'''Zinc transporter proteins (Zrt)''', or simply '''zinc transporters''', are membrane transport proteins of the solute carrier family which control the membrane transport of zinc and regulate its intracellular and cytoplasmic concentrations.<ref name="pmid28130681">{{cite journal | vauthors = Hara T, Takeda TA, Takagishi T, Fukue K, Kambe T, Fukada T | title = Physiological roles of zinc transporters: molecular and genetic importance in zinc homeostasis | journal = The Journal of Physiological Sciences | volume = 67 | issue = 2 | pages = 283–301 | date = March 2017 | pmid = 28130681 | doi = 10.1007/s12576-017-0521-4 | doi-access = free | pmc = 10717645 }}</ref> They include two major groups: (1) the zinc transporter (ZnT) or solute carrier 30 (SLC30) family, which controls the efflux of zinc from the cytoplasm out of the cell and from the cytoplasm into vesicles; and (2) the zinc importer, Zrt- and Irt-like protein (ZIP), or solute carrier 39A (SLC39A) family, which controls the influx of zinc into the cytoplasm from outside the cell and from vesicles.<ref name="pmid28130681" />
At least one zinc transporter, ZIP9, is also a G protein-coupled receptor and membrane androgen receptor.<ref name="pmid28479083">{{cite journal | vauthors = Thomas P, Converse A, Berg HA | title = ZIP9, a novel membrane androgen receptor and zinc transporter protein | journal = General and Comparative Endocrinology | volume = 257 | pages = 130–136 | date = February 2018 | pmid = 28479083 | doi = 10.1016/j.ygcen.2017.04.016 }}</ref>
==Families==
===ZnT (SLC30)=== {{Infobox protein family |Name=Cation efflux (diffusion facilitator) protein |Pfam=PF01545 |Symbol=Cation_efflux |InterPro=IPR002524 |image=File:ZntB Transporter Protein Structure Comparison.png |caption='''ZntB Transporter Protein Structure:''' The left side of the image shows the full-length ZntB protein structure, without the presence of zinc. The right side shows the cytoplasmic domain of the protein and the apparent conformation change undergone by the protein to accommodate zinc transport. The conformation change is believed to be necessary for zinc ion transport. The chlorine ions (illustrated as the orange circles) support the conclusion that a change in the electrostatics and pH are necessary for transport.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> }} Members: ZnT1, ZnT2, ZnT3, ZnT4, ZnT5, ZnT6, ZnT7, ZnT8, ZnT9, ZnT10
Bacterial members of the family are known to increase tolerance to high salt concentrations.
==== ZntB Zinc Transporter Protein ==== Unlike some other zinc transporter proteins, the mechanism of how Zn<sup>2+</sup> is transported via ZntB is not well understood. However, scientists have been able to speculate that the transport of Zn<sup>2+</sup> is related to pH gradient and the electrostatics of the protein membrane.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal | vauthors = Gati C, Stetsenko A, Slotboom DJ, Scheres SH, Guskov A | title = The structural basis of proton driven zinc transport by ZntB | language = En | journal = Nature Communications | volume = 8 | issue = 1 | page = 1313 | date = November 2017 | pmid = 29101379 | pmc = 5670123 | doi = 10.1038/s41467-017-01483-7 | author-link4 = Sjors Scheres | bibcode = 2017NatCo...8.1313G }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite journal | vauthors = Tan K, Sather A, Robertson JL, Moy S, Roux B, Joachimiak A | title = Structure and electrostatic property of cytoplasmic domain of ZntB transporter | journal = Protein Science | volume = 18 | issue = 10 | pages = 2043–52 | date = October 2009 | pmid = 19653298 | pmc = 2786968 | doi = 10.1002/pro.215 }}</ref> {{clear}}
===ZIP (SLC39)=== {{Infobox protein family |Name=Zinc/iron permease |Symbol=ZIP |InterPro=IPR003689 |Pfam=PF02535 }} ZIP1, ZIP2, ZIP3, ZIP4, ZIP5, ZIP6, ZIP7 (''Catsup''), ZIP8, ZIP9, ZIP10, ZIP11, ZIP12, ZIP13, ZIP14
The structure of a bacterial ZIP protein has been resolved.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Zhang T, Liu J, Fellner M, Zhang C, Sui D, Hu J | title = Crystal structures of a ZIP zinc transporter reveal a binuclear metal center in the transport pathway | journal = Science Advances | volume = 3 | issue = 8 | article-number = e1700344 | date = August 2017 | pmid = 28875161 | pmc = 5573306 | doi = 10.1126/sciadv.1700344 | doi-access = free | bibcode = 2017SciA....3E0344Z }}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist|2}}{{Membrane transport proteins}}
Category:Solute carrier family
{{membrane-protein-stub}}