1
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Jogini V, Jensen MØ, Shaw DE. Gating and modulation of an inward-rectifier potassium channel. J Gen Physiol 2022; 155:213765. [PMID: 36524993 PMCID: PMC9764021 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202213085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Inward-rectifier potassium channels (Kirs) are lipid-gated ion channels that differ from other K+ channels in that they allow K+ ions to flow more easily into, rather than out of, the cell. Inward rectification is known to result from endogenous magnesium ions or polyamines (e.g., spermine) binding to Kirs, resulting in a block of outward potassium currents, but questions remain regarding the structural and dynamic basis of the rectification process and lipid-dependent channel activation. Here, we present the results of long-timescale molecular dynamics simulations starting from a crystal structure of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2)-bound chicken Kir2.2 with a non-conducting pore. After introducing a mutation (G178R) that is known to increase the open probability of a homologous channel, we were able to observe transitions to a stably open, ion-conducting pore, during which key conformational changes occurred in the main activation gate and the cytoplasmic domain. PIP2 binding appeared to increase stability of the pore in its open and conducting state, as PIP2 removal resulted in pore closure, with a median closure time about half of that with PIP2 present. To investigate structural details of inward rectification, we simulated spermine binding to and unbinding from the open pore conformation at positive and negative voltages, respectively, and identified a spermine-binding site located near a previously hypothesized site between the pore cavity and the selectivity filter. We also studied the effects of long-range electrostatics on conduction and spermine binding by mutating charged residues in the cytoplasmic domain and found that a finely tuned charge density, arising from basic and acidic residues within the cytoplasmic domain, modulated conduction and rectification.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David E. Shaw
- D. E. Shaw Research, New York, NY, USA,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA
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2
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Amani R, Schwieters CD, Borcik CG, Eason IR, Han R, Harding BD, Wylie BJ. Water Accessibility Refinement of the Extended Structure of KirBac1.1 in the Closed State. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:772855. [PMID: 34917650 PMCID: PMC8669819 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.772855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
NMR structures of membrane proteins are often hampered by poor chemical shift dispersion and internal dynamics which limit resolved distance restraints. However, the ordering and topology of these systems can be defined with site-specific water or lipid proximity. Membrane protein water accessibility surface area is often investigated as a topological function via solid-state NMR. Here we leverage water-edited solid-state NMR measurements in simulated annealing calculations to refine a membrane protein structure. This is demonstrated on the inward rectifier K+ channel KirBac1.1 found in Burkholderia pseudomallei. KirBac1.1 is homologous to human Kir channels, sharing a nearly identical fold. Like many existing Kir channel crystal structures, the 1p7b crystal structure is incomplete, missing 85 out of 333 residues, including the N-terminus and C-terminus. We measure solid-state NMR water proximity information and use this for refinement of KirBac1.1 using the Xplor-NIH structure determination program. Along with predicted dihedral angles and sparse intra- and inter-subunit distances, we refined the residues 1-300 to atomic resolution. All structural quality metrics indicate these restraints are a powerful way forward to solve high quality structures of membrane proteins using NMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Amani
- Texas Tech University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Charles D. Schwieters
- Computational Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance Core, National Institutes of Digestive Diseases and Kidneys, NIH, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Collin G. Borcik
- Texas Tech University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Isaac R. Eason
- Texas Tech University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Ruixian Han
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Benjamin D. Harding
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, Madison, WI, United States
- Biophysics Program, University of Wisconsin at Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Benjamin J. Wylie
- Texas Tech University, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Lubbock, TX, United States
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3
