Three types of efficient potassium uptake

systems, differing in their transport Pexidartinib clinical trial mechanism and primary protein structure, have been identified so far in nonconventional and pathogenic yeast species. The high relevance of the potassium uptake process is highlighted by the fact that, with a single exception (Zygosaccharomyces rouxii), all yeasts whose genomes have been sequenced are probably endowed with more than one potassium uptake system. The TRK (Transport of K+) family of transporters seems to be the most widely distributed in yeasts, although in only three species is their presence not accompanied by the existence of another system with a different mechanism (Table 1). Recently, the Trk family of transporters in nonanimal cells has been reviewed (Corratgé-Faillie et al., 2010). In S. cerevisiae, transport depends mainly on TRK1, the role of the Trk2 protein in potassium

supply is marginal and its transport activity is undetectable in the presence of TRK1 (Arino et al., 2010). In S. pombe, two Trk proteins have also been found and characterized (Soldatenkov et al., 1995; Calero et al., 2000). Sptrk1+ and Sptrk2+ are, in contrast to S. cerevisiae, equally important for the cell when growing under standard conditions and the presence of any of them is enough to enable growth at very low potassium concentrations. Schizosaccharomyces pombe cells lacking both trk genes can still grow at a similar rate to the wild type when the external concentration NVP-BEZ235 purchase of K+ is above 20 mM, and they are able to transport Rb+ (K+ analogue) with a low affinity. Therefore, the existence of a third, less efficient, K+ transporter cannot be ruled out. However, it is also possible that the K+ influx in the mutant is due to an ectopic process similar to the one described for S. cerevisiae (Madrid et al., 1998). Kluyveromyces lactis is endowed with a TRK homologous gene whose product

works as a low-affinity K+ transporter (Miranda et al., 2002). Trk transporters have been studied in two Debaryomyces species (Debaryomyces occidentalis, former Schwanniomyces occidentalis, and Debaryomyces hansenii), and DoTrk1 was found to be involved PAK6 in the potassium uptake and in the control of the membrane potential (Banuelos et al., 2000). Debaryomyces hansenii TRK1 was expressed in an S. cerevisiae mutant lacking its endogenous potassium transporters. This expression resulted in partial recovery of growth and ability to retain K+ at low concentrations (Prista et al., 2007). Recently, DhTrk1 has been proposed to work as a uniporter under nonlimiting K+ conditions (Martínez et al., 2011). The Candida albicans Trk1 transporter has been functionally compared with the Trk systems of S. cerevisiae.