Effects of putative catalytic base mutation E211Q on ABCG2-mediated methotrexate transport

Biochemistry. 2009 Sep 29;48(38):9122-31. doi: 10.1021/bi900675v.

Abstract

ABCG2 is a half-ATP binding cassette (ABC) drug transporter that consists of a nucleotide binding domain (NBD) followed by a transmembrane domain. This half-ABC transporter is thought to form a homodimer in the plasma membrane where it transports anticancer drugs across the biological membranes in an ATP-dependent manner. Substitution of the putative catalytic residue E211 with a nonacidic amino acid glutamine (E211Q) completely abolished its ATPase activity and ATP-dependent methotrexate transport, suggesting that ATP hydrolysis is required for the ATP-dependent solute transport. However, whether one ATP hydrolysis or two ATP hydrolyses in the homodimer of ABCG2 with the NBD.ATP.ATP.NBD sandwich structure is/are required for the ATP-dependent solute transport is not known yet. To address this question, we have made an YFP/ABCG2 fusion protein and expressed this 99 kDa fusion protein alone or along with the 70 kDa E211Q-mutated ABCG2 in BHK cells. Although membrane vesicles prepared from BHK cells expressing YFP/ABCG2 exert higher ATPase activity than that of wt ABCG2, the dATP-dependent methotrexate transport activities of these two proteins are the same. Interestingly, membrane vesicles prepared from BHK cells expressing both YFP/ABCG2 and E211Q-mutated ABCG2 (with a ratio of 1:1) form homodimers and heterodimer and exert 55% of wt ABCG2 ATPase activity that can be further enhanced by anticancer drugs, suggesting that the wt NBD in the heterodimer of YFP/ABCG2 and E211Q may be able to hydrolyze ATP. Furthermore, the membrane vesicles containing both YFP/ABCG2 and E211Q exert approximately 79% of wt ABCG2-mediated methotrexate transport activity, implying that the heterodimer harboring YFP/ABCG2 and E211Q may be able to transport the anticancer drug methotrexate across the biological membranes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / chemistry
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / genetics*
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters / metabolism*
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / chemistry
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / genetics
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases / metabolism
  • Adenosine Triphosphate / metabolism
  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Animals
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / pharmacokinetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Base Sequence
  • Biological Transport, Active / genetics
  • Catalytic Domain / genetics
  • Cell Line
  • Cricetinae
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • Dimerization
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Humans
  • In Vitro Techniques
  • Kinetics
  • Luminescent Proteins / chemistry
  • Luminescent Proteins / genetics
  • Luminescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Methotrexate / pharmacokinetics*
  • Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
  • Neoplasm Proteins / chemistry
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism*
  • Protein Structure, Quaternary
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • ABCG2 protein, human
  • ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2
  • ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters
  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • DNA Primers
  • Luminescent Proteins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • yellow fluorescent protein, Bacteria
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • Adenosine Triphosphatases
  • Methotrexate