Cooperativity in Plant Plasma Membrane Intrinsic Proteins (PIPs): Mechanism of Increased Water Transport in Maize PIP1 Channels in Hetero-tetramers.

ABSTRACT: Plant aquaporins (AQPs) play vital roles in several physiological processes. Plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs) belong to the subfamily of plant AQPs. They are further subdivided into two closely related subgroups PIP1s and PIP2s. While PIP2 members are efficient water channels, PIP1s from some plant species have been shown to be functionally inactive. Aquaporins form tetramers under physiological conditions. PIP2s can enhance the water transport of PIP1s when they form hetero-tetramers. However, the role of monomer-monomer interface and the significance of specific residues in enhancing the water permeation of PIP1s have not been investigated at atomic level. We have performed all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of homo-tetramers and four different hetero-tetramers contain

SUBMITTER: Vajpai M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6089885 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature