1
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Transport rate of EAAT2 is regulated by amino acid located at the interface between the scaffolding and substrate transport domains. Neurochem Int 2020; 139:104792. [PMID: 32668264 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2020.104792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Excitatory Amino Acid Transporters (EAATs) are plasma membrane proteins responsible for maintenance of low extracellular concentrations of glutamate in the CNS. Dysfunction in their activity is implicated in various neurological disorders. Glutamate transport by EAATs occurs through the movement of the central transport domain relative to the scaffold domain in the EAAT membrane protein. Previous studies suggested that residues located within the interface of these two domains in EAAT2, the main subtype of glutamate transporter in the brain, are involved in regulating transport rates. We used mutagenesis, structure-function relationship, surface protein expression and electrophysiology studies, in transfected COS-7 cells and oocytes, to examine residue glycine at position 298, which is located within this interface. Mutation G298A results in increased transport rate without changes in surface expression, suggesting a more hydrophobic and larger alanine results in facilitated transport movement. The increased transport rate does not involve changes in sodium affinity. Electrophysiological currents show that G298A increase both transport and anion currents, suggesting faster transitions through the transport cycle. This work identifies a region critically involved in setting the glutamate transport rate.
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2
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Kandasamy P, Gyimesi G, Kanai Y, Hediger MA. Amino acid transporters revisited: New views in health and disease. Trends Biochem Sci 2018; 43:752-789. [PMID: 30177408 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 249] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2018] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
Amino acid transporters (AATs) are membrane-bound transport proteins that mediate transfer of amino acids into and out of cells or cellular organelles. AATs have diverse functional roles ranging from neurotransmission to acid-base balance, intracellular energy metabolism, and anabolic and catabolic reactions. In cancer cells and diabetes, dysregulation of AATs leads to metabolic reprogramming, which changes intracellular amino acid levels, contributing to the pathogenesis of cancer, obesity and diabetes. Indeed, the neutral amino acid transporters (NATs) SLC7A5/LAT1 and SLC1A5/ASCT2 are likely involved in several human malignancies. However, a clinical therapy that directly targets AATs has not yet been developed. The purpose of this review is to highlight the structural and functional diversity of AATs, their diverse physiological roles in different tissues and organs, their wide-ranging implications in human diseases and the emerging strategies and tools that will be necessary to target AATs therapeutically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Palanivel Kandasamy
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Gergely Gyimesi
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Yoshikatsu Kanai
- Division of Bio-system Pharmacology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
| | - Matthias A Hediger
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of Bern, Bühlstrasse 28, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
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3
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Cheng MH, Torres-Salazar D, Gonzalez-Suarez AD, Amara SG, Bahar I. Substrate transport and anion permeation proceed through distinct pathways in glutamate transporters. eLife 2017; 6. [PMID: 28569666 PMCID: PMC5472439 DOI: 10.7554/elife.25850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Advances in structure-function analyses and computational biology have enabled a deeper understanding of how excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) mediate chloride permeation and substrate transport. However, the mechanism of structural coupling between these functions remains to be established. Using a combination of molecular modeling, substituted cysteine accessibility, electrophysiology and glutamate uptake assays, we identified a chloride-channeling conformer, iChS, transiently accessible as EAAT1 reconfigures from substrate/ion-loaded into a substrate-releasing conformer. Opening of the anion permeation path in this iChS is controlled by the elevator-like movement of the substrate-binding core, along with its wall that simultaneously lines the anion permeation path (global); and repacking of a cluster of hydrophobic residues near the extracellular vestibule (local). Moreover, our results demonstrate that stabilization of iChS by chemical modifications favors anion channeling at the expense of substrate transport, suggesting a mutually exclusive regulation mediated by the movement of the flexible wall lining the two regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Hongying Cheng
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
| | - Delany Torres-Salazar
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Aneysis D Gonzalez-Suarez
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Susan G Amara
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Ivet Bahar
- Department of Computational and Systems Biology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, United States
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4
