Molecular dynamics of synthetic leucine-serine ion channels in a phospholipid membrane

Transcendent Aspects of Proton Channels

A handful of biological proton-selective ion channels exist. Some open at positive or negative membrane potentials, others open at low or high pH, and some are light activated. This review focuses on common features that result from the unique properties of protons. Proton conduction through water or proteins differs qualitatively from that of all other ions. Extraordinary proton selectivity is needed to ensure that protons permeate and other ions do not. Proton selectivity arises from a proton pathway comprising a hydrogen-bonded chain that typically includes at least one titratable amino acid side chain. The enormously diverse functions of proton channels in disparate regions of the phylogenetic tree can be summarized by considering the chemical and electrical consequences of proton flux across membranes. This review discusses examples of cells in which proton efflux serves to increase pHi, decrease pHo, control the membrane potential, generate action potentials, or compensate transmembrane movement of electrical charge.

Structure and Computational Electrophysiology of Ac-LS3, a Synthetic Ion Channel

Computer simulations are reported on Ac-LS3, a synthetic ion channel, containing 21 residues with a Leu-Ser-Ser-Leu-Leu-Ser-Leu heptad repeat, which forms ions channels upon application of voltage. A hexameric, coiled-coil bundle initially positioned perpendicular to the membrane settled into a stable, tilted structure after 1.5 μs, most likely to improve contacts between the non-polar exterior of the channel and the hydrophobic core of the membrane. Once tilted, the bundle remained in this state during subsequent simulations of nearly 10 μs at voltages ranging from 200 to -100 mV. In contrast, attempts to identify a stable pentameric structure failed, thus supporting the hypothesis that the channel is a hexamer. Results at 100 mV were used to reconstruct the free energy profiles for K⁺ and Cl^- in the channel. This was done by way of several methods in which results of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were combined with the electrodiffusion model. Two of them developed recently do not require knowledge of the diffusivity. Instead, they utilize one-sided density profiles and committor probabilities. The consistency between different methods is very good, supporting the utility of the newly developed methods for reconstructing free energies of ions in channels. The flux of K⁺, which accounts for most of the current through the channel, calculated directly from MD matches well the total measured current. However, the current of Cl^- is somewhat overestimated, possibly due to a slightly unbalanced force field involving chloride. The current-voltage dependence was also reconstructed by way of a recently developed, efficient method that requires simulations only at a single voltage, yielding good agreement with the experiment. Taken together, the results demonstrate that computational electrophysiology has become a reliable tool for studying how channels mediate ion transport through membranes.

Principles and Methods in Computational Membrane Protein Design

After decades of progress in computational protein design, the design of proteins folding and functioning in lipid membranes appears today as the next frontier. Some notable successes in the de novo design of simplified model membrane protein systems have helped articulate fundamental principles of protein folding, architecture and interaction in the hydrophobic lipid environment. These principles are reviewed here, together with the computational methods and approaches that were used to identify them. We provide an overview of the methodological innovations in the generation of new protein structures and functions and in the development of membrane-specific energy functions. We highlight the opportunities offered by new machine learning approaches applied to protein design, and by new experimental characterization techniques applied to membrane proteins. Although membrane protein design is in its infancy, it appears more reachable than previously thought.

Water in Nanopores and Biological Channels: A Molecular Simulation Perspective

This Review explores the dynamic behavior of water within nanopores and biological channels in lipid bilayer membranes. We focus on molecular simulation studies, alongside selected structural and other experimental investigations. Structures of biological nanopores and channels are reviewed, emphasizing those high-resolution crystal structures, which reveal water molecules within the transmembrane pores, which can be used to aid the interpretation of simulation studies. Different levels of molecular simulations of water within nanopores are described, with a focus on molecular dynamics (MD). In particular, models of water for MD simulations are discussed in detail to provide an evaluation of their use in simulations of water in nanopores. Simulation studies of the behavior of water in idealized models of nanopores have revealed aspects of the organization and dynamics of nanoconfined water, including wetting/dewetting in narrow hydrophobic nanopores. A survey of simulation studies in a range of nonbiological nanopores is presented, including carbon nanotubes, synthetic nanopores, model peptide nanopores, track-etched nanopores in polymer membranes, and hydroxylated and functionalized nanoporous silica. These reveal a complex relationship between pore size/geometry, the nature of the pore lining, and rates of water transport. Wider nanopores with hydrophobic linings favor water flow whereas narrower hydrophobic pores may show dewetting. Simulation studies over the past decade of the behavior of water in a range of biological nanopores are described, including porins and β-barrel protein nanopores, aquaporins and related polar solute pores, and a number of different classes of ion channels. Water is shown to play a key role in proton transport in biological channels and in hydrophobic gating of ion channels. An overall picture emerges, whereby the behavior of water in a nanopore may be predicted as a function of its hydrophobicity and radius. This informs our understanding of the functions of diverse channel structures and will aid the design of novel nanopores. Thus, our current level of understanding allows for the design of a nanopore which promotes wetting over dewetting or vice versa. However, to design a novel nanopore, which enables fast, selective, and gated flow of water de novo would remain challenging, suggesting a need for further detailed simulations alongside experimental evaluation of more complex nanopore systems.

