April 18th 2024: Recent advances in structural biology techniques have dramatically accelerated research into Solute Carrier biology. In this perspective, published in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, I outline under explored functions for SLC proteins in cell biology and where new therapeutic opportunities are likely to be found to treat disease in the coming years ahead.
July 24th 2023: In our latest study, published in Nature Structural and Molecular Biology, we reveal the molecular basis for organic anion transport via OAT1, which is a key drug transporter in the kidney. Our study reveals how this membrane protein recognises the antiviral tenofovir, and how a clinical inhibitor, probenecid, functions to block transport and reduce kidney toxicity. This study establishes the basis for a targeted understanding of drug transport within the kidney and opens new routes to develop selective inhibitors to reduce drug inducded kidney toxicity.
June 6th 2023: Congratulations to Jo for organising our sustainability initiative, which resulted this month in the group being awarded a Silver LEAF rating! Let’s keep up the good work, reducing waste and increasing energy efficiency.
August 22nd 2022: Dysregulation of lysosomal membrane proteins play major roles in metabolic diseases. To advance our understanding of lysosomal biology we recently published the crystal structure and functional characterisation of cystinosin (CTNS) in Nature Communications. Cystinosin is responsible for recycling cyteine in the cell, and mutations in the gene encoding CTNS cause Cystinosis, a lysosomal storage disorder. Our latest work will drive new direction in our efforts to understand the causes of lysosome dysfunction and develop new insights into cell homeostasis and human disease treatment.
December 8th 2021: The molecular basis for cystine/glutamate exchange across the plasma membrane is now out in Nature Communications! System xc- (SLC7A11) is a key regulator of cellular redox levels and a major target for novel anticancer drugs and new tools to understand Feroptosis, a recently described cell death pathway resulting from lipid peroxidation.
March 3rd 2022: Also see our related paper in Molecular Cell, implicating SLC7A11 in kynurenine transport and anti-ferroptotic signalling.
September 26th 2021: PepT1 and PepT2 are responsible for the absorption and retention of dietary peptides and beta-lactam antibiotics in the small intestine and kindey respectively. Here we report the cryo-EM structure of the renal peptide transporter, PepT2, and reveal an accurate ligand binding template for drug development. Read our results here in Sci Adv.
July 8th 2021: Understanding the resistance landscape of M. tuberculosis is a major challenge to improve therapeutic strategies against the world’s deadliest pathogen. Find out how our latest research advances the fight in Oli’s latest paper- out now in Structure! Also, read the Preview by Jonathan Bailey & Luiz Carvalho from the Francis Crick Institute.
June 17th 2021: How are different populations of folding chaperones efficiently trafficked in the early secretory pathway? Find out in our latest study on the KDEL receptor, reported in Elife!
Summer 2021: We are jointly running an online exhibit at the Royal Society Summer Science festival – BO and Beyond . Save the date and follow our story, including a lightning lecture by Dr Julia Humes on the role of peptide transporters in human BO production! See our dedicated BO & Beyond website here and find out about the team and watch the podcast interview explaining the science
October 9th 2020: SWEET Talking the COPs – insights into trafficking receptor evolution and the structural similarities between the KDEL receptor and SWEET transporters. Out in J Cell Sci.
April 8th 2020: Detailed protocol released for generating synthetic nanobodies (sybodies) against your favourate membrane protein! Out in Nature Protocols.
March 27th 2020: Update on recent progress in understanding prodrug transport by the SLC15 family of peptide transports. Online now in Biochem Soc Trans.
October 11th 2019: How lipids regulate nucleotide sugar transporters and much more! Research by Jo Parker and Robin Corey reveal how a fungal nucleotide sugar transporter functions in the lipid bilayer. Online now in Nature Communications.
October 1st 2019: How protons control structural transitions in an amino acid transporter. Research by Wellcome DPhil student Zhiyi Wu reveals how a key glutamate residue regulates transport in a bacterial homologue of the SLC36 family mammalian amino acid transporters. Online now in Biophysical journal.
June 3rd 2019: Insights into L-type heteromeric amino acid transporters.
Two recent cryo-EM structures of the human L-type heteromeric amino acid transporter LAT1–CD98hc reveal surprising new insights into both amino acid transport in the human body and the roles of CD98hc as a cell-surface antigen and trafficking chaperone. Read my News and Views piece in NSMB.
April 16th, 2019. Gateway to the Golgi; How nucleotide sugar transporters shuttle molecules across the Golgi membrane.
March 8th 2019: Following a great collaboration with the Barr and Seeger groups, our latest paper ‘Structural basis for pH dependent retrieval of ER proteins from the Golgi by the KDEL receptor‘ is out in Science.