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Fagnen C, Bannwarth L, Zuniga D, Oubella I, De Zorzi R, Forest E, Scala R, Guilbault S, Bendahhou S, Perahia D, Vénien-Bryan C. Unexpected Gating Behaviour of an Engineered Potassium Channel Kir. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:691901. [PMID: 34179097 PMCID: PMC8222812 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.691901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In this study, we investigated the dynamics and functional characteristics of the KirBac3.1 S129R, a mutated bacterial potassium channel for which the inner pore-lining helix (TM2) was engineered so that the bundle crossing is trapped in an open conformation. The structure of this channel has been previously determined at high atomic resolution. We explored the dynamical characteristics of this open state channel using an in silico method MDeNM that combines molecular dynamics simulations and normal modes. We captured the global and local motions at the mutation level and compared these data with HDX-MS experiments. MDeNM provided also an estimation of the probability of the different opening states that are in agreement with our electrophysiological experiments. In the S129R mutant, the Arg129 mutation releases the two constriction points in the channel that existed in the wild type but interestingly creates another restriction point.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charline Fagnen
- UMR 7590, CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Institut de Minéralogie, Physique des Matériaux et Cosmochimie, IMPMC, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France.,Laboratoire de Biologie et de Pharmacologie Appliquée, Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Ludovic Bannwarth
- UMR 7590, CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Institut de Minéralogie, Physique des Matériaux et Cosmochimie, IMPMC, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Dania Zuniga
- UMR 7590, CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Institut de Minéralogie, Physique des Matériaux et Cosmochimie, IMPMC, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Iman Oubella
- UMR 7590, CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Institut de Minéralogie, Physique des Matériaux et Cosmochimie, IMPMC, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Rita De Zorzi
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Eric Forest
- IBS University Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, Grenoble, France
| | - Rosa Scala
- Faculté de Médecine, CNRS UMR7370, LP2M, Labex ICST, University Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Samuel Guilbault
- Faculté de Médecine, CNRS UMR7370, LP2M, Labex ICST, University Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Saïd Bendahhou
- Faculté de Médecine, CNRS UMR7370, LP2M, Labex ICST, University Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - David Perahia
- Laboratoire de Biologie et de Pharmacologie Appliquée, Ecole Normale Supérieure Paris-Saclay, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Catherine Vénien-Bryan
- UMR 7590, CNRS, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Institut de Minéralogie, Physique des Matériaux et Cosmochimie, IMPMC, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
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4
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Genetic, Genomics, and Responses to Stresses in Cyanobacteria: Biotechnological Implications. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12040500. [PMID: 33805386 PMCID: PMC8066212 DOI: 10.3390/genes12040500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyanobacteria are widely-diverse, environmentally crucial photosynthetic prokaryotes of great interests for basic and applied science. Work to date has focused mostly on the three non-nitrogen fixing unicellular species Synechocystis PCC 6803, Synechococcus PCC 7942, and Synechococcus PCC 7002, which have been selected for their genetic and physiological interests summarized in this review. Extensive "omics" data sets have been generated, and genome-scale models (GSM) have been developed for the rational engineering of these cyanobacteria for biotechnological purposes. We presently discuss what should be done to improve our understanding of the genotype-phenotype relationships of these models and generate robust and predictive models of their metabolism. Furthermore, we also emphasize that because Synechocystis PCC 6803, Synechococcus PCC 7942, and Synechococcus PCC 7002 represent only a limited part of the wide biodiversity of cyanobacteria, other species distantly related to these three models, should be studied. Finally, we highlight the need to strengthen the communication between academic researchers, who know well cyanobacteria and can engineer them for biotechnological purposes, but have a limited access to large photobioreactors, and industrial partners who attempt to use natural or engineered cyanobacteria to produce interesting chemicals at reasonable costs, but may lack knowledge on cyanobacterial physiology and metabolism.
