| Abstract: | Amino acid transport systems for alanine and leucine were reconstituted into artificial lipid vesicles. Purified plasma membrane vesicles from Ehrlich ascites cells were dissolved in 2% sodium cholate, 1mM dithiothreitol, and 0.5 mM EDTA a mixture that solubilized approximately 50% of the membrane protein. This solubilized protein fraction was further purified by a combination of ammonium sulfate precipitations, gel filtration, and DEAE-cellulose chromatography. A fraction containing approximately 15 Coomassie blue-staining bands on sodium dodecyl sulfate gels was obtained. This material was reconstituted into liposomes, and preliminary results demonstrated transport of alanine and leucine dependent on a sodium gradient. In addition, an electrogenic gradient mediated by valino-mycin-induced potassium diffusion seemed to stimulate alanine uptake further. |
