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From transporter to transceptor: Signaling from transporters provokes re‐evaluation of complex trafficking and regulatory controls
Author(s) -
Kriel Johan,
Haesendonckx Steven,
RubioTexeira Marta,
Van Zeebroeck Griet,
Thevelein Johan M.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
bioessays
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.175
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1521-1878
pISSN - 0265-9247
DOI - 10.1002/bies.201100100
Subject(s) - endocytic cycle , permease , microbiology and biotechnology , endocytosis , intracellular , internalization , transporter , signal transduction , biology , function (biology) , transport protein , receptor , biochemistry , gene
When cells are starved of their substrate, many nutrient transporters are induced. These undergo rapid endocytosis and redirection of their intracellular trafficking when their substrate becomes available again. The discovery that some of these transporters also act as receptors, or transceptors, suggests that at least part of the sophisticated controls governing the trafficking of these proteins has to do with their signaling function rather than with control of transport. In yeast, the general amino acid permease Gap1 mediates signaling to the protein kinase A pathway. Its endocytic internalization and intracellular trafficking are subject to amino acid control. Other nutrient transceptors controlling this signal transduction pathway appear to be subject to similar trafficking regulation. Transporters with complex regulatory control have also been suggested to function as transceptors in other organisms. Hence, precise regulation of intracellular trafficking in nutrient transporters may be related to the need for tight control of nutrient‐induced signaling.