In Silico Analysis of Natural Resistance-Associated Macrophage Protein (NRAMP) Family of Transporters in Rice

• Published in: The Protein Journal 2018-06, Vol.37 (3), p.237-247
• Main Authors: Mani, Anitha, Sankaranarayanan, Kavitha
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Amino Acid Sequence; Animal Anatomy; Biochemistry; Bioorganic Chemistry; Cation Transport Proteins - chemistry; Cation Transport Proteins - genetics; Cation Transport Proteins - metabolism; Cations, Divalent; Chemical properties; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Computational Biology; Computer Simulation; Conserved sequence; DNA microarrays; Gene Expression; Histology; Iron; Macrophages; Manganese ions; Metal ions; Metals - metabolism; Molecular chains; Morphology; Nramp protein; Organic Chemistry; Oryza - metabolism; Oryza sativa; Phylogeny; Physicochemical properties; Plant Proteins - chemistry; Plant Proteins - genetics; Plant Proteins - metabolism; Predictions; Protein Conformation; Protein transport; Proteins; Rice; Structure-function relationships; Three dimensional models; Transmembrane domains; Zinc; Zinc compounds
• ISSN: 1572-3887; 1573-4943; 1875-8355
• DOI: 10.1007/s10930-018-9773-y

In Oryza sativa (rice) there are seven members in the NRAMP (natural resistance- associated macrophage protein) family of transporter proteins. They have been identified as OsNRAMP1, OsNRAMP2, OsNRAMP3, OsNRAMP4, OsNRAMP5, OsNRAMP6 and OsNRAMP7. Several metal ions like Zn 2+ , Mn 2+ , Fe 2+ , Cd 2+ etc. have been studied to be transported via NRAMP transporter proteins in rice plant. In spite of this, very little information is available regarding these transporters. Hence it is important to computationally predict and characterize the OsNRAMP family of transporters for studying and understanding their molecular insights in future studies. For this purpose, various in silico methods and tools were used for the characterization of OsNRAMP family of transporter proteins. Physico-chemical properties of the protein sequences were calculated, putative transmembrane domains (TMDs) and conserved motif signatures were determined and their interaction partners were predicted. 3D models of all the members of OsNRAMP transporters were generated using online structure prediction tool followed by their analysis. In silico microarray analysis was done to understand the expression pattern of these transporters in rice plant. Currently, only limited knowledge is available about the structural and functional aspects of these transporters, hence this study would provide more theoretical information about them.