Uncoupling the ATPase activity of the N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor (NSF) from 20S complex disassembly.

The N-ethylmaleimide sensitive factor (NSF) plays a critical role in intracellular trafficking by disassembling soluble NSF attachment protein receptor (SNARE ) complexes. The NSF protomer consists of three domains (NSF-N, NSF-D1, and NSF-D2). Two domains (NSF-D1 and NSF-D2) contain a conserved approximately 230 amino acid cassette, which includes a distinctive motif termed the second region of homology (SRH) common to all ATPases associated with various cellular activities (AAA). In hexameric NSF, several SRH residues become trans elements of the ATP binding pocket. Mutation of two conserved arginine residues in the NSF-D1 SRH (R385A and R388A) did not effect basal or soluble NSF attachment protein (SNAP)-stimulated ATPase activity; however, neither mutant underwent ATP-dependent release from SNAP-SNARE complexes. A trans element of the NSF-D2 ATP binding site (K631) has been proposed to limit the ATPase activity of NSF-D2, but a K631D mutant retained wild-type activity. A mutation of the equivalent residue in NSF-D1 (D359K) also did not affect nucleotide hydrolysis activity but did limit NSF release from SNAP-SNARE complexes. These trans elements of the NSF-D1 ATP binding site (R385, R388, and D359) are not required for nucleotide hydrolysis but are important as nucleotide-state sensors. NSF-N mediates binding to the SNAP-SNARE complex. To identify the structural features required for binding, three conserved residues (R67, S73, and Q76) on the surface of NSF-N were mutated. R67E completely eliminated binding, while S73R and Q76E showed limited effect. This suggests that the surface important for SNAP binding site lies in the cleft between the NSF-N subdomains adjacent to a conserved, positively charged surface.     

VAT, the thermoplasma homolog of mammalian p97/VCP, is an N domain-regulated protein unfoldase

The Thermoplasma VCP-like ATPase from Thermoplasma acidophilum (VAT) ATPase is a member of the two-domain AAA ATPases and homologous to the mammalian p97/VCP and NSF proteins. We show here that the VAT ATPase complex unfolds green fluorescent protein (GFP) labeled with the ssrA-degradation tag. Increasing the Mg2+ concentration derepresses the ATPase activity and concomitantly stimulates the unfolding activity of VAT. Similarly, the VATDeltaN complex, a mutant of VAT deleted for the N domain, displays up to 24-fold enhanced ATP hydrolysis and 250-fold enhanced GFP unfolding activity when compared with wild-type VAT. To determine the individual contribution of the two AAA domains to ATP hydrolysis and GFP unfolding we performed extensive site-directed mutagenesis of the Walker A, Walker B, sensor-1, and pore residues in both AAA domains. Analysis of the VAT mutant proteins, where ATP hydrolysis was confined to a single AAA domain, revealed that the first domain (D1) is sufficient to exert GFP unfolding indistinguishable from wild-type VAT, while the second AAA domain (D2), although active, is significantly less efficient than wild-type VAT. A single conserved aromatic residue in the D1 section of the pore was found to be essential for GFP unfolding. In contrast, two neighboring residues in the D2 section of the pore had to be exchanged simultaneously, to achieve a drastic inhibition of GFP unfolding.     

Mutations define cross-talk between the N-terminal nucleotide-binding domain and transmembrane helix-2 of the yeast multidrug transporter Pdr5: possible conservation of a signaling interface for coupling ATP hydrolysis to drug transport

The yeast Pdr5 multidrug transporter is an important member of the ATP-binding cassette superfamily of proteins. We describe a novel mutation (S558Y) in transmembrane helix 2 of Pdr5 identified in a screen for suppressors that eliminated Pdr5-mediated cycloheximide hyper-resistance. Nucleotides as well as transport substrates bind to the mutant Pdr5 with an affinity comparable with that for wild-type Pdr5. Wild-type and mutant Pdr5s show ATPase activity with comparable K(m)((ATP)) values. Nonetheless, drug sensitivity is equivalent in the mutant pdr5 and the pdr5 deletion. Finally, the transport substrate clotrimazole, which is a noncompetitive inhibitor of Pdr5 ATPase activity, has a minimal effect on ATP hydrolysis by the S558Y mutant. These results suggest that the drug sensitivity of the mutant Pdr5 is attributable to the uncoupling of NTPase activity and transport. We screened for amino acid alterations in the nucleotide-binding domains that would reverse the phenotypic effect of the S558Y mutation. A second-site mutation, N242K, located between the Walker A and signature motifs of the N-terminal nucleotide-binding domain, restores significant function. This region of the nucleotide-binding domain interacts with the transmembrane domains via the intracellular loop-1 (which connects transmembrane helices 2 and 3) in the crystal structure of Sav1866, a bacterial ATP-binding cassette drug transporter. These structural studies are supported by biochemical and genetic evidence presented here that interactions between transmembrane helix 2 and the nucleotide-binding domain, via the intracellular loop-1, may define at least part of the translocation pathway for coupling ATP hydrolysis to drug transport.     

