P-type ATPases transport ions across biological membranes against concentration gradients and are essential for all cells. They use the energy from ATP hydrolysis to propel large intramolecular movements, which drive vectorial transport of ions. Tight coordination of the motions of the pump is required to couple the two spatially distant processes of ion binding and ATP hydrolysis. Here, we review our current understanding of the structural dynamics of P-type ATPases, focusing primarily on Ca2+ pumps. We integrate different types of information that report on structural dynamics, primarily time-resolved fluorescence experiments including single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer and molecular dynamics simulations, and interpret them in the framework provided by the numerous crystal structures of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase. We discuss the challenges in characterizing the dynamics of membrane pumps, and the likely impact of new technologies on the field.
Bacteria regulate intracellular calcium concentrations by exporting calcium from the cell using active transporters. These transporters include homologues of the mammalian sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ -ATPase (SERCA), which has served as a paradigm for the structure and mechanism of P-type ATPase ion transport. Here we present three crystal structures of the Ca 2+ -ATPase 1 from Listeria monocytogenes (LMCA1). Structures with BeF3mimicking a phosphoenzyme state reveal an intermediate between the outward-open E2P and the proton-occluded E2-P* conformations known for SERCA. This suggests that LMCA1 pre-organizes for dephosphorylation already at the E2P state, consistent with the rapid dephosphorylation of this pump and observations from single-molecule studies. Comparison of ion binding sites show that an arginine side-chain occupies the position equivalent to the calcium binding site I in SERCA leaving a single Ca 2+ -binding site in LMCA1, corresponding to SERCA site II. Absence of putative proton pathways suggest a direct mechanism of proton counter transport through the Ca 2+ exchange pathways. In total, the new structures provide insight into the evolutionary divergence and conserved features of an important class of ion transporters. Sara Basse Hansen et al. (2020)
P-type ATPase are present in nearly all organisms. They maintain electrochemical gradients for many solutes, in particular ions, they control membrane lipid asymmetry, and are crucial components of intricate signaling networks. All P-type ATPases share a common topology with a transmembrane and three cytoplasmic domains and their transport cycle follows a general scheme — the Post-Albers-cycle. Recently, P-type ATPase research has been advanced most significantly by the technological advancements in cryo-EM analysis, which has elucidated many new P-type ATPase structures and mechanisms and revealed several new ways of regulation. In this review, we highlight the progress of the field and focus on special features that are present in the five subfamilies. Hence, we outline the new intersubunit transport model of KdpFABC, the ways in which heavy metal pumps have evolved to accommodate various substrates, the strategies Ca2+ pumps utilize to adapt to different environmental needs, the intricate molecular builds of the ion binding sites in Na,K- and H,K-ATPases, the remarkable hexameric assembly of fungal proton pumps, the many ways in which P4-ATPase lipid flippases are regulated, and finally the deorphanization of P5 pumps. Interestingly many of the described features are found in more than one of the five subfamilies, and mixed and matched together to provide optimal function and precise regulation.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.