De novo protein design, a retrospective

Proteins are molecular machines whose function depends on their ability to achieve complex folds with precisely defined structural and dynamic properties. The rational design of proteins from first-principles, or de novo, was once considered to be impossible, but today proteins with a variety of folds and functions have been realized. We review the evolution of the field from its earliest days, placing particular emphasis on how this endeavor has illuminated our understanding of the principles underlying the folding and function of natural proteins, and is informing the design of macromolecules with unprecedented structures and properties. An initial set of milestones in de novo protein design focused on the construction of sequences that folded in water and membranes to adopt folded conformations. The first proteins were designed from first-principles using very simple physical models. As computers became more powerful, the use of the rotamer approximation allowed one to discover amino acid sequences that stabilize the desired fold. As the crystallographic database of protein structures expanded in subsequent years, it became possible to construct proteins by assembling short backbone fragments that frequently recur in Nature. The second set of milestones in de novo design involves the discovery of complex functions. Proteins have been designed to bind a variety of metals, porphyrins, and other cofactors. The design of proteins that catalyze hydrolysis and oxygen-dependent reactions has progressed significantly. However, de novo design of catalysts for energetically demanding reactions, or even proteins that bind with high affinity and specificity to highly functionalized complex polar molecules remains an importnant challenge that is now being achieved. Finally, the protein design contributed significantly to our understanding of membrane protein folding and transport of ions across membranes. The area of membrane protein design, or more generally of biomimetic polymers that function in mixed or non-aqueous environments, is now becoming increasingly possible.

Design of self-assembling transmembrane helical bundles to elucidate principles required for membrane protein folding and ion transport

Ion transporters and channels are able to identify and act on specific substrates among myriads of ions and molecules critical to cellular processes, such as homeostasis, cell signalling, nutrient influx and drug efflux. Recently, we designed Rocker, a minimalist model for Zn²⁺/H⁺ co-transport. The success of this effort suggests that de novo membrane protein design has now come of age so as to serve a key approach towards probing the determinants of membrane protein folding, assembly and function. Here, we review general principles that can be used to design membrane proteins, with particular reference to helical assemblies with transport function. We also provide new functional and NMR data that probe the dynamic mechanism of conduction through Rocker.This article is part of the themed issue 'Membrane pores: from structure and assembly, to medicine and technology'.

Validity of the Electrodiffusion Model for Calculating Conductance of Simple Ion Channels

We examine the validity and utility of the electrodiffusion (ED) equation, i.e., the generalized Nernst-Planck equation, to characterize, in combination with molecular dynamics, the electrophysiological behavior of simple ion channels. As models, we consider three systems-two naturally occurring channels formed by α-helical bundles of peptaibols, trichotoxin, and alamethicin, and a synthetic, hexameric channel, formed by a peptide that contains only leucine and serine. All these channels mediate transport of potassium and chloride ions. Starting with equilibrium properties, such as the potential of mean force experienced by an ion traversing the channel and diffusivity, obtained from molecular dynamics simulations, the ED equation can be used to determine the full current-voltage dependence with modest or no additional effort. The potential of mean force can be obtained not only from equilibrium simulations, but also, with comparable accuracy, from nonequilibrium simulations at a single voltage. The main assumptions underlying the ED equation appear to hold well for the channels and voltages studied here. To expand the utility of the ED equation, we examine what are the necessary and sufficient conditions for Ohmic and nonrectifying behavior and relate deviations from this behavior to the shape of the ionic potential of mean force.