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5
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Borcik CG, Versteeg DB, Amani R, Yekefallah M, Khan NH, Wylie BJ. The Lipid Activation Mechanism of a Transmembrane Potassium Channel. J Am Chem Soc 2020; 142:14102-14116. [PMID: 32702990 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.0c01991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Membrane proteins and lipids coevolved to yield unique coregulatory mechanisms. Inward-rectifier K+ (Kir) channels are often activated by anionic lipids endemic to their native membranes and require accessible water along their K+ conductance pathway. To better understand Kir channel activation, we target multiple mutants of the Kir channel KirBac1.1 via solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (SSNMR) spectroscopy, potassium efflux assays, and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements. In the I131C stability mutant (SM), we observe an open-active channel in the presence of anionic lipids with greater activity upon addition of cardiolipin (CL). The introduction of three R to Q mutations (R49/151/153Q (triple Q mutant, TQ)) renders the protein inactive within the same activating lipid environment. Our SSNMR experiments reveal a stark reduction of lipid-protein interactions in the TQ mutant explaining the dramatic loss of channel activity. Water-edited SSNMR experiments further determined the TQ mutant possesses greater overall solvent exposure in comparison to wild-type but with reduced water accessibility along the ion conduction pathway, consistent with the closed state of the channel. These experiments also suggest water is proximal to the selectivity filter of KirBac1.1 in the open-activated state but that it may not directly enter the selectivity filter. Our findings suggest lipid binding initiates a concerted rotation of the cytoplasmic domain subunits, which is stabilized by multiple intersubunit salt bridges. This action buries ionic side chains away from the bulk water, while allowing water greater access to the K+ conduction pathway. This work highlights universal membrane protein motifs, including lipid-protein interactions, domain rearrangement, and water-mediated diffusion mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Collin G Borcik
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Derek B Versteeg
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Reza Amani
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Maryam Yekefallah
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Nazmul H Khan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
| | - Benjamin J Wylie
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas 79409, United States
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6
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Bernsteiner H, Zangerl-Plessl EM, Chen X, Stary-Weinzinger A. Conduction through a narrow inward-rectifier K + channel pore. J Gen Physiol 2019; 151:1231-1246. [PMID: 31511304 PMCID: PMC6785732 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201912359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
G-protein–gated inwardly rectifying potassium channels are important mediators of inhibitory neurotransmission. Based on microsecond-scale molecular dynamics simulations, Bernsteiner et al. propose novel gating details that may enable K+ flux via a direct knock-on mechanism. Inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels play a key role in controlling membrane potentials in excitable and unexcitable cells, thereby regulating a plethora of physiological processes. G-protein–gated Kir channels control heart rate and neuronal excitability via small hyperpolarizing outward K+ currents near the resting membrane potential. Despite recent breakthroughs in x-ray crystallography and cryo-EM, the gating and conduction mechanisms of these channels are poorly understood. MD simulations have provided unprecedented details concerning the gating and conduction mechanisms of voltage-gated K+ and Na+ channels. Here, we use multi-microsecond–timescale MD simulations based on the crystal structures of GIRK2 (Kir3.2) bound to phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate to provide detailed insights into the channel’s gating dynamics, including insights into the behavior of the G-loop gate. The simulations also elucidate the elementary steps that underlie the movement of K+ ions through an inward-rectifier K+ channel under an applied electric field. Our simulations suggest that K+ permeation might occur via direct knock-on, similar to the mechanism recently shown for Kv channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harald Bernsteiner
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Xingyu Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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7
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Locascio A, Andrés-Colás N, Mulet JM, Yenush L. Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a Tool to Investigate Plant Potassium and Sodium Transporters. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:E2133. [PMID: 31052176 PMCID: PMC6539216 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20092133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sodium and potassium are two alkali cations abundant in the biosphere. Potassium is essential for plants and its concentration must be maintained at approximately 150 mM in the plant cell cytoplasm including under circumstances where its concentration is much lower in soil. On the other hand, sodium must be extruded from the plant or accumulated either in the vacuole or in specific plant structures. Maintaining a high intracellular K+/Na+ ratio under adverse environmental conditions or in the presence of salt is essential to maintain cellular homeostasis and to avoid toxicity. The baker's yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been used to identify and characterize participants in potassium and sodium homeostasis in plants for many years. Its utility resides in the fact that the electric gradient across the membrane and the vacuoles is similar to plants. Most plant proteins can be expressed in yeast and are functional in this unicellular model system, which allows for productive structure-function studies for ion transporting proteins. Moreover, yeast can also be used as a high-throughput platform for the identification of genes that confer stress tolerance and for the study of protein-protein interactions. In this review, we summarize advances regarding potassium and sodium transport that have been discovered using the yeast model system, the state-of-the-art of the available techniques and the future directions and opportunities in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Locascio
