1
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Lee MY, Wang HZ, White TW, Brooks T, Pittman A, Halai H, Petrova A, Xu D, Hart SL, Kinsler VA, Di WL. Allele-Specific Small Interfering RNA Corrects Aberrant Cellular Phenotype in Keratitis-Ichthyosis-Deafness Syndrome Keratinocytes. J Invest Dermatol 2019; 140:1035-1044.e7. [PMID: 31705875 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2019.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Revised: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Keratitis-ichthyosis-deafness (KID) syndrome is a severe, untreatable condition characterized by ocular, auditory, and cutaneous abnormalities, with major complications of infection and skin cancer. Most cases of KID syndrome (86%) are caused by a heterozygous missense mutation (c.148G>A, p.D50N) in the GJB2 gene, encoding gap junction protein Cx26, which alters gating properties of Cx26 channels in a dominant manner. We hypothesized that a mutant allele-specific small interfering RNA could rescue the cellular phenotype in patient keratinocytes (KCs). A KID syndrome cell line (KID-KC) was established from primary patient KCs with a heterozygous p.D50N mutation. This cell line displayed impaired gap junction communication and hyperactive hemichannels, confirmed by dye transfer, patch clamp, and neurobiotin uptake assays. A human-murine chimeric skin graft model constructed with KID-KCs mimicked patient skin in vivo, further confirming the validity of these cells as a model. In vitro treatment with allele-specific small interfering RNA led to robust inhibition of the mutant GJB2 allele without altering expression of the wild-type allele. This corrected both gap junction and hemichannel activity. Notably, allele-specific small interfering RNA treatment caused only low-level off-target effects in KID-KCs, as detected by genome-wide RNA sequencing. Our data provide an important proof-of-concept and model system for the potential use of allele-specific small interfering RNA in treating KID syndrome and other dominant genetic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Yang Lee
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Programme/Immunobiology Section, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Hong-Zhan Wang
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Thomas W White
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
| | - Tony Brooks
- UCL Genomics, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alan Pittman
- Molecular Neuroscience, UCL Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom; Genetics Research Centre, St George's, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Heerni Halai
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Programme/Immunobiology Section, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Anastasia Petrova
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Programme/Immunobiology Section, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Diane Xu
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Programme/Immunobiology Section, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen L Hart
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom
| | - Veronica A Kinsler
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom; Paediatric Dermatology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, London, United Kingdom
| | - Wei-Li Di
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Programme/Immunobiology Section, UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, London, United Kingdom.
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2
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Potential of cryo-EM for high-resolution structural analysis of gap junction channels. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2019; 54:78-85. [PMID: 30797124 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Gap junction family proteins form conduits connecting the cytoplasm of adjacent cells, thereby enabling electrical and chemical coupling to maintain physiological homeostasis. Gap junction proteins comprise two gene families, connexins in chordates and innexins in pre-chordates. Their channel structures have been analyzed by electron or X-ray crystallography, but only a few atomic structures have been reported. Recent advances in single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) will help to elucidate these structures further. Here the structural biology of gap junction channels utilizing crystallography and single-particle cryo-EM is overviewed to shed light on the functional mechanisms of cell-cell communication that are essential for multicellular organisms.
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3
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Schadzek P, Hermes D, Stahl Y, Dilger N, Ngezahayo A. Concatenation of Human Connexin26 (hCx26) and Human Connexin46 (hCx46) for the Analysis of Heteromeric Gap Junction Hemichannels and Heterotypic Gap Junction Channels. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E2742. [PMID: 30217016 PMCID: PMC6163895 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19092742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Gap junction channels and hemichannels formed by concatenated connexins were analyzed. Monomeric (hCx26, hCx46), homodimeric (hCx46-hCx46, hCx26-hCx26), and heterodimeric (hCx26-hCx46, hCx46-hCx26) constructs, coupled to GFP, were expressed in HeLa cells. Confocal microscopy showed that the tandems formed gap junction plaques with a reduced plaque area compared to monomeric hCx26 or hCx46. Dye transfer experiments showed that concatenation allows metabolic transfer. Expressed in Xenopus oocytes, the inside-out patch-clamp configuration showed single channels with a conductance of about 46 pS and 39 pS for hemichannels composed of hCx46 and hCx26 monomers, respectively, when chloride was replaced by gluconate on both membrane sides. The conductance was reduced for hCx46-hCx46 and hCx26-hCx26 homodimers, probably due to the concatenation. Heteromerized hemichannels, depending on the connexin-order, were characterized by substates at 26 pS and 16 pS for hCx46-hCx26 and 31 pS and 20 pS for hCx26-hCx46. Because of the linker between the connexins, the properties of the formed hemichannels and gap junction channels (e.g., single channel conductance) may not represent the properties of hetero-oligomerized channels. However, should the removal of the linker be successful, this method could be used to analyze the electrical and metabolic selectivity of such channels and the physiological consequences for a tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrik Schadzek
- Institut für Biophysik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuser Straße 2, 30419 Hannover, Germany.
| | - Doris Hermes
- Institut für Biophysik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuser Straße 2, 30419 Hannover, Germany.
- Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Göttingen, Robert-Koch Str. 40, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Yannick Stahl
- Institut für Biophysik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuser Straße 2, 30419 Hannover, Germany.
| | - Nadine Dilger
- Institut für Biophysik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuser Straße 2, 30419 Hannover, Germany.
| | - Anaclet Ngezahayo
- Institut für Biophysik, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Herrenhäuser Straße 2, 30419 Hannover, Germany.
- Zentrum für Systemische Neurowissenschaften Stiftung Tierärztliche Hochschule Hannover, Bünteweg 2, 30559 Hannover, Germany.
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4
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Survery S, Moparthi L, Kjellbom P, Högestätt ED, Zygmunt PM, Johanson U. The N-terminal Ankyrin Repeat Domain Is Not Required for Electrophile and Heat Activation of the Purified Mosquito TRPA1 Receptor. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:26899-26912. [PMID: 27875296 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.743443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Revised: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Temperature sensors are crucial for animals to optimize living conditions. The temperature response of the ion channel transient receptor potential A1 (TRPA1) is intriguing; some orthologs have been reported to be activated by cold and others by heat, but the molecular mechanisms responsible for its activation remain elusive. Single-channel electrophysiological recordings of heterologously expressed and purified Anopheles gambiae TRPA1 (AgTRPA1), with and without the N-terminal ankyrin repeat domain, demonstrate that both proteins are functional because they responded to the electrophilic compounds allyl isothiocyanate and cinnamaldehyde as well as heat. The proteins' similar intrinsic fluorescence properties and corresponding quenching when activated by allyl isothiocyanate or heat suggest lipid bilayer-independent conformational changes outside the N-terminal domain. The results show that AgTRPA1 is an inherent thermo- and chemoreceptor, and analogous to what has been reported for the human TRPA1 ortholog, the N-terminal domain may tune the response but is not required for the activation by these stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabeen Survery
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Center for Molecular Protein Science, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden and
| | - Lavanya Moparthi
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Center for Molecular Protein Science, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden and
| | - Per Kjellbom
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Center for Molecular Protein Science, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden and
| | - Edward D Högestätt
- the Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Peter M Zygmunt
- the Clinical Chemistry and Pharmacology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Lund University, SE-221 85 Lund, Sweden
| | - Urban Johanson
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Center for Molecular Protein Science, Lund University, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden and
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5
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Kovácsová G, Gustavsson E, Wang J, Kreir M, Peuker S, Westenhoff S. Cell-free expression of a functional pore-only sodium channel. Protein Expr Purif 2015; 111:42-7. [PMID: 25770647 PMCID: PMC4430601 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2015.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Revised: 03/01/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Voltage-gated sodium channels participate in the propagation of action potentials in excitable cells. Eukaryotic Navs are pseudo homotetrameric polypeptides, comprising four repeats of six transmembrane segments (S1-S6). The first four segments form the voltage-sensing domain and S5 and S6 create the pore domain with the selectivity filter. Prokaryotic Navs resemble these characteristics, but are truly tetrameric. They can typically be efficiently synthesized in bacteria, but production in vitro with cell-free synthesis has not been demonstrated. Here we report the cell-free expression and purification of a prokaryotic tetrameric pore-only sodium channel. We produced milligram quantities of the functional channel protein as characterized by size-exclusion chromatography, infrared spectroscopy and electrophysiological recordings. Cell-free expression enables advanced site-directed labelling, post-translational modifications, and special solubilization schemes. This enables next-generation biophysical experiments to study the principle of sodium ion selectivity and transport in sodium channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Kovácsová
- Department of Chemistry, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 462, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Emil Gustavsson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 462, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Jiajun Wang
- Nanion Technologies GmbH, Gabrielenstraße 9, 80636 Munich, Germany
| | - Mohamed Kreir
- Nanion Technologies GmbH, Gabrielenstraße 9, 80636 Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Peuker
- Department of Chemistry, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 462, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Sebastian Westenhoff
- Department of Chemistry, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 462, SE-40530 Gothenburg, Sweden.
