Abstract

Aquaporin-8 (AQP8) is a membrane channel permeable to water and ammonia. As AQP8 is expressed inthe inner mitochondrial membrane of several mammalian tissues, we studied the effect of the AQP8expression on the mitochondrial transport of ammonia. Recombinant rat AQP8 was expressed in theyeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The presence of AQP8 in the inner membrane of yeast mitochondriawas demonstrated by subcellular fractionation and immunoblotting analysis. The ammonia transportwas determined in isolated mitochondria by stopped flow light scattering using formamide as ammoniaanalog. We found that the presence of AQP8 increased by threefold mitochondrial formamide transport.AQP8-facilitated mitochondrial formamide transport in rat native tissue was confirmed in liver (a mitochondrialAQP8-expressing tissue) vs. brain (a mitochondrial AQP8 non-expressing tissue). Comparativestudies indicated that the AQP8-mediated mitochondrial movement of formamide was markedly higherthan that of water. Together, our data suggest that ammonia diffusional transport is a major function formitochondrial AQP8.

Autore Pugliese

• Fanelli Elena

Tutti gli autori

• Soria L.R.; Fanelli E.; Altamura N.; Svelto M.; Marinelli R.A.; Calamita G. ; Altamura N.; Svelto M.; Marinelli R.A.; Calamita G.

Titolo volume/Rivista

Biochemical and biophysical research communications

Anno di pubblicazione

2010

ISSN

0006-291X

ISBN

Non Disponibile

Numero di citazioni Wos

Nessuna citazione

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Numero di citazioni Scopus

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Ultimo Aggiornamento Citazioni

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Settori ERC

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Codici ASJC

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