Catalyzes the calcium-dependent exchange of cytoplasmic glutamate with mitochondrial aspartate across the mitochondrial inner membrane. May have a function in the urea cycle.
The mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate carrier catalyzes an important step in both the urea cycle and the aspartate/malate NADH shuttle. Citrin and aralar1 are homologous proteins belonging to the mitochondrial carrier family with EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding motifs in their N-terminal domains. Both proteins and their C-terminal domains were overexpressed in Escherichia coli, reconstituted into liposomes and shown to catalyze the electrogenic exchange of aspartate for glutamate and a H(+). Overexpression of the carriers in transfected human cells increased the activity of the malate/aspartate NADH shuttle. These results demonstrate that citrin and aralar1 are isoforms of the hitherto unidentified aspartate/glutamate carrier and explain why mutations in citrin cause type II citrullinemia in humans. The activity of citrin and aralar1 as aspartate/glutamate exchangers was stimulated by Ca(2+) on the external side of the inner mitochondrial membrane, where the Ca(2+)-binding domains of these proteins are localized. These results show that the aspartate/glutamate carrier is regulated by Ca(2+) through a mechanism independent of Ca(2+) entry into mitochondria, and suggest a novel mechanism of Ca(2+) regulation of the aspartate/malate shuttle.
Biochem. J. 345 Pt 3, 725-732 (2000)[PubMed:10642534]
We have recently identified a subfamily of mitochondrial carriers that bind calcium, and cloned ARALAR1, a member of this subfamily expressed in human muscle and brain. We have now cloned a second human ARALAR gene (ARALAR2) coding for a protein 78.3% identical to Aralar1, but expressed in liver and non-excitable tissues. Aralar2 is identical to citrin, the product of the gene mutated in type-II citrullinaemia [Kobayashi, Sinasac, Iijima, Boright, Begum, Lee, Yasuda, Ikeda, Hirano, Terazono et al. (1999) Nat. Genet. 22, 159-163]. A related protein, DmAralar, 69% identical to Aralar1, was found in Drosophila melanogaster, the DMARALAR locus lying on the right arm of the third chromosome, band 99F. The N-terminal half of Aralar2/citrin is able to bind calcium and this requires the presence of the two most distal EF-hands. The localization of Aralar2/citrin expressed in human cell lines is mitochondrial, the C-terminal half containing sufficient information for import and assembly into mitochondria. The C-terminal half of Aralar proteins is related to the yeast YPR020c gene, with a very high sequence conservation (54.3% identity), suggesting that these proteins play an important role. Thus Aralar proteins are probably expressed in all tissues in an isoform-specific fashion, where they function as calcium-regulated metabolite (possibly anionic) carriers.
The mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate carrier catalyzes an important step in both the urea cycle and the aspartate/malate NADH shuttle. Citrin and aralar1 are homologous proteins belonging to the mitochondrial carrier family with EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding motifs in their N-terminal domains. Both proteins and their C-terminal domains were overexpressed in Escherichia coli, reconstituted into liposomes and shown to catalyze the electrogenic exchange of aspartate for glutamate and a H(+). Overexpression of the carriers in transfected human cells increased the activity of the malate/aspartate NADH shuttle. These results demonstrate that citrin and aralar1 are isoforms of the hitherto unidentified aspartate/glutamate carrier and explain why mutations in citrin cause type II citrullinemia in humans. The activity of citrin and aralar1 as aspartate/glutamate exchangers was stimulated by Ca(2+) on the external side of the inner mitochondrial membrane, where the Ca(2+)-binding domains of these proteins are localized. These results show that the aspartate/glutamate carrier is regulated by Ca(2+) through a mechanism independent of Ca(2+) entry into mitochondria, and suggest a novel mechanism of Ca(2+) regulation of the aspartate/malate shuttle.
The mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate carrier catalyzes an important step in both the urea cycle and the aspartate/malate NADH shuttle. Citrin and aralar1 are homologous proteins belonging to the mitochondrial carrier family with EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding motifs in their N-terminal domains. Both proteins and their C-terminal domains were overexpressed in Escherichia coli, reconstituted into liposomes and shown to catalyze the electrogenic exchange of aspartate for glutamate and a H(+). Overexpression of the carriers in transfected human cells increased the activity of the malate/aspartate NADH shuttle. These results demonstrate that citrin and aralar1 are isoforms of the hitherto unidentified aspartate/glutamate carrier and explain why mutations in citrin cause type II citrullinemia in humans. The activity of citrin and aralar1 as aspartate/glutamate exchangers was stimulated by Ca(2+) on the external side of the inner mitochondrial membrane, where the Ca(2+)-binding domains of these proteins are localized. These results show that the aspartate/glutamate carrier is regulated by Ca(2+) through a mechanism independent of Ca(2+) entry into mitochondria, and suggest a novel mechanism of Ca(2+) regulation of the aspartate/malate shuttle.
Biochem. J. 345 Pt 3, 725-732 (2000)[PubMed:10642534]
We have recently identified a subfamily of mitochondrial carriers that bind calcium, and cloned ARALAR1, a member of this subfamily expressed in human muscle and brain. We have now cloned a second human ARALAR gene (ARALAR2) coding for a protein 78.3% identical to Aralar1, but expressed in liver and non-excitable tissues. Aralar2 is identical to citrin, the product of the gene mutated in type-II citrullinaemia [Kobayashi, Sinasac, Iijima, Boright, Begum, Lee, Yasuda, Ikeda, Hirano, Terazono et al. (1999) Nat. Genet. 22, 159-163]. A related protein, DmAralar, 69% identical to Aralar1, was found in Drosophila melanogaster, the DMARALAR locus lying on the right arm of the third chromosome, band 99F. The N-terminal half of Aralar2/citrin is able to bind calcium and this requires the presence of the two most distal EF-hands. The localization of Aralar2/citrin expressed in human cell lines is mitochondrial, the C-terminal half containing sufficient information for import and assembly into mitochondria. The C-terminal half of Aralar proteins is related to the yeast YPR020c gene, with a very high sequence conservation (54.3% identity), suggesting that these proteins play an important role. Thus Aralar proteins are probably expressed in all tissues in an isoform-specific fashion, where they function as calcium-regulated metabolite (possibly anionic) carriers.
The directed movement of aspartate, the anion of aspartic acid, into, out of or within a cell, or between cells, by means of some agent such as a transporter or pore.
The mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate carrier catalyzes an important step in both the urea cycle and the aspartate/malate NADH shuttle. Citrin and aralar1 are homologous proteins belonging to the mitochondrial carrier family with EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding motifs in their N-terminal domains. Both proteins and their C-terminal domains were overexpressed in Escherichia coli, reconstituted into liposomes and shown to catalyze the electrogenic exchange of aspartate for glutamate and a H(+). Overexpression of the carriers in transfected human cells increased the activity of the malate/aspartate NADH shuttle. These results demonstrate that citrin and aralar1 are isoforms of the hitherto unidentified aspartate/glutamate carrier and explain why mutations in citrin cause type II citrullinemia in humans. The activity of citrin and aralar1 as aspartate/glutamate exchangers was stimulated by Ca(2+) on the external side of the inner mitochondrial membrane, where the Ca(2+)-binding domains of these proteins are localized. These results show that the aspartate/glutamate carrier is regulated by Ca(2+) through a mechanism independent of Ca(2+) entry into mitochondria, and suggest a novel mechanism of Ca(2+) regulation of the aspartate/malate shuttle.
The chemical reactions and pathways resulting in the formation of ATP, adenosine 5'-triphosphate, a universally important coenzyme and enzyme regulator.