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6
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Seifert A, Göpfrich K, Burns JR, Fertig N, Keyser UF, Howorka S. Bilayer-spanning DNA nanopores with voltage-switching between open and closed state. ACS NANO 2015; 9:1117-26. [PMID: 25338165 PMCID: PMC4508203 DOI: 10.1021/nn5039433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Membrane-spanning nanopores from folded DNA are a recent example of biomimetic man-made nanostructures that can open up applications in biosensing, drug delivery, and nanofluidics. In this report, we generate a DNA nanopore based on the archetypal six-helix-bundle architecture and systematically characterize it via single-channel current recordings to address several fundamental scientific questions in this emerging field. We establish that the DNA pores exhibit two voltage-dependent conductance states. Low transmembrane voltages favor a stable high-conductance level, which corresponds to an unobstructed DNA pore. The expected inner width of the open channel is confirmed by measuring the conductance change as a function of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) size, whereby smaller PEGs are assumed to enter the pore. PEG sizing also clarifies that the main ion-conducting path runs through the membrane-spanning channel lumen as opposed to any proposed gap between the outer pore wall and the lipid bilayer. At higher voltages, the channel shows a main low-conductance state probably caused by electric-field-induced changes of the DNA pore in its conformation or orientation. This voltage-dependent switching between the open and closed states is observed with planar lipid bilayers as well as bilayers mounted on glass nanopipettes. These findings settle a discrepancy between two previously published conductances. By systematically exploring a large space of parameters and answering key questions, our report supports the development of DNA nanopores for nanobiotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kerstin Göpfrich
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan R. Burns
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Structural Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1H 0AJ, United Kingdom
| | - Niels Fertig
- Nanion Technologies GmbH, D-80636 Munich, Germany
| | - Ulrich F. Keyser
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0HE, United Kingdom
- Address correspondence to ;
| | - Stefan Howorka
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Structural Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1H 0AJ, United Kingdom
- Address correspondence to ;
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7
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Meckes B, Ambrosi C, Barnard H, Arce FT, Sosinsky GE, Lal R. Atomic force microscopy shows connexin26 hemichannel clustering in purified membrane fragments. Biochemistry 2014; 53:7407-14. [PMID: 25365227 PMCID: PMC4255643 DOI: 10.1021/bi501265p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Connexin
proteins form hexameric assemblies known as hemichannels.
When docked to form gap junction (GJ) channels, hemichannels play
a critical role in cell–cell communication and cellular homeostasis,
but often are functional entities on their own in unapposed cell membranes.