The predicted ATP-binding domains in the hexose transporter GLUT1 critically affect transporter activity.

The glucose transporter GLUT1 has three short amino acid sequences (domains I-III) with homology to typical ATP-binding domains. GLUT1 is a facilitative transporter, however, and transports its substrates down a concentration gradient without a specific requirement for energy or hydrolysis of ATP. Therefore, we assessed the functional role of the predicted ATP-binding domains in GLUT1 by site-directed mutagenesis and expression in Xenopus oocytes. For each mutant, we determined the level of protein expression and the kinetics of transport under zero-trans influx, zero-trans efflux, and equilibrium exchange conditions. Although all five mutants were expressed at levels similar to that of the wild-type GLUT1, each single amino acid change in domains I or III profoundly affected GLUT1 function. The mutants Gly116-->Ala in domain I and Gly332-->Ala in domain III exhibited only 10-20% of the transport activity of the wild-type GLUT1. The mutants Gly111-->Ala in domain I and Leu336-->Ala in domain III showed altered kinetic properties; neither the apparent Km nor the Vmax for 3-methylglucose transport were increased under equilibrium exchange conditions, and they did not show the expected level of countertransport acceleration. The mutant Lys117-->Arg in domain I showed a marked increase in the apparent Km for 3-methylglucose transport under zero-trans efflux and equilibrium exchange conditions while maintaining countertransport acceleration. These results indicate that the predicted ATP-binding domains I and III in GLUT1 are important components of the region in GLUT1 involved in transport of the substrate and that their integrity is critical for maintaining the activity and kinetic properties of the transporter.     

Electron cryomicroscopy structure of N-ethyl maleimide sensitive factor at 11 A resolution

N-ethyl maleimide sensitive factor (NSF) belongs to the AAA family of ATPases and is involved in a number of cellular functions, including vesicle fusion and trafficking of membrane proteins. We present the three-dimensional structure of the hydrolysis mutant E329Q of NSF complexed with an ATP-ADP mixture at 11 A resolution by electron cryomicroscopy and single-particle averaging of NSF.alpha-SNAP.SNARE complexes. The NSF domains D1 and D2 form hexameric rings that are arranged in a double-layered barrel. Our structure is more consistent with an antiparallel orientation of the two rings rather than a parallel one. The crystal structure of the D2 domain of NSF was docked into the EM density map and shows good agreement, including details at the secondary structural level. Six protrusions corresponding to the N domain of NSF (NSF-N) emerge from the sides of the D1 domain ring. The density corresponding to alpha-SNAP and SNAREs is located on the 6-fold axis of the structure, near the NSF-N domains. The density of the N domain is weak, suggesting conformational variability in this part of NSF.     

The A-loop, a novel conserved aromatic acid subdomain upstream of the Walker A motif in ABC transporters, is critical for ATP binding

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters represent one of the largest families of proteins, and transport a variety of substrates ranging from ions to amphipathic anticancer drugs. The functional unit of an ABC transporter is comprised of two transmembrane domains and two cytoplasmic ABC ATPase domains. The energy of the binding and hydrolysis of ATP is used to transport the substrates across membranes. An ABC domain consists of conserved regions, the Walker A and B motifs, the signature (or C) region and the D, H and Q loops. We recently described the A-loop (Aromatic residue interacting with the Adenine ring of ATP), a highly conserved aromatic residue approximately 25 amino acids upstream of the Walker A motif that is essential for ATP-binding. Here, we review the mutational analysis of this subdomain in human P-glycoprotein as well as homology modeling, structural and data mining studies that provide evidence for a functional role of the A-loop in ATP-binding in most members of the superfamily of ABC transporters.     

