scholarly journals Electrical Evidence for Different Mechanisms of Uptake for Basic, Neutral, and Acidic Amino Acids in Oat Coleoptiles

1980 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 1085-1089 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas B. Kinraide ◽  
Bud Etherton
1995 ◽  
Vol 90 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 151-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hameed Al-Sarraf ◽  
Jane E. Preston ◽  
Malcolm B. Segal

1997 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
M B Sainz ◽  
S A Goff ◽  
V L Chandler

C1 is a transcriptional activator of genes encoding biosynthetic enzymes of the maize anthocyanin pigment pathway. C1 has an amino terminus homologous to Myb DNA-binding domains and an acidic carboxyl terminus that is a transcriptional activation domain in maize and yeast cells. To identify amino acids critical for transcriptional activation, an extensive random mutagenesis of the C1 carboxyl terminus was done. The C1 activation domain is remarkably tolerant of amino acid substitutions, as changes at 34 residues had little or no effect on transcriptional activity. These changes include introduction of helix-incompatible amino acids throughout the C1 activation domain and alteration of most single acidic amino acids, suggesting that a previously postulated amphipathic alpha-helix is not required for activation. Substitutions at two positions revealed amino acids important for transcriptional activation. Replacement of leucine 253 with a proline or glutamine resulted in approximately 10% of wild-type transcriptional activation. Leucine 253 is in a region of C1 in which several hydrophobic residues align with residues important for transcriptional activation by the herpes simplex virus VP16 protein. However, changes at all other hydrophobic residues in C1 indicate that none are critical for C1 transcriptional activation. The other important amino acid in C1 is aspartate 262, as a change to valine resulted in only 24% of wild-type transcriptional activation. Comparison of our C1 results with those from VP16 reveal substantial differences in which amino acids are required for transcriptional activation in vivo by these two acidic activation domains.


1988 ◽  
Vol 255 (3) ◽  
pp. F397-F407 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. H. Dantzler ◽  
S. Silbernagl

Amino acid transport by juxtamedullary (JM) nephrons and its relationship to transport by superficial cortical (SC) nephrons and to function of vasa recta and collecting ducts were examined in vivo and in situ by free-flow micropuncture of Henle's loops, collecting ducts, and vasa recta and by continuous microinfusion of Henle's loops in exposed rat papillae. Fractional deliveries (FDs) of six neutral amino acids, two acidic amino acids, and taurine to tips of Henle's loops of JM nephrons could be substantially below those to early distal loops of SC nephrons, indicating that reabsorption before loop tips could be greater in JM than in SC nephrons. FDs to collecting ducts lower than to JM loop tips suggested reabsorption distal to loop tips. This was confirmed by continuous microinfusion of ascending limbs of Henle's loops. Distal site of reabsorption is unknown, but amino acids may move passively out of the thin ascending limb and be recycled into vasa recta and descending limb. Recycling of amino acids was supported by high FDs to tips of Henle's loops (sometimes greater than 1.0), higher concentrations in ascending than in descending vasa recta at same papilla level, and high mean concentrations in vasa recta.


1981 ◽  
Vol 241 (3) ◽  
pp. C106-C112 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. M. Eaton ◽  
D. L. Yudilevich

Unidirectional uptake of eighteen amino acids into the syncytiotrophoblast was measured from both the maternal and fetal circulations of isolated dually perfused guinea pig placentas using a single-circulation, paired-tracer dilution technique. A bolus containing a tritiated amino acid and L-[14C]glucose (extracellular marker) was injected intra-arterially into one circulation, and both venous outflows were sequentially sampled. The maximal cellular uptake (Umax) on the injection side was determined from (1-[3H]/[14C]) values and used to calculate the unidirectional influx. Umax values for neutral and basic amino acids ranged between 15 and 58% and were similar on both sides of the trophoblast. Uptake of the acidic amino acids and taurine was minimal. Amino acid influx from either circulation was followed by rapid tracer backflux and transplacental transfer. Tracer efflux was asymmetric and preferentially directed towards the fetal side. It is suggested that amino acid transport systems are present on both surfaces of the placenta and that net transfer from mother to fetus is the result of asymmetric efflux from the trophoblast.