Defects in the Connexin26 (Cx26) gene are the major cause of hereditary
deafness arising from dysfunctional hemichannels in the cochlea. Structural
studies of Cx26 hemichannels properly trafficked and inserted in plasma
membranes, including their clustering that forms a plaque-like feature
in whole gap junctions, are limited. We used atomic force microscopy
(AFM) to study the surface topography of Cx26 hemichannels using two
different membrane preparations. Rat Cx26 containing appended carboxy
terminal V5 and hexahistidine tags were expressed in baculovirus/Sf9
cell systems. The expressed Cx26 proteins form hemichannels in situ
in Sf9 cells that were then purified either as (1) Sf9 membrane fragments
containing Cx26 hemichannels or (2) solubilized hemichannels. The
latter were subsequently reconstituted in liposomes. AFM images of
purified membrane fragments showed clusters of protein macromolecular
structures in the membrane that at higher magnification corresponded
to Cx26 hemichannels. Hemichannels reconstituted into DOPC bilayers
displayed two populations of channel heights likely resulting from
differences in orientations of inserted hemichannels. Hemichannels
in the protein rich portions of purified membranes also showed a reduced
channel height above the bilayer compared to membranes with reconstituted
hemichannels perhaps due to reduced AFM probe access to the lipid
bilayer. These preparations of purified membranes enriched for connexin
hemichannels that have been properly trafficked and inserted in membranes
provide a platform for high-resolution AFM imaging of the structure,
interconnexon interactions, and cooperativity of properly trafficked
and inserted noncrystalline connexin hemichannels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Meckes
- Department of Bioengineering, ‡National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, §Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, ∥Department of Neurosciences, and ⊥Materials Science Program, University of California San Diego , 9500 Gillman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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8
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Fiori MC, Reuss L, Cuello LG, Altenberg GA. Functional analysis and regulation of purified connexin hemichannels. Front Physiol 2014; 5:71. [PMID: 24611052 PMCID: PMC3933781 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2014.00071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2013] [Accepted: 02/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Gap-junction channels (GJCs) are aqueous channels that communicate adjacent cells. They are formed by head-to-head association of two hemichannels (HCs), one from each of the adjacent cells. Functional HCs are connexin hexamers composed of one or more connexin isoforms. Deafness is the most frequent sensineural disorder, and mutations of Cx26 are the most common cause of genetic deafness. Cx43 is the most ubiquitous connexin, expressed in many organs, tissues, and cell types, including heart, brain, and kidney. Alterations in its expression and function play important roles in the pathophysiology of very frequent medical problems such as those related to cardiac and brain ischemia. There is extensive information on the relationship between phosphorylation and Cx43 targeting, location, and function from experiments in cells and organs in normal and pathological conditions. However, the molecular mechanisms of Cx43 regulation by phosphorylation are hard to tackle in complex systems. Here, we present the use of purified HCs as a model for functional and structural studies. Cx26 and Cx43 are the only isoforms that have been purified, reconstituted, and subjected to functional and structural analysis. Purified Cx26 and Cx43 HCs have properties compatible with those demonstrated in cells, and present methodologies for the functional analysis of purified HCs reconstituted in liposomes. We show that phosphorylation of serine 368 by PKC produces a partial closure of the Cx43 HCs, changing solute selectivity. We also present evidence that the effect of phosphorylation is highly cooperative, requiring modification of several connexin subunits, and that phosphorylation of serine 368 elicits conformational changes in the purified HCs. The use of purified HCs is starting to provide critical data to understand the regulation of HCs at the molecular level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana C Fiori
- Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Center for Membrane Protein Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Luis Reuss
- Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Center for Membrane Protein Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Luis G Cuello
- Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Center for Membrane Protein Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Guillermo A Altenberg
- Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Center for Membrane Protein Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center Lubbock, TX, USA
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9
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Oshima A. Structure and closure of connexin gap junction channels. FEBS Lett 2014; 588:1230-7. [PMID: 24492007 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2014.01.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2013] [Revised: 01/24/2014] [Accepted: 01/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Connexin gap junctions comprise assembled channels penetrating two plasma membranes for which gating regulation is associated with a variety of factors, including voltage, pH, Ca(2+), and phosphorylation. Functional studies have established that various parts of the connexin peptides are related to channel closure and electrophysiology studies have provided several working models for channel gating. The corresponding structural models supporting these findings, however, are not sufficient because only small numbers of closed connexin structures have been reported. To fully understand the gating mechanisms, the channels should be visualized in both the open and closed states. Electron crystallography and X-ray crystallography studies recently revealed three-dimensional structures of connexin channels in a couple of states in which the main difference is the conformation of the N-terminal domain, which have helped to clarify the structure in regard to channel closure. Here the closure models for connexin gap junction channels inferred from structural and functional studies are described in the context of each domain of the connexin protein associated with gating modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsunori Oshima
- Cellular and Structural Physiology Institute (CeSPI), Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan; Department of Basic Medicinal Sciences, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Furo-cho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya 464-8601, Japan.
