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Biophysics

Transporter in the spotlight

Nature volume 465, pages 171–172 (2010)Cite this article

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Membrane transporter proteins switch between conformational states to move substrates across membranes. The transition between these states can now be studied using single-molecule experiments.

Biologists who work with membrane transporters — proteins that ferry substrate molecules across membranes — have long been envious of their colleagues who study ion channels. For more than three decades, researchers have been able to observe the dynamic opening and closing of single ion channels in real time using single-channel recording techniques1. The ability to watch ion channels 'dance' as they conduct a current allows the functional states of these proteins to be identified, and provides clues about their gating mechanisms. By contrast, bar a few notable exceptions2,3, secondary membrane transporters can't be studied in this way. But in this issue, Zhao et al.4 (page 188) report the use of a fluorescence technique to visualize several steps in the cycle of a transporter as it translocates a substrate. This is a breakthrough in the field.

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Figure 1: Conformational states of a membrane transporter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. and the Department of Cell Biology, Nathan K. Karpowich and Da-Neng Wang are at the Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10016, USA. karpowic@saturn.med.nyu.edu,

    Nathan K. Karpowich & Da-Neng Wang

  2. wang@saturn.med.nyu.edu,

    Nathan K. Karpowich & Da-Neng Wang

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  1. Nathan K. Karpowich
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  2. Da-Neng Wang
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Karpowich, N., Wang, DN. Transporter in the spotlight. Nature 465, 171–172 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/465171a

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