Voltage-dependent anion-selective channel (VDAC) in the plasma membrane

Vito De Pinto; Angela Messina; Darius J R Lane; Alfons Lawen

doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2010.02.049

Voltage-dependent anion-selective channel (VDAC) in the plasma membrane

FEBS Lett. 2010 May 3;584(9):1793-9. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2010.02.049. Epub 2010 Feb 23.

Authors

Vito De Pinto¹, Angela Messina, Darius J R Lane, Alfons Lawen

Affiliation

¹ Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Catania, Istituto Nazionale di Biomembrane e Biosistemi, Sezione di Catania, Catania, Italy. vdpbiofa@unict.it

PMID: 20184885
DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2010.02.049

Abstract

Voltage-dependent anion channels (VDACs) have originally been characterized as mitochondrial porins. Starting in the late 1980s, however, evidence began to accumulate that VDACs can also be expressed in plasma membranes. In this review, we briefly revisit the historical milestones in the discovery of plasma membrane-bound VDAC, and we critically analyze the evidence for VDAC plasma membrane localization obtained from various purification strategies and recently from plasma membrane proteomics studies. We discuss the possible biological function and relevance of VDAC in the plasma membrane and finally discuss a hypothetical model of how VDAC may be targeted to the plasma membrane.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Cell Membrane / metabolism*
Cell Membrane / physiology
Humans
Models, Biological
Protein Transport / physiology
Substrate Specificity
Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels / isolation & purification
Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels / metabolism*
Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels / physiology*

Substances

Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels