The Paracoccus denitrificans NarK-like nitrate and nitrite transporters; probing nitrate uptake and nitrate/nitrite exchange mechanisms

Goddard, Alan D., Bali, Shilpa, Mavridou, Despoina A. I., Luque-Almagro, Victor M., Gates, Andrew J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4594-5038, Roldán, M. Dolores, Newstead, Simon, Richardson, David J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6847-1832 and Ferguson, Stuart J. (2017) The Paracoccus denitrificans NarK-like nitrate and nitrite transporters; probing nitrate uptake and nitrate/nitrite exchange mechanisms. Molecular Microbiology, 103 (1). 117–133. ISSN 0950-382X

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Abstract

Nitrate and nitrite transport across biological membranes is often facilitated by protein transporters that are members of the major facilitator superfamily. Paracoccus denitrificans contains an unusual arrangement whereby two of these transporters, NarK1 and NarK2, are fused into a single protein, NarK, which delivers nitrate to the respiratory nitrate reductase and transfers the product, nitrite, to the periplasm. Our complementation studies, using a mutant lacking the nitrate/proton symporter NasA from the assimilatory nitrate reductase pathway, support that NarK1 functions as a nitrate/proton symporter while NarK2 is a nitrate/nitrite antiporter. Through the same experimental system, we find that Escherichia coli NarK and NarU can complement deletions in both narK and nasA in P. denitrificans, suggesting that, while these proteins are most likely nitrate/nitrite antiporters, they can also act in the net uptake of nitrate. Finally, we argue that primary sequence analysis and structural modelling do not readily explain why NasA, NarK1 and NarK2, as well as other transporters from this protein family, have such different functions, ranging from net nitrate uptake to nitrate/nitrite exchange. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.explain why NasA, NarK1 and NarK2, as well as other transporters from this protein family, have such different functions, ranging from net nitrate uptake to nitrate/nitrite exchange.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: © 2016 The Authors. Molecular Microbiology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Uncontrolled Keywords: nitrate,transport,paracoccus denitrificans,nark,nasa
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Molecular Microbiology
Faculty of Science > Research Groups > Organisms and the Environment
Faculty of Science > Research Centres > Centre for Molecular and Structural Biochemistry
Depositing User: Pure Connector
Date Deposited: 04 Oct 2016 12:02
Last Modified: 12 May 2023 00:20
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/60722
DOI: 10.1111/mmi.13546

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