements. A complete inhibition of transport by Copper(II)(1,10-Phenanthroline)₃ is observed in the double mutants I295C/I463C and G297C/I463C, but not in the corresponding single mutants. Glutamate and potassium, both expected to increase the proportion of inward-facing transporters, significantly protected against the inhibition of transport activity of I295C/I463C and G297C/I463C by CuPh. Transport by the double mutants I295C/I463C and G297C/I463C also was inhibited by Cd²⁺.

Conclusions/Significance

Our results suggest that TM5 (Ile-295, Gly-297) is in close proximity to TM8 (Ile-463) in the mammalian transporter, and that the spatial relationship between these domains is altered during the transport cycle.     

A cysteine-scanning mutagenesis study of transmembrane domain 8 of the electrogenic sodium/bicarbonate cotransporter NBCe1

Na/HCO(3) cotransporters (NBCs) such as NBCe1 are members of a superfamily of bicarbonate transporters that includes anion exchangers. Residues within putative transmembrane domain 8 (TMD8) of anion exchanger 1 are involved in ion translocation (Tang, X. B., Kovacs, M., Sterling, D., and Casey, J. R. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 3557-3564), and the corresponding domain in NBCe1 variants is highly homologous. We performed cysteine-scanning mutagenesis to examine the role of TMD8 residues in ion translocation by rat NBCe1-A. We accessed function and/or sulfhydryl sensitivity and p-chloromercuribenzene sulfonate (pCMBS) accessibility of 21 cysteine-substituted NBC mutants expressed in Xenopus oocytes using the two-electrode, voltage clamp technique. Five NBC mutants displayed <10% wild-type activity: P743C, A744C, L746C, D754C, and T758C. For the remaining 16 mutants, we compared transporter-mediated inward currents elicited by removing external Na(+) before and after exposing oocytes to either 2-aminoethylmethane thiosulfonate (MTSEA) or pCMBS. MTSEA inhibited NBC mutants T748C, I749C, I751C, F752C, M753C, and Q756C by 9-19% and stimulated mutants A739C, A741C, L745C, V747C, Q755C, and I757C by 11-21%. pCMBS mildly inhibited mutants A739C, A740, V747C, and Q756C by 5 or 8%, and stimulated I749C by 10%. However, both sulfhydryl reagents strongly inhibited the L750C mutant by > or =85%. Using the substituted cysteine accessibility method, we examined the accessibility of the NBC mutant L750C under different transporter conditions. pCMBS accessibility is (i) reduced when the transporter is active in the presence of both Na(+) and HCO(3)(-), likely due to substrate competition with pCMBS; (ii) reduced in the presence of a stilbene inhibitor; and (iii) stimulated at more positive membrane potentials. In summary, TMD8 residues of NBCe1, particularly L750, are involved in ion translocation, and accessibility is influenced by the state of transporter activity.     

Identification of residues in the drug-binding domain of human P-glycoprotein. Analysis of transmembrane segment 11 by cysteine-scanning mutagenesis and inhibition by dibromobimane

The drug-binding domain of the human multidrug resistance P-glycoprotein (P-gp) probably consists of residues from multiple transmembrane (TM) segments. In this study, we tested whether the amino acids in TM11 participate in binding drug substrates. Each residue in TM11 was initially altered by site-directed mutagenesis and assayed for drug-stimulated ATPase activity in the presence of verapamil, vinblastine, or colchicine. Mutants G939V, F942A, T945A, Q946A, A947L, Y953A, A954L, and G955V had altered drug-stimulated ATPase activities. Direct evidence for binding of drug substrate was then determined by cysteine-scanning mutagenesis of the residues in TM11 and inhibition of drug-stimulated ATPase activity by dibromobimane, a thiol-reactive substrate. Dibromobimane inhibited the drug-stimulated ATPase activities of two mutants, F942C and T945C, by more than 75%. These results suggest that residues Phe(942) and Thr(945) in TM11, together with residues previously identified in TM6 (Leu(339) and Ala(342)) and TM12 (Leu(975), Val(982), and Ala(985)) (Loo, T. W., and Clarke, D. M. (1997) J. Biol. Chem. 272, 31945-31948) form part of the drug-binding domain of P-gp.     

