The researchers determined the structure of UT-A at 2.9 Å resolution, revealing the molecular organization of this membrane transporter and identifying structural features relevant to urea transport. The study also characterized UT-B in complex with the selective inhibitor UTBinh-14, providing structural insights into inhibitor binding and selectivity.

The role of PUXANO graphene grids

PUXANO contributed graphene-coated EM grids used in the cryo-EM studies. As specifically acknowledged by the authors, these grids supported the structural characterization of the human urea transporters.

The study demonstrates how graphene-coated grids can support high-resolution cryo-EM of challenging membrane proteins, helping researchers obtain detailed structural information that can be used to understand ligand binding and guide future drug discovery.