Figure 1: Identification of PfFNT as a plasmodial lactate transporter.
From: Identity of a Plasmodium lactate/H+ symporter structurally unrelated to human transporters
(a) Glycolytic flow in malarial parasites with the molecular identity of the lactate/proton symporter unknown (HT, hexose transporter; LDH, lactate dehydrogenase). (b) Expression profile of the plasmodial HT (green) and candidate lactate transporters PFB0465c (purple), PFI1295c (red) and PfFNT (orange). Data were from plasmoDB10,11; transcript level is given as reads per kilobase of exon model per million mapped reads (RPKM)11. (c) Identity and similarity of PfFNT (orange) to other plasmodial (Pb, P. berghei; Py, P. yoelii; Pc, P. chabaudi; Pk, P. knowlesi) and bacterial FNTs (Ec, Escherichia coli; St, Salmonella typhimurium, Cd, Clostridium difficile). (d) Side view on the EcFocA12,14 (green), StNirC15 (pink) and CdFNT3 (ref. 17; blue) structures plus a PfFNT model (orange). Depicted are residues of the transport channel with the constriction sites as sticks and a fixed water molecule (red sphere). (e) Western blot showing plasma membrane localization of codon-optimized PfFNT, PFI1295c and PFB0465c in yeast. (f) Growth phenotype of yeast without endogenous lactate transporters (jen1Δ ady2Δ)19. Growth on L-lactate as the sole carbon source indicates lactate transport of the expressed protein.