Structural and electrostatic properties of the 5-HT3 receptor pore revealed by substituted cysteine accessibility mutagenesis

5-HT(3) receptors are members of the Cys loop family of ligand-gated ion channels. We used the substituted cysteine accessibility method to identify amino acid residues in the channel forming domain, M2 that face the water-accessible surface and to locate their position in the ion conduction pathway. Cysteine was substituted for each residue, one at a time, in the M2 segment (Asp(274)-Asp(298)). 5-Hydroxytryptamine EC(50) values for functional mutants did not vary from wild type (1.4 +/- 0.2 microm) by more than 10-fold, and five mutants were nonfunctional. Covalent modification of the mutant receptors with sulfydryl reagents revealed 11 residues to be water-accessible, with a pattern consistent with an alpha-helix except at Leu(285) and Leu(293). The data suggest that charge selectivity begins at a more cytoplasmic level than Val(291). Modification at some positions (Val(291), Leu(293), Ile(294), Leu(287), and Ser(280)) resulted in channels that were locked open. Reaction rates with accessible cysteines were voltage-dependent at some residues, suggesting that access occurs via the ion channel. Overall the data observed are similar but not identical to that reported for other members of the family and confirms the high degree of structural and functional homology between receptors in the Cys loop receptor family.     

Proximity of transmembrane domains 1 and 3 of the gamma-aminobutyric acid transporter GAT-1 inferred from paired cysteine mutagenesis

GAT-1 is a sodium- and chloride-dependent gamma-aminobutyric acid transporter and is the first identified member of a family of transporters that maintain low synaptic neurotransmitter levels and thereby enable efficient synaptic transmission. Because transmembrane domains 1 and 3 contain amino acid residues important for transport activity, we hypothesized that these domains may participate in the formation of the binding pocket of the transporter. Pairwise substitutions have been introduced in several predicted transmembrane domains and in the first extracellular loop of GAT-1. In the double mutant W68C/I143C, in which the cysteines were introduced at locations at the extracellular part of transmembrane domains 1 and 3, respectively, approximately 70% inhibition of transport was observed by cadmium with an IC50 of approximately 10 microm. This inhibition was not observed in the corresponding single mutants and also not in > 10 other double mutants, except for V67C/I143C, where the half-maximal effect was obtained at approximately 50 microm. The inhibition by cadmium was only observed when the cysteine pairs were introduced in the same polypeptide. Our results suggest that transmembrane domains 1 and 3 come in close proximity within the transporter monomer.     

Relative proximity and orientation of helices 4 and 8 of the GLUT1 glucose transporter

A structure has been proposed for glucose transporter-1 (GLUT1) based upon homology modeling that is consistent with the results of numerous mutagenesis studies (Mueckler, M., and Makepeace, C. (2004) J. Biol. Chem. 279, 10494-10499). To further test and refine this model, the relative orientation and proximity of transmembrane helices 4 and 8 were analyzed by chemical crosslinking of di-cysteine mutants created in a reporter GLUT1 construct. All six native cysteine residues of GLUT1 were changed to either glycine or serine residues by site-directed mutagenesis, resulting in a functional Glut1 construct with Cys mutated to Gly/Ser (C-less). The GLUT1 reporter molecule was engineered from C-less GLUT1 by creating a unique cleavage site for factor Xa protease within the central cytoplasmic loop and by eliminating the site of N-linked glycosylation. Fourteen functional di-cysteine mutants were then created from the C-less reporter construct, each mutant containing a single cysteine residue in helix 4 and one cysteine residue in helix 8. These mutants were expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and the sensitivity of each mutant to intramolecular crosslinking by two homo-bifunctional, thiol-specific crosslinking reagents, bismaleimidehexane and 1,4-phenylenedimaleimide, was ascertained by protease cleavage followed by immunoblot analysis. Four pairs of cysteine residues, Cys(148)/Cys(328), Cys(145)/Cys(328), Cys(148)/Cys(325), and Cys(145)/Cys(325), were observed to be in close enough proximity to be susceptible to crosslinking by one or both reagents. All five of the cysteine residues susceptible to crosslinking are predicted to lie on the same face of helix 4 or 8 and to reside close to the cytoplasmic face of the membrane. These data indicate that the cytoplasmic ends of helices 4 and 8 lie within 6-16 A of one another and that the two helices twist or tilt such that they are further than 16 A apart toward the center and the exoplasmic side of the membrane. An updated model for the clustering of the transmembrane helices of GLUT1 is presented based on these data.     

