Transport of L-proline by luminal membrane vesicles from pars recta of rabbit proximal tubule.

The mechanism of renal transport of L-proline by luminal membrane vesicles prepared from proximal straight tubules (pars recta) of rabbit kidney was investigated. The following picture emerges from transport studies: an electrogenic and Na+-requiring system confined to this region of nephron exists for transport of L-proline with a high affinity (Km = 0.16 mM) and low capacity (Vmax = 3.5 nmol.mg protein-1.15 S-1). Lowering the pH from 7.5 to 5.5 increased the affinity (Km lowered from 0.16 mM at pH 7.5 to 0.08 mM at pH 5.5) without changing the maximal capacity of this system. Modification of histidyl residues of the intact luminal membrane vesicles by diethyl-pyrocarbonate (DEP) completely abolished the transient renal accumulation of L-proline. Simultaneous presence of Na+ and L-proline (10 mM) protects against DEP inactivation of renal transport of radioactive L-proline. We propose that a histidyl residue may be at or close to the active site of L-proline transporter in vesicles from the pars recta.