GTP-binding proteins in luminal and basolateral membranes from pars convoluta and pars recta of rabbit kidney proximal tubule.

The GTP-binding proteins on luminal and basolateral membrane vesicles from outer cortex (pars convoluta) and outer medulla (pars recta) of rabbit proximal tubule have been examined. The membrane vesicles were highly purified, as ascertained by electron microscopy, by measurements of marker enzymes, and by investigating segmental-specific transport systems. The [35S]GTP gamma S binding to vesicles, and to sodium cholate-extracted proteins from vesicles, indicated that the total content of GTP-binding proteins were equally distributed on pars convoluta, pars recta luminal and basolateral membranes. The membranes were ADP-ribosylated with [32P]NAD+ in the presence of pertussis toxin and cholera toxin. Gel electrophoresis revealed, for all preparations, the presence of cholera toxin [32P]ADP-ribosylated 42 and 45 kDa G alpha s proteins, and pertussis toxin [32P]ADP-ribosylated 41 kDa G alpha i1, 40 kDa G alpha i2 and 41 kDa G alpha i3 proteins. The 2D electrophoresis indicated that Go's were not present in luminal nor in basolateral membranes of pars convoluta or pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule.

Proton gradient-dependent renal transport of glycine: evidence for vesicle studies.

The characteristics of renal transport of glycine by luminal membrane vesicles isolated from either proximal convoluted part (pars convoluta) or proximal straight part (pars recta) of rabbit proximal tubule were investigated. In vesicles from pars convoluta two transport systems have been characterized: a Na(+)-dependent system with intermediate affinity (half-saturation 3.64 mM) and a Na(+)-independent system that, in the presence of H+ gradient (extravesicular greater than intravesicular), can accelerate the transport of glycine into these vesicles. This is the first demonstration of H(+)-glycine cotransport across the luminal membrane of rabbit kidney proximal convoluted tubule. By contrast, in membrane vesicles from pars recta, transport of glycine was strictly dependent on Na+ and occurred via a dual transport system, namely a high-affinity (half-saturation 0.34 mM) and a low-affinity system (half-saturation 8.56 mM). The demonstration of competition between the H(+)-gradient dependent uptake of glycine, L-alanine, and L-proline, but insignificant inhibition with L-phenylalanine in vesicles from pars convoluta suggests that glycine, L-proline, and L-alanine probably share a common proton gradient-dependent transport system. In vesicles from pars recta, the Na(+)-dependent uptake of glycine was inhibited by low concentrations of L-alanine and L-phenylalanine, whereas addition of L-proline to the incubation medium did not significantly alter the uptake of glycine, suggesting that the Na(+)-dependent high-affinity system for glycine located in pars recta is shared with the high-affinity L-alanine and L-phenylalanine but not L-proline transport system.

Electrogenic uptake of D-imino acids by luminal membrane vesicles from rabbit kidney proximal tubule.

Some characteristics of electrogenic uptake of D-proline and hydroxy-D-proline by luminal membrane vesicles isolated either from pars convoluta or from pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule were indirectly studied by the spectrophotometric method. In vesicles from pars convoluta, the uptake of D-imino acids was mediated by both Na+-dependent and Na+-independent, but electrogenic processes. Indirect evidence for coupling between D-imino acids and H+ fluxes was obtained by the following observations: (1) Addition of the H+ ionophore (FCCP) to the vesicle-dye (3,3'-diethyloxadicarbocyanine iodide) suspension completely abolished the Na+-independent electrogenic uptake of D-proline and hydroxy-D-proline by membrane vesicles from pars convoluta. (2) Addition of a relatively low concentration of D-proline in the incubation system decreased the H+-gradient dependent renal uptake of radioactive L-proline to approx. 60% of the control value. By contrast, the uptake of D-proline in vesicles from pars recta was strictly Na+-dependent, since no transient depolarization of membrane vesicles was ever observed in the absence of Na+. A comparison between the transport characteristics of D-imino acids and their naturally occurring L-isomers indicated that these compounds probably share common transport systems located along the proximal tubule of rabbit kidney.

Potassium channels in the luminal membrane of rabbit proximal straight tubule. Evidence from vesicle studies.