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Divito CB, Borowski JE, Glasgow NG, Gonzalez-Suarez AD, Torres-Salazar D, Johnson JW, Amara SG. Glial and Neuronal Glutamate Transporters Differ in the Na + Requirements for Activation of the Substrate-Independent Anion Conductance. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:150. [PMID: 28611584 PMCID: PMC5447070 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) are secondary active transporters of L-glutamate and L- or D-aspartate. These carriers also mediate a thermodynamically uncoupled anion conductance that is gated by Na+ and substrate binding. The activation of the anion channel by binding of Na+ alone, however, has only been demonstrated for mammalian EAAC1 (EAAT3) and EAAT4. To date, no difference has been observed for the substrate dependence of anion channel gating between the glial, EAAT1 and EAAT2, and the neuronal isoforms EAAT3, EAAT4 and EAAT5. Here we describe a difference in the Na+-dependence of anion channel gating between glial and neuronal isoforms. Chloride flux through transporters without glutamate binding has previously been described as substrate-independent or "leak" channel activity. Choline or N-methyl-D-glucamine replacement of external Na+ ions significantly reduced or abolished substrate-independent EAAT channel activity in EAAT3 and EAAT4 yet has no effect on EAAT1 or EAAT2. The interaction of Na+ with the neuronal carrier isoforms was concentration dependent, consistent with previous data. The presence of substrate and Na+-independent open states in the glial EAAT isoforms is a novel finding in the field of EAAT function. Our results reveal an important divergence in anion channel function between glial and neuronal glutamate transporters and highlight new potential roles for the EAAT-associated anion channel activity based on transporter expression and localization in the central nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher B Divito
- Center for Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology, University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jenna E Borowski
- Center for Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology, University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Nathan G Glasgow
- Center for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Aneysis D Gonzalez-Suarez
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of HealthBethesda, MD, United States
| | - Delany Torres-Salazar
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of HealthBethesda, MD, United States
| | - Jon W Johnson
- Center for Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Susan G Amara
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of HealthBethesda, MD, United States
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5
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Computational approaches to detect allosteric pathways in transmembrane molecular machines. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2016; 1858:1652-62. [PMID: 26806157 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2016.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Revised: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Many of the functions of transmembrane proteins involved in signal processing and transduction across the cell membrane are determined by allosteric couplings that propagate the functional effects well beyond the original site of activation. Data gathered from breakthroughs in biochemistry, crystallography, and single molecule fluorescence have established a rich basis of information for the study of molecular mechanisms in the allosteric couplings of such transmembrane proteins. The mechanistic details of these couplings, many of which have therapeutic implications, however, have only become accessible in synergy with molecular modeling and simulations. Here, we review some recent computational approaches that analyze allosteric coupling networks (ACNs) in transmembrane proteins, and in particular the recently developed Protein Interaction Analyzer (PIA) designed to study ACNs in the structural ensembles sampled by molecular dynamics simulations. The power of these computational approaches in interrogating the functional mechanisms of transmembrane proteins is illustrated with selected examples of recent experimental and computational studies pursued synergistically in the investigation of secondary active transporters and GPCRs. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Membrane Proteins edited by J.C. Gumbart and Sergei Noskov.
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6
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GLT-1 Transport Stoichiometry Is Constant at Low and High Glutamate Concentrations when Chloride Is Substituted by Gluconate. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0136111. [PMID: 26301411 PMCID: PMC4547712 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0136111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2015] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter, but prolonged exposure even at micromolar concentrations causes neuronal death. Extracellular glutamate is maintained at nanomolar level by glutamate transporters, which, however, may reverse transport and release glutamate. If and when the reverse occurs depends on glutamate transport stoichiometry (GTS). Previously we found that in the presence of chloride, the coupled GLT-1 glutamate transporter current and its relationship to radiolabeled glutamate flux significantly decreased when extracellular glutamate concentration increased above 0.2 mM, which implies a change in GTS. Such high concentrations are feasible near GLT-1 expressed close to synaptic release site during excitatory neurotransmission. The aim of this study was to determine GLT-1 GTS at both low (19–75 μM) and high (300–1200 μM) glutamate concentration ranges. GTS experiments were conducted in the absence of chloride to avoid contributions by the GLT-1 uncoupled chloride conductance. Mathematical analysis of the transporter thermodynamic equilibrium allowed us to derive equations revealing the number of a particular type of ion transported per elementary charge based on the measurements of the transporter reversal potential. We found that GLT-1a expressed in COS-7 cells co-transports 1.5 Na+, 0.5 Glu-, 0.5 H+ and counter-transports 0.6 K+ per elementary charge in both glutamate concentration ranges, and at both 37°C and 26°C temperatures. The thermodynamic parameter Q10 = 2.4 for GLT-1 turnover rate of 19 s-1 (37°C, -50 mV) remained constant in the 10 μM–10 mM glutamate concentration range. Importantly, the previously reported decrease in the current/flux ratio at high glutamate concentration was not seen in the absence of chloride in both COS-7 cells and cultured rat neurons. Therefore, only in the absence of chloride, GLT-1 GTS remains constant at all glutamate concentrations. Possible explanations for why apparent GTS might vary in the presence of chloride are discussed.