Thermodynamics of the ATPase cycle of GlcV, the nucleotide-binding domain of the glucose ABC transporter of sulfolobus solfataricus

ATP-binding cassette transporters drive the transport of substrates across the membrane by the hydrolysis of ATP. They typically have a conserved domain structure with two membrane-spanning domains that form the transport channel and two cytosolic nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs) that energize the transport reaction. Binding of ATP to the NBD monomer results in formation of a NBD dimer. Hydrolysis of the ATP drives the dissociation of the dimer. The thermodynamics of distinct steps in the ATPase cycle of GlcV, the NBD of the glucose ABC transporter of the extreme thermoacidophile Sulfolobus solfataricus, were studied by isothermal titration calorimetry using the wild-type protein and two mutants, which are arrested at different steps in the ATP hydrolytic cycle. The G144A mutant is unable to dimerize, while the E166A mutant is defective in dimer dissociation. The ATP, ADP, and AMP-PNP binding affinities, stoichiometries, and enthalpies of binding were determined at different temperatures. From these data, the thermodynamic parameters of nucleotide binding, NBD dimerization, and ATP hydrolysis were calculated. The data demonstrate that the ATP hydrolysis cycle of isolated NBDs consists of consecutive steps where only the final step of ADP release is energetically unfavorable.     

A mutation in the consensus ATP-binding sequence of the RecD subunit reduces the processivity of the RecBCD enzyme from Escherichia coli.

We have constructed a mutant form of the RecBCD enzyme from Escherichia coli with a lysine to glutamine change in the consensus ATP-binding sequence in the RecD subunit (Korangy, F., and Julin, D.A. (1992a, 1992b) J. Biol. Chem., 1727-1732; 1733-1740). We compare here the kinetics of double-stranded DNA-dependent ATP hydrolysis by the mutant (RecBCD-K177Q) and wild-type enzymes. We included heparin to trap enzyme not bound to DNA, or the single-stranded DNA-binding (SSB) protein from Escherichia coli to prevent the enzyme from binding to single-stranded DNA products and partially single-stranded reaction intermediates. The ATP hydrolysis kinetics in either case show a rapid burst phase followed by a slower second phase. The wild-type enzyme hydrolyzes an amount of ATP about equal to the DNA nucleotide concentration in the rapid phase. The amount of ATP hydrolyzed by the RecBCD-K177Q enzyme in the burst is about 8-10-fold lower than the wild-type, in the presence of either heparin or SSB. The burst magnitude of the wild-type enzyme with heparin is proportional to the size of the DNA from about 1,420 to 22,400 base pairs whereas that of the mutant is independent of the DNA size. The wild-type enzyme completely degrades a 6,250-base pair DNA substrate with no partially degraded molecules visible on agarose gels. RecBCD-K177Q enzyme reaction mixtures in the presence of SSB protein contain a heterogeneous mixture of partially degraded molecules of 2,000-5,000 base pairs. These results indicate that the RecBCD-K177Q enzyme is less processive than the wild-type enzyme.     

Replacement of arginine 246 by histidine in the beta subunit of Escherichia coli H+-ATPase resulted in loss of multi-site ATPase activity

A mutant strain KF43 of Escherichia coli defective in the beta subunit of H+-translocating ATPase (F0F1) was examined. In this mutant, replacement of Arg246 by His was identified by DNA sequencing of the mutant gene and confirmed by tryptic peptide mapping. The mutant F1-ATPase was defective in multi-site hydrolysis of ATP but was active in uni-site hydrolysis. Studies on the kinetics of uni-site hydrolysis indicated that the k1 (rate of ATP binding) was similar to that of the wild-type, but the k-1 (rate of release of ATP) could not be measured. The mutant enzyme had a k3 (rate of release of inorganic phosphate) about 15-fold higher than that of the wild-type and showed 3 orders of magnitude lower promotion from uni- to multi-site catalysis. These results suggest that Arg246 or the region in its vicinity is important in multi-site hydrolysis of ATP and is also related to the binding of inorganic phosphate. Reconstitution experiments using isolated subunits suggested that hybrid enzymes (alpha beta gamma complexes) carrying both the mutant and wild-type beta subunits were inactive in multi-site hydrolysis of ATP, supporting the notion that three intact beta subunits are required for activity of the F1 molecule.     