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10
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Marks WD, Skerrett IM. Role of amino terminus in voltage gating and junctional rectification of Shaking B innexins. J Neurophysiol 2013; 111:1383-95. [PMID: 24381032 DOI: 10.1152/jn.00385.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Rectifying electrical synapses are rare gap junctions that favor transmission of signals in one direction. Such synapses have been identified in neural systems, including those mediating rapid escape responses of arthropods. In the Drosophila giant fiber system, adjacent cells express and contribute different transcript variants of the innexin Shaking B, resulting in heterotypic gap junctions with rectifying properties. When expressed exogenously, variants Shaking B Lethal (ShakBL) and Shaking B neural + 16 (ShakBN16) form heterotypic junctions that gate asymmetrically in response to transjunctional voltage. To determine whether the amino terminus confers properties of gating and rectification, amino-terminal domains were exchanged between ShakBL and ShakBN16, creating chimeric proteins SBL NTN16 and SBN16 NTL. The properties were analyzed in paired Xenopus oocytes. Our results suggest that the amino terminus plays an important role in establishing rectifying properties inherent to heterotypic junctions composed of ShakBL and ShakBN16. ShakBL/SBL NTN16 junctions behaved similarly to ShakBL/ShakBN16 junctions, gating in response to transjunctional voltage of one polarity and inducing a highly asymmetric conductance-voltage relationship. However, the amino terminus did not act independently to confer sensitivity to transjunctional voltage. The complementary pairing ShakBN16/SBN16 NTL displayed little sensitivity to voltage of either polarity, and in homotypic pairings SBL NTN16 was strongly gated by transjunctional voltage. We propose a model in which the amino terminus induces gating only when matched with an accommodating innexin body.
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Affiliation(s)
- William D Marks
- Biology Department, State University of New York, Buffalo State, Buffalo, New York; and
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11
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Burns JR, Göpfrich K, Wood JW, Thacker VV, Stulz E, Keyser UF, Howorka S. Lipid-bilayer-spanning DNA nanopores with a bifunctional porphyrin anchor. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2013; 52:12069-72. [PMID: 24014236 PMCID: PMC4016739 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201305765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 162] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2013] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan R Burns
- Department of Chemistry, University College London20 Gordon Street, London WC1H OAJ (UK)
| | - Kerstin Göpfrich
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of CambridgeCambridge CB3 0HE (UK)
| | - James W Wood
- School of Chemistry, University of SouthamptonSouthampton SO17 1BJ (UK)
| | - Vivek V Thacker
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of CambridgeCambridge CB3 0HE (UK)
| | - Eugen Stulz
- School of Chemistry, University of SouthamptonSouthampton SO17 1BJ (UK)
| | - Ulrich F Keyser
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of CambridgeCambridge CB3 0HE (UK)
| | - Stefan Howorka
- Department of Chemistry, University College London20 Gordon Street, London WC1H OAJ (UK)
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12
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Burns JR, Göpfrich K, Wood JW, Thacker VV, Stulz E, Keyser UF, Howorka S. Lipid-Bilayer-Spanning DNA Nanopores with a Bifunctional Porphyrin Anchor. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201305765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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13
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Frese D, Steltenkamp S, Schmitz S, Steinem C. In situ generation of electrochemical gradients across pore-spanning membranes. RSC Adv 2013. [DOI: 10.1039/c3ra42723d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
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14
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Robertson JWF, Kasianowicz JJ, Banerjee S. Analytical Approaches for Studying Transporters, Channels and Porins. Chem Rev 2012; 112:6227-49. [DOI: 10.1021/cr300317z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joseph W. F. Robertson
- Physical Measurement Laboratory,
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland
20899, United States
| | - John J. Kasianowicz
- Physical Measurement Laboratory,
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland
20899, United States
| | - Soojay Banerjee
- National
Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke, Bethesda, Maryland 20824, United States
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15
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Electrophysiology of single and aggregate Cx43 hemichannels. PLoS One 2012; 7:e47775. [PMID: 23112846 PMCID: PMC3480394 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2012] [Accepted: 09/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Connexin43 (Cx43) is the most ubiquitous gap junction protein in the human body and is essential for cell-to-cell communication in a variety of organs and organ systems. As a result, Cx43 is responsible for mediating both electrical and chemical signals, passing dissolved solutes and small signaling molecules between cells in a coordinated fashion. Here, we explore the electrophysiological properties of hemichannels formed from Cx43 and Cx43 fused to eGFP (Cx43eGFP) and their interactions in a planar lipid membrane (BLM). Unlike in vivo patch clamp experiments, Cx43 was purified and isolated from other membrane constituents allowing elucidation of individual protein responses to various electrical and chemical stimuli. Using this system, we examined hemichannel electrophysiology and the roles of several well-known gap junction blockers, namely: lanthanum, heptanol, carbenoxalone and lindane. We also observed a critical number of hemichannels required for an accelerated conductance increase, an emergent electrical signature indicative of plaque formation.
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16
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Fiori MC, Figueroa V, Zoghbi ME, Saéz JC, Reuss L, Altenberg GA. Permeation of calcium through purified connexin 26 hemichannels. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:40826-34. [PMID: 23048025 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.383281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Indirect evidence suggests that connexin hemichannels are permeable to Ca(2+), but direct demonstration is lacking. RESULTS Calcium moves into liposomes containing purified Cx26 in response to a concentration gradient. CONCLUSION Cx26 hemichannels are permeable to Ca(2+). SIGNIFICANCE Cx26 hemichannels may play a role in Ca(2+) influx into cells under conditions that lead to hemichannel activation, such as ischemic damage. Gap junction channels communicate the cytoplasms of two cells and are formed by head to head association of two hemichannels, one from each of the cells. Gap junction channels and hemichannels are permeable to ions and hydrophilic molecules of up to M(r) 1,000, including second messengers and metabolites. Intercellular Ca(2+) signaling can occur by movement of a number of second messengers, including Ca(2+), through gap junction channels, or by a paracrine pathway that involves activation of purinergic receptors in neighboring cells following ATP release through hemichannels. Understanding Ca(2+) permeation through Cx26 hemichannels is important to assess the role of gap junction channels and hemichannels in health and disease. In this context, it is possible that increased Ca(2+) influx through hemichannels under ischemic conditions contributes to cell damage. Previous studies suggest Ca(2+) permeation through hemichannels, based on indirect arguments. Here, we demonstrate for the first time hemichannel permeability to Ca(2+) by measuring Ca(2+) transport through purified Cx26 hemichannels reconstituted in liposomes. We trapped the low affinity Ca(2+)-sensitive fluorescent probe Fluo-5N into the liposomes and followed the increases in intraliposomal [Ca(2+)] in response to an imposed [Ca(2+)] gradient. We show that Ca(2+) does move through Cx26 hemichannels and that the permeability of the hemichannels to Ca(2+) is high, similar to that for Na(+). We suggest that hemichannels can be a significant pathway for Ca(2+) influx into cells under conditions such as ischemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana C Fiori
- Department of Cell Physiology and Molecular Biophysics, Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430-6551, USA
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Carnarius C, Kreir M, Krick M, Methfessel C, Moehrle V, Valerius O, Brüggemann A, Steinem C, Fertig N. Green fluorescent protein changes the conductance of connexin 43 (Cx43) hemichannels reconstituted in planar lipid bilayers. J Biol Chem 2011; 287:2877-86. [PMID: 22139870 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.319871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammalian tissues, connexin 43 (Cx43) is the most prominent member of the connexin family. In a single lipid bilayer, six connexin subunits assemble into a hemichannel (connexon). Direct communication of apposing cells is realized by two adjacent hemichannels, which can form gap junction channels. Here, we established an expression system in Pichia pastoris to recombinantly produce and purify