Advances in methods for identification and characterization of plant transporter function

Abstract

Transport proteins are crucial for cellular function at all levels. Numerous importers and exporters facilitate transport of a diverse array of metabolites and ions intra- and intercellularly. Identification of transporter function is essential for understanding biological processes at both the cellular and organismal level. Assignment of a functional role to individual transporter proteins or to identify a transporter with a given substrate specificity has notoriously been challenging. Recently, major advances have been achieved in function-driven screens, phenotype-driven screens, and in silico-based approaches. In this review, we highlight examples that illustrate how new technology and tools have advanced identification and characterization of plant transporter functions.

Keywords: Exporter identification; Nitrate and Peptide transporter Family (NPF); Xenopus oocytes; expression cloning; forward genetics transporter identification; in silico approaches for transporter identification; metabolic engineering-based transporter screen; plant transporter identification; receptor- and sensor-based screen; transporter substrate specificity.