Identification of a novel system L amino acid transporter structurally distinct from heterodimeric amino acid transporters

A cDNA that encodes a novel Na+-independent neutral amino acid transporter was isolated from FLC4 human hepatocarcinoma cells by expression cloning. When expressed in Xenopus oocytes, the encoded protein designated LAT3 (L-type amino acid transporter 3) transported neutral amino acids such as l-leucine, l-isoleucine, l-valine, and l-phenylalanine. The LAT3-mediated transport was Na+-independent and inhibited by 2-aminobicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2-carboxylic acid, consistent with the properties of system L. Distinct from already known system L transporters LAT1 and LAT2, which form heterodimeric complex with 4F2 heavy chain, LAT3 was functional by itself in Xenopus oocytes. The deduced amino acid sequence of LAT3 was identical to the gene product of POV1 reported as a prostate cancer-up-regulated gene whose function was not determined, whereas it did not exhibit significant similarity to already identified transporters. The Eadie-Hofstee plots of LAT3-mediated transport were curvilinear, whereas the low affinity component is predominant at physiological plasma amino acid concentration. In addition to amino acid substrates, LAT3 recognized amino acid alcohols. The transport of l-leucine was electroneutral and mediated by a facilitated diffusion. In contrast, l-leucinol, l-valinol, and l-phenylalaninol, which have a net positive charge induced inward currents under voltage clamp, suggesting these compounds are transported by LAT3. LAT3-mediated transport was inhibited by the pretreatment with N-ethylmaleimide, consistent with the property of system L2 originally characterized in hepatocyte primary culture. Based on the substrate selectivity, affinity, and N-ethylmaleimide sensitivity, LAT3 is proposed to be a transporter subserving system L2. LAT3 should denote a new family of organic solute transporters.     

Isotope effects and intermediates in the reduction of NO by P450(NOR)

The mechanism of the heme-thiolate-dependent NADH-NO reductase (P450(NOR)) from Fusarium oxysporum was investigated by kinetic isotope effects including protio, [4S-2H]-, [4R-2H]-, [4,4(2)H(2)]-NADH and stopped-flow measurements. The respective kinetic isotope effects were measured at high NO concentrations and were found to be 1.7, 2.3 and 3.8 indicating a rate-limitation at the reduction step and a moderate stereoselectivity in binding of the cofactor NADH. In a different approach the kinetic isotope effects were determined directly for the reaction of the Fe(III)-NO complex with [4R-2H]- and [4S-2H]-NADH by stopped-flow spectroscopy. The resulting isotope effects were 2.7+/-0.4 for the R-form and 1.1+/-0.1 for the S-form. In addition the 444 nm intermediate could be chemically generated by addition of an ethanolic borohydride solution to the ferric-NO complex at -10 degrees C. In pulse radiolysis experiments a similar absorbing species could be observed when hydroxylamine radicals were generated in the presence of Fe (III) P450(NOR). Based on these results we postulate hydride transfer from NADH to the ferric P450-NO complex resulting in a ferric hydroxylamine-radical or ferryl hydroxylamine-complex and this step, as indicated by the kinetic isotope effects, to be rate-limiting at high concentrations of NO. However, at low concentrations of NO the decay of the 444 nm species becomes the rate-limiting step as envisaged by stopped-flow and optical kinetic measurements in a system in which NO was continuously generated. The last step in the catalytic cycle may proceed by a direct addition of the NO radical to the Fe-hydroxylamine complex or by electron transfer from the NO radical to the ferric-thiyl moiety in analogy to the postulated mechanisms of prostacyclin and thromboxane biosynthesis by the corresponding P450 enzymes. The latter process of electron transfer could then constitute a common step in all heme-thiolate catalyzed reactions.     

Role of human organic anion transporter 4 in the transport of ochratoxin A

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of ochratoxin A (OTA) transport by multispecific human organic anion transporter 4 (hOAT4) using mouse proximal tubule cells stably transfected with hOAT4 (S(2) hOAT4). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that hOAT4 protein was localized to the apical side of the proximal tubule. S(2) hOAT4 expressed hOAT4 protein in the apical side as well as basolateral side and the cells were cultured on the plastic dish for experiments. S(2) hOAT4 exhibited a time- and concentration-dependent, and a saturable increase in OTA uptake, with an apparent K(m) value of 22.9+/-2.44 microM. The OTA uptakes were inhibited by several substrates for the OATs. Probenecid, piroxicam, octanoate and citrinin inhibited OTA uptake by hOAT4 in a competitive manner (K(i)=44.4-336.4 microM), with the following order of potency: probenecid > piroxicam > octanoate >citrinin. The efflux of OTA by S(2) hOAT4 was higher than that by mock. Addition of OTA resulted in slight decrease in viability of S(2) hOAT4 compared with mock. These results indicate that hOAT4 mediates the high-affinity transport of OTA on the apical side of the proximal tubule, whereas the transport characteristics of OTA are distinct from those by basolateral OATs.     

Single nucleotide polymorphisms of thrifty genes for energy metabolism: evolutionary origins and prospects for intervention to prevent obesity-related diseases

The "thrifty" genotype and phenotype that save energy are detrimental to the health of people living in affluent societies. Individual differences in energy metabolism are caused primarily by single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), some of which promote the development of obesity/type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this review, four major questions are addressed: (1) Why did regional differences in energy metabolism develop during evolution? (2) How do genes respond to starvation and affluence? (3) Which SNPs correspond to the hypothetical "thrifty genes"? (4) How can we cope with disease susceptibility caused by the "thrifty" SNPs? We examined mtDNA and genes for energy metabolism in people who live in several parts of Asia and the Pacific islands. We included 14 genes, and the SNP frequencies of PPAR gamma 2, LEPR, and UCP3-p and some other genes differ significantly between Mongoloids and Caucasoids. These differences in SNPs may have been caused by natural selection depending on the types of agriculture practiced in different regions. Interventions to counteract the adverse effects of "thrifty" SNPs have been partially effective.     

Immunolocalization of laminin-alpha1-like antigens around synapses in mouse cerebellar perineuronal nets

The hypothesis that extracellular matrix components may be related to neuronal development in the mouse cerebellar cortex was verified with immunohistochemistry by using an antibody against laminin-alpha1, a major extracellular matrix protein in various tissues. A commercially available polyclonal antibody, raised against the carboxyl-terminal 20-amino acid peptide of laminin-alpha1 was used. Some positive immunoreaction products were localized around large GABAergic interneurons in granular layers and others were around neurons in deep cerebellar nuclei. At the electron microscope level, diaminobenzidine immunoreaction products were localized around presynaptic boutons and in intercellular matrices around interneurons. Such immunoreaction products could be detected at postnatal day 20, when most of cerebellar synapses are assumed to be established. It has been known that a special feature of extracellular matrix, termed perineuronal nets, exists around specific subpopulation of neurons. In the mouse cerebellum, the present findings suggest that laminin itself or laminin-like-antigens exists in the perineuronal nets in relation to inhibitory neuron synapses.     

What determines species richness of parasitic organisms? A meta‐analysis across animal,plant and fungal hosts

Although a small set of external factors account for much of the spatial variation in plant and animal diversity, the search continues for general drivers of variation in parasite species richness among host species. Qualitative reviews of existing evidence suggest idiosyncrasies and inconsistent predictive power for all proposed determinants of parasite richness. Here, we provide the first quantitative synthesis of the evidence using a meta‐analysis of 62 original studies testing the relationship between parasite richness across animal, plant and fungal hosts, and each of its four most widely used presumed predictors: host body size, host geographical range size, host population density, and latitude. We uncover three universal predictors of parasite richness across host species, namely host body size, geographical range size and population density, applicable regardless of the taxa considered and independently of most aspects of study design. A proper match in the primary studies between the focal predictor and both the spatial scale of study and the level at which parasite species richness was quantified (i.e. within host populations or tallied across a host species' entire range) also affected the magnitude of effect sizes. By contrast, except for a couple of indicative trends in subsets of the full dataset, there was no strong evidence for an effect of latitude on parasite species richness; where found, this effect ran counter to the general latitude gradient in diversity, with parasite species richness tending to be higher further from the equator. Finally, the meta‐analysis also revealed a negative relationship between the magnitude of effect sizes and the year of publication of original studies (i.e. a time‐lag bias). This temporal bias may be due to the increasing use of phylogenetic correction in comparative analyses of parasite richness over time, as this correction yields more conservative effect sizes. Overall, these findings point to common underlying processes of parasite diversification fundamentally different from those controlling the diversity of free‐living organisms.     

Environmental cDNA analysis of the genes involved in lignocellulose digestion in the symbiotic protist community of Reticulitermes speratus

To clarify the lignocellulolytic process of the lower termite symbiotic protistan system, we constructed a cDNA library from an as yet uncultivated symbiotic protist community of the lower termite Reticulitermes speratus. The library was constructed by the biotinylated CAP trapper method and analyzed by one-pass sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis of actin orthologs confirmed that the resulting library reflected the intact organismal and mRNA composition of the symbiotic system. The contents of the library included abundant numbers of lignocellulolytic genes of the glycosyl hydrolase family orthologs (families 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 26, 43, 45 and 62). Our results clearly indicated that a multiple family of glycosyl hydrolase enzymes was involved in the protistan cellulose degradation system. The data also suggested that the most extensively expressed enzyme was glycosyl hydrolase family 7, a cellobiohydrolase ortholog. This family of enzymes enables the degradation of crystalline cellulose, the principal component of wood biomass.