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Universitat Politècnica de València-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
| | - Nuria Andrés-Colás
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Universitat Politècnica de València-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
| | - José Miguel Mulet
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Universitat Politècnica de València-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
| | - Lynne Yenush
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Plantas, Universitat Politècnica de València-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
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8
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Sadler EE, Kapanidis AN, Tucker SJ. Solution-Based Single-Molecule FRET Studies of K(+) Channel Gating in a Lipid Bilayer. Biophys J 2017; 110:2663-2670. [PMID: 27332124 PMCID: PMC4919593 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2016.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Revised: 04/26/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Ion channels are dynamic multimeric proteins that often undergo multiple unsynchronized structural movements as they switch between their open and closed states. Such structural changes are difficult to measure within the context of a native lipid bilayer and have often been monitored via macroscopic changes in Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between probes attached to different parts of the protein. However, the resolution of this approach is limited by ensemble averaging of structurally heterogeneous subpopulations. These problems can be overcome by measurement of FRET in single molecules, but this presents many challenges, in particular the ability to control labeling of subunits within a multimeric protein with acceptor and donor fluorophores, as well as the requirement to image large numbers of individual molecules in a membrane environment. To address these challenges, we randomly labeled tetrameric KirBac1.1 potassium channels, reconstituted them into lipid nanodiscs, and performed single-molecule FRET confocal microscopy with alternating-laser excitation as the channels diffused in solution. These solution-based single-molecule FRET measurements of a multimeric ion channel in a lipid bilayer have allowed us to probe the structural changes that occur upon channel activation and inhibition. Our results provide direct evidence of the twist-to-shrink movement of the helix bundle crossing during channel gating and demonstrate how this method might be applied to real-time structural studies of ion channel gating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma E Sadler
- Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Achillefs N Kapanidis
- Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen J Tucker
- Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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9
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Checchetto V, Segalla A, Sato Y, Bergantino E, Szabo I, Uozumi N. Involvement of Potassium Transport Systems in the Response of Synechocystis PCC 6803 Cyanobacteria to External pH Change, High-Intensity Light Stress and Heavy Metal Stress. PLANT & CELL PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 57:862-877. [PMID: 26880819 DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcw032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 02/04/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The unicellular photosynthetic cyanobacterium, able to survive in varying environments, is the only prokaryote that directly converts solar energy and CO2 into organic material and is thus relevant for primary production in many ecosystems. To maintain the intracellular and intrathylakoid ion homeostasis upon different environmental challenges, the concentration of potassium as a major intracellular cation has to be optimized by various K(+)uptake-mediated transport systems. We reveal here the specific and concerted physiological function of three K(+)transporters of the plasma and thylakoid membranes, namely of SynK (K(+)channel), KtrB (Ktr/Trk/HKT) and KdpA (Kdp) in Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803, under specific stress conditions. The behavior of the wild type, single, double and triple mutants was compared, revealing that only Synk contributes to heavy metal-induced stress, while only Ktr/Kdp is involved in osmotic and salt stress adaptation. With regards to pH shifts in the external medium, the Kdp/Ktr uptake systems play an important role in the adaptation to acidic pH. Ktr, by affecting the CO2 concentration mechanism via its action on the bicarbonate transporter SbtA, might also be responsible for the observed effects concerning high-light stress and calcification. In the case of illumination with high-intensity light, a synergistic action of Kdr/Ktp and SynK is required in order to avoid oxidative stress and ensure cell viability. In summary, this study dissects, using growth tests, measurement of photosynthetic activity and analysis of ultrastructure, the physiological role of three K(+)transporters in adaptation of the cyanobacteria to various environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Checchetto
