A new dimer interface for an ABC transporter

The crystallization of MsbA, an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter involved in the transport of Lipid A in Escherichia coli, provided a fascinating glimpse into the high-resolution structure of an ABC transporter at 4.8 A. The E. coli crystal structure of MsbA reveals a dimer. Although the structure of the MsbA monomer is consistent with the biochemistry of ABC transporters, including the human multidrug resistance P-glycoprotein, the interface between the monomers in the MsbA dimer may not reflect the biologically relevant interface. We considered the interface in a two-armed MsbA dimer, named spiral. Our findings indicate that (i) the spiral MsbA dimer may have biological relevance for ABC transporters that interact with lipophilic substrates, and (ii) the dimer interface observed in the crystal structure of E. coli MsbA represents a crystallization artefact. A comparison of the spiral MsbA dimer with the recently published structure of MsbA in Vibrio cholera is also described.