Channels (Austin, Tex.)Pub Date : 2025-12-01Epub Date: 2025-02-19DOI: 10.1080/19336950.2025.2464735
Inn-Chi Lee, Yen-Yu Yang, Hsueh-Kai Chang, Swee-Hee Wong, Shi-Bing Yang
{"title":"Biophysical and structural mechanisms of epilepsy-associated mutations in the S4-S5 Linker of KCNQ2 channels.","authors":"Inn-Chi Lee, Yen-Yu Yang, Hsueh-Kai Chang, Swee-Hee Wong, Shi-Bing Yang","doi":"10.1080/19336950.2025.2464735","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19336950.2025.2464735","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mutations in <i>KCNQ2</i> are linked to various neurological disorders, including neonatal-onset epilepsy. The severity of these conditions often correlates with the mutation's location and the biochemical properties of the altered amino acid side chains. Two mutations affecting aspartate at position 212 (D212) in the S4-S5 linker of KCNQ2 have been identified. Interestingly, while the charge-conserved D212E mutation leads to severe neonatal-onset developmental and epileptic encephalopathy (DEE), the more dramatic substitution to glycine (D212G) results in self-limited familial neonatal epilepsy (SLFNE), a much milder pathology. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms, we performed electrophysiological studies and <i>in silico</i> simulations to investigate these mutations' biophysical and structural effects. Our findings reveal that the D212E mutation stabilizes the channel in the voltage sensor down-state and destabilizes the up-state, leading to a rightward shift in the voltage-dependent activation curve, slower activation kinetics, and accelerated deactivation kinetics. This disruption in KCNQ2 voltage sensitivity persists even in the more physiologically relevant KCNQ2/3 heterotetrameric channels. In contrast, the D212G mutation primarily destabilizes the up-state, but its impact on voltage sensitivity is significantly reduced in KCNQ2/3 heterotetrameric channels. These findings provide key insights into the biophysical and structural basis of <i>KCNQ2</i> D212 mutations and their contribution to epilepsy-related symptoms, offering a clearer understanding of how these mutations drive the varied clinical outcomes observed in patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":72555,"journal":{"name":"Channels (Austin, Tex.)","volume":"19 1","pages":"2464735"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11845087/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143460980","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Channels (Austin, Tex.)Pub Date : 2024-12-01Epub Date: 2024-10-19DOI: 10.1080/19336950.2024.2418128
Xiaolin Zhang, Hai Tian, Cheng Xie, Yan Yang, Pengyun Li, Jun Cheng
{"title":"The role and mechanism of vascular wall cell ion channels in vascular fibrosis remodeling.","authors":"Xiaolin Zhang, Hai Tian, Cheng Xie, Yan Yang, Pengyun Li, Jun Cheng","doi":"10.1080/19336950.2024.2418128","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19336950.2024.2418128","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fibrosis is usually the final pathological state of many chronic inflammatory diseases and may lead to organ malfunction. Excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules is a characteristic of most fibrotic tissues. The blood vessel wall contains three layers of membrane structure, including the intima, which is composed of endothelial cells; the media, which is composed of smooth muscle cells; and the adventitia, which is formed by the interaction of connective tissue and fibroblasts. The occurrence and progression of vascular remodeling are closely associated with cardiovascular diseases, and vascular remodeling can alter the original structure and function of the blood vessel. Dysregulation of the composition of the extracellular matrix in blood vessels leads to the continuous advancement of vascular stiffening and fibrosis. Vascular fibrosis reaction leads to excessive deposition of the extracellular matrix in the vascular adventitia, reduces vessel compliance, and ultimately alters key aspects of vascular biomechanics. The pathogenesis of fibrosis in the vasculature and strategies for its reversal have become interesting and important challenges. Ion channels are widely expressed in the cardiovascular system; they regulate blood pressure, maintain cardiovascular function homeostasis, and play important roles in ion transport, cell differentiation, proliferation. In blood vessels, different types of ion channels in fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells may be relevant mediators of the development of fibrosis in organs or tissues. This review discusses the known roles of ion channels in vascular fibrosis remodeling and discusses potential therapeutic targets for regulating remodeling and repair after vascular injury.</p>","PeriodicalId":72555,"journal":{"name":"Channels (Austin, Tex.)","volume":"18 1","pages":"2418128"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11492694/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142482288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Channels (Austin, Tex.)Pub Date : 2024-12-01Epub Date: 2024-01-07DOI: 10.1080/19336950.2023.2294661
