Ygr125w/Vsb1-dependent accumulation of basic amino acids into vacuoles of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Ygr125w was previously identified as a vacuolar membrane protein by a proteomic analysis. We found that vacuolar levels of basic amino acids drastically decreased in ygr125wΔ cells. Since N- or C-terminally tagged Ygr125w was not functional, an expression plasmid of YGR125w with HA3-tag inserted in its N-terminal hydrophilic region was constructed. Introduction of this plasmid into ygr125w∆ cells restored the vacuolar levels of basic amino acids. We successfully detected the uptake activity of arginine by the vacuolar membrane vesicles depending on HA3-YGR125w expression. A conserved aspartate residue in the predicted first transmembrane helix (D223) was indispensable for the accumulation of basic amino acids. YGR125w has been recently reported as a gene involved in vacuolar storage of arginine; and it is designated as VSB1. Taken together, our findings indicate that Ygr125w/Vsb1 contributes to the uptake of arginine into vacuoles and vacuolar compartmentalization of basic amino acids.