Oligomerization of the Murine Fatty Acid Transport Protein
1*
M. Rachel
Richards,
Laura L.
Listenberger,
Alicia A.
Kelly,
Sarah E.
Lewis,
Daniel S.
Ory, and
Jean E.
Schaffer
From the Center for Cardiovascular Research, Departments of
Internal Medicine, Molecular Biology and Pharmacology, Washington
University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110-1010
Received for publication, December 6, 2002, and in revised form, January 15, 2003
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ABSTRACT |
The 63-kDa murine fatty acid transport protein 1 (FATP1) was cloned on the basis of its ability to augment fatty acid
import when overexpressed in mammalian cells. The membrane topology of this integral plasma membrane protein does not resemble that of polytopic membrane transporters for other substrates. Western blot
analysis of 3T3-L1 adipocytes that natively express FATP1 demonstrate a
prominent 130-kDa species as well as the expected 63-kDa FATP1,
suggesting that this protein may participate in a cell surface
transport protein complex. To test whether FATP1 is capable of
oligomerization, we expressed functional FATP1 molecules with different
amino- or carboxyl-terminal epitope tags in fibroblasts. These
epitope-tagged proteins also form apparent higher molecular weight
species. We show that, when expressed in the same cells, differentially
tagged FATP1 proteins co-immunoprecipitate. The region between amino
acid residues 191 and 475 is sufficient for association of
differentially tagged truncated FATP1 constructs. When wild type FATP1
and the non-functional s250a FATP1 mutant are co-expressed in
COS7 cells, mutant FATP1 has dominant inhibitory function in
fatty acid uptake assays. Taken together, these results are consistent
with a model in which FATP1 homodimeric complexes play an important
role in cellular fatty acid import.
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INTRODUCTION |
Evidence is emerging that proteins are important mediators and/or
regulators of trafficking of long chain fatty acids
(LCFAs)1 across the plasma
membrane of cells (for a review see Ref. 1). The first member of the
fatty acid transport protein family, FATP1, was identified in a
functional screen for adipocyte proteins that facilitate fatty acid
import into cells (2). This integral plasma membrane protein is a
member of a large family of related proteins in prokaryotic and
eukaryotic organisms (3). The exact mechanism by which these proteins
mediate LCFA import is poorly understood. Given its plasma membrane
localization, high level of expression in tissues with efficient LCFA
import, and the ability of overexpressed FATP1 to facilitate LCFA
uptake into cells, this protein was initially proposed to function as a
transporter or shuttle for moving LCFAs across the plasma membrane.
Gain and loss of function studies suggest that FATP1 and its yeast
ortholog also have very long chain acyl-CoA synthetase activity
(4-8). Based on site-directed mutagenesis experiments, FATP1 has
been proposed to contain separable domains that function in transport and esterification, respectively (6, 8).
Experimental evidence for the membrane topology of FATP1 supports a
topology model with one transmembrane domain near the amino terminus of
the protein (9). The extreme amino terminus of the protein faces the
extracellular space, and the carboxyl terminus faces the cytosol. The
amino-terminal 190 amino acids are hydrophobic, and three stretches of
sequence within this region are independently capable of directing
integral membrane association of an enhanced green fluorescent protein
reporter. Given that the amino terminus of FATP1 is extracellular and
residues 191-257 are not membrane-associated and likely face the
cytosol, we predict that FATP1 contains at least one transmembrane
domain in the region between residues 1 and 190. Between residues 258 and the carboxyl terminus, at least two domains are capable of
associating peripherally with the membrane, but no additional
transmembrane or integral membrane domains have been identified.
Overall, this proposed membrane topology does not resemble those of
polytopic membrane transporters for hydrophilic substrates. Many
classic transporters are predicted to have transmembrane domains
consisting of primarily
-helical structures of 17 or more amino
acids that span the phospholipid bilayer. Depending on the specific
transporter, between 4 and 12 transmembrane domains are thought to form
a three-dimensional channel through which the substrate passes.
Unfavorable interactions between hydrophilic substrates and the
hydrophobic core of the membrane may be minimized in such a model.
However, it is unclear whether such a structure would be utilized for
transport of amphipathic substrates, such as long chain fatty acids,
that readily adsorb into membranes. Rather fatty acids may move across
bilayers in direct contact with membrane phospholipids.
