PMID: 25326704

Authors:

Ehrnstorfer IA, Geertsma ER, Pardon E, Steyaert J, Dutzler R

Title:

Crystal structure of a SLC11 (NRAMP) transporter reveals the basis for transition-metal ion transport.

Journal:

Nat Struct Mol Biol. 2014 Oct 19. doi: 10.1038/nsmb.2904.

Abstract:

Members of the SLC11 (NRAMP) family transport iron and other transition-metal ions across cellular membranes. These membrane proteins are present in all kingdoms of life with a high degree of sequence conservation. To gain insight into the determinants of ion selectivity, we have determined the crystal structure of Staphylococcus capitis DMT (ScaDMT), a close prokaryotic homolog of the family. ScaDMT shows a familiar architecture that was previously identified in the amino acid permease LeuT. The protein adopts an inward-facing conformation with a substrate-binding site located in the center of the transporter. This site is composed of conserved residues, which coordinate Mn2+, Fe2+ and Cd2+ but not Ca2+. Mutations of interacting residues affect ion binding and transport in both ScaDMT and human DMT1. Our study thus reveals a conserved mechanism for transition-metal ion selectivity within the SLC11 family.