The characteristics of 86Rb+ fluxes through K+ channels in luminal-membrane vesicles isolated from the pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule were studied. In KCl-loaded vesicles from the pars recta, transient accumulation of 86Rb+ is observed which is modestly inhibited by BaCl2 and blocked by CdCl2. The isotope accumulation is driven by an electrical diffusion potential, as shown in experiments using either these membrane vesicles loaded with different anions, or an outwardly directed Li+ gradient with a Li+ ionophore. The vesicles containing the channel show a cation selectivity with the order K+ greater than Rb+ greater than choline+ greater than or equal to Li+ greater than Na+. The CdCl2-sensitive 86Rb+ flux is dependent on intravesicular Ca2+. Increasing concentrations of Ca2+ gradually decreased the 86Rb+ uptake and at 1 microM-Ca2+ the CdCl2-sensitive isotope flux is nearly abolished.

Demonstration of H+- and Na+-coupled co-transport of beta-alanine by luminal membrane vesicles of rabbit proximal tubule.

1. The characteristics of renal transport of beta-alanine by luminal membrane vesicles isolated from either the proximal convoluted part (pars convoluta) or the proximal straight part (pars recta) of rabbit proximal tubule were investigated. 2. In vesicles from pars convoluta two transport systems have been characterized: (1) a Na+-dependent system with intermediate affinity (half-saturation 2.7 mM), and (2) a Na+-independent system, which in the presence of a H+ gradient (extravesicular greater than intravesicular) can drive the uphill transport of beta-alanine into these vesicles. This is the first demonstration of H+-beta-alanine co-transport across luminal membrane of rabbit kidney proximal convoluted tubule. 3. By contrast, in membrane vesicles from pars recta, transport of beta-alanine was strictly dependent on Na+ and occurred via a dual transport system, namely a high-affinity (half-saturation 0.16 mM) and a low-affinity system (half-saturation 9.3 mM). 4. The demonstration of competition between the Na+-gradient-dependent uptake of beta-alanine and taurine, without appreciable inhibition by alpha-amino acids in vesicles from pars convoluta as well as from pars recta, strongly suggests that the luminal membrane of proximal tubule has transport systems for the reabsorption of beta-amino acids which are distinct from alpha-amino acid transport systems.

Ba2+-sensitive K+ channels in luminal-membrane vesicles from pars convoluta of rabbit proximal tubule.

This paper describes properties of 86Rb+ fluxes through a novel K+ channel in luminal-membrane vesicles isolated from pars convoluta of rabbit proximal tubule. The uptake of 86Rb+ into potassium salt loaded vesicles was specifically inhibited by Ba2+. The isotope accumulation is driven by an electrical diffusion potential as shown in experiments using these membrane vesicles loaded with anions of different membrane permeability and was as follows: gluconate greater than SO4(2-) greater than Cl-. Furthermore, the vesicles containing the channels show a cation selectivity with the order K+ greater than Rb+ greater than Li+ greater than Na+ = choline+.

Demonstration of Na+-selective channels in the luminal-membrane vesicles isolated from pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule.

Characteristics of 22Na+ fluxes through Na+ channels in luminal-membrane vesicles isolated from either pars recta or pars convoluta of rabbit proximal tubule were studied. In NaCl-loaded vesicles from pars recta, transient accumulation of 22Na+ is observed, which is inhibited by amiloride. The isotope accumulation is driven by an electrical diffusion potential as shown in experiments using either these membrane vesicles loaded with different anions, or an outwardly directed K+ gradient with a K+ ionophore valinomycin. The vesicles containing the channel show a cation selectivity with the order Li+ greater than Na+ greater than K+. The amiloride-sensitive 22Na+ flux is dependent on intravesicular Ca2+. In NaCl-loaded vesicles from pars convoluta, no overshoot for 22Na+ uptake is observed. Furthermore, addition of amiloride to the incubation medium did not influence the uptake of 22Na+ in these vesicle preparations. It is concluded that Na+ channels are only present in pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule.

Transport of L-proline by luminal membrane vesicles from pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule.