Fast assessment of structural models of ion channels based on their predicted current-voltage characteristics

Computational prediction of protein structures is a difficult task, which involves fast and accurate evaluation of candidate model structures. We propose to enhance single-model quality assessment with a functionality evaluation phase for proteins whose quantitative functional characteristics are known. In particular, this idea can be applied to evaluation of structural models of ion channels, whose main function - conducting ions - can be quantitatively measured with the patch-clamp technique providing the current-voltage characteristics. The study was performed on a set of KcsA channel models obtained from complete and incomplete contact maps. A fast continuous electrodiffusion model was used for calculating the current-voltage characteristics of structural models. We found that the computed charge selectivity and total current were sensitive to structural and electrostatic quality of models. In practical terms, we show that evaluating predicted conductance values is an appropriate method to eliminate models with an occluded pore or with multiple erroneously created pores. Moreover, filtering models on the basis of their predicted charge selectivity results in a substantial enrichment of the candidate set in highly accurate models. Tests on three other ion channels indicate that, in addition to being a proof of the concept, our function-oriented single-model quality assessment method can be directly applied to evaluation of structural models of some classes of protein channels. Finally, our work raises an important question whether a computational validation of functionality should be included in the evaluation process of structural models, whenever possible.

Molecular dynamics simulations of homo-oligomeric bundles embedded within a lipid bilayer

Using molecular dynamics simulations, we studied the structure, interhelix interactions, and dynamics of transmembrane proteins. Specifically, we investigated homooligomeric helical bundle systems consisting of synthetic α-helices with either the sequence Ac-(LSLLLSL)3-NH2 (LS2) or Ac-(LSSLLSL)3-NH2 (LS3). The LS2 and LS3 helical peptides are designed to have amphipathic characteristics that form ion channels in membrane. We simulated bundles containing one to six peptides that were embedded in palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) lipid bilayer and placed between two lamellae of water. We aim to provide a fundamental understanding of how amphipathic helical peptides interact with each other and their dynamical behaviors in different homooligomeric states. To understand structural properties, we examined the helix lengths, tilt angles of individual helices and the entire bundle, interhelix distances, interhelix cross-angles, helix hydrophobic-to-hydrophilic vector projections, and the average number of interhelix hydrophilic (serine-serine) contacts lining the pore of the transmembrane channel. To analyze dynamical properties, we calculated the rotational autocorrelation function of each helix and the cross-correlation of the rotational velocity between adjacent helices. The observed structural and dynamical characteristics show that higher order bundles containing four to six peptides are composed of multiple lower order bundles of one to three peptides. For example, the LS2 channel was found to be stable in a tetrameric bundle composed of a "dimer of dimers." In addition, we observed that there is a minimum of two strong hydrophilic contacts between a pair of adjacent helices in the dimer to tetramer systems and only one strong hydrophilic interhelix contact in helix pairs of the pentamer and hexamer systems. We believe these results are general and can be applied to more complex ion channels, providing insight into ion channel stability and assembly.

Philosophy of voltage-gated proton channels

In this review, voltage-gated proton channels are considered from a mainly teleological perspective. Why do proton channels exist? What good are they? Why did they go to such lengths to develop several unique hallmark properties such as extreme selectivity and ΔpH-dependent gating? Why is their current so minuscule? How do they manage to be so selective? What is the basis for our belief that they conduct H(+) and not OH(-)? Why do they exist in many species as dimers when the monomeric form seems to work quite well? It is hoped that pondering these questions will provide an introduction to these channels and a way to logically organize their peculiar properties as well as to understand how they are able to carry out some of their better-established biological functions.

Benchmark Study of the SCC-DFTB Approach for a Biomolecular Proton Channel

The self-consistent charge density functional tight binding (SCC-DFTB) method has been increasingly applied to study proton transport (PT) in biological environments. However, recent studies revealing some significant limitations of SCC-DFTB for proton and hydroxide solvation and transport in bulk aqueous systems call into question its accuracy for simulating PT in biological systems. The current work benchmarks the SCC-DFTB/MM method against more accurate DFT/MM by simulating PT in a synthetic leucine-serine channel (LS2), which emulates the structure and function of biomolecular proton channels. It is observed that SCC-DFTB/MM produces over-coordinated and less structured pore water, an over-coordinated excess proton, weak hydrogen bonds around the excess proton charge defect and qualitatively different PT dynamics. Similar issues are demonstrated for PT in a carbon nanotube, indicating that the inaccuracies found for SCC-DFTB are not due to the point charge based QM/MM electrostatic coupling scheme, but rather to the approximations of the semiempirical method itself. The results presented in this work highlight the limitations of the present form of the SCC-DFTB/MM approach for simulating PT processes in biological protein or channel-like environments, while providing benchmark results that may lead to an improvement of the underlying method.

