TRAPs: the 'elevator-with-an-operator' mechanism

James S Davies; Michael J Currie; Renwick C J Dobson; Christopher R Horne; Rachel A North

doi:10.1016/j.tibs.2023.11.006

TRAPs: the 'elevator-with-an-operator' mechanism

Trends Biochem Sci. 2024 Feb;49(2):134-144. doi: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.11.006. Epub 2023 Dec 14.

Authors

James S Davies¹, Michael J Currie², Renwick C J Dobson³, Christopher R Horne⁴, Rachel A North⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
² Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand.
³ Biomolecular Interaction Centre, Maurice Wilkins Centre for Biodiscovery, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand; Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
⁴ Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Drug Discovery Biology, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia. Electronic address: horne.c@wehi.edu.au.
⁵ Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia. Electronic address: rachel.north@sydney.edu.au.

PMID: 38102017
DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2023.11.006

Abstract

Tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporters are nutrient-uptake systems found in bacteria and archaea. These evolutionary divergent transporter systems couple a substrate-binding protein (SBP) to an elevator-type secondary transporter, which is a first-of-its-kind mechanism of transport. Here, we highlight breakthrough TRAP transporter structures and recent functional data that probe the mechanism of transport. Furthermore, we discuss recent structural and biophysical studies of the ion transporter superfamily (ITS) members and highlight mechanistic principles that are relevant for further exploration of the TRAP transporter system.

Keywords: ion transporter superfamily; membrane proteins; secondary transporters; sialic acid; transport mechanism; tripartite ATP-independent periplasmic (TRAP) transporters.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Bacteria / metabolism
Bacterial Proteins* / metabolism
Biological Transport
Carrier Proteins / metabolism
Membrane Transport Proteins* / chemistry

Substances

Bacterial Proteins
Membrane Transport Proteins
Carrier Proteins