Electromechanical coupling mechanism for activation and inactivation of an HCN channel

Loose Coupling between the Voltage Sensor and the Activation Gate in Mammalian HCN Channels Suggests a Gating Mechanism

Voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels and hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels share similar structures but have opposite gating polarity. Kv channels have a strong coupling (>109) between the voltage sensor (S4) and the activation gate: when S4s are activated, the gate is open to >80% but, when S4s are deactivated, the gate is open <10-9 of the time. Using noise analysis, we show that the coupling between S4 and the gate is <200 in HCN channels. In addition, using voltage clamp fluorometry, locking the gate open in a Kv channel drastically altered the energetics of S4 movement. In contrast, locking the gate open or decreasing the coupling between S4 and the gate in HCN channels had only minor effects on the energetics of S4 movement, consistent with a weak coupling between S4 and the gate. We propose that this loose coupling is a prerequisite for the reversed voltage gating in HCN channels.

Membrane Lipid Domains Modulate HCN Channels in Nociceptor DRG Neurons

Cell membranes consist of heterogeneous lipid domains that influence key cellular processes, including signal transduction, endocytosis, and electrical excitability. Using FRET-based fluorescent assays and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), we found that the dimension of cholesterol-enriched ordered membrane domains (OMD) varies considerably, depending on specific cell types. The size of OMDs is also dependent on cholesterol levels and the structure of lipid tails. Particularly, nociceptor dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons exhibit large OMDs. Disruption of OMDs potentiated action potential firing in nociceptor DRG neurons and facilitated opening of native hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels. This increased neuronal firing could be partially due to an increased open probability of HCN channels. In animal models of neuropathic pain, we observed shrunken OMDs and relocalization of HCN channels from OMDs to disordered lipid domains. The gating effect on HCN channels was likely a result of direct modulation of the voltage sensor by OMDs. These findings suggest that disturbances in lipid domains play a role in regulating HCN channels within nociceptor DRG neurons, influencing pain modulation.

Direct regulation of the voltage sensor of HCN channels by membrane lipid compartmentalization

Ion channels function within a membrane environment characterized by dynamic lipid compartmentalization. Limited knowledge exists regarding the response of voltage-gated ion channels to transmembrane potential within distinct membrane compartments. By leveraging fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), we visualized the localization of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels in membrane domains. HCN4 exhibits a greater propensity for incorporation into ordered lipid domains compared to HCN1. To investigate the conformational changes of the S4 helix voltage sensor of HCN channels, we used dual stop-codon suppression to incorporate different noncanonical amino acids, orthogonal click chemistry for site-specific fluorescence labeling, and transition metal FLIM-FRET. Remarkably, altered FRET levels were observed between VSD sites within HCN channels upon disruption of membrane domains. We propose that the voltage-sensor rearrangements, directly influenced by membrane lipid domains, can explain the heightened activity of pacemaker HCN channels when localized in cholesterol-poor, disordered lipid domains, leading to membrane hyperexcitability and diseases.

Chromophore carbonyl twisting in fluorescent biosensors encodes direct readout of protein conformations with multicolor switching

Fluorescent labeling of proteins is a powerful tool for probing structure-function relationships with many biosensing applications. Structure-based rules for systematically designing fluorescent biosensors require understanding ligand-mediated fluorescent response mechanisms which can be challenging to establish. We installed thiol-reactive derivatives of the naphthalene-based fluorophore Prodan into bacterial periplasmic glucose-binding proteins. Glucose binding elicited paired color exchanges in the excited and ground states of these conjugates. X-ray structures and mutagenesis studies established that glucose-mediated color switching arises from steric interactions that couple protein conformational changes to twisting of the Prodan carbonyl relative to its naphthalene plane. Mutations of residues contacting the carbonyl can optimize color switching by altering fluorophore conformational equilibria in the apo and glucose-bound proteins. A commonly accepted view is that Prodan derivatives report on protein conformations via solvatochromic effects due to changes in the dielectric of their local environment. Here we show that instead Prodan carbonyl twisting controls color switching. These insights enable structure-based biosensor design by coupling ligand-mediated protein conformational changes to internal chromophore twists through specific steric interactions between fluorophore and protein.