Optimization of 3D Poisson-Nernst-Planck model for fast evaluation of diverse protein channels

We show the accuracy and applicability of our fast algorithmic implementation of a three-dimensional Poisson-Nernst-Planck (3D-PNP) flow model for characterizing different protein channels. Due to its high computational efficiency, our model can predict the full current-voltage characteristics of a channel within minutes, based on the experimental 3D structure of the channel or its computational model structure. Compared with other methods, such as Brownian dynamics, which currently needs a few weeks of the computational time, or even much more demanding molecular dynamics modeling, 3D-PNP is the only available method for a function-based evaluation of very numerous tentative structural channel models. Flow model tests of our algorithm and its optimal parametrization are provided for five native channels whose experimental structures are available in the protein data bank (PDB) in an open conductive state, and whose experimental current-voltage characteristics have been published. The channels represent very different geometric and structural properties, which makes it the widest test to date of the accuracy of 3D-PNP on real channels. We test whether the channel conductance, rectification, and charge selectivity obtained from the flow model, could be sufficiently sensitive to single-point mutations, related to unsignificant changes in the channel structure. Our results show that the classical 3D-PNP model, under proper parametrization, is able to achieve a qualitative agreement with experimental data for a majority of the tested characteristics and channels, including channels with narrow and irregular conductivity pores. We propose that although the standard PNP model cannot provide insight into complex physical phenomena due to its intrinsic limitations, its semiquantitative agreement is achievable for rectification and selectivity at a level sufficient for the bioinformatical purpose of selecting the best structural models with a great advantage of a very short computational time.

Voltage-gated proton channels: molecular biology, physiology, and pathophysiology of the H(V) family

Voltage-gated proton channels (H(V)) are unique, in part because the ion they conduct is unique. H(V) channels are perfectly selective for protons and have a very small unitary conductance, both arguably manifestations of the extremely low H(+) concentration in physiological solutions. They open with membrane depolarization, but their voltage dependence is strongly regulated by the pH gradient across the membrane (ΔpH), with the result that in most species they normally conduct only outward current. The H(V) channel protein is strikingly similar to the voltage-sensing domain (VSD, the first four membrane-spanning segments) of voltage-gated K(+) and Na(+) channels. In higher species, H(V) channels exist as dimers in which each protomer has its own conduction pathway, yet gating is cooperative. H(V) channels are phylogenetically diverse, distributed from humans to unicellular marine life, and perhaps even plants. Correspondingly, H(V) functions vary widely as well, from promoting calcification in coccolithophores and triggering bioluminescent flashes in dinoflagellates to facilitating killing bacteria, airway pH regulation, basophil histamine release, sperm maturation, and B lymphocyte responses in humans. Recent evidence that hH(V)1 may exacerbate breast cancer metastasis and cerebral damage from ischemic stroke highlights the rapidly expanding recognition of the clinical importance of hH(V)1.

Membrane-bound ARF1 peptide: interpretation of neutron diffraction data by molecular dynamics simulation methods

Adenosine diphosphate ribosylation factor-1 (ARF1) is activated by cell membrane binding of a self-folding N-terminal domain. We have previously presented four possible conformations of the membrane bound, human ARF1 N-terminal peptide in planar lipid bilayers of DOPC and DOPG (7:3 molar ratio), determined from lamellar neutron diffraction and circular dichroism data. In this paper we analyse the four possible conformations by molecular dynamics simulations. The aim of these simulations was to use MD to distinguish which of the four possible membrane bound structures was the most likely. The most likely conformation was determined according to the following criteria: (a) location of label positions on the peptide in relation to the bilayer, (b) lowest mean square displacement from the initial structure, (c) lowest system energy, (d) most peptide-lipid headgroup hydrogen bonding, (e) analysis of phi/psi angles of the peptide. These findings demonstrate the application of molecular dynamics simulations to explore neutron diffraction data.

Modulation of the conductance of a 2,2'-bipyridine-functionalized peptidic ion channel by Ni2+

An α-helical amphipathic peptide with the sequence H₂N-(LSSLLSL)₃-CONH₂ was obtained by solid phase synthesis and a 2,2′-bipyridine was coupled to its N-terminus, which allows complexation of Ni²⁺. Complexation of the 2,2′-bipyridine residues was proven by UV/Vis spectroscopy. The peptide helices were inserted into lipid bilayers (nano black lipid membranes, nano-BLMs) that suspend the pores of porous alumina substrates with a pore diameter of 60 nm by applying a potential difference. From single channel recordings, we were able to distinguish four distinct conductance states, which we attribute to an increasing number of peptide helices participating in the conducting helix bundle. Addition of Ni²⁺ in micromolar concentrations altered the conductance behaviour of the formed ion channels in nano-BLMs considerably. The first two conductance states appear much more prominent demonstrating that the complexation of bipyridine by Ni²⁺ results in a considerable confinement of the observed multiple conductance states. However, the conductance levels were independent of the presence of Ni²⁺. Moreover, from a detailed analysis of the open lifetimes of the channels, we conclude that the complexation of Ni²⁺ diminishes the frequency of channel events with larger open times.

