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Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Essential Metal Uptake in Gram-negative Bacteria: X-ray Fluorescence, Radioisotopes, and Cell Fractionation
Published on: February 1, 2018
ECF-type ABC transporters for uptake of vitamins and transition metal ions into prokaryotic cells
Friedrich Finkenwirth1, Thomas Eitinger1
1Institut für Biologie/Mikrobiologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany.
Abstract:
Energy-coupling factor (ECF) transporters mediate the uptake of micronutrients in prokaryotes. They consist of two ATP-binding-cassette family ATPases, a transmembrane coupling protein (T component) and a substrate-binding membrane protein (S component). ECF transporters for Co2+ and Ni2+ ions have one or two additional proteins with extracytoplasmic regions but poorly understood function. Homologs of T components with a predicted localization in plastids are widespread in plants but their physiological role is unclear. S components in eukaryotes are very rare and restricted to biotin-specific variants. Apart from a potential contribution to the export of flavins to serve the assembly of extracytoplasmic electron transfer chains, ECF transporters function as importers.
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