The mechanism of renal transport of L-proline by luminal membrane vesicles prepared from proximal straight tubules (pars recta) of rabbit kidney was investigated. The following picture emerges from transport studies: an electrogenic and Na+-requiring system confined to this region of nephron exists for transport of L-proline with a high affinity (Km = 0.16 mM) and low capacity (Vmax = 3.5 nmol.mg protein-1.15 S-1). Lowering the pH from 7.5 to 5.5 increased the affinity (Km lowered from 0.16 mM at pH 7.5 to 0.08 mM at pH 5.5) without changing the maximal capacity of this system. Modification of histidyl residues of the intact luminal membrane vesicles by diethyl-pyrocarbonate (DEP) completely abolished the transient renal accumulation of L-proline. Simultaneous presence of Na+ and L-proline (10 mM) protects against DEP inactivation of renal transport of radioactive L-proline. We propose that a histidyl residue may be at or close to the active site of L-proline transporter in vesicles from the pars recta.

H+-L-proline cotransport by vesicles from pars convoluta of rabbit proximal tubule.

The mechanism of renal transport of L-proline by luminal-membrane vesicles isolated from proximal convoluted tubules of rabbit kidney was studied. It was found that H+ gradient (extravesicular greater than intravesicular) can drive the transport of L-proline into the vesicles both in the presence and absence of Na+. The stimulation of L-proline uptake by a pH gradient was additive with that produced by Na+. Saturation kinetic experiments revealed that pH gradient, in addition to Na+, increased the maximal uptake of L-proline by twofold. This is the first demonstration of H+-L-proline cotransport across luminal membrane of rabbit kidney proximal convoluted tubule. The physiological importance of this system is briefly discussed.

Characteristics of D-galactose transport systems by luminal membrane vesicles from rabbit kidney.

The characteristics of renal transport of D-galactose by luminal membrane vesicles from either whole cortex, pars recta or pars convoluta of rabbit proximal tubule were investigated by a spectrophotometric method using a potential-sensitive carbocyanine dye. Uptake of D-galactose by luminal membrane vesicles prepared from whole cortex was carried out by an Na+-dependent and electrogenic process. Eadie-Hofstee analysis of saturation-kinetic data suggested the presence of multiple transport systems in vesicles from whole cortex for the uptake of D-galactose. Tubular localization of the transport systems was studied by the use of vesicles derived from pars recta and pars convoluta. In pars recta, Na+-dependent transport of D-galactose and D-glucose occurred by means of a high-affinity system (half-saturation: D-galactose, 0.15 +/- 0.02 mM; D-glucose, 0.13 +/- 0.02 mM). These results indicated that the "carrier' responsible for the uptake of these hexoses does not discriminate between the steric position of the C-4 hydroxyl group of these two isomers. This is further confirmed by competition experiments, which showed that D-galactose and D-glucose are taken up by the same and equal affinity transport system by these vesicle preparations. Uptake of D-galactose and D-glucose by luminal membrane vesicles isolated from pars convoluta was mediated by a low-affinity common transport system (half-saturation: D-galactose, 15 +/- 2 mM; D-glucose, 2.5 +/- 0.5 mM). These findings strongly suggested that the "carrier' involved in the transport of monosaccharides in vesicles from pars convoluta is specific for the steric position of the C-4 hydroxyl group of these sugars and presumably interacts only with D-glucose at normal physiological concentration.

Segmental localization of the rabbit renal proximal tubular Na+-H+ exchange system.

The activity of the Na+-H+ exchanger in rabbit proximal tubule was investigated by using luminal membrane vesicles prepared from "outer cortex" (proximal convoluted tubule) or "outer medulla" (proximal straight tubule). The purity of the preparations was examined by measuring the activity of several marker enzymes, and the degree of cross-contamination and the functional state of the membrane vesicles were assessed by studying Na+-dependent uptake of D-glucose. The Na+ uptake by pars convoluta membrane vesicles exhibited an overshoot in the presence of an intravesicular greater than extravesicular H+ gradient. The overshoot was eliminated by omitting or reversing the transmembranal H+ gradient or by adding amiloride. In contrast, Na+ uptake by pars recta membrane vesicles did not show an overshoot and was independent of H+ gradients and of amiloride. However, Na+ uptake by pars recta membrane vesicles pretreated with monensin exhibited an overshoot. This overshoot apparently was amiloride insensitive. The findings propose that the Na+-H+ exchanger is predominantly operative in the proximal convoluted tubule and is either lacking or of minor significance in the proximal straight tubule.

Isolation and partial purification of dicarboxylic acid binding protein from luminal-membrane vesicles of rabbit kidney cortex.

A specific dicarboxylic acid binding protein was isolated by solubilizing highly purified renal luminal-membrane vesicles with the non-ionic detergent C12E8 , followed by affinity chromatographic procedures. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the samples containing dicarboxylic acid binding protein showed a single sharp band of an apparent molecular weight of 50 000. After treatment with mercaptoethanol the protein was split in two subunits of apparent molecular weights of 35 000 and 15 000. By analytical ultracentrifugation the minimal molecular weight of the dicarboxylic acid binding protein preparation was calculated to be 54 000. Binding of the radioactive succinate and L-malate to the dicarboxylic acid binding protein preparation as studied by equilibrium dialysis showed saturation phenomenon and was specifically inhibited by addition of D-malate. The dissociation constants for succinate (0.18 mM) and L-malate (0.33 mM) calculated from the binding data agree extremely well with the apparent Km values for these organic acids found in transport studies utilizing intact luminal-membrane vesicles.

Renal transport of neutral amino acids. Tubular localization of Na+-dependent phenylalanine- and glucose-transport systems.

The transport properties for phenylalanine and glucose in luminal-membrane vesicles from outer cortex (pars convoluta) and outer medulla (pars recta) of rabbit kidney were studied by a spectrophotometric method. Uptake of phenylalanine as well as of glucose by the two types of membrane vesicles was found to be Na+-dependent, electrogenic and stereospecific. Na+-dependent transport of L-phenylalanine by outer-cortical membrane vesicles could be accounted for by one transport system (KA congruent to 1.5 mM). By contrast, in the outer-medullary preparation, L-phenylalanine transport occurred via two transport systems, namely a high-affinity system with K1A congruent to 0.33 mM and a low-affinity system with K2A congruent to 7 mM respectively. Na+-dependent uptake of D-glucose by pars convoluta and pars recta membrane vesicles could be described by single, but different, transport systems, namely a low-affinity system with KA congruent to 3.5 mM and a high-affinity system with KA congruent to 0.30 mM respectively. Attempts to calculate the stoichiometry of the different Na+/D-glucose transport systems by using Hill-type plots revealed that the ratio of the Na+/hexose co-transport probably is 1:1 in the case of pars convoluta and 2:1 in membrane vesicles from pars recta. The Na+/L-phenylalanine stoichiometry of the pars convoluta transporter probably is 1:1. Both the high-affinity and the low-affinity Na+-dependent L-phenylalanine transport system of pars recta membrane vesicles seem to operate with a 1:1 stoichiometry. The physiological importance of the arrangement of low-affinity and high-affinity transport systems along the kidney proximal tubule is discussed.

Renal transport of neutral amino acids. Demonstration of Na+-independent and Na+-dependent electrogenic uptake of L-proline, hydroxy-L-proline and 5-oxo-L-proline by luminal-membrane vesicles.

Uptake of L-proline, hydroxy-L-proline and 5-oxo-L-proline by luminal-membrane vesicles isolated either from whole cortex or from pars convoluta or pars recta of proximal tubules was studied by a spectrophotometric method. Uptake of L-proline and hydroxy-L-proline by vesicles from whole cortex was mediated by both Na+-dependent and Na+-independent, but electrogenic, processes, whereas transport of 5-oxo-L-proline in these vesicles was strictly Na+-dependent. Eadie-Hofstee analysis of saturation-kinetic data suggested the presence of multiple transport systems in luminal-membrane vesicles from whole renal cortex for the uptake of all these amino acids. Tubular localization of the transport systems was studied by the use of vesicles derived from pars convoluta and from pars recta. In pars recta transport of all three amino acids was strictly dependent on Na+ and occurred via a high-affinity system (half-saturation: 0.1-0.3 mM). Cation-dependent but Na+-unspecific transport of low affinity for L-proline and hydroxy-L-proline was exclusively localized to the pars convoluta, which also contained a Na+-preferring system of intermediate affinity (half-saturation: L-proline, 0.75 mM; hydroxy-L-proline, 1.3 mM). 5-Oxo-L-proline was transported by low-affinity and Na+-dependent systems in both pars convoluta and pars recta. Competition experiments revealed that transport systems for L-proline and hydroxy-L-proline are common, but indicated separate high-affinity transport systems for 5-oxo-L-proline and L-proline in luminal-membrane vesicles from pars recta. The physiological importance of the presence of various neutral amino acid-transport systems in different segments of the proximal tubule is discussed.

