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Structural basis of urea transport by Arabidopsis thaliana DUR3

Author

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  • Weidong An

    (Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agricultural Sciences at Weifang
    Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Yiwei Gao

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Laihua Liu

    (China Agricultural University)

  • Qinru Bai

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jun Zhao

    (Shandong Laboratory of Advanced Agricultural Sciences at Weifang)

  • Yan Zhao

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xuejun C. Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

Urea is a primary nitrogen source used as fertilizer in agricultural plant production and a crucial nitrogen metabolite in plants, playing an essential role in modern agriculture. In plants, DUR3 is a proton-driven high-affinity urea transporter located on the plasma membrane. It not only absorbs external low-concentration urea as a nutrient but also facilitates nitrogen transfer by recovering urea from senescent leaves. Despite its importance, the high-affinity urea transport mechanism in plants remains insufficiently understood. In this study, we determine the structures of Arabidopsis thaliana DUR3 in two different conformations: the inward-facing open state of the apo structure and the occluded urea-bound state, with overall resolutions of 2.8 Å and 3.0 Å, respectively. By comparing these structures and analyzing their functional characteristics, we elucidated how urea molecules are specifically recognized. In the urea-bound structure, we identified key titratable amino acid residues and proposed a model for proton involvement in urea transport based on structural and functional data. This study enhances our understanding of proton-driven urea transport mechanisms in DUR3.

Suggested Citation

  • Weidong An & Yiwei Gao & Laihua Liu & Qinru Bai & Jun Zhao & Yan Zhao & Xuejun C. Zhang, 2025. "Structural basis of urea transport by Arabidopsis thaliana DUR3," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-9, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-56943-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-56943-2
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