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7
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Torres-Salazar D, Jiang J, Divito CB, Garcia-Olivares J, Amara SG. A Mutation in Transmembrane Domain 7 (TM7) of Excitatory Amino Acid Transporters Disrupts the Substrate-dependent Gating of the Intrinsic Anion Conductance and Drives the Channel into a Constitutively Open State. J Biol Chem 2015. [PMID: 26203187 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.660860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
In the mammalian central nervous system, excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) are responsible for the clearance of glutamate after synaptic release. This energetically demanding activity is crucial for precise neuronal communication and for maintaining extracellular glutamate concentrations below neurotoxic levels. In addition to their ability to recapture glutamate from the extracellular space, EAATs exhibit a sodium- and glutamate-gated anion conductance. Here we show that substitution of a conserved positively charged residue (Arg-388, hEAAT1) in transmembrane domain 7 with a negatively charged amino acid eliminates the ability of glutamate to further activate the anion conductance. When expressed in oocytes, R388D or R388E mutants show large anion currents that display no further increase in amplitude after application of saturating concentrations of Na(+) and glutamate. They also show a substantially reduced transport activity. The mutant transporters appear to exist preferentially in a sodium- and glutamate-independent constitutive open channel state that rarely transitions to complete the transport cycle. In addition, the accessibility of cytoplasmic residues to membrane-permeant modifying reagents supports the idea that this substrate-independent open state correlates with an intermediate outward facing conformation of the transporter. Our data provide additional insights into the mechanism by which substrates gate the anion conductance in EAATs and suggest that in EAAT1, Arg-388 is a critical element for the structural coupling between the substrate translocation and the gating mechanisms of the EAAT-associated anion channel.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jie Jiang
- the Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | - Christopher B Divito
- the Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
| | | | - Susan G Amara
- From the National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892 and the Department of Neurobiology, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213
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8
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Grewer C, Gameiro A, Rauen T. SLC1 glutamate transporters. Pflugers Arch 2013; 466:3-24. [PMID: 24240778 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-013-1397-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2013] [Revised: 10/21/2013] [Accepted: 10/22/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The plasma membrane transporters for the neurotransmitter glutamate belong to the solute carrier 1 family. They are secondary active transporters, taking up glutamate into the cell against a substantial concentration gradient. The driving force for concentrative uptake is provided by the cotransport of Na(+) ions and the countertransport of one K(+) in a step independent of the glutamate translocation step. Due to eletrogenicity of transport, the transmembrane potential can also act as a driving force. Glutamate transporters are expressed in many tissues, but are of particular importance in the brain, where they contribute to the termination of excitatory neurotransmission. Glutamate transporters can also run in reverse, resulting in glutamate release from cells. Due to these important physiological functions, glutamate transporter expression and, therefore, the transport rate, are tightly regulated. This review summarizes recent literature on the functional and biophysical properties, structure-function relationships, regulation, physiological significance, and pharmacology of glutamate transporters. Particular emphasis is on the insight from rapid kinetic and electrophysiological studies, transcriptional regulation of transporter expression, and reverse transport and its importance for pathophysiological glutamate release under ischemic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christof Grewer
- Department of Chemistry, Binghamton University, PO Box 6000, Binghamton, 13902-6000, NY, USA,
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9
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Hotzy J, Machtens JP, Fahlke C. Neutralizing aspartate 83 modifies substrate translocation of excitatory amino acid transporter 3 (EAAT3) glutamate transporters. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:20016-26. [PMID: 22532568 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.344077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) terminate glutamatergic synaptic transmission by removing glutamate from the synaptic cleft into neuronal and glial cells. EAATs are not only secondary active glutamate transporters but also function as anion channels. Gating of EAAT anion channels is tightly coupled to transitions within the glutamate uptake cycle, resulting in Na(+)- and glutamate-dependent anion currents. A point mutation neutralizing a conserved aspartic acid within the intracellular loop close to the end of transmembrane domain 2 was recently shown to modify the substrate dependence of EAAT anion currents. To distinguish whether this mutation affects transitions within the uptake cycle or directly modifies the opening/closing of the anion channel, we used voltage clamp fluorometry. Using three different sites for fluorophore attachment, V120C, M205C, and A430C, we observed time-, voltage-, and substrate-dependent alterations of EAAT3 fluorescence intensities. The voltage and substrate dependence of fluorescence intensities can be described by a 15-state model of the transport cycle in which several states are connected to branching anion channel states. D83A-mediated changes of fluorescence intensities, anion currents, and secondary active transport can be explained by exclusive modifications of substrate translocation rates. In contrast, sole modification of anion channel opening and closing is insufficient to account for all experimental data. We conclude that D83A has direct effects on the glutamate transport cycle and that these effects result in changed anion channel function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin Hotzy
- Institut für Neurophysiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, D-30625 Hannover, Germany
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10
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Large collective motions regulate the functional properties of glutamate transporter trimers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011; 108:15141-6. [PMID: 21876140 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1112216108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate transporters clear synaptically released glutamate to maintain precise communication between neurons and limit glutamate neurotoxicity. Although much progress has been made on the topology, structure, and function of these carriers, few studies have addressed large-scale structural motions collectively associated with substrate transport. Here we show that a series of single cysteine substitutions in the helical hairpin HP2 of excitatory amino acid transporter 1 form intersubunit disulfide cross-links within the trimer. After cross-linking, substrate uptake, but not substrate-activated anion conductance, is completely inhibited in these mutants. These disulfide bridges link residue pairs > 40 Å apart in the outward-facing crystal structure, and can be explained by concerted subunit movements predicted by the anisotropic network model (ANM). The existence of these global motions is further supported by the observation that single cysteine substitutions at the extracellular part of the transmembrane domain 8 can also be cross-linked by copper phenanthroline as predicted by the ANM. Interestingly, the transport domain in the un-cross-linked subunit of the trimer assumes an inward-facing orientation, suggesting that individual subunits potentially undergo separate transitions between outward- and inward-facing forms, rather than an all-or-none transition of the three subunits, a mechanism also supported by ANM-predicted intrinsic dynamics. These results shed light on how large collective motions contribute to the functional dynamics of glutamate transporters.
