The Na(+)/H(+) antiporter (Nha1p) from the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae plays an important role in intracellular pH and Na(+) homeostasis. Here, we show by co-precipitation of differently tagged Nha1p proteins expressed in the same cell that the yeast Nha1p l forms an oligomer. In vitro cross-linking experiments then revealed that Nha1p-FLAG is present in the membranes as a dimer. Differently tagged Nha1p proteins were also co-precipitated from sec18-1 mutant cells in which ER-to-Golgi traffic is blocked under non-permissive temperatures, suggesting that Nha1p may already dimerize in the ER membrane. When we over-expressed a mutant Nha1p with defective antiporter activity in cells that also express the wild-type Nha1p-EGFP fusion protein, we found impaired cell growth in highly saline conditions, even though the wild-type protein was appropriately expressed and localized correctly. Co-immunoprecipitation assays then showed the inactive Nha1p-FLAG mutant interacted with the wild-type Nha1p-EGFP protein. These results support the notion that Nha1p exists in membranes as a dimer and that the interaction of its monomers is important for its antiporter activity.

• PMID: 16360116
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Journal Article | Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Authors

Mitsui K, Yasui H, Nakamura N, Kanazawa H

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