The steady-state distribution of gating charge in crayfish giant axons

Water, Protons, and the Gating of Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels

Ion channels are ubiquitous throughout all forms of life. Potassium channels are even found in viruses. Every cell must communicate with its surroundings, so all cells have them, and excitable cells, in particular, especially nerve cells, depend on the behavior of these channels. Every channel must be open at the appropriate time, and only then, so that each channel opens in response to the stimulus that tells that channel to open. One set of channels, including those in nerve cells, responds to voltage. There is a standard model for the gating of these channels that has a section of the protein moving in response to the voltage. However, there is evidence that protons are moving, rather than protein. Water is critical as part of the gating process, although it is hard to see how this works in the standard model. Here, we review the extensive evidence of the importance of the role of water and protons in gating these channels. Our principal example, but by no means the only example, will be the Kv1.2 channel. Evidence comes from the effects of D2O, from mutations in the voltage sensing domain, as well as in the linker between that domain and the gate, and at the gate itself. There is additional evidence from computations, especially quantum calculations. Structural evidence comes from X-ray studies. The hydration of ions is critical in the transfer of ions in constricted spaces, such as the gate region and the pore of a channel; we will see how the structure of the hydrated ion fits with the structure of the channel. In addition, there is macroscopic evidence from osmotic experiments and streaming current measurements. The combined evidence is discussed in the context of a model that emphasizes the role of protons and water in gating these channels.

The voltage sensor of excitation-contraction coupling in mammals: Inactivation and interaction with Ca2

In excitation–contraction coupling, voltage-sensing modules (VSMs) of Ca_V1.1 Ca²⁺ channels simultaneously gate the associated pore and Ca²⁺ release channels in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Ferreira Gregorio et al. find that VSMs adopt two inactivated states, and the degree of inactivation is dependent on external Ca²⁺ and the mouse strain used.

In skeletal muscle, the four-helix voltage-sensing modules (VSMs) of Ca_V1.1 calcium channels simultaneously gate two Ca²⁺ pathways: the Ca_V1.1 pore itself and the RyR1 calcium release channel in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Here, to gain insight into the mechanism by which VSMs gate RyR1, we quantify intramembrane charge movement associated with VSM activation (sensing current) and gated Ca²⁺ release flux in single muscle cells of mice and rats. As found for most four-helix VSMs, upon sustained depolarization, rodent VSMs lose the ability to activate Ca²⁺ release channels opening; their properties change from a functionally capable mode, in which the mobile sensor charge is called charge 1, to an inactivated mode, charge 2, with a voltage dependence shifted toward more negative voltages. We find that charge 2 is promoted and Ca²⁺ release inactivated when resting, well-polarized muscle cells are exposed to low extracellular [Ca²⁺] and that the opposite occurs in high [Ca²⁺]. It follows that murine VSMs are partly inactivated at rest, which establishes the reduced availability of voltage sensing as a pathogenic mechanism in disorders of calcemia. We additionally find that the degree of resting inactivation is significantly different in two mouse strains, which underscores the variability of voltage sensor properties and their vulnerability to environmental conditions. Our studies reveal that the resting and activated states of VSMs are equally favored by extracellular Ca²⁺. Promotion by an extracellular species of two states of the VSM that differ in the conformation of the activation gate requires the existence of a second gate, inactivation, topologically extracellular and therefore accessible from outside regardless of the activation state.

Depolarization shifts the voltage dependence of cardiac sodium channel and calcium channel gating charge movements

In cardiac ventricular myocytes, membrane depolarization leads to the inactivation of the Na channel and Ca channel ionic currents. The inactivation of the ionic currents has been associated with a reduction of the gating charge movement ("immobilization") which governs the activation of Na channels and Ca channels. The nature of the apparent "immobilization" of the charge movement following depolarization was explored in embryonic chick ventricular myocytes using voltage protocols applied from depolarized holding potentials. It was found that although all of the charge was mobile following inactivation, the voltage dependence of its movement was shifted to more negative potentials. In addition, the shift in the distribution of the Na channel charge could be differentiated from that of the Ca channel charge on the basis of kinetic as well as steady-state criteria. These results suggest that the voltage-dependent activation of Na channel and Ca channel charge movements leads to conformational changes and charge rearrangements that differentially bias the movements of these voltage sensors, and concomitantly produce channel inactivation.

