Derepression of amino Acid-h cotransport in developing soybean embryos

The uptake of the unnatural amino acid α-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) and glutamine by developing soybean (Glycine max Merr. cv Chippewa 64) embryos was investigated. In freshly excised embryos, the accumulation ratio (cytoplasmic concentration/external concentration) of AIB did not exceed 1.0. After an 18-hour preincubation in nitrogen-free medium the accumulation ratio of AIB exceeded 4.5 at an external AIB concentration of 10 micromolar. This indicates the derepression of an active amino acid uptake mechanism operative at low external amino acid concentration. The presence of sucrose, NH₄NO₃, or glutamine during a 21-hour preincubation prior to measuring glutamine uptake inhibited the enhancement of uptake by 43%, 51%, and 96%, respectively. The time course of the decline in free amino acids and the time course of enhancement of amino acid uptake was not consistent with enhanced uptake resulting from relief of transinhibition, but suggested instead the derepression of synthesis of new carriers. The time course of enhancement of amino acid uptake was paralleled by an increase in glutamine-induced depolarization of the membrane potential. The kinetics of glutamine uptake indicated the presence of a saturable and a nonsaturable component of uptake. The saturable component of uptake is attributed to a mechanism of amino acid-H⁺ cotransport which is derepressed by nitrogen and/or carbon starvation. At physiological concentrations of amino acids, uptake through the saturable system in freshly excised embryos is negligible. Thus, uptake through the nonsaturable system is of primary importance in the nitrogen nutrition of developing soybean embryos.     

Derepression of amino acid transport by amino acid starvation in rat hepatoma cells.

Amino acid starvation causes an adaptive increase in the initial rate of transport of selected neutral amino acids in an established line of rat hepatoma cells in tissue culture. After a lag of 30 min, the initial rate of transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) increases to a maximum after 4 to 6 h starvation of 2 to 3 times that seen in control cells. The increased rate of transport is accompanied by an increase in the Vmax and a modest decrease in the Km for this transport system, and is reversed by readdition of amino acids. The enhancement is specific for amino acids transported by the A or alanine-preferring system (AIB, glycine, proline); uptake of amino acids transported by the L or leucine-preferring system (threonine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, leucine) or the Ly+ system for dibasci amino acids (lysine) is decreased under these conditions. Amino acids which compete with AIB for transport also prevent the starvation-induced increase in AIB transport; amino acids which do not compete fail to prevent the enhancement. Paradoxically threonine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and tyrosine, which do not compete with AIB for transport, block the enhancement of transport upon amino acid starvation. The starvation-induced enhancement of amino acid transport does not appear to be the result of a release from transinhibition. After 30 min of amino acid starvation, AIB transport is either unchanged or slightly decreased even though amino acid pools are already depleted. Furthermore, loading cells with high concentrations of a single amino acid following a period of amino acid starvation fails to prevent the enhancement of AIB transport, whereas incubation of the cells with the single amino acid for the entire duration of amino acid starvation prevents the enhancement; intracellular amino acid pools are similar under both conditions. The enhancement of amino acid transport requires concomitant RNA and protein synthesis, consistent with the view that the adaptive increase reflects an increased amount of a rate-limiting protein involved in the transport process. Dexamethasone, which dramatically inhibits AIB transport in cells incubated in amino acid-containing medium, both blocks the starvation-induced increase in AIB transport, and causes a time-dependent decrease in transport velocity in cells whose transport has previously been enhanced by starvation.     

Uptake of 14C-α-aminoisobutyric acid by Phaseolus vulgaris

Specific uptake (S.U.) of α-aminoisobutyric acid ([1-¹⁴C]AIB), a non-metabolizable neutral amino acid analog, by dwarf bush bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris cv Top Crop) demonstrated wide differences in active transport between various plant organs. The kinetic and timed uptake data reported were expressed as S.U. because this corrects for the diffusion of AIB which is part of the total AIB uptake process. Roots accumulated AIB to concentrations up to 18 times and leaf disks to twice those of the incubation medium. Stem tissue showed very little uptake, if any, that could not be accounted for by simple diffusion or water free space. Although initial rate kinetic studies demonstrated the presence of a normal transport system, timed uptake studies revealed greatly decreased transport by etiolated plants, suggesting a relationship between active transport and the lack of photosynthate. The reproducibility of the AIB uptake pattern by mature roots strongly supports the concept that the transport of neutral amino acids is biphasic and suggested one or more carrier systems are inducible by either low intracellular concentrations or repressed by high intracellular concentrations of the amino acid.     

