Which of the following statements regarding aquaporins or water channels is not correct?
Aquaporins are found in both plant and animal membranes.
Aquaporins cannot transport unchanged molecules like NH3
Phosphorylation and calcium concentration regulate aquaporin activity.
Activity of aquaporin is regulated by pH and reactive oxygen species.
Aquaporins are specialised proteins that serve as water channels in cell membranes, facilitating the rapid and selective transport of water molecules across the membrane. However, aquaporins are also known to transport other small uncharged molecules, such as glycerol and certain gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) and ammonia (NH3).
Ammonia (NH3) can be transported by certain types of aquaporins called aquaglyceroporins. These aquaglyceroporins have a wider pore size compared to regular water-selective aquaporins, allowing for the transport of small uncharged molecules like NH3. Hence, the correct answer is option 3.