Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41408058›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Structural insights into cationic amino acid transport and viral receptor engagement by CAT1.

Lingyun Xia, Bingqian Lin, Rongfeng Zou, Yanyan Wu, Jiaying Xu, Yan Pan, Yuan Yuan, Shuo Li, Yang Yang, Xuemin Chen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Lingyun Xia *School of Life Sciences and Medical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China. lyxia@ahu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6329-9650
Bingqian Lin *School of Life Sciences, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Rongfeng Zou *Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Yanyan WuSchool of Life Sciences and Medical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
Jiaying XuSchool of Life Sciences and Medical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
Yan PanSchool of Life Sciences and Medical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
Yuan YuanSchool of Life Sciences and Medical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
Shuo LiSchool of Life Sciences and Medical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
Yang YangSchool of Life Sciences and Medical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China. ahuyy@ahu.edu.cn.
Xuemin ChenSchool of Life Sciences and Medical Engineering, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China. cxmsherman@163.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1818-9206

Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China) 32371270
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cationic amino acid transporter 1 (CAT1) transports cationic amino acids and plays pivotal roles in cancer proliferation, immune modulation, and nitric oxide metabolism. It also serves as the specific cellular receptor for certain murine leukemia viruses. Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of mammalian CAT1 in complex with its substrate ornithine and the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of Friend murine leukemia virus (FrMLV). CAT1 specifically recognizes the side-chain amino group of ornithine via residue S347 on transmembrane helix 8 (TM8), capturing the transporter in an inward-facing occluded conformation. Notably, the FrMLV RBD (frRBD) primarily engages the third extracellular loop (ECL3) of CAT1-a region marked by substantial species-specific variation that likely governs cross-species viral tropism. Together, our structural and biochemical results elucidate the molecular mechanism of substrate recognition and transport by mCAT1, and unveil the molecular basis for FrMLV receptor specificity. These findings provide a valuable framework for structure-based drug design targeting CAT1 in cancer and infectious diseases.

Indexed as

Cationic Amino Acid Transporter 1Receptors, VirusAnimalsBinding SitesCryoelectron MicroscopyHEK293 CellsHumansLeukemia Virus, MurineMiceModels, MolecularProtein BindingCationic Amino Acid Transporter 1Receptors, Virus

Identifiers

PMID41408058
PMCPMC12855903

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.