Lipid outward translocation by ABC proteins

Nagao, Kohjiro; Kimura, Yasuhisa; Mastuo, Michinori; Ueda, Kazumitsu

doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2010.04.036

« Previous Next »FEBS Letters
Volume 584, Issue 13 , Pages 2717-2723, 2 July 2010

Lipid outward translocation by ABC proteins

Edited by Wilhelm Just

Kohjiro Nagao
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
Yasuhisa Kimura
- Laboratory of Cellular Biochemistry, Division of Applied Life Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
Michinori Mastuo
- Laboratory of Cellular Biochemistry, Division of Applied Life Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
Kazumitsu Ueda
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
- Laboratory of Cellular Biochemistry, Division of Applied Life Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
- Corresponding author at: Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (iCeMS), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan. Fax: +81 75 753 6104.

Received 18 February 2010; received in revised form 13 April 2010; accepted 14 April 2010. published online 20 April 2010.

Abstract

In humans, about 50 ABC proteins play physiologically important roles. Many ABC proteins are involved in lipid outward translocation and lipid homeostasis in the body, and defects in their functions cause various diseases. However, the precise mechanisms of substrate transport remain unclear. In bacteria, several ABC proteins are involved in the transport of lipoproteins and lipopolysaccharides from the inner to outer membrane, and their functioning is a prerequisite for survival. Their functions can be divided into “flip-flop” and “projection”. In this review, human ABC proteins are compared to bacterial proteins to elucidate their mechanisms.

Keywords: ABC protein, Transporter, Lipid, Flip-flop, Cholesterol, Membrane