Characterization and classification of ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCA3 mutants in fatal surfactant deficiency

The ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCA3 is expressed predominantly at the limiting membrane of the lamellar bodies in lung alveolar type II cells. Recent study has shown that mutation of the ABCA3 gene causes fatal surfactant deficiency in newborns. In this study, we investigated in HEK293 cells the intracellular localization and N-glycosylation of the ABCA3 mutants so far identified in fatal surfactant deficiency patients. Green fluorescent protein-tagged L101P, L982P, L1553P, Q1591P, and Ins1518fs/ter1519 mutant proteins remained localized in the endoplasmic reticulum, and processing of oligosaccharide was impaired, whereas wild-type and N568D, G1221S, and L1580P mutant ABCA3 proteins trafficked to the LAMP3-positive intracellular vesicle, accompanied by processing of oligosaccharide from high mannose type to complex type. Vanadate-induced nucleotide trapping and ATP-binding analyses showed that ATP hydrolysis activity was dramatically decreased in the N568D, G1221S, and L1580P mutants, accompanied by a moderate decrease in ATP binding in N568D and L1580P mutants but not in the G1221S mutant, compared with the wild-type ABCA3 protein. In addition, mutational analyses of the Gly-1221 residue in the 11th transmembrane segment and the Leu-1580 residue in the cytoplasmic tail, and homology modeling of nucleotide binding domain 2 demonstrate the significance of these residues for ATP hydrolysis and suggest a mechanism for impaired ATP hydrolysis in G1221S and L1580P mutants. Thus, surfactant deficiency because of ABCA3 gene mutation may be classified into two categories as follows: abnormal intracellular localization (type I) and normal intracellular localization with decreased ATP binding and/or ATP hydrolysis of the ABCA3 protein (type II). These distinct pathophysiologies may reflect both the severity and effective therapy for surfactant deficiency.     

Pctaire1 phosphorylates N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein: implications in the regulation of its hexamerization and exocytosis

Pctaire1, a member of the cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk)-related family, has recently been shown to be phosphorylated and regulated by Cdk5/p35. Although Pctaire1 is expressed in both neuronal and non-neuronal cells, its precise functions remain elusive. We performed a yeast two-hybrid screen to identify proteins that interact with Pctaire1. N-Ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein (NSF), a crucial factor in vesicular transport and membrane fusion, was identified as one of the Pctaire1 interacting proteins. We demonstrate that the D2 domain of NSF, which is required for the oligomerization of NSF subunits, binds directly to and is phosphorylated by Pctaire1 on serine 569. Mutation of this phosphorylation site on NSF (S569A) augments its ability to oligomerize. Moreover, inhibition of Pctaire1 activity by transfecting its kinase-dead (KD) mutant into COS-7 cells enhances the self-association of NSF. Interestingly, Pctaire1 associates with NSF and synaptic vesicle-associated proteins in adult rat brain. To investigate whether Pctaire1 phosphorylation of NSF is involved in regulation of Ca(2+)-dependent exocytosis, we examined the effect of expressing Pctaire1 or NSF phosphorylation mutants on the regulated secretion of growth hormone from PC12 cells. Interestingly, expression of either Pctaire1-KD or NSF-S569A in PC12 cells significantly increases high K(+)-stimulated growth hormone release. Taken together, our findings provide the first demonstration that Pctaire1 phosphorylation of NSF regulates the ability of NSF to oligomerize, implicating an unexpected role of this kinase in modulating exocytosis. These findings open a new avenue of research in studying the functional roles of Pctaire1 in the nervous system.     

Mutation of a single MalK subunit severely impairs maltose transport activity in Escherichia coli.

The maltose transport system of Escherichia coli, a member of the ABC transport superfamily of proteins, consists of a periplasmic maltose binding protein and a membrane-associated translocation complex that contains two copies of the ATP-binding protein MalK. To examine the need for two nucleotide-binding domains in this transport complex, one of the two MalK subunits was inactivated by site-directed mutagenesis. Complexes with mutations in a single subunit were obtained by attaching a polyhistidine tag to the mutagenized version of MalK and by coexpressing both wild-type MalK and mutant (His)6MalK in the same cell. Hybrid complexes containing one mutant (His)6MalK subunit and one wild-type MalK subunit were separated from those containing two mutant (His)6MalK proteins based on differential affinities for a metal chelate column. Purified transport complexes were reconstituted into proteoliposome vesicles and assayed for maltose transport and ATPase activities. When a conserved lysine residue at position 42 that is involved in ATP binding was replaced with asparagine in both MalK subunits, maltose transport and ATPase activities were reduced to 1% of those of the wild type. When the mutation was present in only one of the two subunits, the complex had 6% of the wild-type activities. Replacement of a conserved histidine residue at position 192 in MalK with arginine generated similar results. It is clear from these results that two functional MalK proteins are required for transport activity and that the two nucleotide-binding domains do not function independently to catalyze transport.     

