Families of Proteins Forming Transmembrane Channels

Channel-forming proteins/peptides fall into over 100 currently recognized families, most of which are restricted to prokaryotes or eukaryotes, but a few of which are ubiquitous. These proteins fall into three major currently recognized classes: (i) α-helix-type channels present in bacterial, archaeal and eukaryotic cytoplasmic and organellar membranes, (ii) β-barrel-type porins present in the outer membranes of Gram-negative bacterial cells, mitochondria and chloroplasts, and (iii) protein/peptide toxins targeted to the cytoplasmic membranes of cells other than those that synthesize the toxins. High-resolution 3-dimensional structural data are available for representative proteins/peptides of all three of these channel-forming types. Each type exhibits distinctive features that distinguish them from the other channel protein types and from carriers. Structural, functional, and evolutionary aspects of transmembrane channel-formers are discussed. Received: 10 September 1999/Revised: 11 February 2000