Cx43 as well as Cx43 fused to green fluorescent protein (GFP). Proteins were isolated from crude cell membrane fractions via affinity chromatography. Cx43 and Cx43-GFP hemichannels were reconstituted in giant unilamellar vesicles as proven by fluorescence microscopy, and their electrophysiological behavior was analyzed on the single channel level by planar patch clamping. Cx43 and Cx43-GFP both showed an ohmic behavior and a voltage-dependent open probability. Cx43 hemichannels exhibited one major mean conductance of 224 ± 26 picosiemens (pS). In addition, a subconductance state at 124 ± 5 pS was identified. In contrast, the analysis of Cx43-GFP single channels revealed 10 distinct conductance states in the range of 15 to 250 pS, with a larger open probability at 0 mV as compared with Cx43, which suggests that intermolecular interactions between the GFP molecules alter the electrophysiology of the protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Carnarius
- Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, University of Göttingen, Tammannstrasse 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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Aimon S, Manzi J, Schmidt D, Poveda Larrosa JA, Bassereau P, Toombes GES. Functional reconstitution of a voltage-gated potassium channel in giant unilamellar vesicles. PLoS One 2011; 6:e25529. [PMID: 21998666 PMCID: PMC3188570 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0025529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2011] [Accepted: 09/05/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Voltage-gated ion channels are key players in cellular excitability. Recent studies suggest that their behavior can depend strongly on the membrane lipid composition and physical state. In vivo studies of membrane/channel and channel/channel interactions are challenging as membrane properties are actively regulated in living cells, and are difficult to control in experimental settings. We developed a method to reconstitute functional voltage-gated ion channels into cell-sized Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUVs) in which membrane composition, tension and geometry can be controlled. First, a voltage-gated potassium channel, KvAP, was purified, fluorescently labeled and reconstituted into small proteoliposomes. Small proteoliposomes were then converted into GUVs via electroformation. GUVs could be formed using different lipid compositions and buffers containing low (5 mM) or near-physiological (100 mM) salt concentrations. Protein incorporation into GUVs was characterized with quantitative confocal microscopy, and the protein density of GUVs was comparable to the small proteoliposomes from which they were formed. Furthermore, patch-clamp measurements confirmed that the reconstituted channels retained potassium selectivity and voltage-gated activation. GUVs containing functional voltage-gated ion channels will allow the study of channel activity, distribution and diffusion while controlling membrane state, and should prove a powerful tool for understanding how the membrane modulates cellular excitability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Aimon
- Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 168, Physico-Chimie Curie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Curie, Centre de Recherche, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
| | - John Manzi
- Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 168, Physico-Chimie Curie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Curie, Centre de Recherche, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
| | - Daniel Schmidt
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Biophysics, Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | | | - Patricia Bassereau
- Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 168, Physico-Chimie Curie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Curie, Centre de Recherche, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
- * E-mail:
| | - Gilman E. S. Toombes
- Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 168, Physico-Chimie Curie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut Curie, Centre de Recherche, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France