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11
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Machtens JP, Kovermann P, Fahlke C. Substrate-dependent gating of anion channels associated with excitatory amino acid transporter 4. J Biol Chem 2011; 286:23780-8. [PMID: 21572047 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m110.207514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
EAAT glutamate transporters do not only function as secondary-active glutamate transporters but also as anion channels. EAAT anion channel activity depends on transport substrates. For most isoforms, it is negligible without external Na(+) and increased by external glutamate. We here investigated gating of EAAT4 anion channels with various cations and amino acid substrates using patch clamp experiments on a mammalian cell line. We demonstrate that Li(+) can substitute for Na(+) in supporting substrate-activated anion currents, albeit with changed voltage dependence. Anion currents were recorded in glutamate, aspartate, and cysteine, and distinct time and voltage dependences were observed. For each substrate, gating was different in external Na(+) or Li(+). All features of voltage-dependent and substrate-specific anion channel gating can be described by a simplified nine-state model of the transport cycle in which only amino acid substrate-bound states assume high anion channel open probabilities. The kinetic scheme suggests that the substrate dependence of channel gating is exclusively caused by differences in substrate association and translocation. Moreover, the voltage dependence of anion channel gating arises predominantly from electrogenic cation binding and membrane translocation of the transporter. We conclude that all voltage- and substrate-dependent conformational changes of the EAAT4 anion channel are linked to transitions within the transport cycle.
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12
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Nothmann D, Leinenweber A, Torres-Salazar D, Kovermann P, Hotzy J, Gameiro A, Grewer C, Fahlke C. Hetero-oligomerization of neuronal glutamate transporters. J Biol Chem 2010; 286:3935-43. [PMID: 21127051 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m110.187492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) mediate the uptake of glutamate into neuronal and glial cells of the mammalian central nervous system. Two transporters expressed primarily in glia, EAAT1 and EAAT2, are crucial for glutamate homeostasis in the adult mammalian brain. Three neuronal transporters (EAAT3, EAAT4, and EAAT5) appear to have additional functions in regulating and processing cellular excitability. EAATs are assembled as trimers, and the existence of multiple isoforms raises the question of whether certain isoforms can form hetero-oligomers. Co-expression and pulldown experiments of various glutamate transporters showed that EAAT3 and EAAT4, but neither EAAT1 and EAAT2, nor EAAT2 and EAAT3 are capable of co-assembling into heterotrimers. To study the functional consequences of hetero-oligomerization, we co-expressed EAAT3 and the serine-dependent mutant R501C EAAT4 in HEK293 cells and Xenopus laevis oocytes and studied glutamate/serine transport and anion conduction using electrophysiological methods. Individual subunits transport glutamate independently of each other. Apparent substrate affinities are not affected by hetero-oligomerization. However, polarized localization in Madin-Darby canine kidney cells was different for homo- and hetero-oligomers. EAAT3 inserts exclusively into apical membranes of Madin-Darby canine kidney cells when expressed alone. Co-expression with EAAT4 results in additional appearance of basolateral EAAT3. Our results demonstrate the existence of heterotrimeric glutamate transporters and provide novel information about the physiological impact of EAAT oligomerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Doreen Nothmann
- Institut für Neurophysiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, D-30625 Hannover, Germany
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13
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Leinenweber A, Machtens JP, Begemann B, Fahlke C. Regulation of glial glutamate transporters by C-terminal domains. J Biol Chem 2010; 286:1927-37. [PMID: 21097502 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m110.153486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Excitatory amino acid transporter 2 (EAAT2) is a high affinity glutamate transporter predominantly expressed in astroglia. Human EAAT2 encompasses eight transmembrane domains and a 74-amino acid C-terminal domain that resides in the cytoplasm. We examined the role of this region by studying various C-terminal truncations and mutations using heterologous expression in mammalian cells, whole-cell patch clamp recording and confocal imaging. Removal of the complete C terminus (K498X EAAT2) results in loss of function because of intracellular retention of truncated proteins in the cytoplasm. However, a short stretch of amino acids (E500X EAAT2) within the C terminus results in correctly processed transporters. E500X reduced glutamate transport currents by 90%. Moreover, the voltage and substrate dependence of E500X EAAT2 anion currents was significantly altered. WT and mutant EAAT2 anion channels are modified by external Na(+) in the presence as well as in the absence of L-glutamate. Whereas Na(+) stimulates EAAT2 anion currents in the presence of L-glutamate, increased [Na(+)] reduces such currents without glutamate. In cells internally dialyzed with Na(+), WT, and truncated EAAT2 display comparable Na(+) dependence. With K(+) as main internal cation, E500X drastically increased the apparent dissociation constant for external Na(+). The effects of E500X can be represented by a kinetic model that allows translocation of the empty transporter from the outward- to the inward-facing conformation and stabilization of the inward-facing conformation by internal K(+). Our results demonstrate that the C terminus modifies the glutamate uptake cycle, possibly affecting the movements of the translocation domain of EAAT2 glutamate transporter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariane Leinenweber
