AUTHOR=Rambow Janis , Wu Binghua , Rönfeldt Deike , Beitz Eric TITLE=Aquaporins with anion/monocarboxylate permeability: mechanisms, relevance for pathogen–host interactions JOURNAL=Frontiers in Pharmacology VOLUME=5 YEAR=2014 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pharmacology/articles/10.3389/fphar.2014.00199 DOI=10.3389/fphar.2014.00199 ISSN=1663-9812 ABSTRACT=

Classically, aquaporins are divided based on pore selectivity into water specific, orthodox aquaporins and solute-facilitating aquaglyceroporins, which conduct, e.g., glycerol and urea. However, more aquaporin-passing substrates have been identified over the years, such as the gasses ammonia and carbon dioxide or the water-related hydrogen peroxide. It became apparent that not all aquaporins clearly fit into one of only two subfamilies. Furthermore, certain aquaporins from both major subfamilies have been reported to conduct inorganic anions, such as chloride, or monoacids/monocarboxylates, such as lactic acid/lactate. Here, we summarize the findings on aquaporin anion transport, analyze the pore layout of such aquaporins in comparison to prototypical non-selective anion channels, monocarboxylate transporters, and formate–nitrite transporters. Finally, we discuss in which scenarios anion conducting aquaporins may be of physiological relevance.