ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, although being ubiquitous in biology, often feature a subunit that is limited primarily to bacteria and archaea. This subunit, the substrate-binding protein (SBP), is a key determinant of the substrate specificity and high affinity of ABC uptake systems in these organisms. Most prokaryotes have many SBP-dependent ABC transporters that recognize a broad range of ligands from metal ions to amino acids, sugars and peptides. Herein, we review the structure and function of a number of more unusual SBPs, including an ABC transporter involved in the transport of rare furanose forms of sugars and an SBP that has evolved to specifically recognize the bacterial cell wall-derived murein tripeptide (Mtp). Both these examples illustrate that subtle changes in binding-site architecture, including changes in side chains not directly involved in ligand co-ordination, can result in significant alteration of substrate range in novel and unpredictable ways.
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October 2015
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Review Article|
October 09 2015
The substrate-binding protein in bacterial ABC transporters: dissecting roles in the evolution of substrate specificity
Abbas Maqbool;
Abbas Maqbool
1
*Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York Y010 5YW, U.K.
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Richard S.P. Horler;
Richard S.P. Horler
1
*Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York Y010 5YW, U.K.
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Axel Muller;
Axel Muller
2
†York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, Wentworth Way, York Y010 5YW, U.K.
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Anthony J. Wilkinson;
Anthony J. Wilkinson
†York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, Wentworth Way, York Y010 5YW, U.K.
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Keith S. Wilson;
Keith S. Wilson
†York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of York, Wentworth Way, York Y010 5YW, U.K.
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Gavin H. Thomas
Gavin H. Thomas
3
*Department of Biology, University of York, Wentworth Way, York Y010 5YW, U.K.
3To whom correspondence should be addressed (emailgavin.thomas@york.ac.uk).
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
June 01 2015
Online ISSN: 1470-8752
Print ISSN: 0300-5127
© 2015 Authors; published by Portland Press Limited
2015
Biochem Soc Trans (2015) 43 (5): 1011–1017.
Article history
Received:
June 01 2015
Citation
Abbas Maqbool, Richard S.P. Horler, Axel Muller, Anthony J. Wilkinson, Keith S. Wilson, Gavin H. Thomas; The substrate-binding protein in bacterial ABC transporters: dissecting roles in the evolution of substrate specificity. Biochem Soc Trans 1 October 2015; 43 (5): 1011–1017. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST20150135
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