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Diversity of transport mechanisms: common structural principles
A J Driessen1, B P Rosen, W N Konings
1Dept of Microbiology and Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, 9751 NN Haren, the Netherlands.
Trends in Biochemical Sciences
|August 1, 2000
Summary
Prokaryotic solute transporters, once distinct, now combine features of secondary and ATP-binding cassette (ABC) systems. This evolution created novel transport systems with unique architectures and properties.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Prokaryotic solute transport systems are traditionally classified by energy source: secondary transporters (proton/sodium motive force) and primary ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters.
- These systems possess distinct polypeptide architectures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the emergence and characteristics of novel prokaryotic transport systems.
- To understand the evolutionary combination of functional modules from different transporter classes.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of newly discovered transport systems.
- Comparative analysis of transporter architectures and functional modules.
Main Results:
- Discovery of transport systems integrating components of both secondary and ABC transporters.
- Identification of novel combinations of integral membrane proteins with periplasmic solute-binding proteins or cytosolic ATPases.
Conclusions:
- Evolution has led to the combination of distinct functional modules, creating hybrid prokaryotic solute transporters.
- These hybrid transporters exhibit unique architectures and functional properties, expanding the known diversity of transport mechanisms.