Week 6 Bollough Lecture 9

Question 1

What is the evidence for a specific glucose carrier? / why do the above glucose transport kinetics indicate that a specific carrier rather that a channel is involved?

Answer 1

Because;

a) of flux which can be inhibit by 6-O-benzyl-D-galactose, which suggests it’s a competitive inhibitor, which proves that there is a binding site for glucose.
b) Meaning it is saturable

Question 2

How does the transport of glucose work, via a passive carrier?

Answer 2

GLUT1 provides a means of equilibrating glucose concentration across erythrocyte membranes without accompanying leakage of small molecules or ions.

a) Very specific; doesn’t allow any extra molecules through
b) Uses alternate access; opens one side at a time By

Question 3

How does GLUT1 work?

Answer 3

By facilitating glucose movement through adopting an equilibrium of inward and outward facing conformations