On the other hand, some proteins that have been shown to facilitate
transport of substrates when expressed in mammalian cells have few
transmembrane domains. For example, a type II single membrane-spanning
protein, the rbAT heavy chain, was expression-cloned on the basis of
its ability to promote dibasic and neutral amino acid transport
(10-12). This protein participates in a heterodimeric amino acid
transport complex in which it is disulfide-linked to a polytopic
membrane transport protein (light chain) (13).
Similarly, FATP1 may participate in an oligomeric cell surface fatty
acid transport complex. The goal of the present study was to test the
hypothesis that FATP1 molecules are capable of dimerizing and thereby
extend our understanding of the mechanism of action of FATP proteins.
Here we use several approaches to show that FATP1 forms
detergent-resistant dimers that play a functional role in LCFA import
into mammalian cells.
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EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES |
Materials--
We obtained BODIPY 3823 (4,4-difluoro-5-methyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-3-indacene-3-dodecanoic acid)
from Molecular Probes, Protease Complete and Protein A- and Protein
G-agarose from Roche Molecular Biochemicals, mouse monoclonal anti-FLAG
antibody (M2) from Sigma-Aldrich Inc., mouse monoclonal anti-HA
antibody (HA.11) from Covance Inc., mouse monoclonal anti-Myc
antibody (SC-40) from Santa Cruz Biotechnology, horseradish peroxidase
(HRP)-coupled IgGs from Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories, Inc., and
Renaissance Western blot chemiluminescence reagents from PerkinElmer
Life Sciences. Antibodies to native FATP1 sequences were generated as
previously described (2, 14). Cell culture reagents were from
Invitrogen. NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, 3T3-L1 adipocytes and COS7 cells
(American Type Culture Collection) were grown as previously described
(15, 16) using cell culture reagents from Invitrogen and Sigma.
Expression Constructs--
PCR was used to insert amino-terminal
HA, amino-terminal Myc, and carboxyl-terminal FLAG tags into
U3FATP1 or
U3FATP1s250a mutant retroviral constructs (14).
Retrovirus was generated and used to transduce cells as previously
described (17). PCR was used to clone fragments of FATP (amino acid
residues 1-190, 191-475, or 476-646) into pCMVtag2 and pCMVtag3
vectors (Stratagene) and used to transfect COS7 cells using
LipofectAMINE Plus (Invitrogen). To optimize expression of constructs
containing residues 191-475 and residues 476-646,
N-acetyl-Leu-Leu-norleucinal (Calbiochem) was included in
the media at 10 µg/ml after transfection. PCR was also used to
generate an HA-tagged FATP1 and a Myc-tagged FATP1s250a construct in
the vector pcDNA3.1.
Fatty Acid Uptake Assays--
Parental and retroviral-transduced
NIH 3T3 cells were assayed for fatty acid uptake as previously
described (14). Flow cytometric analysis of samples of 104
propidium iodide-negative (live) cells was carried out in triplicate using a BD Biosciences FACScan.
For assessment of FATP truncation constructs, 2 × 106
COS7 cells were plated in 10-cm dishes on the day prior to
transfection. Transfections of DNA (20 µg) with LipofectAMINE Plus
(Invitrogen) were performed according to the manufacturer's
instructions. Immunoprecipitations were performed 24 h after transfection.
For assays of dominant inhibitory function of mutant FATP, 8 × 105 COS7 cells were plated in 6-cm dishes. The following
day, cells were transfected with LipofectAMINE 2000 and 10 µg of
total DNA, consisting of 1 µg of a construct for inactivated nerve
growth factor receptor (NGFR) (18), 3 µg of FATP1, and 0-6 µg of
FATP1s250a or 6-0 µg of empty vector (pcDNA3.1). 48 h after
transfection, cells were stained for NGFR using an
R-phycoerythrin-coupled anti-NGFR antibody (Chromaprobe, 1:50 in PBS
with 2% inactivated fetal bovine serum for 20 min at 4 °C) and
assayed for uptake of BODIPY 3823. BODIPY fluorescence (FL1 channel) of
phycoerythrin-positive cells (FL2 channel) was determined by flow cytometry.
Protein Isolation--
For Western blot analysis of FATP protein
expression in various cell types, total protein or total post-nuclear
membranes were isolated as described (19). Proteins were quantified by bicinchoninic acid assay (Pierce Chemical Co.).