2004 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 672-685 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marioara Bem ◽  
Marilena Vasilescu ◽  
Miron Caproiu ◽  
Constantin Draghici ◽  
Adrian Beteringhe ◽  
...  

AbstractAn interesting observation was made when studying the SNAr reaction between several 4-aryloxy-7-nitrobenzofurazans (2) and several amino acids leading to the apparition of detectable fluorescence from the substitution products3. Acidic amino acids reacted very slowly=while basic amino acids react fastest with2 having an unsubstituted phenyl or a 4-formyl-phenyl Ar group. Amongst neutral amino acids, proline reacts fastest at room temperature after 100 min. With2 having a methoxy-subtituted Ar group.


1976 ◽  
Vol 54 (11) ◽  
pp. 927-934 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. G. Villa ◽  
V. Notario ◽  
T. Benítez ◽  
J. R. Villanueva

An exo-1,3-β-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.—) has been purified from the culture fluid of the yeast Candida utilis, and its biochemical properties have been studied. The amino acid analysis revealed a high content of acidic amino acids. The purified enzyme had 20% carbohydrate and a net negative charge showing higher affinity for laminarin than for p-nitrophenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside and yeast cell-wall 1,3-β-glucans. In addition, the enzyme hydrolyzed the substrates starting from the nonreducing ends, releasing glucose as the exclusive hydrolysis product. The enzyme activity was strongly inhibited by lactones and also by some heavy-metal ions.


2008 ◽  
Vol 132 (6) ◽  
pp. 681-692 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qinghuan Xiao ◽  
Andrew Prussia ◽  
Kuai Yu ◽  
Yuan-yuan Cui ◽  
H. Criss Hartzell

Human bestrophin-1 (hBest1), which is genetically linked to several kinds of retinopathy and macular degeneration in both humans and dogs, is the founding member of a family of Cl− ion channels that are activated by intracellular Ca2+. At present, the structures and mechanisms responsible for Ca2+ sensing remain unknown. Here, we have used a combination of molecular modeling, density functional–binding energy calculations, mutagenesis, and patch clamp to identify the regions of hBest1 involved in Ca2+ sensing. We identified a cluster of a five contiguous acidic amino acids in the C terminus immediately after the last transmembrane domain, followed by an EF hand and another regulatory domain that are essential for Ca2+ sensing by hBest1. The cluster of five amino acids (293–308) is crucial for normal channel gating by Ca2+ because all but two of the 35 mutations we made in this region rendered the channel incapable of being activated by Ca2+. Using homology models built on the crystal structure of calmodulin (CaM), an EF hand (EF1) was identified in hBest1. EF1 was predicted to bind Ca2+ with a slightly higher affinity than the third EF hand of CaM and lower affinity than the second EF hand of troponin C. As predicted by the model, the D312G mutation in the putative Ca2+-binding loop (312–323) reduced the apparent Ca2+ affinity by 20-fold. In addition, the D312G and D323N mutations abolished Ca2+-dependent rundown of the current. Furthermore, analysis of truncation mutants of hBest1 identified a domain adjacent to EF1 that is rich in acidic amino acids (350–390) that is required for Ca2+ activation and plays a role in current rundown. These experiments identify a region of hBest1 (312–323) that is involved in the gating of hBest1 by Ca2+ and suggest a model in which Ca2+ binding to EF1 activates the channel in a process that requires the acidic domain (293–308) and another regulatory domain (350–390). Many of the ∼100 disease-causing mutations in hBest1 are located in this region that we have implicated in Ca2+ sensing, suggesting that these mutations disrupt hBest1 channel gating by Ca2+.


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