Identification of intracellular residues in the dopamine transporter critical for regulation of transporter conformation and cocaine binding

TY - JOUR

T1 - Identification of intracellular residues in the dopamine transporter critical for regulation of transporter conformation and cocaine binding

AU - Loland, Claus Juul

AU - Grånäs, Charlotta

AU - Javitch, Jonathan A

AU - Gether, Ulrik

PY - 2004/1/30

Y1 - 2004/1/30

N2 - Recently we showed evidence that mutation of Tyr-335 to Ala (Y335A) in the human dopamine transporter (hDAT) alters the conformational equilibrium of the transport cycle. Here, by substituting, one at a time, 16 different bulky or charged intracellular residues, we identify three residues, Lys-264, Asp-345, and Asp-436, the mutation of which to alanine produces a phenotype similar to that of Y335A. Like Y335A, the mutants (K264A, D345A, and D436A) were characterized by low uptake capacity that was potentiated by Zn(2+). Moreover, the mutants displayed lower affinity for cocaine and other inhibitors, suggesting a role for these residues in maintaining the structural integrity of the inhibitor binding crevice. The conformational state of K264A, Y335A, and D345A was investigated by assessing the accessibility to MTSET ([2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl]-methanethiosulfonate) of a cysteine engineered into position 159 (I159C) in transmembrane segment 3 of the MTSET-insensitive "E2C" background (C90A/C306A). Unlike its effect at the corresponding position in the homologous norepinephrine transporter (NET I155C), MTSET did not inhibit uptake mediated by E2C I159C. Furthermore, no inhibition was observed upon treatment with MTSET in the presence of dopamine, cocaine, or Zn(2+). Without Zn(2+), E2C I159C/K264A, E2C I159C/Y335A, and E2C I159C/D345A were also not inactivated by MTSET. In the presence of Zn(2+) (10 microm), however, MTSET (0.5 mm) caused up to approximately 60% inactivation. As in NET I155C, this inactivation was protected by dopamine and enhanced by cocaine. These data are consistent with a Zn(2+)-dependent partial reversal of a constitutively altered conformational equilibrium in the mutant transporters. They also suggest that the conformational equilibrium produced by the mutations resembles that of the NET more than that of the DAT. Moreover, the data provide evidence that the cocaine-bound state of both DAT mutants and of the NET is structurally distinct from the cocaine-bound state of the DAT.

AB - Recently we showed evidence that mutation of Tyr-335 to Ala (Y335A) in the human dopamine transporter (hDAT) alters the conformational equilibrium of the transport cycle. Here, by substituting, one at a time, 16 different bulky or charged intracellular residues, we identify three residues, Lys-264, Asp-345, and Asp-436, the mutation of which to alanine produces a phenotype similar to that of Y335A. Like Y335A, the mutants (K264A, D345A, and D436A) were characterized by low uptake capacity that was potentiated by Zn(2+). Moreover, the mutants displayed lower affinity for cocaine and other inhibitors, suggesting a role for these residues in maintaining the structural integrity of the inhibitor binding crevice. The conformational state of K264A, Y335A, and D345A was investigated by assessing the accessibility to MTSET ([2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl]-methanethiosulfonate) of a cysteine engineered into position 159 (I159C) in transmembrane segment 3 of the MTSET-insensitive "E2C" background (C90A/C306A). Unlike its effect at the corresponding position in the homologous norepinephrine transporter (NET I155C), MTSET did not inhibit uptake mediated by E2C I159C. Furthermore, no inhibition was observed upon treatment with MTSET in the presence of dopamine, cocaine, or Zn(2+). Without Zn(2+), E2C I159C/K264A, E2C I159C/Y335A, and E2C I159C/D345A were also not inactivated by MTSET. In the presence of Zn(2+) (10 microm), however, MTSET (0.5 mm) caused up to approximately 60% inactivation. As in NET I155C, this inactivation was protected by dopamine and enhanced by cocaine. These data are consistent with a Zn(2+)-dependent partial reversal of a constitutively altered conformational equilibrium in the mutant transporters. They also suggest that the conformational equilibrium produced by the mutations resembles that of the NET more than that of the DAT. Moreover, the data provide evidence that the cocaine-bound state of both DAT mutants and of the NET is structurally distinct from the cocaine-bound state of the DAT.

KW - Alanine

KW - Amino Acid Sequence

KW - Animals

KW - Biotinylation

KW - Blotting, Western

KW - COS Cells

KW - Cell Membrane

KW - Cocaine

KW - Dopamine

KW - Dopamine Plasma Membrane Transport Proteins

KW - Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors

KW - Humans

KW - Inhibitory Concentration 50

KW - Kinetics

KW - Membrane Glycoproteins

KW - Membrane Transport Proteins

KW - Molecular Sequence Data

KW - Mutagenesis, Site-Directed

KW - Mutation

KW - Nerve Tissue Proteins

KW - Norepinephrine

KW - Protein Binding

KW - Protein Conformation

KW - Sequence Homology, Amino Acid

KW - Transfection

KW - Tyrosine

KW - Zinc

U2 - 10.1074/jbc.M304755200

DO - 10.1074/jbc.M304755200

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 14597628

SN - 0021-9258

VL - 279

SP - 3228

EP - 3238

JO - Journal of Biological Chemistry

JF - Journal of Biological Chemistry

IS - 5

ER -