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova 35121, Italy Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Padova 35121, Italy
| | - Anna Segalla
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova 35121, Italy
| | - Yuki Sato
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8579 Japan
| | | | - Ildiko Szabo
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova 35121, Italy
| | - Nobuyuki Uozumi
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Sendai, 980-8579 Japan
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10
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Carraretto L, Teardo E, Checchetto V, Finazzi G, Uozumi N, Szabo I. Ion Channels in Plant Bioenergetic Organelles, Chloroplasts and Mitochondria: From Molecular Identification to Function. MOLECULAR PLANT 2016; 9:371-395. [PMID: 26751960 DOI: 10.1016/j.molp.2015.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Revised: 11/22/2015] [Accepted: 12/01/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Recent technical advances in electrophysiological measurements, organelle-targeted fluorescence imaging, and organelle proteomics have pushed the research of ion transport a step forward in the case of the plant bioenergetic organelles, chloroplasts and mitochondria, leading to the molecular identification and functional characterization of several ion transport systems in recent years. Here we focus on channels that mediate relatively high-rate ion and water flux and summarize the current knowledge in this field, focusing on targeting mechanisms, proteomics, electrophysiology, and physiological function. In addition, since chloroplasts evolved from a cyanobacterial ancestor, we give an overview of the information available about cyanobacterial ion channels and discuss the evolutionary origin of chloroplast channels. The recent molecular identification of some of these ion channels allowed their physiological functions to be studied using genetically modified Arabidopsis plants and cyanobacteria. The view is emerging that alteration of chloroplast and mitochondrial ion homeostasis leads to organelle dysfunction, which in turn significantly affects the energy metabolism of the whole organism. Clear-cut identification of genes encoding for channels in these organelles, however, remains a major challenge in this rapidly developing field. Multiple strategies including bioinformatics, cell biology, electrophysiology, use of organelle-targeted ion-sensitive probes, genetics, and identification of signals eliciting specific ion fluxes across organelle membranes should provide a better understanding of the physiological role of organellar channels and their contribution to signaling pathways in plants in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Carraretto
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova 35121, Italy
| | - Enrico Teardo
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova 35121, Italy; CNR Institute of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padova 35121, Italy
| | | | - Giovanni Finazzi
- UMR 5168 Laboratoire de Physiologie Cellulaire Végétale (LPCV) CNRS/ UJF / INRA / CEA, Institut de Recherches en Technologies et Sciences pour le Vivant (iRTSV), CEA Grenoble, 38054 Grenoble, France.
| | - Nobuyuki Uozumi
- Department of Biomolecular Engineering, Graduate School of Engineering, Tohoku University, Aobayama 6-6-07, Sendai 980-8579, Japan.
| | - Ildiko Szabo
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, Padova 35121, Italy; CNR Institute of Neuroscience, University of Padova, Padova 35121, Italy.
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11
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Zubcevic L, Wang S, Bavro VN, Lee SJ, Nichols CG, Tucker SJ. Modular Design of the Selectivity Filter Pore Loop in a Novel Family of Prokaryotic 'Inward Rectifier' (NirBac) channels. Sci Rep 2015; 5:15305. [PMID: 26470642 PMCID: PMC4607889 DOI: 10.1038/srep15305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2015] [Accepted: 09/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Potassium channels exhibit a modular design with distinct structural and functional domains; in particular, a highly conserved pore-loop sequence that determines their ionic selectivity. We now report the functional characterisation of a novel group of functionally non-selective members of the prokaryotic 'inward rectifier' subfamily of K(+) channels. These channels share all the key structural domains of eukaryotic and prokaryotic Kir/KirBac channels, but instead possess unique pore-loop selectivity filter sequences unrelated to any other known ionic selectivity filter. The strikingly unusual architecture of these 'NirBac' channels defines a new family of functionally non-selective ion channels, and also provides important insights into the modular design of ion channels, as well as the evolution of ionic selectivity within this superfamily of tetrameric cation channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lejla Zubcevic
- Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Shizhen Wang
- Washington University St. Louis, School Of Medicine, Centre for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases (CIMED), St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Vassiliy N. Bavro
- Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sun-Joo Lee
- Washington University St. Louis, School Of Medicine, Centre for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases (CIMED), St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Colin G. Nichols
- Washington University St. Louis, School Of Medicine, Centre for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases (CIMED), St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Stephen J. Tucker
- Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- OXION Initiative in Ion Channels and Disease, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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12
