Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.4.24.59 (MIP)
 4,906 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Aquaporins are members of a large family of pore-forming intrinsic membrane proteins, the MIP family. Based on their permeability properties they are now further subdivided into aquaporins, with real water-selective pores, and aquaglyceroporins with slightly less selective pores. Aquaporins are expressed in a large variety of tissues throughout the body but in most situations it is not clear whether their presence is necessary for the proper physiological function of these tissues. This review focuses on recent insight into the physiological relevance of aquaporins gained from studying aquaporin knockout mouse models and from diseases, on new surprising findings related to gating and selectivity, and on the consequences of tetramerization for routing and the genetics of nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. The active fluid transport in proximal tubules and in salivary glands is seriously compromised by aquaporin deletion. This is in contrast to lung, airways and stomach, where active fluid transport proceeds unhindered in the face of greatly reduced water permeabilities due to aquaporin deletion. Therefore, aquaporins seem to be a necessity at extreme high rates of active fluid transport but appear to be more of a luxury at medium or low fluid transport rates.
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PMID:Phsyiological relevance of aquaporins: luxury or necessity? 1095 35

The gene for a new bacterial aquaporin, AqpX, was cloned from the pathogenic Gram-negative bacterium Brucella abortus. The gene was mapped on the large chromosome of B. abortus. It is flanked by one upstream and two downstream copies of the Brucella repeated sequence Bru-RS. Prediction from the nucleotide sequence indicated that the protein is a member of the MIP family, which comprises channels for water and/or solute transport. Expression in Xenopus oocytes and cryoelectron microscopy of Escherichia coli cells transformed with the aqpX gene confirmed that the protein is an efficient water channel. Glycerol uptake experiments in E. coli also showed that the protein is not able to transport glycerol.
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PMID:A functional water channel protein in the pathogenic bacterium Brucella abortus. 1110 83

In crucifers, the ability of the stigma to differentially modulate hydration of pollen grains, depending on whether the pollen is recognized to be compatible or incompatible, represents a crucial stage in pollination. Our recent analysis of the mod mutation of Brassica, which results in a breakdown of the self-incompatibility response, led to the isolation of a gene linked to the MOD locus which is expressed at low levels in mod mutants. The gene is predicted to encode a plasma membrane-localized aquaporin-like protein and has been designated MIP-MOD. We utilized reporter gene analysis to demonstrate that the MIP-MOD promoter is active in Brassica papillar cells as well as in some vegetative tissues. The encoded protein is also likely to be plasma membrane-localized based on the observation that all plasma membrane-intrinsic aquaporin-like proteins in Brassica leaves are enriched in plasma membrane fractions. The MIP-MOD protein results in a low but measurable enhancement in osmotic water permeability of Xenopus oocytes and hence represents a functional aquaporin. The results are consistent with the notion that MIP-MOD is involved in the regulation of water transport across the stigma epidermal cell membrane.
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PMID:The brassica MIP-MOD gene encodes a functional water channel that is expressed in the stigma epidermis. 1124 6

The MIP-MOD (for MOD-locus associated Major Intrinsic Protein) gene encodes an aquaporin-like product, and has been reported to be a candidate for the MOD gene which is required for the self-incompatibility response in Brassica rapa. In an antisense suppression experiment designed to investigate the role of MIP-MOD, we found that levels of MIP-MOD mRNA in the stigmas of fourteen antisense transgenics, as well as in the self-incompatible cultivar Osome (Osm), were much lower than in the stigmas of the self-incompatible S8 homozygous (S8) strain. Therefore, we analyzed the molecular structure of the MIP-MOD gene in three B. rapa strains: S8, Osm, and the self-compatible var. Yellow Sarson (YS). Nucleotide sequence analysis of the MIP-MOD genes isolated from the three strains revealed that all three encode the same amino acid sequence and that YS and Osm contain the same MIP-MOD allele, designated MIP-MOD(YS). Analysis of other self-incompatible B. rapa strains that are homozygous for the MIP-MOD(YS) allele indicated that high levels of MIP-MOD transcripts are not essential for the self-incompatibility response. Furthermore, a MOD mutant generated by gamma-irradiation was found to contain a wild-type MIP-MOD gene that is expressed at normal levels. These data suggest that MIP-MOD is not MOD itself. We suggest that this gene should be renamed MLM (for MIP gene linked to MOD).
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PMID:Molecular genetic analysis of the candidate gene for MOD, a locus required for self-incompatibility in Brassica rapa. 1140 35