Structure of the 5th transmembrane segment of the Na,K-ATPase alpha subunit: a cysteine-scanning mutagenesis study

To study the structure of the pathway of cations across the Na, K-ATPase, we applied the substituted cysteine accessibility method to the putative 5th transmembrane segment of the alpha subunit of the Na,K-ATPase of the toad Bufo marinus. Only the most extracellular amino acid position (A(796)) was accessible from the extracellular side in the native Na,K-pump. After treatment with palytoxin, six other positions (Y(778), L(780), S(782), P(785), E(786) and L(791)), distributed along the whole length of the segment, became readily accessible to a small-size methanethiosulfonate compound (2-aminoethyl methanethiosulfonate). The accessible residues are not located on the same side of an alpha-helical model but the pattern of reactivity would rather suggest a beta-sheet structure for the inner half of the putative transmembrane segment. These results demonstrate the contribution of the 5th transmembrane segment to the palytoxin-induced channel and indicate which amino acid positions are exposed to the pore of this channel.     

Structural analysis of the GLUT1 facilitative glucose transporter

The structure of the human erythrocyte facilitative glucose transporter (GLUT1) has been intensively investigated using a wide array of chemical and biophysical approaches. Despite the lack of a crystal structure for any of the facilitative monosaccharide transport proteins, detailed information regarding primary and secondary structure, membrane topology, transport kinetics, and functionally important residues has allowed the construction of a sophisticated working model for GLUT1 tertiary structure. The existing data support the formation of a central aqueous channel formed by the juxtaposition of several amphipathic transmembrane-spanning α-helices. The results of extensive mutational analysis of GLUT1 have elucidated many of the structural determinants of the glucose permeation pathway. Continued application of currently available technologies will allow further refinement of this working model. In addition to providing insights into the molecular basis of both normal and disordered glucose homeostasis, this detailed understanding of structure/function relationships within GLUT1 can provide a basis for understanding transport carried out by othermembers of the major facilitator super family.     

Structure of the M2 transmembrane segment of GLIC, a prokaryotic Cys loop receptor homologue from Gloeobacter violaceus, probed by substituted cysteine accessibility

GLIC is a homopentameric proton-gated, prokaryotic homologue of the Cys loop receptor family of neurotransmitter-gated ion channels. Recently, crystal structures of GLIC hypothesized to represent an open channel state were published. To explore the channel structure in functional GLIC channels, we tested the ability of p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonate to react with 30 individual cysteine substitution mutants in and flanking the M2 channel-lining segment in the closed state (pH 7.5) and in a submaximally activated state (pH 5.0). Nine mutants did not tolerate cysteine substitution and were not functional. From positions 10' to 27', p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonate significantly modified the currents at pH 7.5 and 5.0 in all mutants except H234C (11'), I235C (12'), V241C (18'), T243C (20'), L245C (22'), and Y250C (27'), which were not functional, except for 12'. Currents for P246C (23') and K247C (24') were only significantly altered at pH 5.0. The reaction rates were all >1000 m(-1) s(-1). The reactive residues were more accessible in the activated than in the resting state. We infer that M2 is tightly associated with the adjacent transmembrane helices at the intracellular end but is more loosely packed from 10' to the extracellular end than the x-ray structures suggest. We infer that the charge selectivity filter is in the cytoplasmic half of the channel. We also show that below pH 5.0, GLIC desensitizes on a time scale of minutes and infer that the crystal structures may represent a desensitized state.     

