[transport] ionophores

[Jennifer Deegan (nee Clark)]

Hi,

The transporter activity working group are very keen to hear any views 
at all on these terms:

[Term]
id: GO:0022809
name: mobile ion carrier activity
namespace: molecular_function
synonym: "ionophore" BROAD []
is_a: GO:0022803 ! passive transporter activity

Notes:
A mobile ion carrier is a type of carrier produced by bacteria. It 
enable passive transport by shielding the ion that is being transported 
from the lipid membrane. It carries an ion across the membrane by 
enclosing the ion and travelling across the membrane. It does not form a 
fully open pore across the membrane." [GOC:mtg_transport, TR:jic]

[Term]
id: GO:0022886
name: channel-forming ionophore activity
namespace: molecular_function
def: "Enables transport of a solute across a membrane. This kind of 
transporter interacts much more weakly with the solute than the carrier 
does. It is an aqueous pore that extends across the membrane. It may 
change from closed to open and back. It transports faster than a 
carrier. It is always passive." [GOC:mtg_transport]
synonym: "ionophore activity" BROAD []
is_a: GO:0015267 ! channel activity

They sprang pretty much fully formed from the pages of 'molecular 
biology of the cell' and between us we're not too sure if they're right 
or not.

Thanks,

Jen




-- 
Jennifer Deegan (nee Clark)
EMBL-European Bioinformatics Institute
Gene Ontology Consortium