Molecular mechanisms for copper trafficking across membranes.

铜是一种微量金属，对所有形式的生命都是必不可少的，然而过量的铜是有毒的。严密控制的基于蛋白质的金属调节系统在所有细胞中负责铜的摄取和稳态。这些系统的组成部分是完整的膜运输蛋白，其中包括仅负责将铜摄取到真核细胞中的Ctr蛋白。本项目旨在通过x射线晶体学解决其三维结构，确定Ctr蛋白在真核细胞膜上运输铜的分子机制。

Copper is a trace metal that is essential for all forms of life, however it is toxic in excess. Tightly controlled protein-based metalloregulatory systems are responsible for copper uptake and homeostasis in all cells. Components of these systems are integral membrane transport proteins, which include the Ctr proteins that are solely responsible for copper uptake into eukaryotic cells. This project aims to define the molecular mechanisms by which the Ctr proteins transport copper across eukaryotic cell membranes, by solving their three-dimensional structures by X-ray crystallography.