- Institut für Neurophysiologie, Medizinische Hochschule, D-30625 Hannover, Germany
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14
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Gebhardt FM, Mitrovic AD, Gilbert DF, Vandenberg RJ, Lynch JW, Dodd PR. Exon-skipping splice variants of excitatory amino acid transporter-2 (EAAT2) form heteromeric complexes with full-length EAAT2. J Biol Chem 2010; 285:31313-24. [PMID: 20688910 PMCID: PMC2951206 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m110.153494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2010] [Revised: 08/02/2010] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The glial transporter excitatory amino acid transporter-2 (EAAT2) is the main mediator of glutamate clearance in brain. The wild-type transporter (EAAT2wt) forms trimeric membrane complexes in which each protomer functions autonomously. Several EAAT2 variants are found in control and Alzheimer-diseased human brains; their expression increases with pathological severity. These variants might alter EAAT2wt-mediated transport by abrogating membrane trafficking, or by changing the configuration or functionality of the assembled transporter complex. HEK293 cells were transfected with EAAT2wt; EAAT2b, a C-terminal variant; or either of two exon-skipping variants: alone or in combination. Surface biotinylation studies showed that only the exon-7 deletion variant was not trafficked to the membrane when transfected alone, and that all variants could reach the membrane when co-transfected with EAAT2wt. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) studies showed that co-transfected EAAT2wt and EAAT2 splice variants were expressed in close proximity. Glutamate transporter function was measured using a whole cell patch clamp technique, or by changes in membrane potential indexed by a voltage-sensitive fluorescent dye (FMP assay): the two methods gave comparable results. Cells transfected with EAAT2wt or EAAT2b showed glutamate-dependent membrane potential changes consistent with functional expression. Cells transfected with EAAT2 exon-skipping variants alone gave no response to glutamate. Co-transfection of EAAT2wt (or EAAT2b) and splice variants in various ratios significantly raised glutamate EC(50) and decreased Hill coefficients. We conclude that exon-skipping variants form heteromeric complexes with EAAT2wt or EAAT2b that traffic to the membrane but show reduced glutamate-dependent activity. This could allow glutamate to accumulate extracellularly and promote excitotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ann D. Mitrovic
- the Discipline of Pharmacology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia
| | - Daniel F. Gilbert
- the Queensland Brain Institute and School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072 and
| | - Robert J. Vandenberg
- the Discipline of Pharmacology and Bosch Institute, University of Sydney, Sydney 2006, Australia
| | - Joseph W. Lynch
- the Queensland Brain Institute and School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072 and
| | - Peter R. Dodd
- From the School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences and
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15
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Kovermann P, Machtens JP, Ewers D, Fahlke C. A conserved aspartate determines pore properties of anion channels associated with excitatory amino acid transporter 4 (EAAT4). J Biol Chem 2010; 285:23676-86. [PMID: 20519505 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m110.126557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Excitatory amino acid transporter (EAAT) glutamate transporters function not only as secondary active glutamate transporters but also as anion channels. Recently, a conserved aspartic acid (Asp(112)) within the intracellular loop near to the end of transmembrane domain 2 was proposed as a major determinant of substrate-dependent gating of the anion channel associated with the glial glutamate transporter EAAT1. We studied the corresponding mutation (D117A) in another EAAT isoform, EAAT4, using heterologous expression in mammalian cells, whole cell patch clamp, and noise analysis. In EAAT4, D117A modifies unitary conductances, relative anion permeabilities, as well as gating of associated anion channels. EAAT4 anion channel gating is characterized by two voltage-dependent gating processes with inverse voltage dependence. In wild type EAAT4, external l-glutamate modifies the voltage dependence as well as the minimum open probabilities of both gates, resulting in concentration-dependent changes of the number of open channels. Not only transport substrates but also anions affect wild type EAAT4 channel gating. External anions increase the open probability and slow down relaxation constants of one gating process that is activated by depolarization. D117A abolishes the anion and glutamate dependence of EAAT4 anion currents and shifts the voltage dependence of EAAT4 anion channel activation by more than 200 mV to more positive potentials. D117A is the first reported mutation that changes the unitary conductance of an EAAT anion channel. The finding that mutating a pore-forming residue modifies gating illustrates the close linkage between pore conformation and voltage- and substrate-dependent gating in EAAT4 anion channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Kovermann
- Institut für Neurophysiologie, Medizinische Hochschule, D-30625 Hannover, Germany.
