Structural basis of glucosinolate binding and transport by Arabidopsis thaliana GTRs

Structural basis of glucosinolate binding and transport by Arabidopsis thaliana GTRs | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Structural basis of glucosinolate binding and transport by Arabidopsis thaliana GTRs Hussam Nour-Eldin, Ga-Yeon Yoon, Uijin Kim, Christa Kanstrup, and 7 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-8174075/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Plants rely on specialized metabolites as chemical defenses, and conversely, accumulation of defense molecules can compromise crop quality, underscoring the need to clarify how the distribution of such compounds is established. Although several transporter families have been implicated, the molecular basis of cargo recognition and translocation remains unclear. Here, we present three cryo-EM structures of a key member of the Nitrate and Peptide transporter Family (NPF), GTR1, which is essential for cellular import of glucosinolate (GLS) defense compounds in the Brassicales plant order. The structures capture distinct conformations consistent with an alternating-access mechanism to a vestibule between the N- and C-terminal bundles, with the latter remaining largely static. Combined with in vitro and in silico studies, we define the GLS-binding pocket and identify protonation events likely required for transport. These insights establish a framework for understanding the mechanistic principles and a foundation for dissecting cargo recognition of the NPF. Biological sciences/Structural biology/Electron microscopy/Cryoelectron microscopy Biological sciences/Plant sciences/Secondary metabolism Biological sciences/Biophysics/Permeation and transport plant transport NPF GTRs glucosinolates mechanism cryo-EM Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files Datafig5b.csv Dataset for Fig5b 251121Supplementaryinformation.docx Supplementary information Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8174075","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":551905035,"identity":"159ca6a7-05be-438a-bc10-05dd2e0d8ddb","order_by":0,"name":"Hussam 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