Henry Sackin, Mikheil Nanazashvili
{"title":"A phenylalanine at the extracellular side of Kir1.1 facilitates potassium permeation.","authors":"Henry Sackin, Mikheil Nanazashvili","doi":"10.1080/19336950.2023.2294661","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19336950.2023.2294661","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Kir1.1 (ROMK) family of weak inward rectifiers controls K secretion in the renal CCT and K recycling in the renal TALH. A single point mutant of the inward rectifier, F127V-Kir1.1b was used to investigate the K transition between the selectivity filter and the outer mouth of the channel. We hypothesize that normally an aromatic <i>Phe</i> at the external entryway of Kir1.1b facilitates outward K secretion. We tested this by replacing F127-Kir1.1b with a small aliphatic <i>Val</i>. Results indicate that removal of the <i>Phe</i> at 127 suppresses outward currents that normally contribute to K secretion. Results with the F127V mutant could be explained by increased polyamine block and/or a decrease in the avidity of Kir1.1 for K ions near the outer mouth of the channel. The latter is supported by F127V-Kir1.1b having a lower affinity (K<sub>m</sub> = 33 mM) for K than wild-type Kir1.1b (K<sub>m</sub> = 7 mM) during external K elevation. Conversely, chelation of K with 18-Crown-6 ether reduced K conductance faster in F127V (half-time = 6s) than in wt-Kir1.1b (half-time = 120s), implying that F127V is less hospitable to external K. In other experiments, positive membrane potentials gated the F127V mutant channel closed at physiological levels of external Ca, possibly by electrostatically depleting K adjacent to the membrane, suggesting that the <i>Phe</i> residue is critical for outward K secretion at physiological Ca. We speculate that the avidity of wt-Kir1.1b for external K could result from a cation-Pi interaction between K and the aromatic F127.</p>","PeriodicalId":72555,"journal":{"name":"Channels (Austin, Tex.)","volume":"18 1","pages":"2294661"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10773671/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139111385","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Channels (Austin, Tex.)Pub Date : 2024-12-01Epub Date: 2023-11-30DOI: 10.1080/19336950.2023.2287832
Zhangqiang Li, Qiurong Wu, Nieng Yan
{"title":"A structural atlas of druggable sites on Na<sub>v</sub> channels.","authors":"Zhangqiang Li, Qiurong Wu, Nieng Yan","doi":"10.1080/19336950.2023.2287832","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19336950.2023.2287832","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Voltage-gated sodium (Na<sub>v</sub>) channels govern membrane excitability by initiating and propagating action potentials. Consistent with their physiological significance, dysfunction, or mutations in these channels are associated with various channelopathies. Na<sub>v</sub> channels are thereby major targets for various clinical and investigational drugs. In addition, a large number of natural toxins, both small molecules and peptides, can bind to Na<sub>v</sub> channels and modulate their functions. Technological breakthrough in cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has enabled the determination of high-resolution structures of eukaryotic and eventually human Na<sub>v</sub> channels, alone or in complex with auxiliary subunits, toxins, and drugs. These studies have not only advanced our comprehension of channel architecture and working mechanisms but also afforded unprecedented clarity to the molecular basis for the binding and mechanism of action (MOA) of prototypical drugs and toxins. In this review, we will provide an overview of the recent advances in structural pharmacology of Na<sub>v</sub> channels, encompassing the structural map for ligand binding on Na<sub>v</sub> channels. These findings have established a vital groundwork for future drug development.</p>","PeriodicalId":72555,"journal":{"name":"Channels (Austin, Tex.)","volume":"18 1","pages":"2287832"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10732651/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138464760","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Channels (Austin, Tex.)Pub Date : 2024-12-01Epub Date: 2024-10-27DOI: 10.1080/19336950.2024.2420651
Irene Hiniesto-Iñigo, Veronika A Linhart, Ali S Kusay, Sara I Liin
{"title":"The endocannabinoid ARA-S facilitates the activation of cardiac Kv7.1/KCNE1 channels from different species.","authors":"Irene Hiniesto-Iñigo, Veronika A Linhart, Ali S Kusay, Sara I Liin","doi":"10.1080/19336950.2024.2420651","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19336950.2024.2420651","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The endogenous endocannabinoid-like compound N-arachidonoyl-L-serine (ARA-S) facilitates activation of the human Kv7.1/KCNE1 channel and shortens a prolonged action potential duration and QT interval in guinea pig hearts. Hence, ARA-S is interesting to study further in cardiac models to explore the functional impact of such Kv7.1/KCNE1-mediated effects. To guide which animal models would be suitable for assessing ARA-S effects, and to aid interpretation of findings in different experimental models, it is useful to know whether Kv7.1/KCNE1 channels from relevant species respond similarly to ARA-S. To this end, we used the two-electrode voltage clamp technique to compare the effects of ARA-S on Kv7.1/KCNE1 channels from guinea pig, rabbit, and human Kv7.1/KCNE1, when expressed in <i>Xenopus laevis</i> oocytes. We found that the activation of Kv7.1/KCNE1 channels from all tested species was facilitated by ARA-S, seen as a concentration-dependent shift in the voltage-dependence of channel opening and increase in current amplitude and conductance over a broad voltage range. The rabbit channel displayed quantitatively similar effects as the human channel, whereas the guinea pig channel responded with more prominent increase in current amplitude and maximal conductance. This study suggests that rabbit and guinea pig models are both suitable for studying ARA-S effects mediated via Kv7.1/KCNE1.</p>","PeriodicalId":72555,"journal":{"name":"Channels (Austin, Tex.)","volume":"18 1","pages":"2420651"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11520554/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142514023","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Channels (Austin, Tex.)Pub Date : 2024-12-01Epub Date: 2024-05-01DOI: 10.1080/19336950.2024.2338782
Felipe Arancibia, Daniela De Giorgis, Franco Medina, Tamara Hermosilla, Felipe Simon, Diego Varela
{"title":"Role of the Ca<sub>V</sub>1.2 distal carboxy terminus in the regulation of L-type current.","authors":"Felipe Arancibia, Daniela De Giorgis, Franco Medina, Tamara Hermosilla, Felipe Simon, Diego Varela","doi":"10.1080/19336950.2024.2338782","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/19336950.2024.2338782","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>L-type calcium channels are essential for the excitation-contraction coupling in cardiac muscle. The Ca<sub>V</sub>1.2 channel is the most predominant isoform in the ventricle which consists of a multi-subunit membrane complex that includes the Ca<sub>V</sub>1.2 pore-forming subunit and auxiliary subunits like Ca<sub>V</sub>α<sub>2</sub>δ and Ca<sub>V</sub>β<sub>2b</sub>. The Ca<sub>V</sub>1.2 channel's C-terminus undergoes proteolytic cleavage, and the distal C-terminal domain (DC<sub>term</sub>D) associates with the channel core through two domains known as proximal and distal C-terminal regulatory domain (PCRD and DCRD, respectively). The interaction between the DC<sub>term</sub>D and the remaining C-terminus reduces the channel activity and modifies voltage- and calcium-dependent inactivation mechanisms, leading to an autoinhibitory effect. In this study, we investigate how the interaction between DCRD and PCRD affects the inactivation processes and Ca<sub>V</sub>1.2 activity. We expressed a 14-amino acid peptide miming the DCRD-PCRD interaction sequence in both heterologous systems and cardiomyocytes. Our results show that overexpression of this small peptide can displace the DC<sub>term</sub>D and replicate the effects of the entire DC<sub>term</sub>D on voltage-dependent inactivation and channel inhibition. However, the effect on calcium-dependent inactivation requires the full DC<sub>term</sub>D and is prevented by overexpression of calmodulin. In conclusion, our results suggest that the interaction between DCRD and PCRD is sufficient to bring about the current inhibition and alter the voltage-dependent inactivation, possibly in an allosteric manner. Additionally, our data suggest that the DC<sub>term</sub>D competitively modifies the calcium-dependent mechanism. The identified peptide sequence provides a valuable tool for further dissecting the molecular mechanisms that regulate L-type calcium channels' basal activity in cardiomyocytes.</p>","PeriodicalId":72555,"journal":{"name":"Channels (Austin, Tex.)","volume":"18 1","pages":"2338782"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11067984/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140873666","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Channels (Austin, Tex.)Pub Date : 2024-12-01Epub Date: 2024-05-19DOI: 10.1080/19336950.2024.2355121
Natthaphat Siri-Angkul, Timothy J Kamp
{"title":"Cardiac L-type calcium channel regulation by Leucine-Rich Repeat-Containing Protein 10.","authors":"Natthaphat Siri-Angkul, Timothy J Kamp","doi":"10.1080/19336950.2024.2355121","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19336950.2024.2355121","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>L-type calcium channels (LTCCs), the major portal for Ca<sup>2+</sup> entry into cardiomyocytes, are essential for excitation-contraction coupling and thus play a central role in regulating overall cardiac function. LTCC function is finely tuned by multiple signaling pathways and accessory proteins. Leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 10 (LRRC10) is a little studied cardiomyocyte-specific protein recently identified as a modulator of LTCCs. LRRC10 exerts a remarkable effect on LTCC function, more than doubling L-type Ca<sup>2+</sup> current (I<sub>Ca,L</sub>) amplitude in a heterologous expression system by altering the gating of the channels without changing their surface membrane expression. Genetic ablation of LRRC10 expression in mouse and zebrafish hearts leads to a significant reduction in I<sub>Ca,L</sub> density and a slowly progressive dilated cardiomyopathy in mice. Rare sequence variants of LRRC10 have been identified in dilated cardiomyopathy and sudden unexplained nocturnal cardiac death syndrome, but these variants have not been clearly linked to disease. Nevertheless, the DCM-associated variant, I195T, converted LRRC10 from a I<sub>Ca,L</sub> potentiator to a I<sub>Ca,L</sub> suppressor, thus illustrating the wide dynamic range of LRRC10-mediated I<sub>Ca,L</sub> regulation. This review focuses on the contemporary knowledge of LTCC modulation by LRRC10 and discusses potential directions for future investigations.</p>","PeriodicalId":72555,"journal":{"name":"Channels (Austin, Tex.)","volume":"18 1","pages":"2355121"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11110685/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141066100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Channels (Austin, Tex.)Pub Date : 2024-12-01Epub Date: 2024-05-16DOI: 10.1080/19336950.2024.2355123
Nadja Zeitzschel, Stefan G Lechner
{"title":"The activation thresholds and inactivation kinetics of poking-evoked PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 currents are sensitive to subtle variations in mechanical stimulation parameters.","authors":"Nadja Zeitzschel, Stefan G Lechner","doi":"10.1080/19336950.2024.2355123","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19336950.2024.2355123","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>PIEZO1 and PIEZO2 are mechanically activated ion channels that confer mechanosensitivity to various cell types. PIEZO channels are commonly examined using the so-called poking technique, where currents are recorded in the whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique, while the cell surface is mechanically stimulated with a small fire-polished patch pipette. Currently, there is no gold standard for mechanical stimulation, and therefore, stimulation protocols differ significantly between laboratories with regard to stimulation velocity, angle, and size of the stimulation probe. Here, we systematically examined the impact of variations in these three stimulation parameters on the outcomes of patch-clamp recordings of PIEZO1 and PIEZO2. We show that the inactivation kinetics of PIEZO1 and, to a lesser extent, of PIEZO2 change with the angle at which the probe that is used for mechanical stimulation is positioned and, even more prominently, with the size of its tip. Moreover, we found that the mechanical activation threshold of PIEZO2, but not PIEZO1, decreased with increasing stimulation speeds. Thus, our data show that two key outcome parameters of PIEZO-related patch-clamp studies are significantly affected by common variations in the mechanical stimulation protocols, which calls for caution when comparing data from different laboratories and highlights the need to establish a gold standard for mechanical stimulation to improve comparability and reproducibility of data obtained with the poking technique.