ZRT2 — Aspergillus fumigatus

Summary

AFU2G03860 (ZRT2, zrfB) in Aspergillus fumigatus encodes a plasma membrane low-affinity zinc ion transporter, putative, belonging to the ZIP family, with low-affinity zinc ion transmembrane transporter activity, high-affinity zinc transmembrane transporter activity, zinc ion transmembrane transporter activity, and zinc binding. The gene is associated with response to zinc, zinc transport, zinc import, zinc ion membrane transport, cellular response to pH, gliotoxin anabolism, cellular zinc ion homeostasis, response to oxidative stress, NO storage, ergosterol anabolism, hypersensitivity, and homeostasis. It localizes to the ER membrane and plasmalemma. ZRT2 has been linked to invasive pulmonary aspergillosis and studied in Mus musculus. Phenotypic associations include normal vegetative growth, increased mutation frequency, abnormal lipid particle morphology, increased protein activity, increased metal resistance, decreased rate of utilization of nitrogen source, decreased and increased chemical compound accumulation, decreased rate of vegetative growth, haploinsufficiency, decreased vegetative growth, decreased competitive fitness, increased and decreased resistance to chemicals, and viability. Studies of related ZIP transporters in other species link the family to small molecule transport, unaffected pathogenicity, decreased size of nucleolus, decreased heat sensitivity, haploproficiency, decreased toxin resistance, increased competitive fitness, and abnormal vacuolar morphology.