Bibliothek

Notizen: Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells express three defined potassium-specific transport systems en-coded by TRK1 , TRK2 and TOK1 . To gain a more complete understanding of the physiological function of these transport proteins, we have constructed a set of isogenic yeast strains carrying all combinations of trk1 Δ, trk2 Δ and tok1 Δ null mutations. The in vivo K + transport characteristics of each strain have been documented using growth-based assays, and the in vitro biochemical and electrophysiological properties associated with K + transport have been determined. As has been reported previously, Trk1p and Trk2p facilitate high-affinity potassium uptake and appear to be functionally redundant under a wide range of environmental conditions. In the absence of TRK1 and TRK2 , strains lack the ability specifically to take up K + , and trk1 Δ trk2 Δ double mutant cells depend upon poorly understood non-specific cation uptake mechanisms for growth. Under conditions that impair the activity of the non-specific uptake system, termed NSC1, we have found that the presence of functional Tok1p renders cells sensitive to Cs + . Based on this finding, we have established a growth-based assay that monitors the in vivo activity of Tok1p.

Notizen: Abstract  Since the mid-1980s, use of the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, for expression of heterologous (foreign) genes and proteins has burgeoned for several major purposes, including facile genetic manipulation, large-scale production of specific proteins, and preliminary functional analysis. Expression of heterologous membrane proteins in yeast has not kept pace with expression of cytoplasmic proteins for two principal reasons: (1) although plant and fungal proteins express and function easily in yeast membranes, animal proteins do not, at least yet; and (2) the yeast plasma membrane is generally regarded as a difficult system to which to apply the standard electrophysiological techniques for detailed functional analysis of membrane proteins. Especially now, since completion of the genome-sequencing project for Saccharomyces, yeast membranes themselves can be seen as an ample source of diverse membrane proteins – including ion channels, pumps, and cotransporters – which lend themselves to electrophysiological analysis, and specifically to patch-clamping. Using some of these native proteins for assay, we report systematic methods to prepare both the yeast plasma membrane and the yeast vacuolar membrane (tonoplast) for patch-clamp experiments. We also describe optimized ambient conditions – such as electrode preparation, buffer solutions, and time regimens – which facilitate efficient patch recording from Saccharomyces membranes. There are two main keys to successful patch-clamping with Saccharomyces. The first is patience; the second is scrupulous cleanliness. Large cells, such as provided by polyploid strains, are also useful in yeast patch recording, especially while the skill required for gigaseal formation is being learned. Cleanliness is aided by (1) osmotic extrusion of protoplasts, after minimal digestion of yeast walls; (2) use of a rather spare suspension of protoplasts in the recording chamber; (3) maintenance of continuous chamber perfusion prior to formation of gigaseals; (4) preparation (pulling and filling) of patch pipettes immediately before use; (5) application of a modest pressure head to the pipette-filling solution before the tip enters the recording bath; (6) optical control for debris at the pipette tip; and (7) discarding of any pipette that does not ”work” on the first try at gigaseal formation. Other useful tricks toward gigaseal formation include the making of protoplasts from cells grown aerobically, rather than anaerobically; use of sustained but gentle suction, rather than hard suction; and manipulation of bath temperature and/or osmotic strength. Yeast plasma membranes form gigaseals with difficulty, but these tend to be very stable and allow for long-term cell-attached or whole-cell recording. Yeast tonoplasts form gigaseals with ease, but these tend to be unstable and rarely allow recording for more than 15 min. The difference of stability accrues mainly because of the fact that yeast protoplasts adhere only lightly to the recording chamber and can therefore be lifted away on the patch pipette, whereas yeast vacuoles adhere firmly to the chamber bottom and are subsequently stressed by very slight relative movements of the pipette. With plasma membranes, conversion from cell-attached recording geometry to isolated ISO patch (inside-out) geometry is accomplished by blowing a fine stream of air bubbles across the pipette tip; to whole-cell recording geometry, by combining suction and one high-voltage pulse; and from whole-cell to OSO patch (outside-out) geometry, by sudden acceleration of the bath perfusion stream. With tonoplasts, conversion from the vacuole-attached recording geometry to whole-vacuole geometry is accomplished by application of a large brief voltage pulse; and further conversion to the OSO patch geometry is carried out conventionally, by slow withdrawal of the patch pipette from the vacuole, which usually remains attached to the chamber bottom.

Notizen: Summary The plasma membrane of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been investigated by patch-clamp techniques, focusing upon the most conspicuous ion channel in that membrane, a K+-selective channel. In simple observations on inside-out patches, the channel is predominantly closed at negative membrane voltages, but opens upon polarization towards positive voltages, typically displaying long flickery openings of several hundred milliseconds, separated by long gaps (G). Elevating cytoplasmic calcium shortens the gaps but also introduces brief blocks (B, closures of 2–3 msec duration). On the assumption that the flickery open intervals constitute bursts of very brief openings and closings, below the time resolution of the recording system, analysis via the beta distribution revealed typical closed durations (interrupts, I) near 0.3 msec, and similar open durations. Overall behavior of the channel is most simply described by a kinetic model with a single open state (O), and three parallel closed states with significantly different lifetimes: long (G), short (B) and very short (I). Detailed kinetic analysis of the three open/closed transitions, particularly with varied membrane voltage and cytoplasmic calcium concentration, yielded the following stability constants for channel closure: K I =3.3 · e −zu in which u=eV m /kT is the reduced membrane voltage, and z is the charge number; K G = 1.9 · 10−4([Ca2+] · e zu )−1; and K B =2.7 · 103([Ca2+] · e zu )2. Because of the antagonistic effects of both membrane voltage (V m ) and cytoplasmic calcium concentration ([Ca2+]cyt) on channel opening from the B state, compared with openings from the G state, plots of net open probability (P 0 ) vs. either V m or [Ca2+] are bell-shaped, approaching unity at low calcium (μ m) and high voltage (+150 mV), and approaching 0.25 at high calcium (10 mm) and zero voltage. Current-voltage curves of the open channel are sigmoid vs. membrane voltage, saturating at large positive or large negative voltages; but time-averaged currents, along the rising limb of P 0 (in the range 0 to +150 mV, for 10 μ m [Ca2+]) make this channel a strong outward rectifier. The overall properties of the channel suggest that it functions in balancing charge movements during secondary active transport in Saccharomyces.

Notizen: Summary The membrane of mechanically prepared vesicles ofChara corallina has been investigated by patch-clamp techniques. This membrane consists of tonoplast as demonstrated by the measurement of ATP-driven currents directed into the vesicles as well as by the ATP-dependent accumulation of neutral red. Addition of 1mm ATP to the bath medium induced a membrane current of about 3.2 mA·m−2 creating a voltage across the tonoplast of about −7 mV (cytoplasmic side negative). On excised tonoplast patches, currents through single K+-selective channels have been investigated under various ionic conditions. The open-channel currents saturate at large voltage displacements from the equilibrium voltage for K+ with limiting currents of about +15 and −30 pA, respectively, as measured in symmetric 250mm KCl solutions. The channel is virtually impermeable to Na+ and Cl−. However, addition of Na+ decreases the K+ currents. TheI–V relationships of the open channel as measured at various K+ concentrations with or without Na+ added are described by a 6-state model, the 12 parameters of which are determined to fit the experimental data.