User:Leisesk5

A Part of the ABC Transporter Family

In general, all ABC transporters are ATP dependent, meaning they use the energy generated from ATP hydrolysis to transport solutes across membranes. Their complexes consist of two trans-membrane domains (TMDs) and two cytosolic nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs). The secondary structure of the TMDs is diverse while the secondary structure of the NBDs is highly conserved.[ Depending on whether the ABC transporter is characterized as an export system or an import system, they work to pump amino acids, peptides, proteins, metal ions, lipids, bile salts, and other hydrophobic compounds, including drugs, against their concentration gradients. Due to their ability to transport drugs, these transporters are potential targets for the development of new antimicrobial drugs. ABC transporters are located only in the cytoplasmic membrane of bacteria, but in eukaryotes they can be found in the plasma membrane, endoplasmic reticulum membrane, mitochondria inner membrane, and intracellular vacuoles.