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Bacterial transport of sulfate, molybdate, and related oxyanions

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Abstract

Sulfur is an essential element for microorganisms and it can be obtained from varied compounds, sulfate being the preferred source. The first step for sulfate assimilation, sulfate uptake, has been studied in several bacterial species. This article reviews the properties of different bacterial (and archaeal) transporters for sulfate, molybdate, and related oxyanions. Sulfate uptake is carried out by sulfate permeases that belong to the SulT (CysPTWA), SulP, CysP/(PiT), and CysZ families. The oxyanions molybdate, tungstate, selenate and chromate are structurally related to sulfate. Molybdate is transported mainly by the high-affinity ModABC system and tungstate by the TupABC and WtpABC systems. CysPTWA, ModABC, TupABC, and WtpABC are homologous ATP-binding cassette (ABC)-type transporters with similar organization and properties. Uptake of selenate and chromate oxyanions occurs mainly through sulfate permeases.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from Coordinación de Investigación Científica (UMSNH; 2.6), Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología-México (Conacyt, 79190), and Dirección General de Asuntos del Personal Académico (UNAM; IN208308, IN208510). EA-B and CD-P were recipients of postgraduate fellowships from Conacyt and UMSNH, respectively.

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  1. Instituto de Investigaciones Químico-Biológicas, Universidad Michoacana, Edificio B-3, Ciudad Universitaria, 58030, Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico

    Esther Aguilar-Barajas, César Díaz-Pérez, Martha I. Ramírez-Díaz & Carlos Cervantes

  2. Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, DF, Mexico

    Héctor Riveros-Rosas

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  1. Esther Aguilar-Barajas
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  2. César Díaz-Pérez
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  4. Héctor Riveros-Rosas
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  5. Carlos Cervantes
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Correspondence to Carlos Cervantes.

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Aguilar-Barajas, E., Díaz-Pérez, C., Ramírez-Díaz, M.I. et al. Bacterial transport of sulfate, molybdate, and related oxyanions. Biometals 24, 687–707 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10534-011-9421-x

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