Citrate uptake by basolateral and luminal membrane vesicles from rabbit kidney cortex.

The mechanisms of tubular transport of citrate in renal basolateral and luminal membrane vesicles were studied under various experimental conditions. Both membrane preparations take up citrate by a Na+-dependent transport system, although with different characteristics. The uptake of citrate by basolateral membrane vesicles was insensitive to changes in membrane potential, which is indicative of electroneutral transport of the anion. The Na+-dependent uptake of citrate by luminal membrane vesicles was influenced by the presence of Na+salt anions of different permeabilities in the order: chloride greater than sulfate greater than gluconate. Furthermore, addition of citrate to membrane vesicle-potential-sensitive dye suspensions resulted in optical changes of the dye, indicative of electrogenic transfer of this compound. The apparent affinity of the citrate transport system located in luminal membrane vesicles, in contrast to basolateral membrane vesicles, was sensitive to changes in medium pH and was higher than that of basolateral membrane vesicles in the pH range studied. On the basis of these results a model for the transport of citrate by rabbit kidney proximal tubule is proposed.

An efficient method for the isolation and separation of basolateral-membrane and luminal-membrane vesicles from rabbit kidney cortex.

A procedure for isolation and separation of purified luminal-membrane and basolateral-membrane vesicles from adult and newborn rabbit renal cortex by using Ca2+/Mg2+ precipitation, differential centrifugation and a self-orienting Percoll-gradient centrifugation is described. The purity of the membrane-vesicle suspensions was examined by electron microscopy and by measuring the activity of several marker enzymes. The activity of Na+ + K+-stimulated ATPase in the fraction mainly containing adult rabbit basolateral-membrane vesicles was enriched 16-fold, and the activity of alkaline phosphatase in the fraction mainly containing luminal-membrane vesicles was increased 13-fold, compared with the homogenate. Similar results were obtained with kidneys from newborn rabbits. Uptake studies, with a rapid filtration technique and the spectrophotometric method described in an accompanying paper [Kragh-Hansen, Jørgensen & Sheikh (1982) Biochem. J. 208, 359-368], showed that both adult and newborn rabbit luminal-membrane vesicles, in contrast with the basolateral-membrane preparations, possess an Na+-dependent electrogenic transport system for L-proline. Adult rabbit luminal-membrane vesicles take up citrate and L-malate by Na+-dependent electrogenic processes, whereas adult rabbit basolateral membrane vesicles do not exhibit electrogenic uptake of citrate. By contrast, these vesicles show Na+-dependent electrogenic uptake of L-malate.

In vivo biosynthesis of cholecystokinin in rat cerebral cortex.

The biosynthesis of cholecystokinin (CCK) in the cerebral cortex of rats was studied by intracisternal pulse injections of [35S]methionine. The rats were killed with intervals varying from 15 min to 10 h after the injections. Cortical CCK extracted in boiling water and acetic acid was immunoabsorbed using an antiserum specific for the COOH-terminal sequence of CCK. After displacement from the immunoabsorbent by heptadecapeptide gastrin, which contains the same COOH-terminal sequence as CCK, chromatography on Sephadex G-50 columns showed four molecular forms of CCK with elution constants (Kav) of 0.08, 0.50 (corresponding to the tritriacontapeptide amide, CCK-33), 1.10 (corresponding to the COOH-terminal octapeptide amide, CCK-8) and 1.40 (a component which may correspond to the COOH-terminal tetrapeptide of rat CCK). Chasing with methionine demonstrated a biosynthetic pathway from the largest molecular form to the octapeptide-like form. The results indicate that a rapid and extensive synthesis of CCK takes place in the cerebral cortex, and that a precursor relationship exists between CCK-8 and the larger molecular forms of CCK.

