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Transport and inhibition mechanism for human TauT-mediated taurine uptake

Cell Research volume 35, pages 381–384 (2025)Cite this article

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Dear Editor,

Taurine is a non-proteinogenic amino sulfonic acid crucial for cellular osmolarity, bile salt production, and cardiovascular health. Taurine deficiency has been linked to aging, heart failure, and vision loss.1 Although taurine can be synthesized in the body, the primary source is dietary intake facilitated by the high-affinity taurine transporter (TauT).2 TauT belongs to the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter subfamily of neurotransmitter sodium symporter (NSS) superfamily. Mice depleted of TauT gene developed cardiomyopathy, and age-dependent disorders, recapitulating the symptoms of taurine deficiency.3 Genetic mutations are associated with retinal degeneration and dilated cardiomyopathy in patients.4 Tumor cells upregulate TauT expression to outcompete CD8+ T lymphocytes for taurine uptake, resulting in poor clinical outcomes.5

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Fig. 1: Biochemical and structural characterization of human TauT.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Center of Cryo-Electron Microscopy, and Core Facility of Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University for technical support. This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (2023YFA0915000 to Q.Q. & J.H.), the National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (82425015 to J.H.), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32171194 & 32371256 to Q.Q., 82151215 to D.L., 82171102 to J.H., 32401007 to Z.Z.), the National Science and Technology Major Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2023ZD0503203 to Q.Q.), the Strategic Priority Research Program of CAS (XDB37020204 to D.L.), Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (22ZR1468300 to D.L.), the Shanghai Medical Innovation Research Program (22Y21900900 to J.H.), Shanghai Municipal Education Commission China (24SG11 to J.H.), Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan for Cell and Gene Therapy (24J22800500 to J.H.), Shanghai Science and Technology Innovation Action Plan for Advanced Materials (24CL2900800 to J.H.), and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2022M720805 to Z.Z.).

Author information

Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally: Yulin Chao, Zixuan Zhou, Hao Xia, Chuanhui Yang.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Eye & ENT Hospital, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences,Department of Systems Biology for Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

    Yulin Chao, Zixuan Zhou, Chuanhui Yang & Qianhui Qu

  2. State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecule Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China

    Hao Xia, Tingting Li & Dianfan Li

  3. School of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China

    Tingting Li & Dianfan Li

  4. State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

    Yi-Quan Tang

  5. ENT Institute and Otorhinolaryngology Department of the Affiliated Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

    Yilai Shu

  6. Laboratory Center, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China

    Qian Ba

  7. Department of Ophthalmology, Eye & ENT Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, Shanghai, China

    Jiaxu Hong

  8. NHC Key laboratory of Myopia and Related Eye Diseases, Shanghai, China

    Jiaxu Hong

  9. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Rare Disease Gene Editing and Cell Therapy; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Synthetic Immunology, Shanghai, China

    Jiaxu Hong

  10. Department of Ophthalmology, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, National Pediatric Medical Center of China, Shanghai, China

    Jiaxu Hong

Authors
  1. Yulin Chao
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  2. Zixuan Zhou
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  3. Hao Xia
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  4. Chuanhui Yang
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  5. Tingting Li
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  6. Yi-Quan Tang
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  7. Yilai Shu
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  8. Qian Ba
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  9. Jiaxu Hong
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  10. Dianfan Li
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  11. Qianhui Qu
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Contributions

Y.C. and Z.Z. collected cryo-EM data. Y.C., H.X. and T.L. performed biochemical assays. C.Y. conducted molecular dynamics simulations. Z.Z. built the models. Y.-Q.T., Y.S., Q.B., J.H., D.L. and Q.Q. conceived the research and supervised the project. All authors participated in manuscript writing.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Zixuan Zhou, Qian Ba, Jiaxu Hong, Dianfan Li or Qianhui Qu.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Chao, Y., Zhou, Z., Xia, H. et al. Transport and inhibition mechanism for human TauT-mediated taurine uptake. Cell Res 35, 381–384 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41422-025-01076-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41422-025-01076-w

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