Charge delocalization in proton channels, II: the synthetic LS2 channel and proton selectivity

In this study, the minimalist synthetic LS2 channel is used as a prototype to examine the selectivity of protons over other cations. The free-energy profiles along the transport pathway of LS2 are calculated for three cation species: a realistic delocalized proton (including Grotthuss shuttling)--H(+), a classical (nonshuttling) hydronium--H(3)O(+), and a potassium cation--K(+). The overall barrier for K(+) is approximately twice as large as that for H(+), explaining the >100 times larger maximal ion conductance for the latter, in qualitative agreement with the experimental result. The profile for the classical hydronium is quantitatively intermediate between those of H(+) and K(+) and qualitatively more similar to that of H(+), for which the locations of the peaks are well correlated with the troughs of the pore radius profile. There is a strong correlation between the free-energy profiles and the very different characteristic hydration structures of the three cation species. This work suggests that the passage of various cations through ion channels cannot always be explained by simple electrostatic desolvation considerations.

Synthesis of the G−C DNA Base Hybrid with a Functional Tail

Molecules which possess the hydrogen bonding codes of both guanine and cytosine ("G-C DNA base hybrids") are known to organize in a hexagonal array both in solution and the solid state. Including an easily derivatizable functional group in the molecule allows the co-organization of virtually any species in the hexagonal periphery. Simple 5- and 6-step procedures are described for the synthesis of DNA base hybrids with tail groups which are terminated by electrophilic (primary bromide) and nucleophilic (primary alcohol) functions, respectively.

Protons may leak through pure lipid bilayers via a concerted mechanism

Protons are known to permeate pure lipid bilayers at a rate that is anomalous compared to those of other small monovalent cations. The prevailing mechanism via which they cross the membrane is still unclear, and it is unknown how to probe the mechanism directly by experiment. One of the more popular theories assumes the formation of membrane-spanning single-file water wires providing a matrix along which the protons can "hop" over the barrier. However, free energy calculations on such structures (without the presence of an excess proton) suggest that this mechanism alone cannot account for the observed permeation rates. We use the multistate empirical valence bond method to directly study water structures surrounding a (delocalized) excess proton on its way through the membrane. We find that membrane-spanning networks, rather than single-file chains, are formed around the proton. We also find that such structures are considerably stabilized in the presence of the proton, with lifetimes of several hundreds of picoseconds. The observed structures are suggestive of a new, concerted, mechanism and provide some direction for further investigation.

Computer simulations of membrane proteins

Computer simulations are rapidly becoming a standard tool to study the structure and dynamics of lipids and membrane proteins. Increasing computer capacity allows unbiased simulations of lipid and membrane-active peptides. With the increasing number of high-resolution structures of membrane proteins, which also enables homology modelling of more structures, a wide range of membrane proteins can now be simulated over time spans that capture essential biological processes. Longer time scales are accessible by special computational methods. We review recent progress in simulations of membrane proteins.

Distribution of pentachlorophenol in phospholipid bilayers: a molecular dynamics study

Molecular dynamics computer simulations of pentachlorophenol (PCP) in palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine and palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine lipid bilayers were carried out to investigate the distribution of PCP and the effects of PCP on the phospholipid bilayer structure. Starting from two extreme starting structures, including PCP molecules outside the lipid bilayer, the PCP distribution converges in simulations of up to 50 ns. PCP preferentially occupies the region between the carbonyl groups and the double bonds in the acyl chains of the lipid molecules in the bilayer. In the presence of PCP, the lipid chain order increases somewhat in both chains, and the average tilt angle of the lipid chains decreases. The increase in the lipid chain order in the presence of PCP was more pronounced in the palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine bilayer compared to the palmitoyl-oleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine bilayer. The number of trans conformations of lipid chain dihedrals does not change significantly. PCP aligns parallel to the alkyl chains of the lipid to optimize the packing in the dense ordered chain region of the bilayer. The hydroxyl group of PCP forms hydrogen bonds with both water and lipid oxygen atoms in the water/lipid interface region.

Theory and simulation of water permeation in aquaporin-1

We discuss the difference between osmotic permeability pf and diffusion permeability pd of single-file water channels and demonstrate that the pf/pd ratio corresponds to the number of effective steps a water molecule needs to take to permeate a channel. While pd can be directly obtained from equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations, pf can be best determined from simulations in which a chemical potential difference of water has been established on the two sides of the channel. In light of this, we suggest a method to induce in molecular dynamics simulations a hydrostatic pressure difference across the membrane, from which pf can be measured. Simulations using this method are performed on aquaporin-1 channels in a lipid bilayer, resulting in a calculated pf of 7.1 x 10(-14) cm(3)/s, which is in close agreement with observation. Using a previously determined pd value, we conclude that pf/pd for aquaporin-1 measures approximately 12. This number is explained in terms of channel architecture and conduction mechanism.