Immunoprecipitations--
All manipulations were carried out at
4 °C. Cells were washed in PBS and lysed in TNET (50 mM
Tris, 150 mM NaCl, 2 mM EDTA, 1% Triton X-100,
1 µM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, 1× Protease Complete) containing iodoacetamide (100 µM). Nuclei were
pelleted by centrifugation at 1000 × g for 10 min.
Primary antisera were incubated with post-nuclear supernatants for
1 h at the following dilutions:
HA (1:100),
FLAG (1:750),
and
Myc (1:50). Protein G-agarose beads were added, and samples were
incubated for an additional 45 min. Beads were washed three times with
TNET and once with PBS, and bound proteins were eluted by boiling for 5 min in 2× Laemmli sample buffer.
Western Blot Analysis--
Proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE
(7.5-12% acrylamide) and transferred to nitrocellulose (Schleicher
and Schuell, 0.2-µm pore). Primary antibodies for Western analysis
were used at the following dilutions: 1:5000 FATP1 (directed against
amino acids 455-470), 1:1000
HA, 1:440
FLAG, and 1:500
Myc.
Detection was performed using HRP-coupled secondary antisera and
Renaissance Western blot chemiluminescence reagents (PerkinElmer Life Sciences).
Sucrose Density Gradient Isolation of FATP1 Oligomers--
NIH
3T3 cells expressing FATPnHA were treated with 100 µM
iodoacetamide. Cells were lysed in TNET and nuclei were pelleted by
centrifugation at 1000 × g for 10 min. Molecular
weight standards were added, and the protein sample was loaded
onto a 25-35% continuous sucrose gradient. Gradients were centrifuged
at 108,000 × g for 21 h. Fractions (0.3 ml) were
collected, and FATP protein was analyzed by immunoprecipitation and
Western blotting. Chromatography standards (Sigma) included as markers
in each gradient were ovalbumin (40 kDa), bovine serum albumin (66 kDa),
-galactosidase (116 kDa), alcohol dehydrogenase (150 kDa), and
apoferritin (443 kDa). Fractions were analyzed for markers by SDS-PAGE
and Coomassie Blue staining.
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RESULTS |
Western analysis of membrane proteins from 3T3-L1 adipocytes
probed with an antibody directed against FATP1 residues 455-470 reveals the expected 63-kDa FATP1 as well as a higher molecular mass
species of ~130 kDa (Fig. 1). Neither
species is observed in pre-adipocytes, which do not express FATP1. A
second antiserum directed against FATP1 residues 628-640 also
recognizes proteins of both sizes (data not shown). These findings
suggest that FATP1 participates in an oligomeric complex that is
resistant to SDS denaturation. Although it is possible that FATP1
interacts with one or more other unidentified proteins in a
hetero-oligomeric complex, the apparent size of this higher molecular
weight species is consistent with participation of FATP1 in a
homo-oligomeric complex. Lack of alteration in the intensity of this
higher molecular weight species under non-reducing conditions (data not
shown) suggests that it does not represent a disulfide-linked oligomer.

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Fig. 1.
FATP1 antibody detects 63- and 130-kDa
proteins by Western analysis. Membrane proteins (50 µg) from
3T3L1 pre-adipocytes and adipocytes were separated by SDS-PAGE (8%)
and analyzed by Western blot. Antiserum directed against native FATP1
( FATP, amino acids 455-70), HRP-coupled secondary antibody, and
chemiluminescence were used for detection. The expected 63-kDa signal
for FATP1 is prominent. A second higher molecular mass protein is
consistently observed at 130 kDa and is denoted by an
asterisk. This blot is representative of three independent
experiments.
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To study the oligomeric state of FATP1, we generated and characterized
several epitope-tagged FATP1 constructs in the
U3 retroviral vector.
An amino-terminal HA tag (FATPnHA) or a carboxyl-terminal FLAG tag
(FATPcFLAG) was inserted in-frame with FATP1 coding sequences. Constructs were transfected into 293GPG packaging cells to generate retrovirus for high level stable transduction of NIH 3T3 cells. Western
blot analysis of cellular lysates shows similar levels of expression of
wild type and mutant epitope-tagged forms of FATP1 using an antibody to
native FATP1 residues for detection (Fig.
