Multiple residues contribute independently to differences in ligand recognition between vesicular monoamine transporters 1 and 2.

The two closely related vesicular monoamine transporters (VMATs) 1 and 2 differ substantially in ligand recognition. The neuronal VMAT2 exhibits a higher affinity for monoamine substrates and in particular for histamine as well as a greater sensitivity to the inhibitor tetrabenazine than the nonneuronal VMAT1. The analysis of chimeric transport proteins has previously shown that two major domains, one spanning transmembrane domains (TMDs) 5-8 (TMD5-8) and the other, TMDs 9-12 (TMD9-12), are required for the high affinity interactions characteristic of VMAT2. Using site-directed mutagenesis to replace residues in TMD5-8 of VMAT2 with the equivalent residues from VMAT1, we now show that the sensitivity of VMAT2 to tetrabenazine requires Ala-315, and this interaction occurs independently of the interaction with residues in TMD9-12. The ability to recognize histamine as a substrate depends on Pro-237, and the contribution of TMD9-12 to histamine recognition appears to involve a common mechanism. In contrast, the replacement of many residues in TMD5-8 of VMAT2 with equivalent residues from VMAT1 improves the recognition of both serotonin and tryptamine, and these mutations show a dominant effect on the recognition of both tryptamine and serotonin over mutations in TMD9-12. The results indicate that different ligands interact through distinct mechanisms with the VMATs and that the recognition of each ligand involves multiple, independent interactions with the transport protein.