The general amino acid permease, Gap1, of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is very active in cells grown on proline as the sole nitrogen source. Adding NH4+ to the medium triggers inactivation and degradation of the permease via a regulatory process involving Npi1p/Rsp5p, a ubiquitin-protein ligase. In this study, we describe several mutations affecting the C-terminal region of Gap1p that render the permease resistant to NH4(+)-induced inactivation. An in vivo isolated mutation (gap1pgr) causes a single Glu-->Lys substitution in an amino acid context similar to the DXKSS sequence involved in ubiquitination and endocytosis of the yeast alpha-factor receptor, Ste2p. Another replacement, substitution of two alanines for a di-leucine motif, likewise protects the Gap1 permease against NH4(+)-induced inactivation. In mammalian cells, such a motif is involved in the internalization of several cell-surface proteins. These data provide the first indication that a di-leucine motif influences the function of a plasma membrane protein in yeast. Mutagenesis of a putative phosphorylation site upstream from the di-leucine motif altered neither the activity nor the regulation of the permease. In contrast, deletion of the last eleven amino acids of Gap1p, a region conserved in other amino acid permeases, conferred resistance to NH4+ inactivation. Although the C-terminal region of Gap1p plays an important role in nitrogen control of activity, it was not sufficient to confer this regulation to two NH4(+)-insensitive permeases, namely the arginine (Can1p) and uracil (Fur4p) permeases.

• PMID: 9179853
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Journal Article | Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Authors

Hein C, André B

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