The functional unit of calcium-plus-magnesium-ion-dependent adenosine triphosphatase from sarcoplasmic reticulum. The aggregational state of the deoxycholate-solubilized protein in an enzymically active form.

Vesicles consisting of (Ca(2+)+Mg(2+))-dependent ATPase (adenosine triphosphatase), and lipid were prepared from sarcoplasmic reticulum of rabbit skeletal muscle. As with non-ionic detergents [le Maire, Møller & Tanford (1976) Biochemistry15, 2336-2342] the (Ca(2+)+Mg(2+))-dependent ATPase after solubilization by deoxycholate showed a pronounced tendency to form oligomers in gel-chromatographic experiments, when eluted in the presence of deoxycholate and phosphatidylcholine. To evaluate the functional significance of oligomer formation the properties of enzymically active preparations of ATPase, solubilized by deoxycholate, were studied. Such preparations were obtained at a protein concentration of 2.5mg/ml in the presence of a high salt concentration (0.4m-KCl) and sucrose (0.3m) in the solubilization medium. Analytical ultracentrifugation of solubilized ATPase showed one protein boundary moving at the same rate as gel-chromatographically prepared monomeric ATPase (s(20,w)=6.0S). From simultaneous measurements of the diffusion coefficient an apparent molecular weight of 133000 was calculated, consistent with solubilization of ATPase in predominantly monomeric form. The enzymic activity of deoxycholate-solubilized ATPase when measured directly in the solubilization medium at optimal Ca(2+) and MgATP concentrations was about 35-50% of that of vesicular ATPase. The dependence of enzymic activity on MgATP concentration indicated that the solubilized ATPase retained high-affinity binding of MgATP, but the presence of high concentrations of the nucleotide did not stimulate activity further, in contrast with that of vesicular ATPase. The dependence of enzymic activity on the free Ca(2+) concentration was essentially the same for both solubilized and vesicular forms, indicating that interaction of ATPase with more than one molecule of Ca(2+) is required for enzyme activity. Solubilized enzyme at 20 degrees C was phosphorylated to about the same degree as vesicular ATPase. It is concluded that the catalytic activity of monomeric ATPase retains most of the features of vesicular ATPase and that extensive oligomer formation in gel-chromatographic experiments in the presence of deoxycholate probably reflects processes taking place during inactivation and delipidation of the protein.

Properties of deoxycholate solubilized sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase.

The Ca2+-dependent ATPase of sarcoplasmic reticulum after solubilization with deoxycholate and removal of lipid by gel chromatography exists as a mixture of monomer, dimer, and smaller amounts of higher molecular weight aggregates. The binding capcity of deoxycholate by monomeric and oligomeric forms of the ATPase is 0.3 g/g of protein at pH 8 and ionic strength 0.11. Examination in the analytical ultracentrifuge results in estimates of protein molecular weight of monomer of 115 000 +/- 7000 and of Stokes radius of 50-55 A. The results indicate an asymmetric shape of both delipidated monomer and dimer. Solubilization of ATPase vesicles by deoxycholate at high protein dilutions leads to almost instantaneous loss of ATPase activity. However, ATPase may be solubilized by deoxycholate in presence of phospholipid and sucrose in a temporarily active state. Inactivation appears to be accompanied by delipidation and conformational changes of the protein as evidenced by circular dichroism measurements. Sedimentation velocity examination of enzymatically active preparations of soluble ATPase in presence of phospholipid and sucrose strongly suggests that the major part of enzymatic activity is derived from a monomer with an asymmetric shape. The extent of formation of soluble oligomers by column chromatography was dependent on the exact conditions used for initial solubilization of ATPase. No evidence for differences among monomer and dimer fractions was obtained by isoelectric focusing and amino acid analysis. The results of these studies are compatible with electron-microscopic studies by other authors which suggest that the ATPase has an elongated shape with limited hydrophobic contact with the membrane lipid. A resemblance of delipidated oligomers with the form in which ATPase occurs in the membrane is conjectural at present.