A universal steady state I-V relationship for membrane current

A purely electrical mechanism for the gating of membrane ionic channel gives rise to a simple I-V relationship for membrane current. Our approach is based on the known presence of gating charge, which is an established property of the membrane channel gating. The gating charge is systematically treated as a polarization of the channel protein which varies with the external electric field and modifies the effective potential through which the ions migrate in the channel. Two polarization effects have been considered: 1) the up or down shift of the whole potential function, and 2) the change in the effective electric field inside the channel which is due to familiar effect of the effective reduction of the electric field inside a dielectric body because of the presence of surface charges on its surface. Both effects are linear in the channel polarization. The ionic current is described by a steady state solution of the Nernst-Planck equation with the potential directly controlled by the gating charge system. The solution describes reasonably well the steady state and peak-current I-V relationships for different channels, and when applied adiabatically, explains the time lag between the gating charge current and the rise of the ionic current. The approach developed can be useful as an effective way to model the ionic currents in axons, cardiac cells and other excitable tissues.

Cardiac channel gating charge movements: recovery from inactivation

The nonlinear charge movements which occur during membrane depolarization of cardiac ventricular myocytes (QON) have been previously identified and separated, by kinetic and steady-state criteria, into constituent components arising from the gating of Na channels and Ca channels. In contrast, the nature and time course of the OFF charge movements (QOFF), which follow membrane repolarization have not been as clearly established. In order to address this question cardiac QOFF was studied using small-diameter, 17-day-old embryonic chick ventricular myocytes that can be rapidly and uniformly voltage-clamped. The application of brief (5.4 ms) depolarizing steps were employed to produce Na channel inactivation but little Ca channel inactivation. Following the return of the membrane potential to -100 mV QOFF, measured as the gating current termed IgOFF, displayed two kinetic components. Double exponential fits to IgOFF yielded time constants of a few tenths of a millisecond for the fast component (IgOFFfast) and of 1-2 ms for the slower component (IgOFFslow). The time course and voltage dependence for the slower component suggested that it might be linked to the inactivation, and the recovery from inactivation, of Na channels. In order to identify these kinetic components double-pulse protocols were employed in which the duration of the prepulse and the interval separating the prepulse and test pulse were varied. The time course for the decay of IgOFFslow following a brief inactivating prepulse was similar to the time course for the recovery of the Na channel QON (QNaRecov). Both IgOFFslow and QNaRecov preceded the recovery of the Na channel (ionic) current. The recovery from inactivation of both the Na current and QNa displayed a similar voltage dependence. These experiments have helped to identify the two components of cardiac IgOFF and, therefore, will facilitate the interpretation of further biophysical and pharmacological studies concerning cardiac Na channel and Ca channel gating charge movements.

Voltage- and concentration-dependent effects of lidocaine on cardiac Na channel gating charge movements

The effects of lidocaine, a local anesthetic and cardiac antiarrhythmic agent, were studied on cardiac nonlinear Na channel and Ca channel charge movements (gating currents) of 17-day-old embryonic chick ventricular myocytes. Gating currents were recorded following the blockade of all ionic currents and the subtraction of the linear capacity currents (-P/5). From a holding potential of -100 mV the ON charge movement (QON) displayed two kinetic components: a rapidly decaying component associated with Ca channel gating, and a slower component associated with Ca channel gating. A depolarizing prepulse to -50 mV for 125 ms reduced the fast component of QON, with little effect on the slower component. Similarly, 20 microM lidocaine also reduced the fast component of QON (Na channel charge movement) and had little effect on the slower component (Ca channel charge movement). Higher concentrations of lidocaine (125 microM) reduced both the fast and the slower components of QON. The effects of either a prepulse to -50 mV, or 20 microM lidocaine on the steady-state QON/Vm relationship were nearly identical. These results suggest that lidocaine "blocks" cardiac Na (ionic) currents by a reduction in the availability of Na channel charge movement (QON), and that this reduction is similar to that produced by voltage-dependent inactivation.

Fast and slow inactivation of sodium channels: effects of photodynamic modification by methylene blue

Illumination of crayfish giant axons, during internal perfusion with 0.5 mM methylene blue (MB), produces photodynamic effects that include (i) reduction in total sodium conductance, (ii) shifting of the steady-state inactivation curve to the right along the voltage axis, (iii) reduction in the effective valence of steady-state inactivation and, (iv) potentially complete removal of fast inactivation. Additionally, the two kinetic components of fast inactivation in crayfish axons are differentially affected by MB+light. The intercept of the faster component (tau h1) is selectively reduced at shorter MB+light exposure times. Neither tau h1 nor the slower (tau h2) process was protected from MB+light by prior steady-state inactivation of sodium channels. However, carotenoids provide differing degrees of protection against each of the photodynamic actions listed above, suggesting that the four major effects of MB+light are mediated by changes occurring within different regions of the sodium channel molecule.

