Cation Diffusion Facilitator family: Structure and function

FEBS Lett. 2015 May 22;589(12):1283-95. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.04.007. Epub 2015 Apr 17.

Abstract

The Cation Diffusion Facilitators (CDFs) form a family of membrane-bound proteins capable of transporting zinc and other heavy metal ions. Involved in metal tolerance/resistance by efflux of ions, CDF proteins share a two-modular architecture consisting of a transmembrane domain (TMD) and C-terminal domain (CTD) that protrudes into the cytoplasm. Discovery of a Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺ CDF transporter from a marine bacterium Maricaulis maris that does not possess the CTD questions current perceptions regarding this family of proteins. This article describes a new, CTD-lacking subfamily of CDFs and our current knowledge about this family of proteins in the view of these findings.

Keywords: Cation Diffusion Facilitator; Maricaulis maris; Membrane protein; Zinc transporter.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Alphaproteobacteria / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Bacterial Proteins / chemistry
  • Bacterial Proteins / metabolism
  • Binding Sites
  • Biological Transport
  • Cation Transport Proteins / chemistry
  • Cation Transport Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Kinetics
  • Metals, Heavy / metabolism*
  • Models, Molecular*
  • Phylogeny
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Isoforms / chemistry
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism

Substances

  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Cation Transport Proteins
  • Metals, Heavy
  • Protein Isoforms