2A). Western analysis using
epitope tag antibodies reveals that these antisera are specific and do
not recognize other tags. In addition, we generated cells that
co-express FATPnHA and FATPcFLAG. Each of these constructs was tested
for function in fatty acid uptake assays using the fluorescent fatty
acid analog BODIPY 3823 (Fig. 2B). Compared with native
FATP1, FATPnHA has similar activity for fatty acid uptake. As has been
previously observed, FATPcFLAG is less efficient in promoting fatty
acid uptake, possibly due to perturbation of protein conformation upon
placement of the epitope tag at the carboxyl terminus (9). Cells
co-expressing both FATPnHA and FATPcFLAG have total FATP levels
comparable to cells expressing either construct alone and comparable
levels of fatty acid uptake.

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Fig. 2.
Expression and function of epitope-tagged
FATP1 constructs. NIH 3T3 cells were transduced with retroviruses
encoding FATP1 with an amino-terminal HA or a carboxyl-terminal FLAG
tag. A, membrane protein (20 µg) from parental fibroblasts
(lane 1, 3T3) or transduced cells (lane 2, wild
type FATP1; lane 3, FATPnHA; lane 4, FATPcFLAG;
lane 5, FATPnHA/FATPcFLAG) were separated by SDS-PAGE
(7.5%) and analyzed by Western blot. Antiserum directed against the
native FATP1 ( FATP, amino acids 455-70) and the epitope tags
( HA, FLAG) were used with horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-coupled
secondary antibodies and chemiluminescence for detection. B,
parental and transduced cells were assayed for uptake of the
fluorescent fatty acid analog BODIPY 3823 for 1 min at 37 °C as
described under "Experimental Procedures." For each sample, flow
cytometric analysis of 104 propidium iodide-negative (live)
cells was assessed. The plot shows average median fluorescence of six
independent measurements ± S.E. Analysis of variance was
determined using a two-tailed t test (equal variance). *,
p < 0.001 for transduced cells versus
parental cells.
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Similar to natively expressed FATP1, we observed the expected 63-kDa
FATP and higher molecular weight species upon Western blot detection of
epitope-tagged FATP1 constructs (Fig. 3).
The 130-kDa protein species is most prominent when protein samples are
not boiled prior to loading of samples onto the gel. Additionally, we
observed a 200-kDa species in the non-boiled samples. These findings
suggest that FATP1 forms SDS-resistant oligomers that are sensitive to
boiling. These putative oligomers are not an artifact due to the
presence of a particular epitope tag, because they are observed with
native FATP1 sequences and with several different epitope tags.

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Fig. 3.
FATP1 forms SDS-resistant oligomers.
Membrane proteins were prepared from parental NIH 3T3 cells and NIH 3T3
cells expressing wild type or epitope-tagged FATP1 (amino-terminal HA,
FATPnHA or carboxyl-terminal FLAG, FATPcFLAG). 20 µg of protein was
separated by SDS-PAGE (7.5%). Only samples in lanes 5-8
were boiled prior to electrophoresis. Analysis by Western blot used
primary antibodies directed against FATP1 (amino acids 455-470), HA,
or FLAG. Detection was by HRP-coupled secondary antibody and
chemiluminescence. This blot is representative of three independent
experiments.
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FATP1-containing oligomers from a Triton X-100 lysate of FATPnHA cells
were also separated on continuous sucrose-density gradients. Fractions
were analyzed by immunoprecipitation and Western blot using an anti-HA
antibody. The location of FATP1 in these fractions was compared with
protein markers loaded within the same gradients. We observed a
biphasic distribution of FATP with one peak occurring between the
ovalbumin and albumin markers (40 and 66 kDa) and a second peak between
the
-galactosidase and alcohol dehydrogenase markers (116 and 150 kDa) (Fig. 4). This biphasic distribution of FATP1 is consistent with the existence of both a monomeric and
oligomeric form (~130 kDa) of FATP1 within cells.

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Fig. 4.