Steady-state availability of sodium channels. Interactions between activation and slow inactivation

Changes in holding potential (Vh), affect both gating charge (the Q(Vh) curve) and peak ionic current (the F(Vh) curve) seen at positive test potentials. Careful comparison of the Q(Vh) and F(Vh) distributions indicates that these curves are similar, having two slopes (approximately 2.5e for Vh from -115 to -90 mV and approximately 4e for Vh from -90 to -65 mV) and very negative midpoints (approximately -86 mV). Thus, gating charge movement and channel availability appear closely coupled under fully-equilibrated conditions. The time course by which channels approach equilibration was explored using depolarizing prepulses of increasing duration. The high slope component seen in the F(Vh) and Q(Vh) curves is not evident following short depolarizing prepulses in which the prepulse duration approximately corresponds to the settling time for fast inactivation. Increasing the prepulse duration to 10 ms or longer reveals the high slope, and left-shifts the midpoint to more negative voltages, towards the F(Vh) and Q(Vh) distributions. These results indicate that a separate slow-moving voltage sensor affects the channels at prepulse durations greater than 10 ms. Charge movement and channel availability remain closely coupled as equilibrium is approached using depolarizing pulses of increasing durations. Both measures are 50% complete by 50 ms at a prepulse potential of -70 mV, with proportionately faster onset rates when the prepulse potential is more depolarized. By contrast, charge movement and channel availability dissociate during recovery from prolonged depolarizations. Recovery of gating charge is considerably faster than recovery of sodium ionic current after equilibration at depolarized potentials. Recovery of gating charge at -140 mV, is 65% complete within approximately 100 ms, whereas less than 30% of ionic current has recovered by this time. Thus, charge movement and channel availability appear to be uncoupled during recovery, although both rates remain voltage sensitive. These data suggest that channels remain inactivated due to a separate process operating in parallel with the fast gating charge. We demonstrate that this behavior can be simulated by a model in which the fast charge movement associated with channel activation is electrostatically-coupled to a separate slow voltage sensor responsible for the slow inactivation of channel conductance.

Voltage-sensitive and solvent-sensitive processes in ion channel gating. Kinetic effects of hyperosmolar media on activation and deactivation of sodium channels

Kinetic effects of osmotic stress on sodium ionic and gating currents have been studied in crayfish giant axons after removal of fast inactivation with chloramine-T. Internal perfusion with media made hyperosmolar by addition of formamide or sucrose, reduces peak sodium current (before and after removal of fast inactivation with chloramine-T), increases the half-time for activation, but has no effect on tail current deactivation rate(s). Kinetics of ON and OFF gating currents are not affected by osmotic stress. These results confirm (and extend to sodium channels) the separation of channel gating mechanisms into voltage-sensitive and solvent-sensitive processes recently proposed by Zimmerberg J., F. Bezanilla, and V. A. Parsegian. (1990. Biophys. J. 57:1049-1064) for potassium delayed rectifier channels. Additionally, the kinetic effects produced by hyperosmolar media seem qualitatively similar to the kinetic effects of heavy water substitution in crayfish axons (Alicata, D. A., M. D. Rayner, and J. G. Starkus. 1990. Biophys. J. 57:745-758). However, our observations are incompatible with models in which voltage-sensitive and solvent-sensitive gating processes are presumed to be either (a) strictly sequential or, (b) parallel and independent. We introduce a variant of the parallel model which includes explicit coupling between voltage-sensitive and solvent-sensitive processes. Simulations of this model, in which the total coupling energy is as small as 1/10th of kT, demonstrate the characteristic kinetic changes noted in our data.

Gating current "fractionation" in crayfish giant axons

Effects of changes in initial conditions on the magnitude and kinetics of gating current and sodium current were studied in voltage-clamped, internally-perfused, crayfish giant axons. We examined the effects of changes in holding potential, inactivating prepulses, and recovery from inactivation in axons with intact fast inactivation. We also studied the effects of brief interpulse intervals in axons pretreated with chloramine-T for removal of fast inactivation. We find marked effects of gating current kinetics induced by both prepulse inactivation and brief interpulse intervals. The apparent changes in gating current relaxation rates cannot be explained simply by changes in gating charge magnitude (charge immobilization) combined with "Cole-Moore-type" time shifts. Rather they appear to indicate selective suppression of kinetically-identifiable components within the control gating currents. Our results provide additional support for a model involving parallel, nonidentical, gating particles.

Na activation delays and their relation to inactivation in frog skeletal muscle

Delays in the development of activation of Na currents were studied using voltage-clamped frog skeletal muscle fibers. Na currents elicited by a depolarizing voltage step from a hyperpolarized membrane potential were delayed in their activation when compared to Na currents elicited from the resting potential. The magnitude of the delay increased with larger hyperpolarizing potentials and decreased with larger depolarizing test potentials. Delays in activation observed following chloramine-T treatment that partially removes inactivation did not differ from delays observed before treatment. Longer exposures of the muscle fiber to chloramine-T led to a complete loss of inactivation, coincident with an elimination of the hyperpolarization-induced delays in activation. Steady-state slow inactivation was virtually unaffected by prolonged exposures of the fibers to chloramine-T that eliminated fast inactivation. The results show that chloramine-T acts at a number of sites to alter both activation and inactivation. Markov model simulations of the results show that chloramine-T alters fundamental time constants of the system by altering both activation and inactivation rate constants.