With the aim of identifying cells and tissues with high expression of aquaporins (water channels) or homologous genes in Norway spruce (Picea abies), we report the expression patterns of such transcripts in seedlings, in roots of various ages, and in needles. In situ hybridization experiments with a conserved area of a tonoplast intrinsic protein (TIP) gene from P. abies gave high expression signals in differentiating vascular tissues and in the columella cells of the seedling root cap. High-staining signals were also seen in guard cells and in the bundle sheath cells of needles. Moreover, a slightly increased staining signal was seen in cells forming lateral roots as well as in adventitious roots formed from hypocotyl cuttings. By using PCR-based procedures we also identified a full-length aquaporin-like cDNA (mipr) from roots of two-week old seedlings. Sequence homology analysis of the gene suggests that it belongs to the TIP subgroup within the large MIP (major intrinsic protein) family. A phylogenetic analysis of the plant MIP family, including both plasmamembrane (PIP) and tonoplast intrinsic protein (TIP) from Picea, suggests that MIP subgroups evolved already 330 million years ago, as this is the dating of conifer and angiosperm divergence.
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PMID:Expression pattern of transcripts encoding water channel-like proteins in Norway spruce (Picea abies). 1148 76

Aquaporins are ubiquitous membrane channel proteins that facilitate and regulate the permeation of water across biological membranes. Aquaporins are members of the MIP family and some of them seem to be also able to transport other molecules such as urea or glycerol. In the plant kingdom, a single plant expresses a considerably large number of MIP homologues. These homologues can be subdivided into four groups (PIP, TIP, NIP, SIP) with highly conserved amino acid sequences and intron positions in each group. Since their discovery, advancing knowledge of their structure led to an understanding of the basic features of the water transport mechanism. An optimal water balance is essential to the homeostasis of most organisms, and aquaporins may be one of the mechanisms involved under changing environmental and developmental conditions. In fact, this may be one reason for the abundance and diversity of aquaporins, in particular in plants. In addition, exposure to different types of stress alters water relations and thus, aquaporins may be involved in stress responses as well. The transcriptional and/or post-translational regulation of aquaporins would determine changes in membrane water permeability. Both phosphorylation and translocation to/from vesicles have been reported as post-translational mechanisms. However, translocation in plants has not yet been shown. Although significant advances have been achieved, complete understanding of aquaporin function and regulation remains elusive.
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PMID:Plant aquaporins. 1206 Feb 33

Two cDNAs encoding frog aquaporin (AQP) were cloned from a cDNA library constructed for the ventral skin of the tree frog, Hyla japonica and sequenced. One AQP (Hyla AQP-h1) consisted of 271 amino-acid residues with high homology to toad AQP-t1, Rana CHIP28 (AQP1), and rat AQP1. The other AQP (AQP-h3) consisted of 271 amino-acid residues with higher homology to mammalian AQP2 than to mammalian AQP3. The predicted amino-acid sequence contained the conserved two NPA motifs found in all MIP family members and the putative six transmembrane domains. The sequence also confers mercurial sensitivity, which is common to all the AQPs except AQP0, AQP4 and AQP7. Potential N-glycosylation sites were present at Asn-44 in AQP-h1, and at Asn-124 and Asn-125 in AQP-h3. In addition, AQP-h3 had a putative phosphorylation site by protein kinase A at Ser-255, which is identical to mammalian AQP2. In swelling assays using Xenopus oocytes, AQP-h1 facilitates water permeability, whereas AQP-h3 displayed weak water permeability. Searching for the expression of these two AQP mRNAs revealed that AQP-h1 was expressed in most tissues, whereas AQP-h3 was observed only in the ventral skin. An antibody (ST-141) against the C-terminal peptide of the AQP-h3 protein recognized a 29.0 kDa-protein with a molecular mass close to that of the Hyla AQP-h3 protein and immunostained predominantly in the abdominal pelvic skin. In pelvic skin, the label for AQP-h3 was more intense in the upper layer of the stratum granulosum and was localized to both the apical and basolateral plasma membranes of the principal cells. These findings suggest that Hyla AQP-h3 plays a pivotal role in constitutively absorbing water from ventral pelvic skin.
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PMID:Molecular and cellular characterization of a water-channel protein, AQP-h3, specifically expressed in the frog ventral skin. 1217 46