Conformational trajectory of allosteric gating of the human cone photoreceptor cyclic nucleotide-gated channel

Cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels transduce chemical signals into electrical signals in sensory receptors and neurons. They are activated by cGMP or cAMP, which bind to the cyclic nucleotide-binding domain (CNBD) to open a gate located 50-60 Å away in the central cavity. Structures of closed and open vertebrate CNG channels have been solved, but the conformational landscape of this allosteric gating remains to be elucidated and enriched. Here, we report structures of the cGMP-activated human cone photoreceptor CNGA3/CNGB3 channel in closed, intermediate, pre-open and open states in detergent or lipid nanodisc, all with fully bound cGMP. The pre-open and open states are obtained only in the lipid nanodisc, suggesting a critical role of lipids in tuning the energetic landscape of CNGA3/CNGB3 activation. The different states exhibit subunit-unique, incremental and distinct conformational rearrangements that originate in the CNBD, propagate through the gating ring to the transmembrane domain, and gradually open the S6 cavity gate. Our work illustrates a spatial conformational-change wave of allosteric gating of a vertebrate CNG channel by its natural ligand and provides an expanded framework for studying CNG properties and channelopathy.

Similar voltage-sensor movement in spHCN channels can cause closing, opening, or inactivation

Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels contribute to the rhythmic firing of pacemaker neurons and cardiomyocytes. Mutations in HCN channels are associated with cardiac arrhythmia and epilepsy. HCN channels belong to the superfamily of voltage-gated K+ channels, most of which are activated by depolarization. HCN channels, however, are activated by hyperpolarization. The mechanism behind this reversed gating polarity of HCN channels is not clear. We here show that sea urchin HCN (spHCN) channels with mutations in the C-terminal part of the voltage sensor use the same voltage-sensor movement to either close or open in response to hyperpolarizations depending on the absence or presence of cAMP. Our results support that non-covalent interactions at the C-terminal end of the voltage sensor are critical for HCN gating polarity. These interactions are also critical for the proper closing of the channels because these mutations exhibit large constitutive currents. Since a similar voltage-sensor movement can cause both depolarization- and hyperpolarization-activation in the same channel, this suggests that the coupling between the voltage sensor and the pore is changed to create channels opened by different polarities. We also show an identical voltage-sensor movement in activated and inactivated spHCN channels and suggest a model for spHCN activation and inactivation. Our results suggest the possibility that channels open by opposite voltage dependence, such as HCN and the related EAG channels, use the same voltage-sensor movement but different coupling mechanisms between the voltage sensor and the gate.

Characterising ion channel structure and dynamics using fluorescence spectroscopy techniques

Ion channels undergo major conformational changes that lead to channel opening and ion conductance. Deciphering these structure-function relationships is paramount to understanding channel physiology and pathophysiology. Cryo-electron microscopy, crystallography and computer modelling provide atomic-scale snapshots of channel conformations in non-cellular environments but lack dynamic information that can be linked to functional results. Biophysical techniques such as electrophysiology, on the other hand, provide functional data with no structural information of the processes involved. Fluorescence spectroscopy techniques help bridge this gap in simultaneously obtaining structure-function correlates. These include voltage-clamp fluorometry, Förster resonance energy transfer, ligand binding assays, single molecule fluorescence and their variations. These techniques can be employed to unearth several features of ion channel behaviour. For instance, they provide real time information on local and global rearrangements that are inherent to channel properties. They also lend insights in trafficking, expression, and assembly of ion channels on the membrane surface. These methods have the advantage that they can be carried out in either native or heterologous systems. In this review, we briefly explain the principles of fluorescence and how these have been translated to study ion channel function. We also report several recent advances in fluorescence spectroscopy that has helped address and improve our understanding of the biophysical behaviours of different ion channel families.

