Selective labeling of the erythrocyte hexose carrier with a maleimide derivative of glucosamine: relationship of an exofacial sulfhydryl to carrier conformation and structure.

Sulfhydryl-reactive derivatives of glucosamine were synthesized as potentially transportable affinity labels of the human erythrocyte hexose carrier. N-Maleoylglycyl derivatives of either 6- or 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranose were the most potent inhibitors of 3-O-methylglucose uptake, with concentrations of half-maximal irreversible inhibition of about 1 mM. Surprisingly, these derivatives were very poorly transported into erythrocytes. They reacted rather with an exofacial sulfhydryl on the carrier following a reversible binding step, the latter possibly to the exofacial substrate binding site. However, their reactivity was determined primarily by access to the exofacial sulfhydryl, which, as predicted by the one-site model of transport, required a carrier conformation with the exofacial substrate binding site exposed. Once reacted, the carrier was "locked" in a conformation unable to reorient inwardly and bind cytochalasin B. In intact erythrocytes the N-maleoylglycyl derivative of 2-[3H]glucosamine labeled predominantly an Mr 45,000-66,000 protein on gel electrophoresis in a quantitative and cytochalasin B inhibitable fashion. By use of changes in carrier conformation induced by competitive transport inhibitors in a "double" differential labeling method, virtually complete selectivity of labeling of the carrier protein was achieved, the latter permitting localization of the reactive exofacial sulfhydryl to an Mr 18,000-20,000 tryptic fragment of the carrier.