Adaptive enhancement of amino acid uptake and exodus by thymic lymphocytes: influence of pH.

Entry of certain free amino acids (alpha aminoisobutyric acid (AIB), alanine and proline), but not of leucine into rat thymic lymphocytes increased progressively when the cells were incubated in amino acid deficient medium. Actinomycin D, cycloheximide, or a high concentration of AIB abolished the time-related increase in AIB accumulation, whereas exposure to a high concentration of leucine had no effect. This phenomenon could not be attributed to a progressive alteration in the nature of the incubation medium nor to reduced transinhibition of AIB uptake. The exodus of AIB also increased with time, but to a smaller degree than AIB entry. Initial rates of AIB entry and exodus increased with increases in the pH of the incubation medium over the range 6.5-8.0. The effects of pH on entry and exodus were time-related, increasing progressively oveb nullified the magnified time related increments in AIB transport caused by prolonged incubation at pH 8.0. The influence of a given pH on transport of AIB decreased rapidly when the cells were transferred to medium of another pH, but this tendency diminished the longer the cells were exposed to the initial pH. pH influenced the entry of alanine and proline in the same fashion as that of AIB, but did not affect leucine entry. These results indicate that thymic lymphocytes exhibit adaptive enhancement in the accumulation of free amino acids that are transported largley by the A or alanine-preferring system, and that the adaptive process involves both entry and exodus. Moreover, alterations in pH modify entry and exodus of these same amino acids, profoundly affect the magnitude of time-released increases, and may induce fundamental changes in the mechanism(s) serving amino acid transport.     

Regulation of amino acid transport in growing cells of Streptomyces hydrogenans

(1) The active uptake of different amino acids by growing cells of Streptomyces hydrogenans was shown to be correlated with the physiological age of the cells. During the lag phase of growth the transport capacity increased and attained its highest level when the growth rate was maximum. During further growth the transport capacity declined progressively. The lowest transport activity was observed when the culture shifted into the stationary growth phase. (2) Such modulation of transport capacity was independent on the presence or absence of amino acids in the growth medium of the cells. (3) The size and the composition of the pool of free intracellular amino acids was also undergoing substantial variations during the growth cycle of the culture. In the lag phase, the levels of all amino acids decreased markedly and attained their lowest values at the end of this phase. During further growth the pool size was slowly replenished. (4) Removal of the pool resulted in a considerable gain of transport capacity. Therefore, it was concluded that active amino acid transport in growing Streptomyces hydrogenans is under feedback control by intracellular amino acids. (5) Quantitatively, the modulation of the pool size could not fully account for the variation of the transport capacity. Since a pool-independent stimulation of transport was found to be correlated with the increase of the growth rate of the cells, the possibility is discussed that the stimulation of transport is either due to increased levels of distinct RNA species, which might provide positive feedback signals for transport, or by increased rates of de novo synthesis of transport limiting proteins.List of Abbreviations AIB 2-aminoisobutyric acid - CM complete medium - MM mineral medium     

Regulation of amino acid transport in L6 myoblasts. II. Different chemical properties of transport after amino acid deprivation

The mechanism of stimulation of amino acid transport system A caused by amino acid deprivation in L6 cells was investigated. In cells loaded with alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB), amino acid deprivation increased the rate of proline uptake only after the intracellular [AIB] dropped below 7 mM. Efflux of proline was not sensitive to the presence of proline in the outer medium (with or without external Na+), suggesting that efflux through system A (and possibly uptake) is not susceptible to transinhibition. Transport (stimulated uptake) into amino acid-deprived cells and that into amino acid-supplemented cells differed in several chemical properties: 1) In the former group, transport was higher at lower pH values than in the latter, and the optimum pH values were 7.5 and 7.8, respectively. 2) Unlike proline uptake in supplemented cells, uptake in deprived cells was inhibited by 50% with N-ethylmaleimide (1 mM) or by 50 microM p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMBS). Inhibition by PCMBS was not due to collapse of the Na+ gradient. The mercurial inhibited only the deprivation-induced stimulation of transport, bringing the rate of proline uptake to the "basal" uptake level observed in amino acid-supplemented cells. Proline uptake was not stimulated by a second deprivation following treatment with PCMBS and a supplementation-deprivation cycle. However, in untreated cells, or by reversing mercaptide formation with dithiotreitol, the second deprivation stimulated transport. Deprivation at 4 degrees C did not elicit stimulation of proline uptake. Cycloheximide prevented the stimulation and decreased the rate of proline uptake in deprived cells more efficiently than in supplemented cells. Actinomycin D prevented stimulation when added at the onset of deprivation. The above data indicate that stimulation of transport by deprivation is protein synthesis-dependent and that the stimulated transport had chemical properties distinct from the "basal" transport in supplemented cells. The evidence presented is consistent with a model of activation of a finite pool of transporters upon deprivation, the chemical characteristics of which differ from those of the "basal" transport system.     

