Structural insights into a conserved mechanism of choline translocation through CHT - PubMed
an hour ago
- #choline transporter
- #cryo-EM structure
- #evolutionary conservation
- Choline is an essential nutrient for cellular homeostasis in all organisms.
- Human cholinergic neurons use high-affinity Na+-dependent transporter SLC5A7 (CHT1) for choline uptake.
- Bacteria also rely on choline for osmo-protection and metabolism, suggesting similar transporters.
- A bacterial Na+-dependent choline transporter (sfCHT) with high sequence identity to CHT1 was identified and characterized.
- Cryo-EM structures show sfCHT has a LeuT-fold architecture and similar Na+ coordination to CHT1.
- sfCHT was captured in an inward-facing conformation with choline near the cytoplasmic side.
- Computational analysis and transport assays revealed conserved residues and conformational rearrangements.
- The findings suggest an evolutionarily conserved mechanism for choline translocation in bacterial and human transporters.