We are reviewing the evidence for direct effects of lipids on the transport properties of ion channels and active transporters. For ion channels it has been convincingly shown that specific lipid-protein interactions can directly affect their function. For transporters, the evidence is more ambiguous. In all areas, however, the use of computer simulations extends the way in which we understand protein-membrane interactions.
In a combined X-ray crystallography/biochemistry/molecular simulation study published in Nature we present the structure of the sodium/proton antiporter NapA in its outward facing conformation. Together with the inward facing conformation of the related transporter NhaA we can now understand the conformational changes required for the sodium/proton antiport mechanism.
Sortable lists of publications are maintained under ResearcherID C-9095-2009 and as a NCBI MyBibliography , whereas Oliver Beckstein’s Google Scholar Profile automatically updates.
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