Nitrogen Starvation-Induced Changes in Amino Acid and Free Ammonium Pools in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Schizophyllum commune</Emphasis> Colonies

Wood-decay fungi depend upon recycling of nitrogen-containing molecules to maintain growth in nitrogen-deficient environments. One of the pools that can support growth in these organisms is the pool of free amino acids. The free amino acid (AA) composition of Schizophyllum commune mycelium grown on the surface of nitrogen-rich (M = 6.6 mM L-asparagine) and nitrogen-poor medium (M01 = 0.06 mM L-asparagine) has been examined: When mycelium is grown on M, alanine, glutamate, and asparagine account for almost 2/3 of the amino acid pool. The free amino acid concentration is reduced by 75% for mycelium grown on the M01 medium, with alanine and glutamate predominating. In addition, free NH₄⁺ increases by 60% in nitrogen-deprived mycelia. Except for asparagine, which is absorbed by the apices, the concentration of all free amino acids is higher in the centers of M-grown, 4-day-old mycelia than in the apices. Hyphae grown to exponential growth on M and transferred to M01 for 12 h show greater free amino acid and NH₄⁺ concentrations in the apices, most likely indicating increased translocation to the apices.     

Membrane transport of sugars and amino acids in isolated protoplasts

A method has been developed for observing membrane transport in isolated protoplasts. Transport of sugars and amino acids has been studied in protoplasts isolated from the mesophyll of Pisum sativum L. That uptake was not due to passive diffusion through damaged membranes was demonstrated by supplying simultaneously two sugar stereoisomers, the one ³H-labeled and the other ¹⁴C-labeled. The protoplast membranes were sufficiently functional to discriminate strongly between these stereoisomers.

To characterize transport the nonmetabolized glucose analogue 3-O-methyl glucose (MeG) and amino acid analogue α-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) were employed. When uptake was compared per unit of protein as between leaf strips and protoplasts prepared from the same tissue, it was estimated that the protoplasts had retained approximately 40 to 50% of the uptake ability of the whole cells. Uptake of neither MeG nor AIB by protoplasts was linear with time, but the tendency to flatten was more marked for AIB. Addition of Mg-ATP to buffered medium significantly promoted AIB uptake, an effect not ascribable to either chelation or pH. Transport of both MeG and AIB was markedly pH-dependent, uptake falling with rise in pH.

The stimulatory effect of Mg-ATP and the pH dependence confirm that uptake was not due to a diffusional inward “leak” but involved membrane function.

This work demonstrates the feasibility of using isolated protoplasts for membrane transport studies. The potential advantages of using protoplasts for such studies are pointed out.

     

Regulation of amino acid transport and protein metabolism in myotubes derived from chicken muscle satellite cells by insulin-like growth factor-I

The effects of insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) on amino acid transport and protein metabolism were compared in myotubes derived from chicken breast muscle satellite cells. Protein synthesis was assessed by continuous labelling with [³H]-tyrosine. Protein degradation was estimated by the release of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) soluble radioactivity by cells which had been previously labelled with [³H]-tyrosine for 3 days. Amino acid transport was measured in myotubes incubated in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) 0.5% bovine serum albumin (BSA) with or without insulin or IGF-I. Subsequent [³H]-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) uptake was then measured in amino acid-free medium. IGF-I was more efficient than insulin at equimolar concentration (3.2 nmol/l) in stimulating protein synthesis (127 and 113% of basal, respectively) and inhibiting protein degradation (32% and 13% inhibition of protein degradation following 4 h incubation). Half maximal effective concentrations for stimulation of AIB uptake were 0.27 ± 0.03 nmol/l and 34.8 ± 3.1 nmol/l for IGF-I and insulin respectively, with maximal stimulation of about 340% of basal. Cycloheximide (3.6 μmol/l) diminished IGF-I-stimulated AIB uptake by 55%. Chicken growth hormone had no effect on basal AIB uptake in these cells and neither glucagon nor dexamethasone had an effect on basal or IGF-I-stimulated AIB uptake. This study demonstrates an anabolic effect for IGF-I in myotubes derived from primary chicken satellite cells which is mediated by the type I IGF receptor, since the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor does not bind IGF-II in chicken cells. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Sodium ion-stimulated alpha-[1-14C]aminoisobutyric acid uptake in alkalophilic Bacillus species.

