Dirofilaria immitis, a filarial nematode, causes dirofilariasis in dogs, cats and occasionally in humans. Prevention of the disease has been mainly by monthly use of the macrocyclic lactone (ML) endectocides during the mosquito transmission season. Recently, ML resistance has been confirmed in D. immitis and therefore, there is a need to find new classes of anthelmintics. One of the mechanisms ...

ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters are ATP-dependent membrane proteins predominantly expressed in excretory organs, such as the liver, intestine, blood-brain barrier, blood-testes barrier, placenta, and kidney. Here, they play an important role in the absorption, distribution, and excretion of drugs, xenobiotics, and endogenous compounds. In addition, the ABC transporters, P-glycoprotein (...

A small number of physiologically important ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters are found in mitochondria. Most are half transporters of the B group forming homodimers and their topology suggests they function as exporters. The results of mutant studies point towards involvement in iron cofactor biosynthesis. In particular, ABC subfamily B member 7 (ABCB7) and its homologues in yeast and pl...

During the past years, available evidence suggests that members of a novel family of structurally highly related multispan proteins, designated ABC A-subclass transporters, exert critical functions in the control of cellular lipid transport processes. Loss-of-function scenarios, thus far, have revealed pivotal roles of individual ABC A-transporters in specialized lipid secretory pathways of the...

ABC transporters are remarkably versatile machines that move a wide array of substances, including both hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules across membranes (1-4). They are constructed with a modular design; each transporter has two nucleotidebinding domains (NBDs) and two membrane-spanning domains (often comprising six transmembrane helices). The NBDs are highly conserved modules that intera...

This chapter concentrates mainly on structural and mechanistic aspects of ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporters and, as an example of the physiological significance of these proteins, on lipid transport, vitally important for human health. The chapter considers those aspects of ABC transporter function that appear reasonably well established, those that remain controversial and what appear to...