Kinetic properties of the reconstituted glucose transporter from human erythrocytes

The kinetic parameters of D-glucose transport in liposomes reconstituted with the purified glucose transporter were determined. Net uptake and efflux both had Km values of 0.7 to 1.2 mM and Vmax values of 1.6 mumol/mg of protein/min. Equilibrium exchange had a Km of 35 mM and a Vmax of 50 mumol/mg of protein/min. By separating the liposomes from unreconstituted protein using density centrifugation, the Vmax of exchange was increased to 86 mumol/mg of protein/min, about 3 times that of the erythrocyte membrane. Trypsin, which inhibits erythrocyte glucose transport only from the cytoplasmic side, inhibited reconstituted transport activity about 40% when added externally. With internal treatment as well, the inhibition was about 80%. This suggests that the reconstituted transporter is oriented about equally in both directions. Antibody prepared against the purified transporter inhibits transport to a maximum of about 50%, also indicating a scrambled orientation. External trypsin treatment decreased the Km for uptake and increased the Km for efflux, consistent with asymmetric kinetic parameters for the two faces of the transporter. However, the calculated Km values are lower than those reported for erythrocytes. Phloretin and diethylstilbestrol inhibit the reconstituted transporter. However, they bind to liposomes, producing anomalous results under some experimental conditions. When this binding is taken into account, phloretin inhibits completely and symmetrically. The binding accounts for the apparent asymmetric effects of phloretin reported by others. The inhibitory effects of mercuric ions are consistent with action at two classes of binding sites. Treatment with trypsin increases the sensitivity to Hg2+, indicating that the more sensitive site is on the external face of the transporter.