The D-lactate oxidation dependent transport of succinate in membrane vesicles of an Escherichia coli strain lacking succinate dehydrogenase and fumarate reductase is inhibited by several categories of compounds. One category consists of compounds that are electron transport inhibitors (Amytal, Dicumarol, and mercurials), the second of compounds that act as competitive inhibitors of D-lactate dehydrogenase (oxamate and β-chlorolactate), the third of reagents that inhibit the Ca2+–Mg2+-activated ATPase (dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and pyrophosphate), and the fourth of compounds that tap off electrons from the respiratory chain (2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol). None of the succinate transport inhibitors, including mercurials like p-chloromercuribenzoate, interfere with the binding of succinate to the presumed membrane carriers.Membrane preparations from mutants of E. coli lacking D-lactate dehydrogenase are unable to transport succinate in the presence of D-lactate. Whole cells of these mutants, however, take up succinate normally. This observation suggests that D-lactate oxidation is not obligatorily linked in vivo to the uptake of succinate although the possibility is not excluded that transport in such mutants may be linked to some other dehydrogenase. Mutants having altered levels of ATPase, or membrane preparations made from such cells also have greatly reduced capacity to transport succinate. This observation coupled with the finding that ATPase inhibitors block dicarboxylate transport suggests involvement of ATPase in an unknown way in the concentrative uptake of succinate.With the exception of oxamate, β-chlorolactate (competitive inhibitors of D-lactate oxidation), and dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, all of the inhibitors of succinate uptake (including p-chloromercuribenzoate) cause an immediate efflux of preloaded succinate from membrane vesicles. Efflux is also caused by proton conducting reagents. The Km for efflux is 1.9 mM. This value is to be compared with the Km for influx, which is only about 0.02 mM.The weight of evidence favors the view that the active transport of succinate in vesicles occurs as a result of an energization of the membranes by the passage of electrons, although alternate oxidation and reduction of the succinate carrier as a mechanism for transport has not been definitely ruled out.

The hexose transport system of undifferentiated L6 rat myoblasts was investigated. 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2-DOG) and 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose (2FG) were used as analogues to investigate the rate-limiting step of hexose uptake into the cell. Virtually all of the 2-DOG or 2FG taken up into the cell was found to be in the phosphorylated form. No significant pool of intracellular free sugar could be detected. This demonstrates that hexose transport, not phosphorylation, is the rate-limiting step. The inhibitory effect of various glucose analogues on 2-DOG and 3-O-methyl-D-glucose (3-OMG) uptake revealed that these two sugars may be taken up into the cell by different carriers. In addition, kinetics analysis of the transport of both sugars also indicates that two hexose transport systems may be present in L6 cells. 2-DOG is transported by high and low affinity transport systems (Km 0.6 mM and 2.9 mM, respectively), whereas 3-OMG is transported by a low affinity system (Km 3.5 mM). Treatment of cells with ionophores or energy uncouplers results in inactivation of the high affinity system, but not the low affinity system.

In our attempts to study alterations in cell behaviour by membrane perturbations, the effects of specific antisera on membrane functions were examined. The present communication reports the nature and kinetics of the changes in hexose transport as a result of treatment of L6 rat myoblast cells with specific antibodies. Exposure to complement-inactivated rabbit anti-myoblast antiserum resulted in an almost immediate two- to three-fold increase in hexose transport; morphological changes were observed only after prolonged incubation with the antiserum. Similar stimulation of hexose transport was observed upon exposure of cells to immunoglobulin G (IgG) from both sheep anti-myoblast and rabbit anti-myoblast plasma membrane sera. It seems that the interaction of specific IgG with cell surface components is sufficient to elicit this response. We have established that over 90% of 2-deoxyglucose is phosphorylated upon entrance into rat myoblasts and that exposure of cells to specific antibody does not cause changes in cell volume or general leakiness of the cell membrane. The antibody-stimulated hexose transport system resembles its normal counterpart in its substrate affinity and specificity; it differs from that of the control cells only in the transport capacity. This increase in hexose capacity is brought about by processes independent of protein synthesis and is not likely the result of extensive reorganization of membrane components.

To determine the molecular mechanism of hexose transport in rat myoblasts, transport studies were carried out with purified plasma membrane vesicles. Rat myoblasts were homogenized and fractionated by differential and sucrose gradient centrifugation. Six different fractions were obtained. Studies with marker enzymes revealed that two fractions (A and B) were composed of only plasma membrane. These two fractions differed considerably in their physical properties. Fraction A was composed of large multilaminated vesicles, with an intravesicular volume of 50 microL/mg protein, whereas fraction B was composed of membrane fragments and much smaller vesicles, with an intravesicular volume of 7 microL/mg protein. Based on the response of the ouabain-sensitive Na+, K+-ATPase activity to sodium dodecyl sulfate and ionophore treatments, it seemed likely that fraction A was composed of a significant amount of sealed right-side-out vesicles, whereas fraction B was composed of mainly membrane sheets or leaky vesicles. The initial rate of hexose influx into the membrane vesicles was determined by the flow dialysis technique. The optimal conditions for 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) uptake into the plasma membrane vesicles were either 50 mM phosphate buffer or 10 mM 2-(N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazin-N'-yl)ethanesulfonic acid buffer at pH 7.0. In the presence of 500 microM 2-DG, the initial rates of 2-DG influx were 295 and 49 nmol/min per milligram protein for fractions A and B, respectively. In other words, after 1 min of incubation, the intravesicular concentration of 2-DG was around 6 mM, about 10 times the extravesicular concentration. D-Glucose was taken up to a similar extent (333 nmol/min per milligram protein), whereas L-glucose only equilibrated across the plasma membrane. Analysis of the fate of 2-DG revealed that the substrate was not phosphorylated upon incubation with the vesicles. Transport activity can be abolished either by disruption of the membrane vesicles or by reduction of the electrical potential across the membrane.

It is the purpose of this communication to review the properties of the dicarboxylic acid transport system in Escherichia coli K 12, in particular the role of various dicarboxylate transport proteins, and the disposition of these components in the cytoplasmic membrane. The dicarboxylate transport system is an active process and is responsible for the uptake of succinate, fumarate, and malate. Membrane vesicles prepared from the EDTA, lysozyme, and osmotic shock treatment take up the dicarboxylic acids in the presence of an electron donor. Genetic analysis of various transport mutants indicates that there is only one dicarboxylic acid transport system present in Escherichia coli K 12, and that at least 3 genes, designated cbt, dct A, and dct B, are involved in this transport system. The products corresponding to the 3 genes are: a periplasmic binding protein (PBP) specified by cbt, and 2 membrane integral proteins, SBP 1 and SBP 2, specified by dct B and dct A, respectively. Components SBP 1 and SBP 2 appear to be exposed on both the inner and outer surfaces of the membrane, and lie in close proximity to each other. The substrate recognition sites of SBP 2 and SBP 1 are exposed on the outer and inner surfaces of the membrane respectively. The data presently available suggest that dicarboxylic acids may be translocated across the membrane via a transport channel. A tentative working model on the mechanism of translocation of dicarboxylic acids across the cell envelope by the periplasmic binding protein, and the 2 membrane carrier proteins is presented.