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Sodium, potassium-atpases in algae and oomycetes
Javier Barrero-Gil1, Blanca Garciadeblás, Begoña Benito
1Departamento de Biotecnología, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
Journal of Bioenergetics and Biomembranes
|September 17, 2005
Summary
Researchers identified unique K(+)-transporting ATPases in algae and oomycetes, revealing diverse plasma membrane strategies in non-animal eukaryotes. These findings expand our understanding of ion transport across different species.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Eukaryotic Cell Biology
Background:
- Plasma membrane ion transport is crucial for eukaryotic cell function.
- Na(+),K(+)-ATPases are key ion transporters in animals.
- The presence and diversity of these ATPases in other eukaryotic lineages are less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and phylogenetic relationships of K(+)-transporting ATPases in selected oomycete and algal species.
- To functionally characterize these ATPases in heterologous systems.
- To explore the diversity of plasma membrane energization strategies in eukaryotes.
Main Methods:
- Molecular cloning of putative K(+)-transporting ATPase genes.
- Phylogenetic analysis of deduced amino acid sequences.
- Functional expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli cation transport mutants.
- In silico searches for related ATPases.
Main Results:
- Identified one gene encoding a putative K(+)-transporting ATPase in Pythium aphanidermatum, Porphyra yezoensis, and Udotea petiolata.
- Phylogenetic analysis showed algal ATPases clustering closer to animal Na(+),K(+)-ATPases than the oomycete ATPase.
- Functional expression confirmed the cation transport activity of P. yezoensis and P. aphanidermatum ATPases.
- Discovered a wide array of plasma membrane energization mechanisms in non-model eukaryotes.
Conclusions:
- Eukaryotic K(+)-transporting ATPases exhibit significant phylogenetic diversity.
- Algae possess ATPases more closely related to animal counterparts than oomycetes do.
- These findings highlight varied strategies for plasma membrane function across eukaryotic kingdoms.