RESEARCH: CANCER
FOLDING PROJECT #17786 PROFILE

Secondary active transporters are proteins that use ion power to move molecules across cell membranes. They're found everywhere and are important drug targets for diseases like cancer and diabetes. The project looks at how these transporters work across different types of proteins.

Molecular basis of secondary active transporters. Secondary active membrane transporters are proteins that utilize ions to transport an assortment of molecules across cell membranes.

These proteins are found in all domains in life and surprisingly, despite vastly different structures, operate under the same mechanism by using an ion gradient to assist in small molecule transport.

Furthermore, many of these secondary active transporters are drug targets to treat diseases like cancer, diabetes, and neurological disorders.

The simulations in this project will allow us to understand a universal role of ion-coupling across different families of proteins.

Molecular basis

The fundamental structure and function of molecules.

This refers to the underlying arrangement of atoms within molecules and how those arrangements contribute to their specific properties and roles in biological processes. For example, understanding the molecular basis of an enzyme helps us comprehend how it catalyzes reactions.

Secondary active transporters

Proteins that use ion gradients to transport molecules across cell membranes.

These specialized proteins are crucial for moving various substances into and out of cells. They leverage the energy stored in an existing concentration gradient of ions (like sodium or potassium) to drive the movement of other molecules, like nutrients or drugs, against their own concentration gradients.

Ion gradient

A difference in ion concentration across a membrane.

Cells maintain unequal concentrations of charged particles (ions) inside and outside their membranes. This difference in concentration creates an electrochemical gradient, which serves as a source of energy for various cellular processes, including the function of secondary active transporters.

Drug targets

Molecules or biological processes that are involved in disease and can be inhibited by drugs.

Drug targets are the specific molecules or pathways within the body that contribute to the development or progression of diseases. By understanding these targets, scientists can design drugs that interact with them and modify their activity, ultimately leading to therapeutic effects.