Glucose transport may hinge on a fleeting transition-like state

Stockholm University and SciLifeLab researchers have uncovered how glucose transporters move nutrients into cells, bridging a long-standing gap between structure and function in membrane biology. "Our study shows that these transport proteins rely on a previously uncharacterized intermediate state that functions much like the 'transition state' in enzyme catalysis. This is a discovery that reshapes our understanding of one of biology's most fundamental processes," says David Drew, professor of biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University.