A computer simulation study of the hydrated proton in a synthetic proton channel

Classical molecular dynamics simulations using the multistate empirical valence bond model for aqueous proton transport were performed to characterize the hydration structure of an excess proton inside a leucine-serine synthetic ion channel, LS2. For such a nonuniform pore size ion channel, it is found that the Zundel ion (H(5)O(2)(+)) solvation structure is generally more stable in narrow channel regions than in wider channel regions, which is in agreement with a recent study on idealized hydrophobic proton channels. However, considerable diversity in the relative stability of the Zundel to Eigen cation (H(9)O(4)(+)) was observed. Three of the five wide channel regions, one located at the channel's center and the other two located near the channel mouths, are found to show extraordinary preference for the Eigen solvation structure. This implies that proton hopping is inhibited in these regions and therefore suggests that these regions may behave as barriers in the proton conducting pathway inside the channel. The proton solvation is also greatly influenced by the local molecular environment of the protein. In particular, the polar side chains of the Ser residues, which are intimately involved in the solvation structure, can greatly influence proton solvation. However, no preference of the influence by the various Ser side chains was found; they can either promote or prevent the formation of certain solvation structures.

Voltage-gated proton channels and other proton transfer pathways

Proton channels exist in a wide variety of membrane proteins where they transport protons rapidly and efficiently. Usually the proton pathway is formed mainly by water molecules present in the protein, but its function is regulated by titratable groups on critical amino acid residues in the pathway. All proton channels conduct protons by a hydrogen-bonded chain mechanism in which the proton hops from one water or titratable group to the next. Voltage-gated proton channels represent a specific subset of proton channels that have voltage- and time-dependent gating like other ion channels. However, they differ from most ion channels in their extraordinarily high selectivity, tiny conductance, strong temperature and deuterium isotope effects on conductance and gating kinetics, and insensitivity to block by steric occlusion. Gating of H(+) channels is regulated tightly by pH and voltage, ensuring that they open only when the electrochemical gradient is outward. Thus they function to extrude acid from cells. H(+) channels are expressed in many cells. During the respiratory burst in phagocytes, H(+) current compensates for electron extrusion by NADPH oxidase. Most evidence indicates that the H(+) channel is not part of the NADPH oxidase complex, but rather is a distinct and as yet unidentified molecule.

Pores formed by the nicotinic receptor m2delta Peptide: a molecular dynamics simulation study

The M2delta peptide self-assembles to form a pentameric bundle of transmembrane alpha-helices that is a model of the pore-lining region of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. Long (>15 ns) molecular dynamics simulations of a model of the M2delta(5) bundle in a POPC bilayer have been used to explore the conformational dynamics of the channel assembly. On the timescale of the simulation, the bundle remains relatively stable, with the polar pore-lining side chains remaining exposed to the lumen of the channel. Fluctuations at the helix termini, and in the helix curvature, result in closing/opening transitions at both mouths of the channel, on a timescale of approximately 10 ns. On average, water within the pore lumen diffuses approximately 4x more slowly than water outside the channel. Examination of pore water trajectories reveals both single-file and path-crossing regimes to occur at different times within the simulation.

Analysis and evaluation of channel models: simulations of alamethicin

Alamethicin is an antimicrobial peptide that forms stable channels with well-defined conductance levels. We have used extended molecular dynamics simulations of alamethicin bundles consisting of 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 helices in a palmitoyl-oleolyl-phosphatidylcholine bilayer to evaluate and analyze channel models and to link the models to the experimentally measured conductance levels. Our results suggest that four helices do not form a stable water-filled channel and might not even form a stable intermediate. The lowest measurable conductance level is likely to correspond to the pentamer. At higher aggregation numbers the bundles become less symmetrical. Water properties inside the different-sized bundles are similar. The hexamer is the most stable model with a stability comparable with simulations based on crystal structures. The simulation was extended from 4 to 20 ns or several times the mean passage time of an ion. Essential dynamics analyses were used to test the hypothesis that correlated motions of the helical bundles account for high-frequency noise observed in open channel measurements. In a 20-ns simulation of a hexameric alamethicin bundle, the main motions are those of individual helices, not of the bundle as a whole. A detailed comparison of simulations using different methods to treat long-range electrostatic interactions (a twin range cutoff, Particle Mesh Ewald, and a twin range cutoff combined with a reaction field correction) shows that water orientation inside the alamethicin channels is sensitive to the algorithms used. In all cases, water ordering due to the protein structure is strong, although the exact profile changes somewhat. Adding an extra 4-nm layer of water only changes the water ordering slightly in the case of particle mesh Ewald, suggesting that periodicity artifacts for this system are not serious.

