Possible role of a taurine transporter in the deep-sea mussel Bathymodiolus septemdierum in adaptation to hydrothermal vents

FEBS Lett. 2008 Apr 30;582(10):1542-6. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2008.03.052. Epub 2008 Apr 7.

Abstract

Various invertebrates inhabiting hydrothermal vents possess sulfur-oxidizing bacteria in their tissues; however, the mechanisms by which toxic sulfides are delivered to these endosymbionts remain unknown. Recently, detoxification of sulfides using thiotaurine, a sulfur-containing amino acid, has been suggested. In this study, we propose the involvement of a taurine transporter in sulfide detoxification in the deep-sea mussel Bathymodiolus septemdierum by demonstrating: (i) the abundance of its mRNA in the gill; (ii) its activity under a wide range of salinities; (iii) its low Michaelis constant value in taurine transportation; and (iv) its affinity for thiotaurine and the thiotaurine precursor, hypotaurine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acclimatization*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Anura
  • Biological Transport
  • Cloning, Molecular
  • Conserved Sequence
  • DNA, Complementary / genetics
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / genetics
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / metabolism*
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Transport Proteins / metabolism*
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Mytilidae / genetics
  • Mytilidae / metabolism
  • Mytilidae / physiology*
  • Oocytes / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Taurine / metabolism*
  • Tissue Distribution

Substances

  • DNA, Complementary
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • taurine transporter
  • Taurine