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Sixteen years have passed since human aquaporin-1 (AQP1) was discovered as the first water channel, facilitating trans-membrane water fluxes. Subsequent years of research showed that the water channel AQP1 was only the tip of an iceberg; the iceberg itself being the ubiquitous super family of membrane intrinsic proteins (MIPs) that facilitate trans-membrane transport of water and an increasing number of small, water-soluble and uncharged compounds. Here we introduce you to the superfamily of MIPs and provide a summary about our gradually refined understanding of the phylogenetic relationship of its members. This volume is dedicated to the metalloids, a recently discovered group of substrates for a number of specific MIPs in a diverse spectrum of organisms. Particular focus is given to the essential boron, the beneficial silicon and the highly toxic arsenic. The respective MIP isoforms that facilitate the transport of these metalloids include members from several clades of the phylogenetic tree, suggesting that metalloid transport is an ancient function within this family of channel proteins. Among all the various substrates that have been shown to be transported by MIPs, metalloids take an outstanding position. While water transport seems to be a common function of many MIPs, single isoforms in plants have been identified as being crucially important for the uptake of boric acid as well as silicic acid. Here, the function seems not to be redundant, as mutations in those genes render plants deficient in boron and silicon, respectively.
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MIPs and Their Role in the Exchange of Metalloids ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY Editorial Board: NATHAN BACK, State University of New York at Buffalo IRUN R. COHEN, The Weizmann Institute of Science ABEL LAJTHA, N.S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research JOHN D. LAMBRIS, University of Pennsylvania RODOLFO PAOLETTI, University of Milan Recent Volumes in this Series Volume 671 FRONTIERS IN BRAIN REPAIR Edited by Rahul Jandial Volume 672 BIOSURFACTANTS Edited by Ramkrishna Sen Volume 673 MODELLING PARASITE TRANSMISSION AND CONTROL Edited by Edwin Michael and Robert C. Spear Volume 674 INTEGRINS AND ION CHANNELS: MOLECULAR COMPLEXES AND SIGNALING Edited by Andrea Becchetti and Annarosa Arcangeli Volume 675 RECENT ADVANCES IN PHOTOTROPHIC PROKARYOTES Edited by Patrick C. Hallenbeck Volume 676 POLYPLOIDIZATION AND CANCER Edited by Randy Y.C. Poon Volume 677 PROTEINS: MEMBRANE BINDING AND PORE FORMATION Edited by Gregor Anderluh and Jeremy Lakey Volume 678 CHEMO FOG: CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY-RELATED COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT Edited by Robert B. Raffa and Ronald J. Tallarida Volume 679 MIPS AND THEIR ROLE IN THE EXCHANGE OF METALLOIDS Edited by Thomas P. Jahn and Gerd P. Bienert A Continuation Order Plan is available for this series. A continuation order will bring delivery of each new volume immediately upon publication. Volumes are billed only upon actual shipment. For further information please contact the publisher. MIPs and Their Role in the Exchange of Metalloids Edited by Thomas P. Jahn, PhD Department of Agriculture and Ecology, Faculty of Life Sciences University of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Denmark Gerd P. Bienert, PhD Unité de Biochimie Physiologique, Institut des Sciences de la Vie Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium Springer Science+Business Media, LLC Landes Bioscience Springer Science+Business Media, LLC Landes Bioscience Copyright ©2010 Landes Bioscience and Springer Science+Business Media, LLC All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission