The yeast Pdr5p multidrug transporter: how does it recognize so many substrates?

Multidrug transporters are of considerable importance because they present problems in the treatment of infectious disease and cancer. A central issue is the ability of efflux pumps to recognize an astounding array of structurally diverse compounds. The yeast Pdr5p efflux pump, which is a member of the ATP-binding cassette superfamily, has at least 3 substrate-binding sites, each of which appears to use different chemical properties to transport compounds. All Pdr5p substrates, however, have a size requirement that is independent of hydrophobicity.