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First published online July 23, 2008

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Cation transport: clues from Kefs

In insect epithelia, the transport of alkali-metal cations (Na⁺ and K⁺) across the apical plasma membrane is thought to be driven by two transmembrane ion transporters that act in concert – a proton-motive V-ATPase isoform and a cation-proton exchanger. The identity of the putative exchanger has been elusive, but Julian Dow and colleagues (p. 2612) now show that the Drosophila proteins CG10806 and CG31052 – which are closely related to the bacterial Kef exchanger family – are candidates for this role. Using FlyAtlas microarray data and in situ hybridisation, the authors show that – similar to the V-ATPase – both CG10806 and CG31052 are expressed in epithelial cells of the Drosophila hindgut and Malpighian (renal) tubule; moreover, both proteins localise to the apical plasma membrane. The overexpression of CG10806 increases the basal level of V-ATPase-dependent fluid secretion in renal tubules, and CG31052 overexpression increases both the Na⁺ and K⁺ concentration in secreted fluid. In exchanger-deficient yeast, CG10806 expression confers protection against excess K⁺, whereas CG31052 protects against excess Na⁺. Together, these results indicate that CG10806 and CG31052 might act as K⁺-proton and Na⁺-proton exchangers, respectively, in Drosophila epithelia.

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Related articles in JCS:

Identification of two partners from the bacterial Kef exchanger family for the apical plasma membrane V-ATPase of Metazoa

Jonathan P. Day, Susan Wan, Adrian K. Allan, Laura Kean, Shireen A. Davies, Joe V. Gray, and Julian A. T. Dow
JCS 2008 121: 2612-2619. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in JCS Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?