Related Experiment Videos
A permease-oxidase complex involved in high-affinity iron uptake in yeast
R Stearman1, D S Yuan, Y Yamaguchi-Iwai
1Cell Biology and Metabolism Branch, National Institutes of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
Abstract:
Iron must cross biological membranes to reach essential intracellular enzymes. Two proteins in the plasma membrane of yeast--a multicopper oxidase, encoded by the FET3 gene, and a permease, encoded by the FTR1 gene--were shown to mediate high-affinity iron uptake. FET3 expression was required for FTR1 protein to be transported to the plasma membrane. FTR1 expression was required for apo-FET3 protein to be loaded with copper and thus acquire oxidase activity. FTR1 protein also played a direct role in iron transport. Mutations in a conserved sequence motif of FTR1 specifically blocked iron transport.