Ligand-modulation of the stability of the glucose transporter GLUT 1

The glucose transporter GLUT 1 was isolated from human erythrocytes and reconstituted into endogenous membrane lipids. Results from thermal denaturation studies, using differential scanning calorimetry, indicate that the thermal denaturation temperature of GLUT 1 is significantly lower in the presence of ATP. The lowering of this transition temperature is very dependent on pH. At more acidic pH, ATP has a greater effect of lowering the thermal denaturation temperature of the protein. For example, with 4.8 mM ATP, the denaturation endotherm is lowered by over 10 degrees at pH 4.3, whereas at pH 7.4, ATP does not alter this transition temperature. However, a change in pH alone, in the absence of ATP, has very little effect on the denaturation temperature. Both glucose and salt partially reverse the lowering of the temperature of thermal denaturation caused by ATP. Studies of acrylamide quenching of the Trp residues of GLUT 1 indicate that at neutral pH, ATP increases the Stern-Volmer quenching constant, while glucose lowers it. The results indicate that ATP binds to GLUT 1 and destabilizes the native structure, leading to a lowering of the thermal denaturation temperature and an increase in acrylamide quenching. The effects of ATP are reversed in part by glucose and are also partly electrostatic in nature.     

Analysis of the glucagon receptor first extracellular loop by the substituted cysteine accessibility method

Glucagon is an important hormone for the prevention of hypoglycemia, and contributes to the hyperglycemia observed in diabetic patients, yet very little is known about its receptor structure and the receptor-glucagon interaction. In related receptors, the first extracellular loop, ECL1, is highly variable in length and sequence, suggesting that it might participate in ligand recognition. We applied a variant of the SCAM (Substituted Cysteine Accessibility Method) to the glucagon receptor ECL1 and sequentially mutated positions 197 to 223 to cysteine. Most of the mutations (15/27) affected the glucagon potency, due either to a modification of the glucagon binding site, or to the destabilization of the active receptor conformation. We reasoned that side chains accessible to glucagon must also be accessible to large, hydrophilic cysteine reagents. We therefore evaluated the accessibility of the introduced cysteines to maleimide-PEO₂-biotin ((+)-biotinyl-3-maleimido-propionamidyl-3,6-dioxa-octanediamine), and tested the effect of pretreatment of intact cells with a large cationic cysteine reagent, MTSET ([2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl]methanethiosulfonate bromide), on glucagon potency. Our results suggest that the second and third transmembrane helices (TM2 and TM3) are extended to position 202 and from position 215, respectively, and separated by a short β stretch (positions 203-209). Glucagon binding induced a conformational change close to TM2: L198C was accessible to the biotin reagent only in the presence of glucagon. Most other mutations affected the receptor activation rather than glucagon recognition, but S217 and D218 (at the top of TM3) were good candidates for glucagon recognition and V221 was very close to the binding site.     

Structure and function of extracellular loop 4 of the serotonin transporter as revealed by cysteine-scanning mutagenesis

Residues 386-423 of the rat brain serotonin transporter (SERT) are predicted to form a hydrophilic loop connecting transmembrane spans 7 and 8 (extracellular loop 4 or EL4). EL4 has been hypothesized to play a role in conformational changes associated with substrate translocation. To more fully investigate EL4 structure and function, we performed cysteine-scanning mutagenesis and methanethiosulfonate (MTS) accessibility studies on these 38 residues. Four EL4 mutants (M386C, R390C, G402C, and L405C) showed very low transport activities, low cell surface expression, and strong inhibition by MTS reagents, indicating high structural and functional importance. Twelve mutants were sensitive to very low MTS concentrations, indicating positions highly exposed to the aqueous environment. Eleven mutants were MTS-insensitive, indicating positions that were either buried in EL4 structure or functionally unimportant. The patterns of sensitivity to mutation and MTS reagents were used to produce a structural model of EL4. Positions 386-399 and 409-421 are proposed to form alpha-helices, connected by nine consecutive MTS-sensitive positions, within which four positions, 402-405, may form a turn or hinge. The presence of serotonin changed the MTS accessibility of cysteines at nine positions, while cocaine, a non-transportable blocker, did not affect accessibility. Serotonin-induced accessibility changes required both Na(+) and Cl(-), indicating that they were associated with active substrate translocation. With the exception of a single mutant, F407C, neither mutation to cysteine nor treatment with MTS reagents affected SERT affinities for serotonin or the cocaine analog beta-CIT. These studies support the role of EL4 in conformational changes occurring during translocation and show that it does not play a direct role in serotonin binding.