Depolarization increases the single-channel conductance and the open probability of crayfish glutamate channels

Sensing membrane voltage by reorientation of dipolar transmembrane peptides

Membrane voltage plays a vital role in the behavior and functions of the lipid bilayer membrane. For instance, it regulates the exchange of molecules across the membrane through transmembrane proteins such as ion channels. In this paper, we study the membrane voltage-sensing mechanism, which entails the reorientation of α-helices with a change in the membrane voltage. We consider a helix having a large electrical macrodipole embedded in a lipid bilayer as a model system. We performed extensive molecular dynamics simulations to study the effect of variation of membrane voltage on the tilt angle of peptides and ascertain the optimal parameters for designing such a voltage-sensing peptide. A theoretical model for the system is also developed to investigate the interplay of competing effects of hydrophobic mismatch and dipole-electric field coupling on the tilt of the peptide and further explore the parameter space. This work opens the possibility for the design and fabrication of artificial dipolar membrane voltage-sensing elements for biomedical applications.

The spatial pattern of light determines the kinetics and modulates backpropagation of optogenetic action potentials

Optogenetics offers an unprecedented ability to spatially target neuronal stimulations. This study investigated via simulation, for the first time, how the spatial pattern of excitation affects the response of channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) expressing neurons. First we described a methodology for modeling ChR2 in the NEURON simulation platform. Then, we compared four most commonly considered illumination strategies (somatic, dendritic, axonal and whole cell) in a paradigmatic model of a cortical layer V pyramidal cell. We show that the spatial pattern of illumination has an important impact on the efficiency of stimulation and the kinetics of the spiking output. Whole cell illumination synchronizes the depolarization of the dendritic tree and the soma and evokes spiking characteristics with a distinct pattern including an increased bursting rate and enhanced back propagation of action potentials (bAPs). This type of illumination is the most efficient as a given irradiance threshold was achievable with only 6 % of ChR2 density needed in the case of somatic illumination. Targeting only the axon initial segment requires a high ChR2 density to achieve a given threshold irradiance and a prolonged illumination does not yield sustained spiking. We also show that patterned illumination can be used to modulate the bAPs and hence spatially modulate the direction and amplitude of spike time dependent plasticity protocols. We further found the irradiance threshold to increase in proportion to the demyelination level of an axon, suggesting that measurements of the irradiance threshold (for example relative to the soma) could be used to remotely probe a loss of neural myelin sheath, which is a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases.

ON THE DYNAMICS OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS WITH RANDOM FLUCTUATIONS: A STATISTICAL FIELD THEORY APPROACH

A theoretical study based on the application of Fokker–Planck theory to the dynamics of a cell membrane model is presented. The role and the meaning of nonlinear interaction of electric-field-sensitive channels is discussed in the framework of the coupled mode theory of weakly ionized media. A phenomenological model of Malthus-Verhulst type is derived for the size of activating channels of a single ion species.

Meet me on the other side: trans-bilayer modulation of a model voltage-gated ion channel activity by membrane electrostatics asymmetry

While it is accepted that biomembrane asymmetry is generated by proteins and phospholipids distribution, little is known about how electric changes manifested in a monolayer influence functional properties of proteins localized on the opposite leaflet. Herein we used single-molecule electrophysiology and investigated how asymmetric changes in the electrostatics of an artificial lipid membrane monolayer, generated oppositely from where alamethicin - a model voltage-gated ion channel - was added, altered peptide activity. We found that phlorizin, a membrane dipole potential lowering amphiphile, augmented alamethicin activity and transport features, whereas the opposite occurred with RH-421, which enhances the monolayer dipole potential. Further, the monolayer surface potential was decreased via adsorption of sodium dodecyl sulfate, and demonstrated that vectorial modification of it also affected the alamethicin activity in a predictive manner. A new paradigm is suggested according to which asymmetric changes in the monolayer dipole and surface potential extend their effects spatially by altering the intramembrane potential, whose gradient is sensed by distantly located peptides.

Effect of membrane tension on the electric field and dipole potential of lipid bilayer membrane

The dipole potential of lipid bilayer membrane controls the difference in permeability of the membrane to oppositely charged ions. We have combined molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and experimental studies to determine changes in electric field and electrostatic potential of 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) lipid bilayer in response to applied membrane tension. MD simulations based on CHARMM36 force field showed that electrostatic potential of DOPC bilayer decreases by ~45mV in the physiologically relevant range of membrane tension values (0 to 15dyn/cm). The electrostatic field exhibits a peak (~0.8×10(9)V/m) near the water/lipid interface which shifts by 0.9Å towards the bilayer center at 15dyn/cm. Maximum membrane tension of 15dyn/cm caused 6.4% increase in area per lipid, 4.7% decrease in bilayer thickness and 1.4% increase in the volume of the bilayer. Dipole-potential sensitive fluorescent probes were used to detect membrane tension induced changes in DOPC vesicles exposed to osmotic stress. Experiments confirmed that dipole potential of DOPC bilayer decreases at higher membrane tensions. These results are suggestive of a potentially new mechanosensing mechanism by which mechanically induced structural changes in the lipid bilayer membrane could modulate the function of membrane proteins by altering electrostatic interactions and energetics of protein conformational states.