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16
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Kabakov AY, Rosenberg PA. Evidence for change in current-flux coupling of GLT1 at high glutamate concentrations in rat primary forebrain neurons and GLT1a-expressing COS-7 cells. Eur J Neurosci 2009; 30:186-95. [PMID: 19614985 DOI: 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.06809.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system and is toxic to neurons even at low concentrations. GLT1, the rodent analog of human EAAT2, is primarily responsible for glutamate clearance in the cerebrum. GLT1 was thought to be expressed exclusively in astrocytes in the mature brain. Recently, however, GLT1a was demonstrated in excitatory axon terminals where synaptic glutamate concentration rises above 1 mm during excitatory transmission. GLT1 function in neurons with accurate control of both intracellular and extracellular solutions mimicking synaptic concentration gradients has never been studied. Here we characterized the kinetics of coupled glutamate transporter current in whole-cell configuration and [(3)H]-l-glutamate uptake in cultured rat cerebral neurons across the entire range of synaptic glutamate concentrations. In both neurons and GLT1a-transfected COS-7 cells, the kinetics were similar and revealed two specific components: a high-affinity component with glutamate k(D) value around 15 mum and a low-affinity component with k(D) value around 0.2 mm. The specific low-affinity component was discovered as a result of significant deviation of the transporter current from Michaelis-Menten kinetics in the 100-300 mum concentration range. Activation of the specific low-affinity component led to a two-fold decrease in the current/flux ratio, implying a change in the transport coupling. Our data indicate that GLT1 endogenously expressed in cultured rat forebrain neurons displays high and low glutamate affinity uptake components that are different in current-flux coupling ratios. This property is intrinsic to the protein because it was also observed in GLT1a-transfected COS-7 cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anatoli Y Kabakov
- FM Kirby Neurobiology Center and Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, MA, USA
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17
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González-González IM, García-Tardón N, Giménez C, Zafra F. Splice variants of the glutamate transporter GLT1 form hetero-oligomers that interact with PSD-95 and NMDA receptors. J Neurochem 2009; 110:264-74. [PMID: 19457061 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.06125.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The glutamate transporter GLT1 is expressed in at least two isoforms, GLT1a and GLT1b, which differ in their C termini. As GLT1 is an oligomeric protein, we have investigated whether GLT1a and GLT1b might associate as hetero-oligomers. Differential tagging (HA-GLT1a and YFP-GLT1b) revealed that these isoforms form complexes that could be immunoprecipitated when co-expressed in heterologous systems. The association of GLT1a and GLT1b was also observed in mixed primary cultures of rat brain and in the adult rat brain, where specific antibodies for GLT1a immunoprecipitated GLT1b and vice versa. Dual immunofluorescence in mixed cultures demonstrated the partial co-localization of both isoforms in neurons and in glial cells. Because GLT1b interacts with an organizer of post-synaptic densities, PSD-95, we examined the capacity of GLT1a to associate with this protein. GLT1a was immunoprecipitated from the rat brain in protein complexes that contained not only GLT1b but also PSD-95 and NMDAR. The interaction between GLT1a with PSD-95 and NMDAR was reproduced in transfected COS7 cells and it appears to be indirect as it requires the presence of GLT1b. These results indicate that the major isoform of the glutamate transporter, GLT1a, can acquire the capacity to interact with PDZ proteins through its inclusion in hetero-oligomers containing GLT1b.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inmaculada M González-González
- Facultad de Ciencias, Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Centro de Investigación en Red de Enfermedades Raras, Madrid, Spain
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18
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Perdan K, Lipnik‐Štangelj M, Kržan M. Chapter 8 The Impact of Astrocytes in the Clearance of Neurotransmitters by Uptake and Inactivation. ADVANCES IN PLANAR LIPID BILAYERS AND LIPOSOMES 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/s1554-4516(09)09008-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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19
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Grewer C, Gameiro A, Zhang Z, Tao Z, Braams S, Rauen T. Glutamate forward and reverse transport: from molecular mechanism to transporter-mediated release after ischemia. IUBMB Life 2008; 60:609-19. [PMID: 18543277 DOI: 10.1002/iub.98] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Glutamate transporters remove the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate from the extracellular space after neurotransmission is complete, by taking glutamate up into neurons and glia cells. As thermodynamic machines, these transporters can also run in reverse, releasing glutamate into the extracellular space. Because glutamate is excitotoxic, this transporter-mediated release is detrimental to the health of neurons and axons, and it, thus, contributes to the brain damage that typically follows a stroke. This review highlights current ideas about the molecular mechanisms underlying glutamate uptake and glutamate reverse transport. It also discusses the implications of transporter-mediated glutamate release for cellular function under physiological and patho-physiological conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christof Grewer
- Binghamton University, Department of Chemistry, Binghamton, NY 13902, USA.
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20
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Dynamics of the extracellular gate and ion-substrate coupling in the glutamate transporter. Biophys J 2008; 95:2292-300. [PMID: 18515371 DOI: 10.1529/biophysj.108.133421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate transporters (GluTs) are the primary regulators of extracellular concentration of the neurotransmitter glutamate in the central nervous system. In this study, we have investigated the dynamics and coupling of the substrate and Na(+) binding sites, and the mechanism of cotransport of Na(+) ions, using molecular dynamics simulations of a membrane-embedded model of GluT in its apo (empty form) and various Na(+)- and/or substrate-bound states. The results shed light on the mechanism of the extracellular gate and on the sequence of binding of the substrate and Na(+) ions to GluT during the transport cycle. The results suggest that the helical hairpin HP2 plays the key role of the extracellular gate for the substrate binding site, and that the opening and closure of the gate is controlled by substrate binding. GluT adopts an open conformation in the absence of the substrate exposing the binding sites of the substrate and Na(+) ions to the extracellular solution. Based on the calculated trajectories, we propose that Na1 is the first element to bind GluT, as it is found to be important for the completion of the substrate binding site. The subsequent binding of the substrate, in turn, is shown to result in an almost complete closure of the extracellular gate and the formation of the Na2 binding site. Finally, binding of Na2 locks the extracellular gate and completes the formation of the occluded state of GluT.