</p>","PeriodicalId":72555,"journal":{"name":"Channels (Austin, Tex.)","volume":"18 1","pages":"2355123"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11734767/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140961341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Channels (Austin, Tex.)Pub Date : 2024-12-01Epub Date: 2023-12-28DOI: 10.1080/19336950.2023.2297621
Damayantee Das, Anson Wong, Timothy N Friedman, Bradley J Kerr, Harley T Kurata, Shawn M Lamothe
{"title":"Reducing agents facilitate membrane patch seal integrity and longevity.","authors":"Damayantee Das, Anson Wong, Timothy N Friedman, Bradley J Kerr, Harley T Kurata, Shawn M Lamothe","doi":"10.1080/19336950.2023.2297621","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19336950.2023.2297621","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The patch clamp method is a widely applied electrophysiological technique used to understand ion channel activity and cellular excitation. The formation of a high resistance giga-ohm seal is required to obtain high-quality recordings but can be challenging due to variables including operator experience and cell preparation. Therefore, the identification of methods to promote the formation and longevity of giga-ohm seals may be beneficial. In this report, we describe our observation that the application of reducing agents (DTT and TCEP) to the external bath solution during whole-cell patch clamp recordings of heterologous cells (HEK and LM) and cultured primary cells (DRG neurons) enhanced the success of giga-ohm seal formation. Reducing agents also maintained the integrity of the seal for longer periods of time at strong hyperpolarizing voltages, whereas an oxidizing agent (H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>) appeared to have the opposite effect. In summary, we report a useful tool to improve the quality of patch clamp recordings that may be helpful in certain experimental contexts.</p>","PeriodicalId":72555,"journal":{"name":"Channels (Austin, Tex.)","volume":"18 1","pages":"2297621"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10761044/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139059244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Channels (Austin, Tex.)Pub Date : 2024-12-01Epub Date: 2024-10-09DOI: 10.1080/19336950.2024.2402749
Tobias Korn, Ulf-Peter Hansen, Tobias Sebastian Gabriel, Oliver Rauh, Nils Drexler, Indra Schroeder
{"title":"Binding kinetics of quaternary ammonium ions in Kcv potassium channels.","authors":"Tobias Korn, Ulf-Peter Hansen, Tobias Sebastian Gabriel, Oliver Rauh, Nils Drexler, Indra Schroeder","doi":"10.1080/19336950.2024.2402749","DOIUrl":"10.1080/19336950.2024.2402749","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Kcv channels from plant viruses represent the autonomous pore module of potassium channels, devoid of any regulatory domains. These small proteins show very reproducible single-channel behavior in planar lipid bilayers. Thus, they are an optimum system for the study of the biophysics of ion transport and gating. Structural models based on homology modeling have been used successfully, but experimental structural data are currently not available. Here we determine the size of the cytosolic pore entrance by studying the blocker kinetics. Blocker binding and dissociation rate constants ranging from 0.01 to 1000 ms<sup>-1</sup> were determined for different quaternary ammonium ions. We found that the cytosolic pore entrance of Kcv<sub>NTS</sub> must be at least 11 Å wide. The results further indicate that the residues controlling a cytosolic gate in one of the Kcv isoforms influence blocker binding/dissociation as well as a second gate even when the cytosolic gate is in the open state. The voltage dependence of the rate constant of blocker release is used to test, which blockers bind to the same binding site.</p>","PeriodicalId":72555,"journal":{"name":"Channels (Austin, Tex.)","volume":"18 1","pages":"2402749"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11575739/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142395703","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}