Molecular considerations relevant to the mechanism of active transport

A small group of closely related proteins is responsible for all active transport in animal cells, and inorganic cations are the only substances transported by these enzymes. They share a common kinetic mechanism in which two fundamental conformations participate, each receiving and dispatching substrates from its unique side of the membrane. During transport, the cations must pass through their enzyme to cross the membrane and intense interest is currently focused on the possibility that the path which they follow lies within the interface between two discrete subunits in a dimeric structure. Although 'half-of-sites' behaviour, consistent with this hypothesis, has been reported, it is now known that systematic errors were responsible for this mistaken conclusion. The number of protomers which comprise a functional unit of active transport has not been determined.