Uncoupling of Voltage- and Ligand-Induced Activation in HCN2 Channels by Glycine Inserts

Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-modulated (HCN) channels are tetramers that generate electrical rhythmicity in special brain neurons and cardiomyocytes. The channels are activated by membrane hyperpolarization. The binding of cAMP to the four available cyclic nucleotide-binding domains (CNBD) enhances channel activation. We analyzed in the present study the mechanism of how the effect of cAMP binding is transmitted to the pore domain. Our strategy was to uncouple the C-linker (CL) from the channel core by inserting one to five glycine residues between the S6 gate and the A′-helix (constructs 1G to 5G). We quantified in full-length HCN2 channels the resulting functional effects of the inserted glycines by current activation as well as the structural dynamics and statics using molecular dynamics simulations and Constraint Network Analysis. We show functionally that already in 1G the cAMP effect on activation is lost and that with the exception of 3G and 5G the concentration-activation relationships are shifted to depolarized voltages with respect to HCN2. The strongest effect was found for 4G. Accordingly, the activation kinetics were accelerated by all constructs, again with the strongest effect in 4G. The simulations reveal that the average residue mobility of the CL and CNBD domains is increased in all constructs and that the junction between the S6 and A′-helix is turned into a flexible hinge, resulting in a destabilized gate in all constructs. Moreover, for 3G and 4G, there is a stronger downward displacement of the CL-CNBD than in HCN2 and the other constructs, resulting in an increased kink angle between S6 and A′-helix, which in turn loosens contacts between the S4-helix and the CL. This is suggested to promote a downward movement of the S4-helix, similar to the effect of hyperpolarization. In addition, exclusively in 4G, the selectivity filter in the upper pore region and parts of the S4-helix are destabilized. The results provide new insights into the intricate activation of HCN2 channels.

Paradigm shift: new concepts for HCN4 function in cardiac pacemaking

Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide–gated (HCN) channels are the molecular correlate of the I_f current and are critically involved in controlling neuronal excitability and the autonomous rhythm of the heart. The HCN4 isoform is the main HCN channel subtype expressed in the sinoatrial node (SAN), a tissue composed of specialized pacemaker cells responsible for generating the intrinsic heartbeat. More than 40 years ago, the I_f current was first discovered in rabbit SAN tissue. Along with this discovery, a theory was proposed that cyclic adenosine monophosphate–dependent modulation of I_f mediates heart rate regulation by the autonomic nervous system—a process called chronotropic effect. However, up to the present day, this classical theory could not be reliably validated. Recently, new concepts emerged confirming that HCN4 channels indeed play an important role in heart rate regulation. However, the cellular mechanism by which HCN4 controls heart rate turned out to be completely different than originally postulated. Here, we review the latest findings regarding the physiological role of HCN4 in the SAN. We describe a newly discovered mechanism underlying heart rate regulation by HCN4 at the tissue and single cell levels, and we discuss these observations in the context of results from previously studied HCN4 mouse models.

Propofol, an Anesthetic Agent, Inhibits HCN Channels through the Allosteric Modulation of the cAMP-Dependent Gating Mechanism

Propofol is a broadly used intravenous anesthetic agent that can cause cardiovascular effects, including bradycardia and asystole. A possible mechanism for these effects is slowing cardiac pacemaker activity due to inhibition of the hyperpolarization-activated, cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels. However, it remains unclear how propofol affects the allosteric nature of the voltage- and cAMP-dependent gating mechanism in HCN channels. To address this aim, we investigated the effect of propofol on HCN channels (HCN4 and HCN2) in heterologous expression systems using a whole-cell patch clamp technique. The extracellular application of propofol substantially suppressed the maximum current at clinical concentrations. This was accompanied by a hyperpolarizing shift in the voltage dependence of channel opening. These effects were significantly attenuated by intracellular loading of cAMP, even after considering the current modification by cAMP in opposite directions. The differential degree of propofol effects in the presence and absence of cAMP was rationalized by an allosteric gating model for HCN channels, where we assumed that propofol affects allosteric couplings between the pore, voltage-sensor, and cyclic nucleotide-binding domain (CNBD). The model predicted that propofol enhanced autoinhibition of pore opening by unliganded CNBD, which was relieved by the activation of CNBD by cAMP. Taken together, these findings reveal that propofol acts as an allosteric modulator of cAMP-dependent gating in HCN channels, which may help us to better understand the clinical action of this anesthetic drug.

