Expression and functional analysis of mussel taurine transporter, as a key molecule in cellular osmoconforming

Most aquatic invertebrates adapt to environmental osmotic changes primarily by the cellular osmoconforming process, in which osmolytes accumulated in their cells play an essential role. Taurine is one of the most widely utilized osmolytes and the most abundant in many molluscs. Here, we report the structure, function and expression of the taurine transporter in the Mediterranean blue mussel (muTAUT), as a key molecule in the cellular osmoconforming process. Deduced amino acid sequence identity among muTAUT and vertebrate taurine transporters is lower (47-51 %) than that among vertebrate taurine transporters (> 78 %). muTAUT has a lower affinity and specificity for taurine and a requirement for higher NaCl concentration than vertebrate taurine transporters. This seems to reflect the internal environment of the mussel; higher NaCl and taurine concentrations. In addition to the hyperosmotic induction that has been reported for cloned taurine transporters, the increase in muTAUT mRNA was unexpectedly observed under hypoosmolality, which was depressed by the addition of taurine to ambient seawater. In view of the decrease in taurine content in mussel tissue under conditions of hypoosmolality reported previously, our results lead to the conclusion that muTAUT does not respond directly to hypoosmolality, but to the consequent decrease in taurine content. By immunohistochemistry, intensive expression of muTAUT was observed in the gill and epithelium of the mantle, which were directly exposed to intensive osmotic changes of ambient seawater.