"The collaboration between the UB, IRB Barcelona and the CNIO has been key to unraveling the mysteries of Asc1 and gaining unprecedented insight into its structure and function. In addition to the experts Óscar Llorca and Manuel Palacín, Ekaitz Errasti-Murugarren, professor at the Department of Physiological Sciences at the UB's Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, also participated in the study. The Asc1 protein is found mainly in neurons of the hippocampus and cerebral cortex in the brain. These are proteins that open and close continuously according to the needs of the cell. The results obtained on the molecular structure of Asc1 provide data to better understand the function performed by each of the transport modes. While the rest of the family of transporters to which it belongs—called HATs—can only exchange amino acids—that is, transport one amino acid into the cell when they take out another, or vice versa—Asc1 can take out one amino acid without the need to introduce another, and open and close in a vacuum.