Neuronal KCNQ2/3 channels are recruited to lipid raft microdomains by palmitoylation of BACE1

β-Secretase 1 (β-site amyloid precursor protein [APP]-cleaving enzyme 1, BACE1) plays a crucial role in the amyloidogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). BACE1 was also discovered to act like an auxiliary subunit to modulate neuronal KCNQ2/3 channels independently of its proteolytic function. BACE1 is palmitoylated at its carboxyl-terminal region, which brings BACE1 to ordered, cholesterol-rich membrane microdomains (lipid rafts). However, the physiological consequences of this specific localization of BACE1 remain elusive. Using spectral Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), BACE1 and KCNQ2/3 channels were confirmed to form a signaling complex, a phenomenon that was relatively independent of the palmitoylation of BACE1. Nevertheless, palmitoylation of BACE1 was required for recruitment of KCNQ2/3 channels to lipid-raft domains. Two fluorescent probes, designated L10 and S15, were used to label lipid-raft and non-raft domains of the plasma membrane, respectively. Coexpressing BACE1 substantially elevated FRET between L10 and KCNQ2/3, whereas the BACE1-4C/A quadruple mutation failed to produce this effect. In contrast, BACE1 had no significant effect on FRET between S15 probes and KCNQ2/3 channels. A reduction of BACE1-dependent FRET between raft-targeting L10 probes and KCNQ2/3 channels by applying the cholesterol-extracting reagent methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD), raft-disrupting general anesthetics, or pharmacological inhibitors of palmitoylation, all supported the hypothesis of the palmitoylation-dependent and raft-specific localization of KCNQ2/3 channels. Furthermore, mutating the four carboxyl-terminal cysteines (4C/A) of BACE1 abolished the BACE1-dependent increase of FRET between KCNQ2/3 and the lipid raft–specific protein caveolin 1. Taking these data collectively, we propose that the AD-related protein BACE1 underlies the localization of a neuronal potassium channel.

Enlightening activation gating in P2X receptors

P2X receptors are trimeric nonselective cation channels gated by ATP. They assemble from seven distinct subunit isoforms as either homo- or heteromeric complexes and contain three extracellularly located binding sites for ATP. P2X receptors are expressed in nearly all tissues and are there involved in physiological processes like synaptic transmission, pain, and inflammation. Thus, they are a challenging pharmacological target. The determination of crystal and cryo-EM structures of several isoforms in the last decade in closed, open, and desensitized states has provided a firm basis for interpreting the huge amount of functional and biochemical data. Electrophysiological characterization in conjugation with optical approaches has generated significant insights into structure–function relationships of P2X receptors. This review focuses on novel optical and related approaches to better understand the conformational changes underlying the activation of these receptors.

Structural and functional approaches to studying cAMP regulation of HCN channels

Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels are primarily activated by voltage and further modulated by cAMP. While cAMP binding alone does not open the channel, its presence facilitates the action of voltage, increasing channel open probability. Functional results indicate that the membrane-based voltage sensor domain (VSD) communicates with the cytosolic cyclic nucleotide-binding domain (CNBD), and vice-versa. Yet, a mechanistic explanation on how this could occur in structural terms is still lacking. In this review, we will discuss the recent advancement in understanding the molecular mechanisms connecting the VSD with the CNBD in the tetrameric organization of HCN channels unveiled by the 3D structures of HCN1 and HCN4. Data show that the HCN domain transmits cAMP signal to the VSD by bridging the cytosolic to the membrane domains. Furthermore, a metal ion coordination site connects the C-linker to the S4-S5 linker in HCN4, further facilitating cAMP signal transmission to the VSD in this isoform.