Structural changes in human erythrocyte band 3 that affect anion transport are correlated with changes in glucose transport in situ. Breakdown of band 3, observed during normal erythrocyte aging in situ and in some diseases involving erythrocytes, is associated with an increase in Km and a decrease in Vmax of sulfate self-exchange, and with an increase in Km and Vmax of glucose efflux. Erythrocytes containing a high molecular weight form of band 3 exhibit an increase in Vmax of sulfate exchange and a decrease in Vmax of glucose efflux. Identical transport characteristics are observed in abnormal band-3-containing erythrocytes from individuals with familial amyotrophic chorea with acanthocytosis. A third band 3 alteration, fast-aging band 3, exhibits decreased Vmax of sulfate exchange and an increase in Km and decrease in Vmax of glucose efflux. Changes in band 3 structure that are the result of unstable hemoglobin or a deficiency in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and that do not affect anion transport have no effect on glucose transport characteristics. These data indicate the existence of a functional relationship between the membrane-spanning, anion-transport domain of band 3 and glucose transport in human erythrocytes. Antibodies to synthetic peptides reveal structural changes in membranes from the three inborn band 3 alterations and in band 3 itself in membranes from fast-aging band 3. Thus, immunological data suggests a structural relationship between anion and glucose transporters.Key words: red cell, anion transport, membrane proteins, aging, choreoacanthocytosis, anemia.
Overexpression of a 123-kDa Anion Transport Inhibitor Binding Protein and Two Cytoskeleton Proteins in Drosophila Kc Cell Variants Resistant to Disulfonic Stilbenes