Sucrose density gradient isolation of FATP1
monomer and oligomer. NIH 3T3 cells expressing FATPnHA were lysed
in 50 mM Tris (pH 7.4), 150 mM NaCl, 2 mM EDTA, 1% Triton X-100, 200 mM
iodoacetamide. Lysate and protein standards (ovalbumin, 40 kDa; BSA, 66 kDa; -galactosidase, 116 kDa; alcohol dehydrogenase, 150 kDa; and
apoferritin, 443 kDa) were centrifuged in a 6-ml 15-25% sucrose
gradient, and 300-µl fractions were collected. 50 µl from each
fraction was separated by SDS-PAGE (8%) and analyzed by Coomassie Blue
staining for molecular weight standards. The remainder of each fraction
was immunoprecipitated with -HA antibody and analyzed by Western
blot with -HA antibody, HRP-coupled secondary antibody, and
chemiluminescence. Bands were quantified using Multi-Analyst software
(Bio-Rad). This blot is representative of three independent
experiments.
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To explore the molecular composition of the high molecular weight
species containing FATP1, we performed immunoprecipitation experiments
from cells that co-express FATPnHA and FATPcFLAG. Specifically, we
sought to determine whether the differentially tagged FATP1 proteins
interact with one another in a homo-oligomeric complex.
Co-immunoprecipitation was observed from lysates prepared using a
variety of detergents (Fig.
5A), suggesting that the
higher molecular weight species observed by Western blot analysis
represents homo-oligomers of FATP1. To confirm the specificity of this
interaction, we performed immunoprecipitations from cells that
co-express FATPnHA and FATPcFLAG in parallel with immunoprecipitations
from cells that express only one or the other construct (Fig.
5B). In addition, we mixed Triton X-100 lysates from
FATPnHA-expressing and FATPcFLAG-expressing cells prior to
immunoprecipitation. We observed efficient co-immunoprecipitation only
when the differentially tagged proteins are synthesized within the same
cells but not when lysates from FATPnHA cells and from FATPcFLAG cells
are mixed. These observations show that FATP1 molecules are capable of
associating in an oligomer that contains at least two molecules of
FATP1. Moreover, our results suggest that dimer formation occurs during
the biosynthesis of FATP1 or that formation of dimers requires intact
cellular membrane structure.

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Fig. 5.
FATPnHA and FATPcFLAG co-immunoprecipitate.
A, NIH 3T3 cells expressing FATPnHA and FATPcFLAG and
parental NIH 3T3 cells were lysed in 50 mM Tris (pH 7.4),
150 mM NaCl, 2 mM EDTA containing 1% Triton
X-100 (lanes 1-4), 1% CHAPS (lanes 5 and
6), or 1% SDS (lanes 7 and 8).
Lysates were immunoprecipitated (IP) with -HA and
-FLAG antibodies and analyzed by Western blotting (WB)
using both antibodies. Detection was performed using HRP-coupled
secondary antibody and chemiluminescence. This blot is representative
of two independent experiments. B, NIH 3T3 cells expressing
FATPnHA (lanes 3 and 4), FATPcFLAG (lanes
5 and 6), or both proteins (lanes 1 and
2) were lysed in 50 mM Tris (pH 7.4), 150 mM NaCl, 2 mM EDTA, 1% Triton X-100, 200 mM iodoacetamide and immunoprecipitated with -HA
(lanes 1, 3, 5, and 7) or
-FLAG (lanes 2, 4, 6, and
8) antibodies. In lanes 7 and 8,
lysates from FATPnHA cells and FATPcFLAG cells were mixed prior to
immunoprecipitation. Immunoprecipitated proteins were separated by
SDS-PAGE, and analyzed by Western blot analysis with -HA or -FLAG
antibodies, HRP-coupled secondary antibody and chemiluminescence. This
blot is representative of three independent experiments.
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In an effort to identify the region of FATP involved in dimerization,
we generated a series of constructs containing domains of FATP1.
Constructs containing residues 1-190 encompass the hydrophobic amino-terminal region that is integrally associated with membranes. Constructs containing residues 191-475 include the putative
ATP-interacting site that is essential for FATP1 function as well as a
region that is peripherally associated with membranes. Constructs
containing residues 476-646 encompass a region of FATP1 that is
soluble and projects into the cytosol (9). In each instance, these
sequences were fused in-frame with an amino-terminal HA or FLAG tag to
facilitate detection. Constructs were co-expressed in COS7 cells and
assayed for co-immunoprecipitation. Constructs containing residues
1-190 could not be expressed even in the presence of proteasomal
inhibitors (data not shown) possibly due to misfolding or cytotoxicity.