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21
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Weise A, Becker HM, Deitmer JW. Enzymatic suppression of the membrane conductance associated with the glutamine transporter SNAT3 expressed in Xenopus oocytes by carbonic anhydrase II. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007; 130:203-15. [PMID: 17664347 PMCID: PMC2151638 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.200709809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The transport activity of the glutamine/neutral amino acid transporter SNAT3 (former SN1, SLC38A3), expressed in oocytes of the frog Xenopus laevis is associated with a non-stoichiometrical membrane conductance selective for Na+ and/or H+ (Schneider, H.P., S. Bröer, A. Bröer, and J.W. Deitmer. 2007. J. Biol. Chem. 282:3788–3798). When we expressed SNAT3 in frog oocytes, the glutamine-induced membrane conductance was suppressed, when carbonic anhydrase isoform II (CAII) had been injected into the oocytes. Transport of substrate, however, was not affected by CAII. The reduction of the membrane conductance by CAII was dependent on the presence of CO2/HCO3−, and could be reversed by blocking the catalytic activity of CAII by ethoxyzolamide (10 μM). Coexpression of wild-type CAII or a N-terminal CAII mutant with SNAT3 also reduced the SNAT3- associated membrane conductance. The catalytically inactive CAII mutant V143Y coexpressed in oocytes did not affect SNAT3-associated membrane conductance. Our results reveal a new type of interaction between CAII and a transporter-associated cation conductance, and support the hypothesis that the transport of substrate and the non-stoichiometrical ion conductance are independent of each other. This study also emphasizes the importance of carbonic anhydrase activity and the presence of CO2-bicarbonate buffers for membrane transport processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Weise
- Abteilung für Allgemeine Zoologie, FB Biologie, Universitaet Kaiserslautern, D-67653 Kaiserslautern, Germany
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22
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Torres-Salazar D, Fahlke C. Neuronal glutamate transporters vary in substrate transport rate but not in unitary anion channel conductance. J Biol Chem 2007; 282:34719-26. [PMID: 17908688 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m704118200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) not only sustain a secondary active glutamate transport but also function as anion-selective ion channels. The relative proportion of currents generated by glutamate transport or by the chloride conductance varies for each cloned EAAT subtype. For EAAT1, EAAT2, and EAAT3, the anion current is only a small component of the total transporter-associated current amplitude, whereas EAAT4 and EAAT5 transporters mediate predominantly anion currents. We here demonstrate that the distinct current proportions are entirely due to differences in glutamate transport rates. EAAT3 and EAAT4 differ in unitary glutamate transport rates as well as in the voltage and substrate dependence of anion channel opening, but ion conduction properties are very similar. Noise analysis revealed identical unitary current amplitudes and similar absolute open probabilities for the two anion channels. The low glutamate transport rate of EAAT4 allows regulation of cellular excitability without interfering with extracellular glutamate homeostasis and makes this EAAT isoform ideally suited to regulate excitability in dendritic spines of Purkinje neurons.
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Torres-Salazar D, Fahlke C. Parawixin1: a spider toxin opening new avenues for glutamate transporter pharmacology. Mol Pharmacol 2007; 72:1100-2. [PMID: 17726155 DOI: 10.1124/mol.107.041020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. After release from glutamatergic nerve terminals, glial and neuronal glutamate transporters remove glutamate from the synaptic cleft to terminate synaptic transmission and to prevent neuronal damage by excessive glutamate receptor activation. In this issue of Molecular Pharmacology, Fontana et al. (p. 1228) report on the action of a venom compound, Parawixin1, on excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs). They demonstrate that this agent selectively affects a glial glutamate transporter, EAAT2, by specifically increasing one particular step of the glutamate uptake cycle. Disturbed glutamate homeostasis seems to be a pathogenetic factor in several neurodegenerative disorders. Because EAAT2 is a key player in determining the extracellular glutamate concentration in the mammalian brain, drugs targeting this protein could prevent glutamate excitotoxicity without blocking glutamatergic transmission. Its specificity and selectivity makes Parawixin1 a perfect starting point to design small molecules for the treatment of pathological conditions caused by alterations of glutamate homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Delany Torres-Salazar
- Institut für Neurophysiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany
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24
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Torres GE, Amara SG. Glutamate and monoamine transporters: new visions of form and function. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2007; 17:304-12. [PMID: 17509873 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2007.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2007] [Accepted: 05/08/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Neurotransmitters are rapidly removed from the extracellular space primarily through the actions of plasma membrane transporters. This uptake process is not only essential in the termination of neurotransmission but also serves to replenish intracellular levels of transmitter for further release. Neurotransmitter transporters couple the inward movement of substrate to the movement of Na(+) down a concentration gradient and, in addition to their transport function, some carriers also display channel-like activities. Five Na(+)/K(+)-dependent glutamate transporter subtypes belong to the solute carrier 1 (SLC1) family and a second family, SLC6, encompasses the Na(+)/Cl(-)-dependent transporters for dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin), noradrenaline, GABA and glycine. Recent advances, including high-resolution structures from both families, are now providing new insights into the molecular determinants that contribute to substrate translocation and ion channel activities. Other influential studies have explored how cellular regulatory mechanisms modulate transporter function, and how the different functions of the carrier shape the patterns of neurotransmitter signaling. This review focuses on recent studies of glutamate and monoamine transporters as prototypes of the two carrier families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo E Torres
