Characterization of the Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter from Yersinia pestis

PLoS One. 2011;6(11):e26115. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0026115. Epub 2011 Nov 15.

Abstract

Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that historically accounts for the Black Death epidemics, has nowadays gained new attention as a possible biological warfare agent. In this study, its Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter is investigated for the first time, by a combination of experimental and computational methodologies. We determined the protein's substrate specificity and pH dependence by fluorescence measurements in everted membrane vesicles. Subsequently, we constructed a model of the protein's structure and validated the model using molecular dynamics simulations. Taken together, better understanding of the Yersinia pestis Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter's structure-function relationship may assist in studies on ion transport, mechanism of action and designing specific blockers of Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter to help in fighting Yersinia pestis -associated infections. We hope that our model will prove useful both from mechanistic and pharmaceutical perspectives.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism*
  • Fluorescence
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Ion Transport
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Plague / metabolism
  • Protein Conformation
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers / chemistry*
  • Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers / metabolism*
  • Substrate Specificity
  • Yersinia pestis / metabolism*

Substances

  • Sodium-Hydrogen Exchangers