What can be learned from studies of multisubstrate mechanisms of neuronal dopamine transport?

The dopamine transporter (DAT) is a Na+- and Cl--dependent transporter and, with respect to its three apparent substrates, both partially random sequential as well as ordered mechanisms have been reported. Here we describe some of the features of DAT, such as the coupling of energy to concentrate dopamine and the properties of slippage and leakage. Further, in considering the regulation of transport velocities by DAT few have considered issues related to substrate regulation of DAT activity. Specifically, what effect do changes in the constants (K) for the participation of Na+ and Cl- have on dopamine transport velocity? It is shown that DAT may possess properties of slippage, an argument is made that leakage may be important in neuronal systems containing DAT, and the influence of changing values of K for the participation of Na+ and Cl- in transport is shown to produce large effects on DAT activity depending on the multisubstrate kinetic mechanism.