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Linder T, Wang S, Zangerl-Plessl EM, Nichols CG, Stary-Weinzinger A. Molecular Dynamics Simulations of KirBac1.1 Mutants Reveal Global Gating Changes of Kir Channels. J Chem Inf Model 2015; 55:814-22. [PMID: 25794351 PMCID: PMC4415035 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.5b00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Prokaryotic inwardly rectifying (KirBac) potassium channels are homologous to mammalian Kir channels. Their activity is controlled by dynamical conformational changes that regulate ion flow through a central pore. Understanding the dynamical rearrangements of Kir channels during gating requires high-resolution structure information from channels crystallized in different conformations and insight into the transition steps, which are difficult to access experimentally. In this study, we use MD simulations on wild type KirBac1.1 and an activatory mutant to investigate activation gating of KirBac channels. Full atomistic MD simulations revealed that introducing glutamate in position 143 causes significant widening at the helix bundle crossing gate, enabling water flux into the cavity. Further, global rearrangements including a twisting motion as well as local rearrangements at the subunit interface in the cytoplasmic domain were observed. These structural rearrangements are similar to recently reported KirBac3.1 crystal structures in closed and open conformation, suggesting that our simulations capture major conformational changes during KirBac1.1 opening. In addition, an important role of protein-lipid interactions during gating was observed. Slide-helix and C-linker interactions with lipids were strengthened during activation gating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Linder
- Department
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University
of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Shizhen Wang
- Center
for Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases, Department of
Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington
University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | | | - Colin G. Nichols
- Center
for Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases, Department of
Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington
University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Anna Stary-Weinzinger
- Department
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University
of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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13
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Bagriantsev SN, Chatelain FC, Clark KA, Alagem N, Reuveny E, Minor DL. Tethered protein display identifies a novel Kir3.2 (GIRK2) regulator from protein scaffold libraries. ACS Chem Neurosci 2014; 5:812-22. [PMID: 25028803 PMCID: PMC4176385 DOI: 10.1021/cn5000698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
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Use of randomized peptide libraries
to evolve molecules with new
functions provides a means for developing novel regulators of protein
activity. Despite the demonstrated power of such approaches for soluble
targets, application of this strategy to membrane systems, such as
ion channels, remains challenging. Here, we have combined libraries
of a tethered protein scaffold with functional selection in yeast
to develop a novel activator of the G-protein-coupled mammalian inwardly
rectifying potassium channel Kir3.2 (GIRK2). We show that the novel
regulator, denoted N5, increases Kir3.2 (GIRK2) basal activity by
inhibiting clearance of the channel from the cellular surface rather
than affecting the core biophysical properties of the channel. These
studies establish the tethered protein display strategy as a means
to create new channel modulators and highlight the power of approaches
that couple randomized libraries with direct selections for functional
effects. Our results further underscore the possibility for the development
of modulators that influence channel function by altering cell surface
expression densities rather than by direct action on channel biophysical
parameters. The use of tethered library selection strategies coupled
with functional selection bypasses the need for a purified target
and is likely to be applicable to a range of membrane protein systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Noga Alagem
- Department
of Biological Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Eitan Reuveny
- Department
of Biological Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel
| | - Daniel L. Minor
- Physical
Biosciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
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14
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Growth of large and highly ordered 2D crystals of a K⁺ channel, structural role of lipidic environment. Biophys J 2014; 105:398-408. [PMID: 23870261 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2013.05.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2012] [Revised: 05/18/2013] [Accepted: 05/29/2013] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
2D crystallography has proven to be an excellent technique to determine the 3D structure of membrane proteins. Compared to 3D crystallography, it has the advantage of visualizing the protein in an environment closer to the native one. However, producing good 2D crystals is still a challenge and little statistical knowledge can be gained from literature. Here, we present a thorough screening of 2D crystallization conditions for a prokaryotic inwardly rectifying potassium channel (>130 different conditions). Key parameters leading to very large and well-organized 2D crystals are discussed. In addition, the problem of formation of multilayers during the growth of 2D crystals is also addressed. An intermediate resolution projection map of KirBac3.1 at 6 Å is presented, which sheds (to our knowledge) new light on the structure of this channel in a lipid environment.