Alkalophilic Bacillus no. 8-1 grows well in alkaline media containing 2.5 to 5% NaCl. The uptake of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) into the cells is stimulated by the addition of NaCl (Na+) up to a concentration of 0.2 M, but other monovalent cations such as K+, Li+, or NH4+ cannot substitute for Na+. The kinetic studies reveal that, when the Na+ concentration increases from 0.02 to 0.2 M in alkaline medium, the Km for transport decreases, whereas Vmax remains almost constant. Competition studies indicate that glycine, L-alanine, L-serine, and AIB share common carriers for the transport of the compounds into cells. Other alkalophilic bacteria are also found to require Na+ for the uptake of AIB into the cells.     

Induction of amino acid transport by L-triiodothyronine in cultured growth hormone-producing rat pituitary tumor cells (GC cells)

The action of L-triiodothyronine (T3) on amino acid transport in the GC clonal strain of rat pituitary cells was investigated by measurement of the uptake of the nonmetabolizable amino acid, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB). The uptake of AIB by GC cells appeared to require energy and Na+ and displayed Michaelis-Menten kinetics. In comparison to cultures maintained in the absence of T3, T3 addition resulted in an increase in AIB uptake which seemed due to an increase in the initial rate of AIB transport. T3 addition resulted in increased AIB accumulation at later time points as well. T3 induction of AIB transport did not occur until 3.5 h after addition of T3, and this effect was blocked by cycloheximide. Maximal induction occurred 48 to 72 h later. One-half maximal induction occurred 24 to 48 h after addition of T3. No detectable changes either in AIB uptake or intracellular water space, measured by uptake of the nonmetabolizable sugar, 3-O-methyl-D-glucose, were noted for the first 120 min after addition of T3. Induction of AIB transport occurred at 0.05 nM T3 (total medium concentration) and one-half maximal induction occurred at 0.17 nM T3. The relative potencies of four iodothyronine analogues for AIB transport were in accord with their reported activities in nuclear T3 receptor binding assays. These data suggest that induction of AIB transport by T3 may be mediated by the nuclear T3 receptor and may reflect the pleiotrophic response of GC cells to thyroid hormone.     

Amino acid uptake in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

The isolated oocytes from Xenopus laevis are able to take up radioactive amino acids from the exogenous medium. Most amino acids tested are taken up to reach concentrations higher than the extracellular medium. The initial uptake velocities vary with the external amino acid concentration in a Michaelis-Menten fashion. Aspartic acid requires concentrations an order of magnitude higher than the five other amino acids tested to reach half the maximal uptake velocity. The uptake mechanism seems to be specific for groups of analogous amino acids, as can be determined by competition studies. The amino acid groups for which there is some evidence of uptake specificity would be aromatic, aliphatic, acidic and basic. Amino acid pools of oocytes show that these cells can concentrate amino acids from Xenopus blood, as well as from artificial media.     

Neutral amino acid transport in human synovial cells: substrate specificity of adaptative regulation and transinhibition

Neutral amino acid transport was characterized in human synovial cells. The amino acids tested are transported by all three major neutral amino acid transport systems, that is, A, L, and ASC. The model amino acid 2-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) was found to be a strong specific substrate for system A in synovial cells. When cells were starved of amino acids, the activity of AIB transport increased, reaching a maximum within 1 h. The stimulation of transport activity was not blocked by cycloheximide and would thus appear to be related to a release from transinhibition. Similarly, the decrease in the activity of AIB transport observed after the addition of alpha-methyl-aminoisobutyric acid (meAIB) appeared to be related to transinhibition. However, using a different approach, that is, amino acid starvation followed by incubation with 10 mM meAIB and transfer to an amino acid-free medium with or without cycloheximide supplementation, a clear increase in AIB uptake, due both to derepression and a release from transinhibition, was observed. Unlike human fibroblasts, the depression of system A in these synovial cells was not serum-dependent. The process of derepression was observed only after preloading with meAIB. Neither AIB nor alanine produced this phenomenon. Moreover, alanine preloading led to a large increase in AIB transport activity due to a release from transinhibition. These observations indicate that the process of derepression and release from transinhibition are specific to the substrates present in the culture medium prior to amino acid starvation.     