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Lazzara TD, Carnarius C, Kocun M, Janshoff A, Steinem C. Separating attoliter-sized compartments using fluid pore-spanning lipid bilayers. ACS NANO 2011; 5:6935-6944. [PMID: 21797231 DOI: 10.1021/nn201266e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) is a porous material having aligned cylindrical compartments with 55-60 nm diameter pores, and being several micrometers deep. A protocol was developed to generate pore-spanning fluid lipid bilayers separating the attoliter-sized compartments of the nanoporous material from the bulk solution, while preserving the optical transparency of the AAO. The AAO was selectively functionalized by silane chemistry to spread giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) resulting in large continuous membrane patches covering the pores. Formation of fluid single lipid bilayers through GUV rupture could be readily observed by fluorescence microscopy and further supported by conservation of membrane surface area, before and after GUV rupture. Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching gave low immobile fractions (5-15%) and lipid diffusion coefficients similar to those found for bilayers on silica. The entrapment of molecules within the porous underlying cylindrical compartments, as well as the exclusion of macromolecules from the nanopores, demonstrate the barrier function of the pore-spanning membranes and could be investigated in three-dimensions using confocal laser scanning fluorescence imaging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Lazzara
- Institute of Organic and Biomolecular Chemistry, Tammannstrasse 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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Voltage-gated sodium channel (NaV) protein dissection creates a set of functional pore-only proteins. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2011; 108:12313-8. [PMID: 21746903 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1106811108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Many voltage-gated ion channel (VGIC) superfamily members contain six-transmembrane segments in which the first four form a voltage-sensing domain (VSD) and the last two form the pore domain (PD). Studies of potassium channels from the VGIC superfamily together with identification of voltage-sensor only proteins have suggested that the VSD and the PD can fold independently. Whether such transmembrane modularity is common to other VGIC superfamily members has remained untested. Here we show, using protein dissection, that the Silicibacter pomeroyi voltage-gated sodium channel (Na(V)Sp1) PD forms a stand-alone, ion selective pore (Na(V)Sp1p) that is tetrameric, α-helical, and that forms functional, sodium-selective channels when reconstituted into lipid bilayers. Mutation of the Na(V)Sp1p selectivity filter from LESWSM to LDDWSD, a change similar to that previously shown to alter ion selectivity of the bacterial sodium channel Na(V)Bh1 (NaChBac), creates a calcium-selective pore-only channel, Ca(V)Sp1p. We further show that production of PDs can be generalized by making pore-only proteins from two other extremophile Na(V)s: one from the hydrocarbon degrader Alcanivorax borkumensis (Na(V)Ab1p), and one from the arsenite oxidizer Alkalilimnicola ehrlichei (Na(V)Ae1p). Together, our data establish a family of active pore-only ion channels that should be excellent model systems for study of the factors that govern both sodium and calcium selectivity and permeability. Further, our findings suggest that similar dissection approaches may be applicable to a wide range of VGICs and, thus, serve as a means to simplify and accelerate biophysical, structural, and drug development efforts.
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Huckstepp RTR, Eason R, Sachdev A, Dale N. CO2-dependent opening of connexin 26 and related β connexins. J Physiol 2010; 588:3921-31. [PMID: 20736419 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2010.192096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
We have previously shown connexin mediated CO(2)-dependent ATP release from the surface of the medulla oblongata. Given the localization of connexin 26 (Cx26) to the chemosensing areas of the medulla, we have tested in a heterologous expression system (HeLa cells) whether Cx26 may be sensitive to changes in PCO2. Cx26 responded to an increase in PCO2 at constant extracellular pH by opening and to a decrease in PCO2 by closing. Furthermore, Cx26 was partially activated at a physiological PCO2 of around 40 mmHg. Cx26 in isolated patches responded to changes in PCO2, suggesting direct CO(2) sensitivity of the hemichannel to CO(2). Heterologous expression of Cx26 in HeLa cells was sufficient to endow them with the capacity to release ATP in a CO(2)-sensitive manner. We have examined other heterologously expressed connexins for their ability to respond to changes in PCO2. The closely related β connexins Cx30 and Cx32 also displayed sensitivity to changes in PCO2, but with slightly different characteristics from Cx26. The more distant Cx43 exhibited CO(2)-dependent closing (possibly mediated through intracellular acidification), while Cx36 displayed no CO(2) sensitivity. These surprising findings suggest that connexins may play a hitherto unappreciated variety of signalling roles, and that Cx26 and related β connexins may impart direct sensitivity to CO(2) throughout the brain.
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