Thus, the contribution of the amino terminus of FATP1 to dimerization remains undetermined. On the other hand, constructs containing residues
191-475 or 476-646 were detected by immunoprecipitation and Western
blot analysis (Fig. 6). The HA-(191-475)
and FLAG-(191-475) constructs co-immunoprecipitate, as detected
by immunoprecipitation with anti-HA and Western blot with
anti-FLAG, and as detected by immunoprecipitation with anti-FLAG and
Western blot with anti-HA. Neither HA-(191-475) nor FLAG-(191-475)
co-immunoprecipitated with either epitope-tagged form of residues
476-646. Also, HA-(476-646) and FLAG-(476-646) did not
co-immunoprecipitate. These results suggest that the region of FATP1
encoded by residues 191-475 contains a dimerization domain that is
sufficient for self-association.

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Fig. 6.
FATP1 residues 191-475 contain a
dimerization domain. COS7 cells were transiently transfected with
constructs for FATP1 amino acids 191-475, or 476-646, each containing
either an HA or FLAG epitope tag. Immunoprecipitations were performed
with anti-HA or anti-FLAG antibodies, followed by Western blot analysis
with anti-HA or anti-FLAG. HRP-coupled secondary antibody and
chemiluminescence were used for detection. This blot is representative
of three independent experiments.
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To assess the contribution of FATP1 oligomers to fatty acid uptake, we
expressed wild type and mutant FATP1 sequences in the same cells. We
used an FATP1 mutant with a single conservative amino acid substitution
at residue 250 that does not affect biosynthesis or targeting of the
protein to the plasma membrane (14). When expressed at levels similar
to that of the HA-tagged wild type FATP1, the Myc-tagged FATP1s250a
mutant lacks the ability to facilitate fatty acid uptake (Fig.
7, A and B),
consistent with our prior studies. However, wild type and mutant
Myc-tagged FATP1 co-immunoprecipitate equally well with wild type
HA-tagged FATP1 (Fig. 7C). Thus, although conservative
mutation of residue 250 impairs fatty acid transport function of FATP1,
this residue is not critical for formation of FATP1 dimers.

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Fig. 7.
s250a FATP1 mutant has dominant inhibitory
function in FA import. A, NIH 3T3 cells were transduced with
retroviruses encoding wild type and mutant (s250a) FATP1 with an
amino-terminal HA or Myc tag, respectively. Total protein (50 µg)
from parental fibroblasts (lane 1, 3T3) or transduced cells
(lane 2, FATPnHA; lane 3, FATPnMycs250a) were
separated by SDS-PAGE (8%) and analyzed by Western blot. Antiserum
directed against the native FATP1 ( FATP, amino acids 455-70) and
the epitope tags ( HA, Myc) were used with horseradish peroxidase
(HRP)-coupled secondary antibodies and chemiluminescence for detection.
B, parental and transduced cells were assayed for uptake of
the fluorescent fatty acid analog BODIPY 3823 for 1 min at 37 °C as
described under "Experimental Procedures." For each sample, flow
cytometric analysis of 104 propidium iodide-negative (live)
cells was assessed. Plot shows average median fluorescence of at least
six independent measurements ± S.E. Analysis of variance was
determined using a two-tailed t test (equal variance). *,
p < 0.001 for FATPnHA cells versus 3T3
cells; **, p < 0.001 for FATPnMycs250a cells
versus FATPnHA cells. C, NIH 3T3 cells expressing
FATPnHA (lanes 2 and 7), FATPnMycs250a
(lanes 3 and 8), FATPnHA and FATPnMyc
(lanes 4 and 9), or FATPnHA and FATPnMycs250a
(lanes 5 and 10) were lysed in 50 mM
Tris (pH 7.4), 150 mM NaCl, 2 mM EDTA, 1%
Triton X-100, 200 mM iodoacetamide and immunoprecipitated
with -HA (lanes 1-5) or -Myc (lanes 6-10)
antibodies. Immunoprecipitated proteins were separated by SDS-PAGE and
analyzed by Western blot analysis with -HA or -Myc antibodies,
HRP-coupled secondary antibody, and chemiluminescence. This blot is
representative of three independent experiments. D, COS7
cells were transfected with indicated amounts of wild type (FATPnHA)
and s250a mutant (FATPnMycs250a) FATP1 DNA. Cells were assayed for LCFA
uptake and analyzed by flow cytometry as described under
"Experimental Procedures." The graph shows average median
fluorescence of three independent measurements (104
propidium iodide-negative (live) cells in each sample) ± S.E.
