ABC Transporters: Where Are We 45 Years On? (2nd Edition)
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Biochemistry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2025 | Viewed by 277
Special Issue Editor
Interests: ABC transporters; molecular dynamics simulations; multidrug resistance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
ABC transporters are a large family of integral membrane proteins that are found in almost all species. Most are comprised of two membrane spanning domains and two ATP-Binding Cassettes, with the four domains organised into a conserved architecture. Prokaryotic ABCs import essential nutrients, trace metals, and vitamins, while eukaryotic ABCs export drugs, toxins, sterols, lipids, and metabolites. Many human diseases result from genetic lesions in various ABC genes that prevent expression or result in a dysfunctional version.
Researchers have struggled to solve the structure and function of ABC transporters since the 1976 discovery of P-glycoprotein, a toxin exporter in humans that causes anticancer drug resistance when overexpressed. A wealth of biochemical and biophysical studies has accrued over decades and dozens of X-ray and Cryo-EM structures have been solved in the past 20 years. We still do not know the complete cycle of mechanistic steps and inter- and intradomain movements that link ATP hydrolysis to the translocation of solutes across membranes, though various models have been proposed.
This Special Issue is a continuation of previous Special Issue “ABC Transporters: Where Are We 45 Years On?” (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijms/special_issues/ABC_transporter), and will focus on what we know about the structure-function of ABC transporters, and why it is difficult to solve the enigma of the ABC transporter mechanism. The characterisation of some individual transporters will be addressed, especially in relation to human diseases.
Dr. Anthony M George
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- nucleotide-binding cassette
- transmembrane binding domain
- drug resistance
- X-ray and cryo-EM structures
- molecular dynamics simulations
- ABC transporter
Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue
- Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
- Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
- Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
- External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
- e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.
Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.
