Zinc transporter YiiP (YiiP)

Zinc transporter YiiP, also known as FieF, is a bacterial membrane protein from Escherichia coli that belongs to the Cation Diffusion Facilitator (CDF) family [7, 24]. It functions as a homodimeric Zn2+/H+ antiporter, utilizing the proton motive force to export zinc, cadmium, and ferrous iron from the cytoplasm to the periplasm, thereby maintaining cellular metal homeostasis and preventing toxicity [4, 16, 27]. YiiP serves as a primary structural model for the human SLC30 (ZnT) family of transporters, which are critical for physiological processes such as insulin secretion and neurotransmission [7, 11]. Dysregulation of human homologs like ZnT8 is strongly associated with Type 2 Diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases, making these transporters significant therapeutic targets [18, 33]. The high-resolution structures of YiiP have elucidated the "rocking-bundle" mechanism of alternating access and the role of cytoplasmic sensing domains in allosteric regulation [6, 31, 33]. Consequently, YiiP serves as a vital template for structure-based drug discovery aimed at modulating zinc transport in various human pathologies [14, 30].

Other names

FieFCation-efflux pump FieFFerrous iron efflux proteinCation diffusion facilitator YiiPb3908JW3879

Zn2+/H+ antiport