Piecing together the cells elevator-like mechanism for sodium
Monday, February 1, 2016 - 12:22
in Physics & Chemistry
Sodium, such that is found in ordinary table salt, is constantly transported back and forth our cells membrane in exchange for protons. This regulates sodium levels, cell volume and internal pH. Researchers have now been able to show the details in how the protein NapA carries out this process. In 2013, the researchers reported that the sodium-proton transport process in NapA involved large movements in the protein, which was surprising because the small size of the molecules transported. However, this model did not have a detailed picture of every step of this transport process.