Aquaporins (AQP) are a family of at least ten homologous water transporting proteins in mammals that are expressed in many epithelial, endothelial and other tissues. Abnormalities in humans and mice lacking AQPs provide direct evidence for their physiological importance. Humans lacking AQP1 or AQP2 manifest polyuria with defective urinary concentrating ability and humans with mutations in MIP (AQP0) develop cataracts. Transgenic knockout mice lacking AQP1 or AQP3 are also remarkably polyuric, and knock-in mice expressing a mutant AQP2 have severe nephrogenic diabetes insipidus resulting in impaired neonatal survival. Other interesting phenotypes in AQP knockout mice include reduced pain sensation, reduced intraocular pressure, defective corneal fluid transport and impaired dietary fat processing (AQP1), dry skin (AQP3), protection from brain swelling and impaired hearing/vision (AQP4), and reduced fluid secretion by salivary and airway submucosal glands (AQP5). However, many phenotype studies were negative, such as normal airway/lung and skeletal muscle function despite AQP expression, indicating that tissue-specific aquaporin expression does not indicate physiological significance. The general paradigm from studies on transgenic mouse models of AQP deletion is that AQPs facilitate rapid near-isosmolar transepithelial fluid absorption / secretion, as well as rapid vectorial water movement driven by osmotic gradients. The transgenic mouse studies suggest that aquaporin inhibitors may have clinical indications as diuretics and in the treatment of cerebral edema, elevated intraocular pressure, and other conditions of abnormal fluid homeostasis.
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PMID:Physiological importance of aquaporin water channels. 1217 89

Previous results showed that mRNA encoding a putative aquaporin (AQP) (GenBank accession number AF218314) is present in the tracheolar cells associated with female Aedes aegypti Malpighian tubules. In this study, immunohistochemistry detected the protein, AeaAQP, also in tracheolar cells, suggesting its involvement in water movement in the respiratory system. When expressed in Xenopus oocytes, AeaAQP increased the osmotic water permeability from 15 x 10(-6) to 150 x 10(-6) m x s-1, which was inhibited by mercury ions. No permeability to glycerol or other solute was observed. AeaAQP expressed in oocytes was solubilized as a homotetramer in nondenaturing detergent as deduced from velocity centrifugation on density gradients. Phylogenetic analysis of MIP (major intrinsic protein) family sequences shows that AeaAQP clusters with other native orthogonal array forming proteins. Specific orthogonal arrays were detected by freeze-fracture analysis of AeaAQP oocyte membranes. We conclude that, in tracheolar cells of A. aegypti, AeaAQP is probably a highly water-permeable homotetrameric MIP which natively can form 2D crystals.
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PMID:Mosquito (Aedes aegypti ) aquaporin, present in tracheolar cells, transports water, not glycerol, and forms orthogonal arrays in Xenopus oocyte membranes. 1254 92

The mechanisms of plant membrane water permeability have remained elusive until the recent discovery in both vacuolar and plasma membranes of a class of water channel proteins named aquaporins. Similar to their animal counterparts, plant aquaporins have six membrane-spanning domains and belong to the MIP superfamily of transmembrane channel proteins. Their very high efficiency and selectivity in transporting water molecules have been mostly characterized using heterologous expression in Xenopus oocytes. However, techniques set up to measure the osmotic water permeability of plant membranes such as transcellular osmosis, pressure probe measurements, or stopped-flow spectrophotometry are now being used to analyze the function of plant aquaporins in their native membranes. Multiple mechanisms, at the transcriptional and posttranslational levels, control the expression and activity of the numerous aquaporin isoforms found in plants. These studies suggest a general role for aquaporins in regulating transmembrane water transport during the growth, development, and stress responses of plants. Future research will investigate the integrated function of aquaporins in long-distance water transport and cellular osmoregulation.
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PMID:AQUAPORINS AND WATER PERMEABILITY OF PLANT MEMBRANES. 1501 69


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