We have studied the biochemical mechanism of insulin action on glucose transport in the rat adipocyte. Plasma membranes and low-density microsomes were prepared by differential ultracentrifugation of basal and insulin-stimulated cells. The photochemical cross-linking agent hydroxysuccinimidyl-4-azidobenzoate was used to covalently bind [3H]cytochalasin B to the glucose transporter which migrate...

BACKGROUND Therapeutic intervention of numerous brain-associated disorders currently remains unrealized due to serious limitations imposed by the blood-brain-barrier (BBB). The BBB generally allows transport of small molecules, typically <600 daltons with high octanol/water partition coefficients, but denies passage to most larger molecules. However, some receptors present on the BBB allow pass...

Monoamine transporters, such as the dopamine transporter, 5-HT transporter and noradrenaline transporter, in the plasma membrane provide effective control over the intensity of monoamine-mediated signaling by recapturing neurotransmitters released by presynaptic neurons. These proteins represent established targets for several psychotropic drugs, including psychostimulants and antidepressants; ...

Understanding the mechanism of photosynthate transfer at symbiotic interface by fungal monosaccharide transporter is of substantial importance. The carbohydrate uptake at the apoplast by the fungus is facilitated by PiHXT5 hexose transporter in root endophytic fungus Piriformospora indica. The putative PiHXT5 belongs to MFS superfamily with 12 predicted transmembrane helices. It possess sugar t...

This study evaluated the effect of dietary protein composition on mRNA abundance of a peptide transporter (peptide transporter 1, PepT1), amino acid (AA) transporters [Na(+)-independent cationic and zwitterionic AA transporter (b(o,+)AT), excitatory AA transporter 3 (EAAT3), Na(+)-independent cationic and Na(+)-dependent neutral AA transporter 2 (y(+)LAT2), L-type AA transporter 1 (LAT1), and c...

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important human pathogen that requires carbohydrates for growth. The significance of carbohydrate acquisition is highlighted by the genome encoding more than 27 predicted carbohydrate transporters. It has long been known that about 60% of pneumococci could utilize the fructooligosaccharide inulin as a carbohydrate source, but the mechanism of utilization was unkno...

We recently reported the isolation and initial characterization of a transposon-generated mutation that resulted in defects in both morphogenesis and antibiotic production in Streptomyces coelicolor. The insertion identified the SCO7168 open reading frame whose predicted product is a GntR family transcriptional regulator. Here, we show that this gene acts to repress transcription of itself as w...

PURPOSE Concentrative nucleoside transporter (CNT) 1, CNT3, equilibrative nucleoside transporter (ENT) 1, and, to a lesser extent, ENT2, appear to be the transporters responsible for 2',2'-difluorodeoxycytidine (gemcitabine; Gemzar) uptake into cells. Gemcitabine is used currently in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, but the role of specific nucleoside carrier proteins in gemcitabine cytotoxi...

Inhibition of monocarboxylate transporter 1 has been proposed as a therapeutic approach to perturb lactate shuttling in tumor cells that lack monocarboxylate transporter 4. We examined the monocarboxylate transporter 1 inhibitor AZD3965, currently in phase I clinical studies, as a potential therapy for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and Burkitt lymphoma. Whilst extensive monocarboxylate transpor...

More than 50 distinct amino acid transporter genes have been identified in the genome of Arabidopsis, indicating that transport of amino acids across membranes is a highly complex feature in plants. Based on sequence similarity, these transporters can be divided into two major superfamilies: the amino acid transporter family and the amino acid polyamine choline transporter family. Currently, ma...