Biomaterial Database

Mechanism of polyamine spermidine uptake by Xenopus laevis oocytes. 1990

N A Khan, and V Quemener, and R Havouis, and J P Moulinoux

Unité Fonctionnelle de Biologie Cellulaire, CNRS SDI, Faculté de Médecine, C.H.U. de Rennes, France.

In this study, the mechanisms of polyamine spermidine (Spd) uptake were investigated in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Spd uptake followed a sigmoidal kinetics with [S]90/[S]10 = 3 microM and Hill interaction coefficient (n) = 2. The order of magnitude of uptake and efflux was similar (t1/2 = 45 min). The equilibrium potential for Spd, calculated by Nenrst equation, was 90.78 mV. Free energy change for the uptake (delta G) was found to be 2.31 Kcal/mole of Spd. During efflux, Spd was not converted into putrescine or spermine. It seems that there are two types of Spd uptake pathways: Na(+)-dependent and Na(+)-independent since replacement of Na+ from incubation medium did not completely abolish the Spd uptake. The Na(+)-dependent component of Spd uptake was shared neither by system A nor by system ASC amino acids.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007700	Kinetics	The rate dynamics in chemical or physical systems.
D009865	Oocytes	Female germ cells derived from OOGONIA and termed OOCYTES when they enter MEIOSIS. The primary oocytes begin meiosis but are arrested at the diplotene state until OVULATION at PUBERTY to give rise to haploid secondary oocytes or ova (OVUM).	Ovocytes,Oocyte,Ovocyte
D004563	Electrochemistry	The study of chemical changes resulting from electrical action and electrical activity resulting from chemical changes.	Electrochemistries
D005260	Female		Females
D000596	Amino Acids	Organic compounds that generally contain an amino (-NH2) and a carboxyl (-COOH) group. Twenty alpha-amino acids are the subunits which are polymerized to form proteins.	Amino Acid,Acid, Amino,Acids, Amino
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001693	Biological Transport, Active	The movement of materials across cell membranes and epithelial layers against an electrochemical gradient, requiring the expenditure of metabolic energy.	Active Transport,Uphill Transport,Active Biological Transport,Biologic Transport, Active,Transport, Active Biological,Active Biologic Transport,Transport, Active,Transport, Active Biologic,Transport, Uphill
D012964	Sodium	A member of the alkali group of metals. It has the atomic symbol Na, atomic number 11, and atomic weight 23.	Sodium Ion Level,Sodium-23,Ion Level, Sodium,Level, Sodium Ion,Sodium 23
D013095	Spermidine	A polyamine formed from putrescine. It is found in almost all tissues in association with nucleic acids. It is found as a cation at all pH values, and is thought to help stabilize some membranes and nucleic acid structures. It is a precursor of spermine.
D014982	Xenopus laevis	The commonest and widest ranging species of the clawed "frog" (Xenopus) in Africa. This species is used extensively in research. There is now a significant population in California derived from escaped laboratory animals.	Platanna,X. laevis,Platannas,X. laevi