Modeling study of the light stimulation of a neuron cell with channelrhodopsin-2 mutants

Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) has become a widely used tool for stimulating neurons with light. Nevertheless, the underlying dynamics of the ChR2-evoked spikes are still not yet fully understood. Here, we develop a model that describes the response of ChR2-expressing neurons to light stimuli and use the model to explore the light-to-spike process. We show that an optimal stimulation yield is achieved when the optical energies are delivered in short pulses. The model allows us to theoretically examine the effects of using various types of ChR2 mutants. We show that while increasing the lifetime and shuttering speed of ChR2 have limited effect, reducing the threshold irradiance by increased conductance will eliminate adaptation and allow constant dynamic range. The model and the conclusion presented in this study can help to interpret experimental results, design illumination protocols, and seek improvement strategies in the nascent optogenetic field.

Gating modes in AMPA receptors

AMPA receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that show multiple conductance levels, indicating that gating of individual AMPA subunits is to some extent independent of the other subunits. To study AMPAR subunit interactions during activation gating, we recorded from single channels in the absence of channel block and desensitization and at negative and positive membrane potentials. In saturating glutamate, the relative occupancies of the various conductance levels are consistent with complete subunit independence. In contrast, the relative occupancies in subsaturating glutamate indicate that the channel switches between a low open probability mode and a high open probability mode in which the behavior of the channel is identical to that in saturating glutamate. These gating modes occur at both negative and positive potentials, with the high open probability mode becoming more prominent at positive potentials. The switch between gating modes and its modulation by voltage and other factors may constitute a novel mechanism regulating AMPAR-mediated synaptic activity.

Voltage-dependent gating of NR1/2B NMDA receptors

Ligand-gated ion channels are activated by agonist binding, but may also be modulated by membrane voltage. N-Methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) exhibit especially strong voltage dependence due to channel block by external Mg(2+) (Mg(o)(2+)). Here we demonstrate that activity of NMDARs composed of NR1 and NR2B subunits (NR1/2B receptors) is enhanced by depolarization even in 0 Mg(o)(2+), causing slow current relaxations in response to rapid voltage changes. We present a kinetic model of receptor activation that incorporates voltage-dependent gating-associated NR2B subunit conformational changes. The model accurately reproduces current relaxations during depolarizations and subsequent repolarizations in 0 Mg(o)(2+). Model simulations in physiological Mg(o)(2+) concentrations show that voltage-dependent receptor gating also underlies the slow component of Mg(o)(2+) unblock, a phenomenon that previously was shown to influence Mg(o)(2+) unblock kinetics during dendritic spikes. We propose that voltage-dependent gating of NR1/2B receptors confers enhanced voltage and time dependence on NMDAR-mediated signalling.

The M2 muscarinic G-protein-coupled receptor is voltage-sensitive

G-protein coupled receptors are not considered to exhibit voltage sensitivity. Here, using Xenopus oocytes, we show that the M2 muscarinic receptor (m2R) is voltage-sensitive. The m2R-mediated potassium channel (GIRK) currents were used to assay the activity of m2R. We found that the apparent affinity of m2R toward acetylcholine (ACh) was reduced upon depolarization. Binding experiments of [3H]ACh to individual oocytes expressing m2R confirmed the electrophysiological findings. When the GIRK channels were activated either by overexpression of Gbetagamma subunits or by injection of GTPgammaS, the ratio between the currents measured at -60 mV and +40 mV was the same as for the basal activity of the GIRK channel. Thus, the steps downstream to agonist activation of m2R are not voltage-sensitive. We further found that, in contrast to m2R, the apparent affinity of m1R was increased upon depolarization. We also found that the voltage sensitivity of binding of [3H]ACh to oocytes expressing m2R was greatly diminished following pretreatment with pertussis toxin. The cumulative results suggest that m2R is, by itself, voltage-sensitive. Furthermore, the voltage sensitivity does not reside in the ACh binding site, rather, it most likely resides in the receptor region that couples to the G-protein.

On the mechanism of desensitization in quisqualate-type glutamate channels

Desensitization of crayfish glutamate channels was studied in outside-out patches employing an improved fast drug-application technique. Low concentrations of glutamate produced substantial desensitization without correlation with the detected number of open channels. The desensitization time constant (tau(D)) was found to be independent of glutamate concentration (0.3-20 mM). These results suggest that in addition to desensitization from a state of fully liganded channels, a substantial fraction of desensitization occurs also from channels in a partly-liganded state. A kinetic model was developed. The model accounts for the multifaceted behavior of desensitization as well as for resensitization.