Bacterial Cu+-ATPases: Models for molecular structure-function studies

Abstract

The early discovery of the human Cu+-ATPases and their link to Menkes and Wilson's diseases brought attention to the unique role of these transporters in copper homeostasis. The characterization of bacterial Cu+-ATPases has significantly furthered our understanding of the structure, selectivity and transport mechanism of these enzymes, as well as their interplay with other elements of Cu+ distribution networks. This review focuses on the structural-functional insights that have emerged from studies of bacterial Cu+-ATPases at the molecular level and how these observations have contributed to drawing up a comprehensive picture of cellular copper homeostasis.