Dynamics and Evolution of Glutamate Transporters
Glutamate transporters in the human brain remove the neurotransmitter glutamate from the synaptic cleft, enabling repeated cycles of neurotransmission and preventing glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. These transporters are ancient proteins that, in prokaryotes, serve to import amino acids as nutrient sources from the environment. Across evolution, glutamate transporters have diversified to meet distinct physiological demands, adapting to use different ion gradients as energy sources, to recognize various amino acid substrates, and to operate at different kinetic rates. I will discuss our recent insights into the structural and dynamic bases of these adaptations and how they inform strategies for developing improved therapeutics targeting neurotransmitter transporters.
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For any questions, please contact Hyacinth Camillieri at hcamillieri@gc.cuny.edu.