Origin and evolution of transporter substrate specificity within the NPF family: [with Correction]

Morten Egevang Jørgensen, Deyang Xu, Christoph Crocoll, Heidi Asschenfeldt Ernst, David Ramírez, Mohammed Saddik Motawie, Carl Erik Olsen, Osman Asghar Mirza, Hussam Hassan Nour-Eldin, Barbara Ann Halkier

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Abstract

Despite vast diversity in metabolites and the matching substrate specificity of their transporters, little is known about how evolution of transporter substrate specificities is linked to emergence of substrates via evolution of biosynthetic pathways. Transporter specificity towards the recently evolved glucosinolates characteristic of Brassicales is shown to evolve prior to emergence of glucosinolate biosynthesis. Furthermore, we show that glucosinolate transporters belonging to the ubiquitous NRT1/PTR FAMILY (NPF) likely evolved from transporters of the ancestral cyanogenic glucosides found across more than 2500 species outside of the Brassicales. Biochemical characterization of orthologs along the phylogenetic lineage from cassava to A. thaliana, suggests that alterations in the electrogenicity of the transporters accompanied changes in substrate specificity. Linking the evolutionary path of transporter substrate specificities to that of the biosynthetic pathways, exemplify how transporter substrate specificities originate and evolve as new biosynthesis pathways emerge.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbere19466
JournaleLife
Volume6
Number of pages30
ISSN2050-084X
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017

Bibliographical note

Correction:
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.46989

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