The yeast Gdt1 protein mediates the exchange of H(+) for Ca(2+) and Mn(2+) influencing the Golgi pH

The GDT1 family is broadly spread and highly conserved among living organisms. GDT1 members have functions in key processes like glycosylation in humans and yeasts and photosynthesis in plants. These functions are mediated by their ability to transport ions. While transport of Ca(2+) or Mn(2+) is well established for several GDT1 members, their transport mechanism is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that H(+) ions are transported in exchange for Ca(2+) and Mn(2+) cations by the Golgi-localized yeast Gdt1 protein. We performed direct transport measurement across a biological membrane by expressing Gdt1p in Lactococcus lactis bacterial cells and by recording either the extracellular pH or the intracellular pH during the application of Ca(2+), Mn(2+) or H(+) gradients. Besides, in vivo cytosolic and Golgi pH measurements were performed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with genetically encoded pH probes targeted to those subcellular compartments. These data point out that the flow of H(+) ions carried by Gdt1p could be reversed according to the physiological conditions. Together, our experiments unravel the influence of the relative concentration gradients for Gdt1p-mediated H(+) transport and pave the way to decipher the regulatory mechanisms driving the activity of GDT1 orthologs in various biological contexts.