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, 3501 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA
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25
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Ryan RM, Mindell JA. The uncoupled chloride conductance of a bacterial glutamate transporter homolog. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2007; 14:365-71. [PMID: 17435767 DOI: 10.1038/nsmb1230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2006] [Accepted: 03/09/2007] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Glutamate transporters (EAATs) are pivotal in mammalian synaptic transmission, tightly regulating synaptic levels of this excitatory neurotransmitter. In addition to coupled glutamate transport, the EAATs also show an uncoupled Cl(-) conductance, whose physiological importance has recently been demonstrated. Little is yet known about the molecular mechanism of chloride permeation. Here we show that Glt(Ph), a bacterial EAAT homolog whose structure has been determined, displays an uncoupled Cl(-) conductance that can determine the rate of substrate uptake. A mutation analogous to one known to specifically affect Cl(-) movement in EAAT1 has similar effects on Glt(Ph), suggesting that this protein is an excellent structural model for understanding Cl(-) permeation through the EAATs. We also observed an uncoupled Cl(-) conductance in another bacterial EAAT homolog but not in a homolog of the Na(+)/Cl(-)-coupled neurotransmitter transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renae M Ryan
- Membrane Transport Biophysics Unit, Porter Neuroscience Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, US National Institutes of Health, 35 Convent Drive, Building 35, MSC 3701, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
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26
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Leary GP, Stone EF, Holley DC, Kavanaugh MP. The glutamate and chloride permeation pathways are colocalized in individual neuronal glutamate transporter subunits. J Neurosci 2007; 27:2938-42. [PMID: 17360916 PMCID: PMC6672579 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.4851-06.2007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Glutamate transporters have a homotrimeric subunit structure with a large central water-filled cavity that extends partially into the plane of the lipid bilayer (Yernool et al., 2004). In addition to uptake of glutamate, the transporters also mediate a chloride conductance that is increased in the presence of substrate. Whether the chloride channel is located in the central pore of the trimer or within the individual subunits has been controversial. We find that coexpression of wild-type neuronal glutamate transporter EAAT3 subunits with subunits mutated at R447, a residue governing substrate selectivity (Bendahan et al., 2000), results in transport activity consistent with two distinct noninteracting populations of transporters, in agreement with previous work suggesting that each subunit operates independently to transport substrate (Awes et al., 2004; Grewer et al., 2005; Koch and Larsson, 2005). In wild-type homotrimeric transporters, the glutamate concentration dependence of the anion conductance and the kinetics of glutamate flux were isolated and measured, and the anion channel activation was fitted to analytical expressions corresponding to (1) a central pore gated by binding to one or more subunits and (2) a channel pore in each subunit. The data indicate that glutamate-binding sites, transport pathways, and chloride channels reside in individual subunits in a trimer and function independently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory P. Leary
- Center for Structural and Functional Neuroscience, Departments of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and
| | - Emily F. Stone
- Mathematics, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana 59812
| | - David C. Holley
- Center for Structural and Functional Neuroscience, Departments of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and
| | - Michael P. Kavanaugh
- Center for Structural and Functional Neuroscience, Departments of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and
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Koch HP, Lane Brown R, Larsson HP. The glutamate-activated anion conductance in excitatory amino acid transporters is gated independently by the individual subunits. J Neurosci 2007; 27:2943-7. [PMID: 17360917 PMCID: PMC2435202 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0118-07.2007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) use sodium and potassium gradients to remove glutamate from the synapse and surrounding extracellular space, thereby sustaining efficient synaptic transmission and maintaining extracellular glutamate concentrations at subneurotoxic levels. In addition to sodium-driven glutamate uptake, EAATs also mediate a glutamate-activated chloride conductance via a channel-like mechanism. EAATs are trimeric proteins and are thought to comprise three identical subunits. Previous studies have shown that the sodium-driven uptake of glutamate occurs independently in each of the three subunits. In contrast, a recent study reports high Hill coefficients for the activation of EAAT anion currents by glutamate and suggests that the subunits function cooperatively in gating the chloride conductance. In the present work, we find that the Hill coefficient for the activation of the anion current by glutamate is approximately 1 in both EAAT3 and EAAT4. Furthermore, we also used fluorescent labeling and inactivation correlation on EAAT3 and EAAT4 to determine whether the glutamate-activated chloride conductance is gated independently or cooperatively by the transporters. We found that both glutamate uptake currents and glutamate-activated chloride currents are mediated independently by each subunit of an EAAT multimer. It has been suggested that EAAT subtypes with particularly large anion conductances can directly influence the excitability of presynaptic terminals in certain neurons. Thus, the finding that the anion conductance is gated independently, rather than cooperatively, is important because it significantly alters predictions of the influence that EAAT-mediated anion currents will have on synaptic transmission at low glutamate concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hans Peter Koch
- Neurological Sciences Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon 97006
| | - Ronald Lane Brown
- Neurological Sciences Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon 97006
| | - Hans Peter Larsson
- Neurological Sciences Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Beaverton, Oregon 97006
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