VCIP135, a novel essential factor for p97/p47-mediated membrane fusion,is required for Golgi and ER assembly in vivo

NSF and p97 are ATPases required for the heterotypic fusion of transport vesicles with their target membranes and the homotypic fusion of organelles. NSF uses ATP hydrolysis to dissociate NSF/SNAPs/SNAREs complexes, separating the v- and t-SNAREs, which are then primed for subsequent rounds of fusion. In contrast, p97 does not dissociate the p97/p47/SNARE complex even in the presence of ATP. Now we have identified a novel essential factor for p97/p47-mediated membrane fusion, named VCIP135 (valosin-containing protein [VCP][p97]/p47 complex-interacting protein, p135), and show that it binds to the p97/p47/syntaxin5 complex and dissociates it via p97 catalyzed ATP hydrolysis. In living cells, VCIP135 and p47 are shown to function in Golgi and ER assembly.     

Molecular model and ATPase activity of carboxyl-terminal nucleotide binding domain from human P-glycoprotein

ATP binding and hydrolysis are required for P-glycoprotein mediated multidrug resistance. To investigate the molecular mechanism involved in ATP binding and hydrolysis, a three-dimensional model of the carboxyl-terminal nucleotide binding domain (NBD2) was built by homology modeling. Modeling revealed the human P-glycoprotein ATP-binding site and the possible role of conserved Gln1118 residue. Recombinant NBD2 was overexpressed in Escherichia coli and the conserved Gln1118 residue was mutated to an alanine residue. The Vmax for ATP hydrolysis by the mutant NBD2 was approximately 56% of the Vmax of wild-type NBD2. But both proteins displayed similar affinity for ATP, with Km of 479 and 466 microM for mutant and wild-type NBD2, respectively. These results suggest that the possible role of Gln1118 is as an activating residue for ATP hydrolysis. The molecular model also provided structural information about the interactions between NBD2 and the chemosensitizer quercetin. The complex indicated that quercetin was tightly bound to the ATP-binding site and competed for binding. The three-dimensional model of NBD2 can be used to both guide enzymological studies and provide a theoretical basis for the design of potential multidrug resistance reversers.     

A multisubunit particle implicated in membrane fusion

The N-ethylmaleimide sensitive fusion protein (NSF) is required for fusion of lipid bilayers at many locations within eukaryotic cells. Binding of NSF to Golgi membranes is known to require an integral membrane receptor and one or more members of a family of related soluble NSF attachment proteins (alpha-, beta-, and gamma-SNAPs). Here we demonstrate the direct interaction of NSF, SNAPs and an integral membrane component in a detergent solubilized system. We show that NSF only binds to SNAPs in the presence of the integral receptor, resulting in the formation of a multisubunit protein complex with a sedimentation coefficient of 20S. Particle assembly reveals striking differences between members of the SNAP protein family; gamma-SNAP associates with the complex via a binding site distinct from that used by alpha- and beta-SNAPs, which are themselves equivalent, alternative subunits of the particle. Once formed, the 20S particle is subsequently able to disassemble in a process coupled to the hydrolysis of ATP. We suggest how cycles of complex assembly and disassembly could help confer specificity to the generalized NSF-dependent fusion apparatus.     

Domains of alpha-SNAP required for the stimulation of exocytosis and for N-ethylmalemide-sensitive fusion protein (NSF) binding and activation.