The Ca(2+)-sensitive dehydrogenases of the mitochondrial matrix are, so far, the only known effectors to allow Ca2+ signals to couple the activation of plasma membrane receptors to the stimulation of aerobic metabolism. In this study, we demonstrate a novel mechanism, based on Ca(2+)-sensitive metabolite carriers of the inner membrane. We expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells aralar1 and citrin, aspartate/glutamate exchangers that have Ca(2+)-binding sites in their sequence, and measured mitochondrial Ca2+ and ATP levels as well as cytosolic Ca2+ concentration with targeted recombinant probes. The increase in mitochondrial ATP levels caused by cell stimulation with Ca(2+)-mobilizing agonists was markedly larger in cells expressing aralar and citrin (but not truncated mutants lacking the Ca(2+)-binding site) than in control cells. Conversely, the cytosolic and the mitochondrial Ca2+ signals were the same in control cells and cells expressing the different aralar1 and citrin variants, thus ruling out an indirect effect through the Ca(2+)-sensitive dehydrogenases. Together, these data show that the decoding of Ca2+ signals in mitochondria depends on the coordinate activity of mitochondrial enzymes and carriers, which may thus represent useful pharmacological targets in this process of major pathophysiological interest.
The enzymatic release of energy from organic compounds (especially carbohydrates and fats) which either requires oxygen (aerobic respiration) or does not (anaerobic respiration).
The Ca(2+)-sensitive dehydrogenases of the mitochondrial matrix are, so far, the only known effectors to allow Ca2+ signals to couple the activation of plasma membrane receptors to the stimulation of aerobic metabolism. In this study, we demonstrate a novel mechanism, based on Ca(2+)-sensitive metabolite carriers of the inner membrane. We expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells aralar1 and citrin, aspartate/glutamate exchangers that have Ca(2+)-binding sites in their sequence, and measured mitochondrial Ca2+ and ATP levels as well as cytosolic Ca2+ concentration with targeted recombinant probes. The increase in mitochondrial ATP levels caused by cell stimulation with Ca(2+)-mobilizing agonists was markedly larger in cells expressing aralar and citrin (but not truncated mutants lacking the Ca(2+)-binding site) than in control cells. Conversely, the cytosolic and the mitochondrial Ca2+ signals were the same in control cells and cells expressing the different aralar1 and citrin variants, thus ruling out an indirect effect through the Ca(2+)-sensitive dehydrogenases. Together, these data show that the decoding of Ca2+ signals in mitochondria depends on the coordinate activity of mitochondrial enzymes and carriers, which may thus represent useful pharmacological targets in this process of major pathophysiological interest.
The directed movement of L-glutamate, the L enantiomer anion of 2-aminopentanedioic acid, into, out of or within a cell, or between cells, by means of some agent such as a transporter or pore.
The mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate carrier catalyzes an important step in both the urea cycle and the aspartate/malate NADH shuttle. Citrin and aralar1 are homologous proteins belonging to the mitochondrial carrier family with EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding motifs in their N-terminal domains. Both proteins and their C-terminal domains were overexpressed in Escherichia coli, reconstituted into liposomes and shown to catalyze the electrogenic exchange of aspartate for glutamate and a H(+). Overexpression of the carriers in transfected human cells increased the activity of the malate/aspartate NADH shuttle. These results demonstrate that citrin and aralar1 are isoforms of the hitherto unidentified aspartate/glutamate carrier and explain why mutations in citrin cause type II citrullinemia in humans. The activity of citrin and aralar1 as aspartate/glutamate exchangers was stimulated by Ca(2+) on the external side of the inner mitochondrial membrane, where the Ca(2+)-binding domains of these proteins are localized. These results show that the aspartate/glutamate carrier is regulated by Ca(2+) through a mechanism independent of Ca(2+) entry into mitochondria, and suggest a novel mechanism of Ca(2+) regulation of the aspartate/malate shuttle.
The process of transferring reducing equivalents from the cytosol into the mitochondria; NADH is used to synthesise malate in the cytosol; this compound is then transported into the mitochondria where it is converted to oxaloacetate using NADH, the oxaloacetate reacts with gluamate to form aspartate, and the aspartate then returns to the cytosol to complete the cycle.
The mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate carrier catalyzes an important step in both the urea cycle and the aspartate/malate NADH shuttle. Citrin and aralar1 are homologous proteins belonging to the mitochondrial carrier family with EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding motifs in their N-terminal domains. Both proteins and their C-terminal domains were overexpressed in Escherichia coli, reconstituted into liposomes and shown to catalyze the electrogenic exchange of aspartate for glutamate and a H(+). Overexpression of the carriers in transfected human cells increased the activity of the malate/aspartate NADH shuttle. These results demonstrate that citrin and aralar1 are isoforms of the hitherto unidentified aspartate/glutamate carrier and explain why mutations in citrin cause type II citrullinemia in humans. The activity of citrin and aralar1 as aspartate/glutamate exchangers was stimulated by Ca(2+) on the external side of the inner mitochondrial membrane, where the Ca(2+)-binding domains of these proteins are localized. These results show that the aspartate/glutamate carrier is regulated by Ca(2+) through a mechanism independent of Ca(2+) entry into mitochondria, and suggest a novel mechanism of Ca(2+) regulation of the aspartate/malate shuttle.
Any process that results in a change in state or activity of a cell or an organism (in terms of movement, secretion, enzyme production, gene expression, etc.) as a result of a calcium ion stimulus.
The mitochondrial aspartate/glutamate carrier catalyzes an important step in both the urea cycle and the aspartate/malate NADH shuttle. Citrin and aralar1 are homologous proteins belonging to the mitochondrial carrier family with EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding motifs in their N-terminal domains. Both proteins and their C-terminal domains were overexpressed in Escherichia coli, reconstituted into liposomes and shown to catalyze the electrogenic exchange of aspartate for glutamate and a H(+). Overexpression of the carriers in transfected human cells increased the activity of the malate/aspartate NADH shuttle. These results demonstrate that citrin and aralar1 are isoforms of the hitherto unidentified aspartate/glutamate carrier and explain why mutations in citrin cause type II citrullinemia in humans. The activity of citrin and aralar1 as aspartate/glutamate exchangers was stimulated by Ca(2+) on the external side of the inner mitochondrial membrane, where the Ca(2+)-binding domains of these proteins are localized. These results show that the aspartate/glutamate carrier is regulated by Ca(2+) through a mechanism independent of Ca(2+) entry into mitochondria, and suggest a novel mechanism of Ca(2+) regulation of the aspartate/malate shuttle.
The directed movement of substances (such as macromolecules, small molecules, ions) into, out of or within a cell, or between cells, or within a multicellular organism by means of some agent such as a transporter or pore.
Biochem. J. 345 Pt 3, 725-732 (2000)[PubMed:10642534]
We have recently identified a subfamily of mitochondrial carriers that bind calcium, and cloned ARALAR1, a member of this subfamily expressed in human muscle and brain. We have now cloned a second human ARALAR gene (ARALAR2) coding for a protein 78.3% identical to Aralar1, but expressed in liver and non-excitable tissues. Aralar2 is identical to citrin, the product of the gene mutated in type-II citrullinaemia [Kobayashi, Sinasac, Iijima, Boright, Begum, Lee, Yasuda, Ikeda, Hirano, Terazono et al. (1999) Nat. Genet. 22, 159-163]. A related protein, DmAralar, 69% identical to Aralar1, was found in Drosophila melanogaster, the DMARALAR locus lying on the right arm of the third chromosome, band 99F. The N-terminal half of Aralar2/citrin is able to bind calcium and this requires the presence of the two most distal EF-hands. The localization of Aralar2/citrin expressed in human cell lines is mitochondrial, the C-terminal half containing sufficient information for import and assembly into mitochondria. The C-terminal half of Aralar proteins is related to the yeast YPR020c gene, with a very high sequence conservation (54.3% identity), suggesting that these proteins play an important role. Thus Aralar proteins are probably expressed in all tissues in an isoform-specific fashion, where they function as calcium-regulated metabolite (possibly anionic) carriers.
Protein involved in the transport of a molecule (metabolite, protein, etc), a ion or an electron across cell membranes, inside the cell or in a tissue fluid.
A reference proteome is a set of protein sequences derived from a complete proteome which constitutes a defined standard for a particular user community. Reference proteomes are manually defined according to a number of criteria. They cover the proteomes of well- studied model organisms and other proteomes of interest for biomedical and biotechnological research. Reference proteomes have been selected to provide broad coverage of the tree of life, and constitute a representative cross-section of the taxonomic diversity to be found within UniProtKB.