K(+) versus Na(+) ions in a K channel selectivity filter: a simulation study

Molecular dynamics simulations of a bacterial potassium channel (KcsA) embedded in a phospholipid bilayer reveal significant differences in interactions of the selectivity filter with K(+) compared with Na(+) ions. K(+) ions and water molecules within the filter undergo concerted single-file motion in which they translocate between adjacent sites within the filter on a nanosecond timescale. In contrast, Na(+) ions remain bound to sites within the filter and do not exhibit translocation on a nanosecond timescale. Furthermore, entry of a K(+) ion into the filter from the extracellular mouth is observed, whereas this does not occur for a Na(+) ion. Whereas K(+) ions prefer to sit within a cage of eight oxygen atoms of the filter, Na(+) ions prefer to interact with a ring of four oxygen atoms plus two water molecules. These differences in interactions in the selectivity filter may contribute to the selectivity of KcsA for K(+) ions (in addition to the differences in dehydration energy between K(+) and Na(+)) and the block of KcsA by internal Na(+) ions. In our simulations the selectivity filter exhibits significant flexibility in response to changes in ion/protein interactions, with a somewhat greater distortion induced by Na(+) than by K(+) ions.

Molecular dynamics simulations of wild-type and mutant forms of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis MscL channel

The crystal structure of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis homolog of the bacterial mechanosensitive channel of large conductance (Tb-MscL) provides a unique opportunity to consider mechanosensitive signal transduction at the atomic level. Molecular dynamics simulations of the Tb-MscL channel embedded in an explicit lipid bilayer and of its C-terminal helical bundle alone in aqueous solvent were performed. C-terminal calculations imply that although the helix bundle structure is relatively unstable at physiological pH, it may have been stabilized under low pH conditions such as those used in the crystallization of the channel. Specific mutations to the C-terminal region, which cause a similar conservation of the crystal structure conformation, have also been identified. Full channel simulations were performed for the wild-type channel and two experimentally characterized gain-of-function mutants, V21A and Q51E. The wild-type Tb-MscL trajectory gives insight into regions of relative structural stability and instability in the channel structure. Channel mutations led to observable changes in the trajectories, such as an alteration of intersubunit interactions in the Q51E mutant. In addition, interesting patterns of protein-lipid interactions, such as hydrogen bonding, arose in the simulations. These and other observations from the simulations are relevant to previous and ongoing experimental studies focusing on characterization of the channel.

Structural determinants of MscL gating studied by molecular dynamics simulations

The mechanosensitive channel of large conductance (MscL) in prokaryotes plays a crucial role in exocytosis as well as in the response to osmotic downshock. The channel can be gated by tension in the membrane bilayer. The determination of functionally important residues in MscL, patch-clamp studies of pressure-conductance relationships, and the recently elucidated crystal structure of MscL from Mycobacterium tuberculosis have guided the search for the mechanism of MscL gating. Here, we present a molecular dynamics study of the MscL protein embedded in a fully hydrated POPC bilayer. Simulations totaling 3 ns in length were carried out under conditions of constant temperature and pressure using periodic boundary conditions and full electrostatics. The protein remained in the closed state corresponding to the crystal structure, as evidenced by its impermeability to water. Analysis of equilibrium fluctuations showed that the protein was least mobile in the narrowest part of the channel. The gating process was investigated through simulations of the bare protein under conditions of constant surface tension. Under a range of conditions, the transmembrane helices flattened as the pore widened. Implications for the gating mechanism in light of these and experimental results are discussed.

The formation and dynamics of proton wires in channel environments

By virtue of an accurate interaction model, the equilibrium and dynamical properties of an excess proton in aqueous systems are studied, in which the water and excess proton are confined to hydrophobic cylindrical channels. Solvation structures of the excess proton and its mobility along the channel are considered as a function of the channel radius. It is found that when the aqueous proton systems are sufficiently constricted there is a substantial increase in the diffusion of the excess proton charge accompanied by a decrease in the diffusion of water molecules along the channel. Such systems present clear evidence for the possible existence of "proton wires."

Electrostatics calculations: recent methodological advances and applications to membranes

Calculations of electrostatic energies and forces are at the heart of the theoretical modeling of biological molecules. During the past year, new methods for accurately treating electrostatic interactions have been developed for all-atom simulations and for modeling systems in which the uninteresting part of the system, for example, the solvent, is represented implicitly. Recent applications of electrostatic energy calculations have revealed new principles concerning the role of electrostatics in peptide binding to membranes and ion transport across membranes through protein channels.