Holding potential affects the apparent voltage-sensitivity of sodium channel activation in crayfish giant axons

Sodium channel activations, measured as the fraction of channels open to peak conductance for different test potentials (F[V]), shows two statistically different slopes from holding potential more positive than -90 mV. A high valence of 4-6e is indicated a test potentials within 35 mV of the apparent threshold potential (circa -65 mV at -85 mV holding potential). However, for test potentials positive to -30 mV, the F(V) curve shows a 2e valence. The F(V) curve for crayfish axon sodium channels at these "depolarized" holding potentials thus closely resembles classic data obtained from other preparations at holding potentials between -80 and -60 mV. In contrast, at holding potentials more negative than -100 mV, the high slope essentially disappears and the F(V) curve follows a single Boltzmann distribution with a valence of approximately 2e at all potentials. Neither the slope of this simple distribution nor its midpoint (-20 mV) was significantly affected by removal of fast inactivation with pronase. The change in F(V) slope, when holding potential is increased from -85 to -120 mV, does not appear to be caused by the contribution of a second channel type. The simple voltage dependence of sodium current found at Vh -120 mV be used by to discriminate between models of sodium channel activation, and rules out models with three particles of equal valence.

Sodium channel activation mechanisms. Insights from deuterium oxide substitution

Schauf and Bullock (1979. Biophys. J. 27:193-208; 1982. Biophys. J. 37:441-452), using Myxicola giant axons, demonstrated that solvent substitution with deuterium oxide (D2O) significantly affects both sodium channel activation and inactivation kinetics without corresponding changes in gating current or tail current rates. They concluded that (a) no significant component of gating current derives from the final channel opening step, and (b) channels must deactivate (during tail currents) by a different pathway from that used in channel opening. By contrast, Oxford (1981. J. Gen. Physiol. 77:1-22) found in squid axons that when a depolarizing pulse is interrupted by a brief (approximately 100 microseconds) return to holding potential, subsequent reactivation (secondary activation) is very rapid and shows almost monoexponential kinetics. Increasing the interpulse interval resulted in secondary activation rate returning towards control, sigmoid (primary activation) kinetics. He concluded that channels open and close (deactivate) via the same pathway. We have repeated both sets of observations in crayfish axons, confirming the results obtained in both previous studies, despite the apparently contradictory conclusions reached by these authors. On the other hand, we find that secondary activation after a brief interpulse interval (50 microseconds) is insensitive to D2O, although reactivation after longer interpulse intervals (approximately 400 microseconds) returns towards a D2O sensitivity similar to that of primary activation. We conclude that D2O-sensitive primary activation and D2O-insensitive tail current deactivation involve separate pathways. However, D2O-insensitive secondary activation involves reversal of the D2O-insensitive deactivation step. These conclusions are consistent with "parallel gate" models, provided that one gating particle has a substantially reduced effective valence.

Gating currents associated with Na channels in canine cardiac Purkinje cells

Gating currents (Ig) were recorded in single canine cardiac Purkinje cells at 10-12 degrees C. Ig characteristics corresponded closely to macroscopic INa characteristics and appeared to exhibit little contamination from other voltage-gated channels. Charge density predicted by peak INa was 0.14-0.22 fC micron -2 and this compared well with the measured value of 0.19 +/- 0.10 fC micron -2 (SD; n = 28). The charge-voltage relationship rose over a voltage similar to the peak INa conductance curve. The midpoints of the two relationships were not significantly different although the conductance curve was 1.5 +/- 0.3 (SD; n = 9) times steeper. Consistent with this observation, which predicted that a large amount of the gating charge would be associated with transitions close to the open state, an analysis of activation from Hodgkin-Huxley fits to the macroscopic currents showed that tau m corresponded well with a prominent component of Ig. Ig relaxations fitted two exponentials better than one over the range of voltages in which Na channels were activated. When the holding potential was hyperpolarized, relaxation of Ig during step depolarizations to 0 mV was prolonged but there was no substantial increase in charge, further suggesting that early closed-state transitions are less in charge, further suggesting that early closed-state transitions are less voltage dependent. The single cardiac Purkinje cell appears to be a good candidate for combining Ig and single-channel measurements to obtain a kinetic description of the cardiac Na channel.