Stimulation of Amino Acid Uptake and Na+, K+-ATPase Activity by Norepinephrine in Superior Cervical Sympathetic Ganglia Excised from Adult Rats

Active uptake of a labelled nonmetabolizable amino acid, alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB), into isolated superior cervical sympathetic ganglia (SCG) excised from adult rats was considerably stimulated by the addition of either norepinephrine (NE, 50 microM) or 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine (dopamine, DA, 100 microM) to the medium during aerobic incubation for 2 h at 37 degrees C. The NE-induced increase in AIB uptake was significantly antagonized by the addition of an alpha 1-adrenoceptor antagonist (prazosin, 10 microM) in SCG axotomized 1 week prior to the examination, in which most of the ganglionic neurons had degenerated and reactive proliferation of the satellite glial components was in progress. The addition of neither acetylcholine (ACh, 1 mM) plus eserine (0.1 mM) nor cyclic nucleotides (1 mM) changed the AIB uptake by the SCG. In the axotomized SCG, the NE-evoked increase in AIB uptake was much more pronounced than that of intact or denervated SCG. A kinetic study of the active AIB uptake in the SCG showed that NE produced a decrease of the Km value and an increase in the Vmax, especially in the axotomized SCG. Ganglionic Na+, K+-ATPase activity was greatly stimulated in the presence of NE, but not by ACh. These results strongly suggest that the NE-induced enhancement of active AIB uptake in the isolated SCG is occurring in glial cells rather than in neuronal cells, with a possible alteration of membrane properties for amino acid uptake and with an apparent regulation by the stimulated transport enzyme Na+, K+-ATPase.     

Effects of multiplication stimulating activity (MSA) on AIB transport into myoblast and myotube cultures

The effects of a somatomedian analog, Temin's multiplication stimulating activity (MSA), on amino acid transport into muscle cells have been characterized in a series of experiments on myoblasts and myotubes in culture. Addition of MSA to serum-starved L6 myoblasts increased the rate of aminoisobutyrate (AIB) uptake 50-150% within five hours. This early effect on transport was followed by increases in cell number, protein content and 3H-thymidine incorporation. Kinetic analyses indicated that MSA increased the maximal velocity of AIB uptake but had no effect on the KM for AIB. When myoblasts were allowed to fuse (and dividing cells eliminated by addition of 10(-4) M cytosine arabinoside) the AIB transport system(s) remained similarly responsive to MSA. In myoblasts and in myotubes, both the basal and MSA-stimulated rate of AIB uptake were sodium-dependent processes; little stimrulation occurred if sodium was absent from the labeling medium. Further suggesting the involvement of cations in response to hormone, MSA stimulated uptake of the potassium analog, 86Rb+, and increase net intracellular potassium in both myoblasts and myotubes. MSA was active at concentrations equivalent to in vivo levels of somatomedins; neither insulin nor growth hormone had any effect at or near physiological concentrations.     

Regulation of amino acid uptake by phorbol esters and hypertonic solutions in rat thymocytes