Simulations of ion channels--watching ions and water move

Ion channels mediate electrical excitability in neurons and muscle. Three-dimensional structures for model peptide channels and for a potassium (K+) channel have been combined with computer simulations to permit rigorous exploration of structure-function relations of channels. Water molecules and ions within transbilayer pores tend to diffuse more slowly than in bulk solutions. In the narrow selectivity filter of the bacterial K+ channel (i.e. the region of the channel that discriminates between different species of ions) a column of water molecules and K+ ions moves in a concerted fashion. By combining atomistic simulations (in which all atoms of the channel molecule, water and ions are treated explicitly) with continuum methods (in which the description of the channel system is considerably simplified) it is possible to simulate some of the physiological properties of channels.

Structure and dynamics of the pore-lining helix of the nicotinic receptor: MD simulations in water, lipid bilayers, and transbilayer bundles

Multiple nanosecond duration molecular dynamics simulations on the pore-lining M2 helix of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor reveal how its structure and dynamics change as a function of environment. In water, the M2 helix partially unfolds to form a molecular hinge in the vicinity of a central Leu residue that has been implicated in the mechanism of ion channel gating. In a phospholipid bilayer, either as a single transmembrane helix, or as part of a pentameric helix bundle, the M2 helix shows less flexibility, but still exhibits a kink in the vicinity of the central Leu. The single M2 helix tilts relative to the bilayer normal by 12 degrees, in agreement with recent solid state NMR data (Opella et al., Nat Struct Biol 6:374-379, 1999). The pentameric helix bundle, a model for the pore domain of the nicotinic receptor and for channels formed by M2 peptides in a bilayer, is remarkably stable over a 2-ns MD simulation in a bilayer, provided one adjusts the pK(A)s of ionizable residues to their calculated values (when taking their environment into account) before starting the simulation. The resultant transbilayer pore shows fluctuations at either mouth which transiently close the channel. Proteins 2000;39:47-55.

Simulations of ion permeation through a potassium channel: molecular dynamics of KcsA in a phospholipid bilayer

Potassium channels enable K(+) ions to move passively across biological membranes. Multiple nanosecond-duration molecular dynamics simulations (total simulation time 5 ns) of a bacterial potassium channel (KcsA) embedded in a phospholipid bilayer reveal motions of ions, water, and protein. Comparison of simulations with and without K(+) ions indicate that the absence of ions destabilizes the structure of the selectivity filter. Within the selectivity filter, K(+) ions interact with the backbone (carbonyl) oxygens, and with the side-chain oxygen of T75. Concerted single-file motions of water molecules and K(+) ions within the selectivity filter of the channel occur on a 100-ps time scale. In a simulation with three K(+) ions (initially two in the filter and one in the cavity), the ion within the central cavity leaves the channel via its intracellular mouth after approximately 900 ps; within the cavity this ion interacts with the Ogamma atoms of two T107 side chains, revealing a favorable site within the otherwise hydrophobically lined cavity. Exit of this ion from the channel is enabled by a transient increase in the diameter of the intracellular mouth. Such "breathing" motions may form the molecular basis of channel gating.

Exploring models of the influenza A M2 channel: MD simulations in a phospholipid bilayer

The M2 protein of influenza A virus forms homotetrameric helix bundles, which function as proton-selective channels. The native form of the protein is 97 residues long, although peptides representing the transmembrane section display ion channel activity, which (like the native channel) is blocked by the antiviral drug amantadine. As a small ion channel, M2 may provide useful insights into more complex channel systems. Models of tetrameric bundles of helices containing either 18 or 22 residues have been simulated while embedded in a fully hydrated 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycerol-3-phosphatidylcholine bilayer. Several different starting models have been used. These suggest that the simulation results, at least on a nanosecond time scale, are sensitive to the exact starting structure. Electrostatics calculations carried out on a ring of four ionizable aspartate residues at the N-terminal mouth of the channel suggest that at any one time, only one will be in a charged state. Helix bundle models were mostly stable over the duration of the simulation, and their helices remained tilted relative to the bilayer normal. The M2 helix bundles form closed channels that undergo breathing motions, alternating between a tetramer and a dimer-of-dimers structure. Under these conditions either the channel forms a pocket of trapped waters or it contains a column of waters broken predominantly at the C-terminal mouth of the pore. These waters exhibit restricted motion in the pore and are effectively "frozen" in a way similar to those seen in previous simulations of a proton channel formed by a four-helix bundle of a synthetic leucine-serine peptide (, Biophys. J. 77:2400-2410).