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Structure and Function of Cationic Amino Acid Transporters (CATs)

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Abstract

The CAT proteins (CAT for cationic amino acid transporter) are amongst the first mammalian amino acid transporters identified on the molecular level and seem to be the major entry path for cationic amino acids in most cells. However, CAT proteins mediate also efflux of their substrates and thus may also deplete cells from cationic amino acids under certain circumstances. The CAT proteins form a subfamily of the solute carrier family 7 (SLC7) that consists of four confirmed transport proteins for cationic amino acids: CAT-1 (SLC7A1), CAT-2A (SLC7A2A), CAT-2B (SLC7A2B), and CAT-3 (SLC7A3). SLC7A4 and SLC7A14 are two related proteins with yet unknown function. One focus of this review lies on structural and functional differences between the different CAT isoforms. The expression of the CAT proteins is highly regulated on the level of transcription, mRNA stability, translation and subcellular localization. Recent advances toward a better understanding of these mechanisms provide a second focus of this review.

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Abbreviations

CAT:

cationic amino acid transporter, prefix h, r, m: human, rat and mouse, respectively

HAT:

heteromeric amino acid transporter

DC:

dendritic cell

HEK:

human embryonic kidney cells

IRES:

internal ribosomal entry sequence

NOS:

nitric oxide synthase, prefix e, and i: endothelial and inducible isoform, respectively

PAEC:

porcine aortic endothelial cells

PKC:

protein kinase C

SLC:

solute carrier family

TM:

transmembrane domain

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Acknowledgement

The work in the authors laboratory is supported by Grants Cl 100/4-1 and the Collaborative Research Center SFB 553 (Project B4) from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Bonn, Germany.

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  1. Department of Pharmacology, Johannes Gutenberg University, Obere Zahlbacher Str. 67, D-55101, Mainz, Germany

    E.I. Closs, J.-P. Boissel, A. Habermeier & A. Rotmann

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  1. E.I. Closs
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  3. A. Habermeier
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Closs, E., Boissel, JP., Habermeier, A. et al. Structure and Function of Cationic Amino Acid Transporters (CATs). J Membrane Biol 213, 67–77 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00232-006-0875-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00232-006-0875-7

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