Quantitative description of ion transport via plasma membrane of yeast and small cells

TL;DR

This paper reviews and models ion transport mechanisms in yeast cells, comparing them with animal cells, emphasizing the importance of cell volume, wall, and lipid rafts, and proposing future research directions.

Contribution

It provides a quantitative overview of ion transport systems in yeast, including molecule counts, and compares these with other cell types, highlighting structural influences.

Findings

Quantitative characterization of yeast ion transporters.

Comparison of ion transport in yeast and animal cells.

Discussion on cell volume, wall, and lipid rafts effects.

Abstract

Modeling of ion transport via plasma membrane needs identification and quantitative understanding of the involved processes. Brief characterization of main ion transport systems of a yeast cell (Pma1, Ena1, TOK1, Nha1, Trk1, Trk2, non-selective cation conductance) and determining the exact number of molecules of each transporter per a typical cell allow us to predict the corresponding ion flows. In this review a comparison of ion transport in small yeast cell and several animal cell types is provided. The importance of cell volume to surface ratio is emphasized. The role of cell wall and lipid rafts is discussed in respect to required increase in spatial and temporal resolution of measurements. Conclusions are formulated to describe specific features of ion transport in a yeast cell. Potential directions of future research are outlined based on the assumptions.