Analysis of variance was determined using a two-tailed t
test (equal variance). *, p = 0.01; **,
p < 0.01; ***, p < 0.001 for cells
transfected with both mutant and wild type FATP1 as compared with cells
transfected with wild type FATP1 only. These results are representative
of three independent experiments.
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To delineate whether the FATP1s250a mutant has dominant
inhibitory effects on fatty acid transport, we transiently transfected COS7 cells with a constant amount of wild type FATPnHA and
increasing amounts of FATPnMycs250a (Fig. 7D). We observed a
dose-dependent decline in fatty acid uptake as the ratio of
mutant to wild type FATP1 DNA sequences increased, suggesting that the
mutant has dominant inhibitory effects on fatty acid transport. This
finding shows that FATP1 participates in oligomers that function in
fatty acid uptake in live cells.
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DISCUSSION |
The FATPs are a family of integral membrane proteins that play an
important role in cellular lipid homeostasis. To date, no crystallographic data is available for any family members, although topology studies of FATP1 suggest that this protein has a single transmembrane domain. Determining the oligomeric state for FATPs is
important for understanding the molecular mechanism by which FATP
family proteins function. Based on the ability of our anti-FATP1 antisera to recognize higher molecular weight species in addition to
the 63-kDa FATP1, we hypothesized that FATP1 participates in a cell
surface fatty acid transport complex. In the present study, we provide
the first evidence that FATP1 forms detergent-resistant dimers that
play a functional role in fatty acid transport. Epitope-tagged full-length FATP1 molecules co-immunoprecipitate when they are co-expressed in cells. Moreover, co-immunoprecipitation experiments using different domains of FATP1 demonstrate that residues 191-475 are
sufficient for FATP1 dimerization. Based on our data, we propose in
Fig. 8 a model for the structure of an
FATP1 oligomer.

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Fig. 8.
Model of FATP1 homo-oligomer.
Transfection and co-immunoprecipitation studies predict that the region
containing residues 191-475 is involved in FATP1 homo-oligomerization.
This domain contains a motif implicated in ATP binding and/or
adenylated intermediate formation (residues 247-257, hatched
boxes) as well as sequences that are peripherally associated with
membranes (residues 258-313 and residues 314-475). The dimerization
domain may play a role in maturation and targeting of the FATP1
oligomer to the plasma membrane.
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Studies from our laboratory (14, 20) and others (4) have shown that
single amino acid substitutions in the highly conserved IYTSGTTGXPK motif (amino acids 247-257) impair the
function of FATP1 in fatty acid transport without altering its ability
to be expressed or trafficked to the plasma membrane. This motif may
play a role in binding ATP or in generation of an adenylated intermediate. Consistent with this model, our previous studies indicated that mutation of serine 250 to alanine or threonine 252 to
alanine within this motif results in an FATP1 molecule that cannot be
efficiently cross-linked to azido-ATP, unlike the wild type FATP1 that
is readily cross-linked. We extend these observations in the present
study to show that FATP1 molecules containing the serine 250 to alanine
mutation have dominant inhibitory activity in fatty acid uptake assays.
We did not observe a decrease in fatty acid uptake in NIH 3T3 or COS7
cells transfected with the non-functional FATP1s250a mutant alone
compared with untransfected cells. Both NIH 3T3 and COS7 cells have
minimal endogenous FATP1 expression (present study and Refs. 2, 9, and
14). Although it is not possible to rule out a role for low level FATP1
expression in the low level of basal fatty acid uptake in these cells,
this uptake may be mediated by other proteins in these cells, such as
CD36 (21) or FABPpm (22). On the other hand, this uptake may be
non-protein-mediated (i.e. flip-flop) (23, 24). Expression
of the FATP1s250a mutant would not be expected to affect fatty acid
uptake mediated by these other mechanisms. Thus, to show dominant
inhibitory function of the FATP1s250a mutant, we first expressed wild
type FATP1 in these cells and then examined the effects of increasing
amounts of the FATP1s250a mutant. We observed a clear,
dosage-dependent effect, with greater decreases in fatty
acid uptake as the ratio of mutant/wild type FATP1 increases. We have
also observed that NIH 3T3 cells co-transduced with mutant and wild
type FATP1 retroviruses have decreased fatty acid uptake compared with
NIH 3T3 cells transduced with wild type FATP1 virus alone (not shown).
To identify the minimal region necessary for dimerization, we employed
a series of FATP1 truncation constructs. Although the carboxyl-terminal
domain (amino acids 476-646) does not associate with residues 191-475
and does not self associate, the region containing residues 191-475 is
capable of self-association. This suggests that this region may be
sufficient for dimerization of full-length FATP1 molecules. Although
residues 191-257 are hydrophilic, hydrophobic interactions involving
residues between amino acids 258 and 475 may contribute to
oligomerization. Unfortunately, we were unable to assess the
contribution of the hydrophobic amino-terminal region of FATP1 to
dimerization, because truncation constructs containing amino acids
1-190 could not be expressed. Although truncation constructs enable
assessment of the contribution of various structural elements to
dimerization, these constructs are unlikely to support the fatty acid
transport function of FATP1 because they lack significant regions of
FATP1 sequence. In future studies, more detailed site-directed
mutagenesis may facilitate analysis of the potential contributions to
dimerization of specific residues in both the amino-terminal and middle
section of FATP1. Such constructs may also be useful in assessing
whether dimerization plays a role in the synthesis and targeting of
FATP1 to the plasma membrane and in its stability there.
The observation that FATP1 present in Triton X-100 lysates from
different cells are unable to associate in vitro suggests that dimerization requires the structures and/or proteins present normally in cells expressing FATP1. Formation of FATP1 dimers may
require the membrane-associated conformation of FATP1. On the other
hand, FATP1 dimerization may depend on the presence of chaperones in
the endoplasmic reticulum or Golgi. FATP1 is co-translationally
inserted into membranes and likely traffics from the endoplasmic
reticulum to the Golgi to intracellular vesicles (25) prior to its
appearance at the plasma membrane. It is unclear at what point FATP1
dimerization occurs. Formally, it is possible that FATP1 dimerizes due
to indirect interactions, with another cellular protein at the
interface of two FATP1 molecules, although the 130-kDa oligomer is most
consistent with an FATP1 dimer. The observation that FATP1 molecules
co-immunoprecipitate in a range of detergent solubilization conditions
suggest that dimerization is not a detergent-specific effect.
Although our studies provide evidence for FATP1 dimers as constituents
of the cell surface fatty acid transport complex, it is possible that
these FATP1 molecules associate with other, as yet to be determined
molecules that might play a role in facilitating or regulating this
important physiologic process. Both our Western blot studies of
non-boiled samples and our sucrose gradient analysis suggest that
higher molecular weight complexes exist around 200 kDa. These could
represent higher order oligomers of FATP1 or association of FATP1
dimers with one or more other proteins. Future studies in our
laboratory will be aimed at identifying the molecular composition of
these complexes.
In summary, we have demonstrated for the first time that FATP1 is
capable of dimerization. Moreover, dimerization of FATP1 molecules
plays a critical role in fatty acid transport across the plasma
membrane of mammalian cells. The dominant negative activity identified
in FATP mutant s250a will be useful in probing the role of
FATP-mediated fatty acid transport in both cultured cells and in animal
models. Finally, the ability of FATP1 to form oligomers provides
additional clues regarding FATP1 function that will guide future
structure-function studies.
 |
FOOTNOTES |
*
This work was supported by National Institutes of Health
Grants DK54268 and HL07275.The costs of publication of this
article were defrayed in part by the
payment of page charges. The article must therefore be hereby marked
"advertisement" in
accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section
1734 solely to indicate this fact.
To whom correspondence should be addressed: Center for
Cardiovascular Research, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Ave., Box 8086, St. Louis, MO 63110-1010. Tel.: 314-362-8717; Fax: 314-362-0186; E-mail: jschaff@im.wustl.edu.
Published, JBC Papers in Press, January 17, 2003, DOI 10.1074/jbc.M212469200
 |
ABBREVIATIONS |
The abbreviations used are:
LCFA, long chain
fatty acid;
BODIPY 3823, 4,4-difluoro-5-methyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-3-indacene-3-dodecanoic acid;
HA, hemagglutinin;
HRP, horseradish peroxidase;
CMV, cytomegalovirus;
NGFR, nerve growth factor receptor;
PBS, phosphate-buffered saline;
CHAPS, 3-[(3-cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonic acid.
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Copyright © 2003 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.