Researchers from the Molday and Van Petegem labs have solved the cryo-EM structure of the ABCA4 transporter. The apo form is shown above.
A new paper from the Molday and Van Petegem labs has solved the structure of the ABCA4 transporter using cryo-EM. ABCA4 is a transporter present in the retina which moves a key lipid from the lumen to the cytoplasmic leaflet of photoreceptor membranes where it can be broken down. This is crucial in the prevention of visual impairment, as the presence of this lipid in the membrane causes the build up of toxic compounds leading to photoreceptor degeneration. In this study, the authors use cryo-EM to solve the structure of ABCA4 in both the apo form and with substrate present, yielding new insights into the mechanism of this receptor and how it acts in disease states.