Is the E. coli Homolog of the Formate/Nitrite Transporter Family an Anion Channel? A Computational Study (Biophysical Journal)

Formate/nitrite transporters (FNTs) selectively transport monovalent anions and are found in prokaryotes and lower eukaryotes. They play a significant role in bacterial growth and act against the defense mechanism of infected hosts. Because FNTs do not occur in higher animals, they are attractive drug targets for many bacterial diseases. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that they can be classified into eight subgroups, two of which belong to the uncharacterized YfdC-? and YfdC-? groups. Experimentally determined structures of FNTs belonging to different phylogenetic groups adopt the unique aquaporin-like hourglass helical fold.