The Kinetics of Carrier Transport Inhibition

The kinetical treatment of enzymatic carrier transports as given in previous communications has been extended to conditions of inhibition. Various possible types of inhibitors have been considered differing in the site of attack (enzyme or carrier), in the mode of action (competing with the substrate for the enzyme or the carrier or for both, competing with the carrier for the enzyme, or non-competitive) and in the ability of penetrating the membrane. Experiments are reported on the inhibition of glucose and fructose transport across the human red cell membrane by phlorizine, phloretine and polyphloretinephosphate. The results of the analysis for these inhibitors indicate a substrate competitive mode of action. The effect of reversing the transport direction by interchanging the substrate concentration has been treated for the case of a non-penetrating substrate competitive inhibitor in the external medium, with the result that a certain asymmetry of inhibition (stronger inhibition of exit than of entrance) is to be expected. This asymmetry was termed “first order asymmetry”. In experiments with each of the three inhibitors an asymmetry of inhibition in the expected direction was observed which however exceded the first order asymmetry severalfold (“second order asymmetry”). It was shown that a substrate competitive mode of action involving competition both for the enzyme and for the enzyme-bound carrier will result in a behaviour resembling the observed “second order asymmetry”. It is felt, therefore, that the second order asymmetry indicates the probable participation of at least two different elements (like the suggested enzyme and carrier) on the transport.