Molecular mechanisms of band 3 inhibitors. 1. Transport site inhibitors

The band 3 protein of red cells is a transmembrane ion transport protein that catalyzes the one-for-one exchange of anions across the cell membrane. 35Cl NMR studies of Cl- binding to the transport sites of band 3 show that inhibitors of anion transport can be grouped into three classes: (1) transport site inhibitors (examined in this paper), (2) channel-blocking inhibitors (examined in the second of three papers in this issue), and (3) translocation inhibitors (examined in the third of three papers in this issue). Transport site inhibitors fully or partially reduce the affinity of Cl- for the transport site. The dianion 4,4'-di-nitrostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate (DNDS) and the arginine-specific reagent phenylglyoxal (PG) each completely eliminate the transport site 35Cl NMR line broadening, and each compete with Cl- for binding. These results indicate that DNDS and PG share a common inhibitory mechanism involving occupation of the transport site: one of the DNDS negative charges occupies the site, while PG covalently modifies one or more essential positive charges in the site. In contrast, 35Cl NMR line broadening experiments suggest that 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonate (DIDS) leaves the transport site partially intact so that the affinity of Cl- for the site is reduced but not destroyed. This result is consistent with a picture in which DIDS binds near the transport site and partially occupies the site.