SLC41A2 encodes a plasma-membrane Mg2+ transporter

The TRPM7 (transient receptor potential melastatin 7) ion channel has been implicated in the uptake of Mg2+ into vertebrate cells, as elimination of TRPM7 expression through gene targeting in DT40 B-lymphocytes renders them unable to grow in the absence of supplemental Mg2+. However, a residual capacity of TRPM7-deficient cells to accumulate Mg2+ and proliferate when provided with supplemental Mg2+ suggests the existence of Mg2+ uptake mechanism(s) other than TRPM7. Evaluation of the expression of several members of the SLC41 (solute carrier family 41) family, which exhibit homology with the MgtE class of prokaryotic putative bivalent-cation transporters, demonstrated that one, SLC41A2 (solute carrier family 41 member 2), is expressed in both wild-type and TRPM7-deficient DT40 cells. Characterization of heterologously expressed SLC41A2 protein indicated that it is a plasma-membrane protein with an N-terminus-outside/C-terminus-inside 11-TM (transmembrane)-span topology, consistent with its functioning as a trans-plasma-membrane transporter. In contrast with a previous report of ion-channel activity associated with SLC41A2 expression in oocytes, investigation of whole cell currents in SLC41A2-expressing DT40 cells revealed no novel currents of any type associated with SLC41A2 expression. However, expression of SLC41A2 in TRPM7-deficient cells under the control of a doxycycline-inducible promoter was able to conditionally enhance their net uptake of 26Mg2+ and conditionally and dose-dependently provide them with the capacity to grow in the absence of supplemental Mg2+, observations strongly supporting a model whereby SLC41A2 directly mediates trans-plasma-membrane Mg2+ transport. Overall, our results suggest that SLC41A2 functions as a plasma-membrane Mg2+ transporter in vertebrate cells.

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TRPM7 regulates polarized cell movements

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bj20101678 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 434 (3) ◽

pp. 513-521 ◽

Cited By ~ 52

Author(s):

Li-Ting Su ◽

Wei Liu ◽

Hsiang-Chin Chen ◽

Omayra González-Pagán ◽

Raymond Habas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cell Morphology ◽

Transient Receptor Potential ◽

Receptor Potential ◽

Kinase Domain ◽

Solute Carrier Family ◽

Cell Movements ◽

Actomyosin Contractility ◽

Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin ◽

Solute Carrier ◽

Transient Receptor

TRPM7 (transient receptor potential melastatin 7) is a Ca2+- and Mg2+-permeant ion channel in possession of its own kinase domain. As a kinase, the protein has been linked to the control of actomyosin contractility, whereas the channel has been found to regulate cell adhesion as well as cellular Mg2+ homoeostasis. In the present study we show that depletion of TRPM7 by RNA interference in fibroblasts alters cell morphology, the cytoskeleton, and the ability of cells to form lamellipodia and to execute polarized cell movements. A pulldown-purification assay revealed that knockdown of TRPM7 prevents cells from activating Rac and Cdc42 (cell division cycle 42) when stimulated to migrate into a cellular wound. Re-expression of TRPM7 reverses these phenotypic changes, as does, unexpectedly, expression of a kinase-inactive mutant of TRPM7. Surprisingly, expression of the Mg2+ transporter SLC41A2 (solute carrier family 41 member 2) is also effective in restoring the change in cell morphology, disruption of the cytoskeleton and directional cell motility caused by depletion of the channel-kinase. The results of the present study uncover an essential role for Mg2+ in the control of TRPM7 over the cytoskeleton and its ability to regulate polarized cell movements.

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Diacylglycerol activates the influx of extracellular cations in T-lymphocytes independently of intracellular calcium-store depletion and possibly involving endogenous TRP6 gene products

Biochemical Journal ◽

10.1042/bj3640245 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 364 (1) ◽

pp. 245-254 ◽

Cited By ~ 60

Author(s):

Alessandra GAMBERUCCI ◽

Emanuele GIURISATO ◽

Paola PIZZO ◽

Maristella TASSI ◽

Roberta GIUNTI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Plasma Membrane ◽

T Lymphocytes ◽

Peripheral Blood ◽

Transient Receptor Potential ◽

Human Peripheral Blood ◽

Receptor Potential ◽

Animal Cells ◽

Bivalent Cation ◽

Intracellular Calcium Store ◽

Transient Receptor

In Jurkat and human peripheral blood T-lymphocytes, 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol (OAG), a membrane-permeant analogue of diacylglycerol, activated the influx of Ca2+, Ba2+ and Sr2+. OAG also caused plasma-membrane depolarization in Ca2+-free media that was recovered by the addition of bivalent cation, indicating the activation of Na+ influx. OAG-induced cation influx was (i) mimicked by the natural dacylglycerol 1-stearoyl-2-arachidonyl-sn-glycerol, (ii) not blocked by inhibiting protein kinase C or in the absence of phopholipase C activity and (iii) blocked by La3+ and Gd3+. Differently from OAG, both thapsigargin and phytohaemagglutinin activated a potent influx of Ca2+, but little influx of Ba2+ and Sr2+. Moreover, the influx of Ca2+ activated by thapsigargin and that activated by OAG were additive. Furthermore, several drugs (i.e. econazole, SKF96365, carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone, 2-aminoethoxy diphenylborate and calyculin-A), while inhibiting the influx of Ca2+ induced by both thapsigargin and phytohaemagglutinin, did not affect OAG-stimulated cation influx. Transient receptor potential (TRP) 3 and TRP6 proteins have been shown previously to be activated by diacylglycerol when expressed heterologously in animal cells [Hofmann, Obukhov, Schaefer, Harteneck, Gudermann and Schultz (1999) Nature (London) 397, 259–263]. In both Jurkat and peripheral blood T-lymphocytes, mRNA encoding TRP proteins 1, 3, 4 and 6 was detected by reverse transcriptase PCR, and the TRP6 protein was detected by Western blotting in a purified plasma-membrane fraction. We conclude that T-cells express a diacylglycerol-activated cation channel, unrelated to the channel involved in capacitative Ca2+ entry, and associated with the expression of TRP6 protein.

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