The binding of alpha-SNAP to the membrane proteins syntaxin, SNAP-25, and synaptobrevin leads to the recruitment of the N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein (NSF). ATP hydrolysis by NSF has been suggested to drive conformational changes in one or more of these membrane proteins that are essential for regulated exocytosis. Functional evidence for a role of alpha-SNAP in exocytosis in adrenal chromaffin cells comes from the ability of this protein to stimulate Ca(2+)-dependent exocytosis in digitonin-permeabilized cells. Here we examine the effect of a series of deletion mutants of alpha-SNAP on exocytosis, and on the ability of alpha-SNAP to interact with NSF, to define essential domains involved in protein-protein interactions in exocytosis. Deletion of extreme N- or C-terminal regions of alpha-SNAP produced proteins unable to bind to syntaxin or to stimulate exocytosis, suggesting that these domains participate in essential interactions. Deletion of C-terminal residues abolished the ability of alpha-SNAP to bind NSF. In contrast, deletion of up to 120 N-terminal residues did not prevent the binding of NSF to immobilized alpha-SNAP and such mutants were also able to stimulate the ATPase activity of NSF. These results suggest that the C-terminus, but not the N-terminus, of alpha-SNAP is crucial for interactions with NSF. The involvement of the C-terminus of alpha-SNAP, which contains a predicted coiled-coil domain, in the binding of both syntaxin and NSF would place the latter two proteins in proximity in a ternary complex whereupon the energy derived from ATP hydrolysis by NSF could induce a conformational change in syntaxin required for exocytosis to proceed.     

Charged amino-acid residues in transmembrane domains of the plastidic ATP/ADP transporter from arabidopsis are important for transport efficiency, substrate specificity, and counter exchange properties.

Structure-function relationships of the plastidic ATP/ADP transporter from Arabidopsis thaliana have been determined using site-directed mutants at positions K155, E245, E385, and K527. These charged residues are found within highly conserved domains of homologous transport proteins from plants and bacteria and are located in predicted transmembrane regions. Mutants of K155 to K155E, K155R, or K155Q reduced ATP transport to values between 4 and 16% of wild-type uptake, whereas ADP transport was always less then 3% of the wild-type value. Site-directed mutations in which glutamate at positions 245 or 385 was replaced with lysine, abolished transport. However, conservative (E245D, E385D) or neutral (E245Q, E385Q) replacement at these two positions allowed transport. The fourth reciprocal exchange, K527E, also abolished uptake of both adenylates. K527R and K527Q were unable to transport ATP, but ADP transport remained at 35 and 27%, respectively, of the wild-type activity. There was a 70-fold decreased apparent affinity of K527R for ATP, but only a twofold decrease for ADP. The efflux of ATP, but not ADP, was also greatly reduced in K527R. These observations show strikingly that K527 plays a role in substrate specificity that is manifest in both the influx and efflux components of this antiporter.     

Enzymatic effects of a lysine-to-glutamine mutation in the ATP-binding consensus sequence in the RecD subunit of the RecBCD enzyme from Escherichia coli.

The RecBCD-K177Q enzyme has a lysine-to-glutamine mutation in the putative ATP-binding sequence of the RecD protein (Korangy, F., and Julin, D.A. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 1727-1732). We have compared the enzymatic properties of the RecBCD-K177Q enzyme with those of the wild-type RecBCD enzyme from Escherichia coli. The purified RecBCD-K177Q enzyme has ATP-dependent nuclease activity on double-stranded or denatured DNA which is reduced (4-14-fold less) compared with the wild type. The kcat and Km(ATP) for ATP hydrolysis stimulated by double-stranded DNA are both reduced in RecBCD-K177Q, so that kcat/Km(ATP) is relatively unaffected. The mutant enzyme is impaired in its ability to unwind DNA in an assay where single-stranded DNA is trapped by the single-stranded DNA binding protein and subsequently degraded by S1 nuclease. The mutant enzyme also produces fewer acid-soluble DNA nucleotides per ATP hydrolyzed than does the wild type, at low ATP concentrations (less than 20 microM).     

Evidence for a Molecular Diode-based Mechanism in a Multispecific ATP-binding cassette (ABC) Exporter: SER-1368 AS A GATEKEEPING RESIDUE IN THE YEAST MULTIDRUG TRANSPORTER Pdr5*

ATP-binding cassette multidrug efflux pumps transport a wide range of substrates. Current models suggest that a drug binds relatively tightly to a transport site in the transmembrane domains when the protein is in the closed inward facing conformation. Upon binding of ATP, the transporter can switch to an outward facing (drug off or drug releasing) structure of lower affinity. ATP hydrolysis is critically important for remodeling the drug-binding site to facilitate drug release and to reset the transporter for a new transport cycle. We characterized the novel phenotype of an S1368A mutant that lies in the putative drug-binding pocket of the yeast multidrug transporter Pdr5. This substitution created broad, severe drug hypersensitivity, although drug binding, ATP hydrolysis, and intradomain signaling were indistinguishable from the wild-type control. Several different rhodamine 6G efflux and accumulation assays yielded evidence consistent with the possibility that Ser-1368 prevents reentry of the excluded drug.