Structural basis for substrate specificity and regulation of nucleotide sugar transporters in the lipid bilayer

Abstract

In eukaryotes the SLC35 family of solute carriers mediate the selective uptake of nucleotide sugars from the cytoplasm into the Endoplasmic Reticulum or Golgi. Here authors report the crystal structure of the yeast GDP-mannose transporter, Vrg4, bound to guanine monophosphate (GMP) revealing the molecular basis for GMP recognition and transport.