RESEARCH: MEMBRANE TRANSPORT
FOLDING PROJECT #15001 PROFILE

Membrane transporters help move important things like nutrients and drugs in and out of cells. This project looks at how these proteins work, especially one called PIN1, to understand how they transport different substances across cell membranes.

A United Picture of Transporter Functions
Membrane transporters are an integral part of the cell and serve many roles across their involvement in the transport of ions, nutrients, neurotransmitters, and many drugs across cellular membranes.

There are three major classes of membrane transport proteins that facilitate the transport of various solutes.

These classes are Uniporters, which transport one solute across the membrane in one direction, Symporters, which transport two solutes across the membrane in the same direction, and Antiporters, which transfer two solutes in opposite directions across the membrane.

These classes follow different mechanisms of transport to move their solute(s) across the membrane.
Simulations for this project will be primarily focused on studying how structure, dynamics, and energetics account for the transport mechanism of the membrane transporter PIN1.

By evaluating the mechanisms of transport arising in transporters of different classes, we hope to further improve our understanding of the controlling mechanisms behind membrane transport.

Membrane Transporters

Proteins embedded in cell membranes that facilitate the movement of molecules across.

Membrane transporters are essential proteins found in cell membranes. They act like tiny pumps and channels, allowing specific substances like nutrients, ions, and drugs to move in and out of cells. This controlled transport is crucial for many cellular functions, including signaling, metabolism, and maintaining the cell's internal environment.

Uniporters

Membrane transport proteins that carry one solute across the membrane in a single direction.

Uniporters are a type of membrane transporter protein that moves a single molecule or ion across the cell membrane. They work like a revolving door, allowing one substance to pass through at a time in a specific direction.

Symporters

Membrane transport proteins that move two or more solutes across the membrane in the same direction.

Symporters are membrane transporters that work together to move multiple molecules across the cell membrane simultaneously. They act like a coordinated team, ensuring that specific substances are transported together.

Antiporters

Membrane transport proteins that move two solutes across the membrane in opposite directions.

Antiporters are a type of membrane transporter protein that facilitates the exchange of one molecule for another. They act like a swap system, moving substances in opposite directions across the cell membrane.

PIN1

Phosphoinositide Transporter 1

PIN1 is a specific type of membrane transporter protein that plays a crucial role in moving phosphoinositides. These are molecules important for cell signaling and membrane dynamics.