Growth factors, mitogens, and malignant transformation can alter the rate of amino acid uptake in mammalian cells. It has been suggested that the effects of these stimuli on proliferation are mediated by activation of Na+/H+ exchange. In lymphocytes, Na+/H+ exchange can also be activated by phorbol esters and by hypertonic media. To determine the relationship between the cation antiport and amino acid transport, we tested the effects of these agents on the uptake of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB), methyl-AIB, proline, and leucine in rat thymocytes. Both 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and hypertonicity stimulated amino acid uptake through system A (AIB, proline, and methyl-AIB). In addition, TPA, but not hypertonicity, also elevated leucine uptake. The stimulation of the Na+ -dependent system A was not due to an increased inward electrochemical Na+ gradient. The effects of TPA and hypertonic treatment were not identical: Stimulation of AIB uptake by TPA was observed within minutes, whereas at least 1 hr was required for the effect of hypertonicity to become noticeable. Moreover, stimulation by hypertonicity but not that by TPA, was partially inhibited by cycloheximide, suggesting a role of protein synthesis. That stimulation of Na+/H+ exchange does not mediate the effects on amino acid transport is suggested by two findings: 1) the stimulation of AIB uptake was not prevented by concentrations of amiloride or of 5-(N,N-disubstituted) amiloride analogs that completely inhibit the Na+/H+ antiport and 2) conditions that mimic the effect of the antiport, namely, increasing [Na+]i or raising pHi failed to stimulate amino acid uptake. Thus, in lymphocytes, activation of Na+/H+ exchange and stimulation of amino acid transport are not casually related.     

A transient increase in amino acid transport modulated by insulin in differentiating muscle cells.

During synchronous differentiation of embryonic chick muscle cells in cultures, the Na-dependent uptake of an amino acid analog, alpha-amino isobutyric acid (AIB) undergoes in abrupt, transient increase. The increase in AIB uptake is concomitant with the rapid fusion of mononucleated myoblasts, and precedes the accumulation of muscle-specific proteins. Subsequently, Na-dependent AIB transport diminishes markedly during postfusional differentiation of myotubes. The rate of AIB uptake is increased by insulin both before and after myoblast fusion. This stimulation by insulin is restricted to the Na-dependent component of total AIB uptake but is apparently not the result of insulin-mediated increase in the trans-membrane Na gradient.     

Characteristics of an Uptake System for α-Aminoisobutyric Acid in Leishmania tropica Promastigotes1

ABSTRACT. Leishmania tropica promastigotes transport α-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB), the nonmetabolizable analog of neutral amino acids, against a substantial concentration gradient. AIB is not incorporated into cellular material but accumulates within the cells in an unaltered form. Intracellular AIB exchanges with external AIB. Various energy inhibitors (amytal, HOQNO, KCN, DNP, CCCP, and arsenate) and sulfhydryl reagents (NEM, pCMB, and iodoacetate) severely inhibit uptake. The uptake system is saturable with reference to AIB-and the Lineweaver-Burk plots show biphasic kinetics suggesting the involvement of two transport systems. AIB shares a common transport system with alanine, cysteine, glycine, methionine, serine, and proline. Uptake is regulated by feedback inhibition and transinhibition.     

Evidence for amino Acid-h co-transport in oat coleoptiles

Microelectrode and tracer techniques were used to test for possible amino acid-H⁺ co-transport in coleoptiles of Avena sativa L. cv. “Garry.” The amino acid analogue α-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) caused transient depolarization of the membrane potential. The absolute magnitude of the maximum depolarization was affected by the same factors that affected AIB transport. Both increased with higher concentrations of AIB, increased with higher acidities in the medium, and were enhanced by indoleacetic acid (which hyperpolarized the membrane potential). AIB transport was reduced as K⁺ concentrations in the medium were increased and by the metabolic inhibitor NaN₃, both of which reduce membrane potentials. Our data fit an amino acid-H⁺ co-transport model in which transport is controlled by both the membrane potential and proton concentration components of the chemical potential difference of protons across the coleoptile cell membrane.     

Hormonal regulation of hepatic amino acid transport

The transport of 2-aminoisobutyric acid (AIB) into liver tissue was increased by both insulin and glucagon. We have now shown that these hormones do not stimulate the same transport system. Glucagon, possibly via cAMP, increased the hepatic uptake of AIB by a mechanism which resembled system A. This glucagon-sensitive system could be monitored by the use of the model amino acid MeAIB. In contrast, the insulin-stimulated system exhibited little or no affinity for MeAIB and will be referred to as system B. On the basis of other reports that the hepatic transport of AIB is almost entirely Na⁺ dependent and the present finding that the uptake of 2-aminobicyclo [2,2,1] heptane-2-carboxylic acid (BCH) was not stimulated by either hormone, we conclude that system B is Na⁺ dependent. Furthermore, insulin added to the perfusate of livers from glucagon-pretreated donors suppressed the increase in AIB or MeAIB uptake. Depending upon the specificities of systems A and B, both of which are unknown for liver tissue, the insulin/glucagon ratio may alter the composition of the intracellular pool of amino acids.