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15
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Zubcevic L, Bavro VN, Muniz JRC, Schmidt MR, Wang S, De Zorzi R, Venien-Bryan C, Sansom MSP, Nichols CG, Tucker SJ. Control of KirBac3.1 potassium channel gating at the interface between cytoplasmic domains. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:143-51. [PMID: 24257749 PMCID: PMC3879539 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.501833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2013] [Revised: 11/04/2013] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
KirBac channels are prokaryotic homologs of mammalian inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels, and recent structures of KirBac3.1 have provided important insights into the structural basis of gating in Kir channels. In this study, we demonstrate that KirBac3.1 channel activity is strongly pH-dependent, and we used x-ray crystallography to determine the structural changes that arise from an activatory mutation (S205L) located in the cytoplasmic domain (CTD). This mutation stabilizes a novel energetically favorable open conformation in which changes at the intersubunit interface in the CTD also alter the electrostatic potential of the inner cytoplasmic cavity. These results provide a structural explanation for the activatory effect of this mutation and provide a greater insight into the role of the CTD in Kir channel gating.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lejla Zubcevic
- From the Biological Physics Group, Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PU, United Kingdom
| | - Vassiliy N. Bavro
- From the Biological Physics Group, Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PU, United Kingdom
- the School of Immunity and Infection, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, United Kingdom
| | - Joao R. C. Muniz
- the Sao Carlos Institute of Physics, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo SP 13560-970, Brazil
| | - Matthias R. Schmidt
- the Structural Bioinformatics and Computational Biochemistry Unit, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom
| | - Shizhen Wang
- the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology and Center for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| | | | - Catherine Venien-Bryan
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115
- the Institut de Minéralogie et de Physique des Milieux Condensés (IMPMC), CNRS-UMR 7590, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, 75005 Paris, France, and
| | - Mark S. P. Sansom
- the Structural Bioinformatics and Computational Biochemistry Unit, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom
- the OXION Initiative in Ion Channels and Disease, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom
| | - Colin G. Nichols
- the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology and Center for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110
| | - Stephen J. Tucker
- From the Biological Physics Group, Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PU, United Kingdom
- the OXION Initiative in Ion Channels and Disease, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3PT, United Kingdom
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16
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Checchetto V, Teardo E, Carraretto L, Formentin E, Bergantino E, Giacometti GM, Szabo I. Regulation of photosynthesis by ion channels in cyanobacteria and higher plants. Biophys Chem 2013; 182:51-7. [PMID: 23891570 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2013.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2013] [Revised: 06/10/2013] [Accepted: 06/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Photosynthesis converts light energy into chemical energy, and supplies ATP and NADPH for CO2 fixation into carbohydrates and for the synthesis of several compounds which are essential for autotrophic growth. Oxygenic photosynthesis takes place in thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts and photosynthetic prokaryote cyanobacteria. An ancestral photoautotrophic prokaryote related to cyanobacteria has been proposed to give rise to chloroplasts of plants and algae through an endosymbiotic event. Indeed, photosynthetic complexes involved in the electron transport coupled to H(+) translocation and ATP synthesis are similar in higher plants and cyanobacteria. Furthermore, some of the protein and solute/ion conducting machineries also share common structure and function. Electrophysiological and biochemical evidence support the existence of ion channels in the thylakoid membrane in both types of organisms. By allowing specific ion fluxes across thylakoid membranes, ion channels have been hypothesized to either directly or indirectly regulate photosynthesis, by modulating the proton motive force. Recent molecular identification of some of the thylakoid-located channels allowed to obtain genetic proof in favor of such hypothesis. Furthermore, some ion channels of the envelope membrane in chloroplasts have also been shown to impact on this light-driven process. Here we give an overview of thylakoid/chloroplast located ion channels of higher plants and of cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. We focus on channels shown to be implicated in the regulation of photosynthesis and discuss the possible mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Checchetto
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, viale G. Colombo 3, 35121 Padova, Italy
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17
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Li JBW, Huang X, Zhang RS, Kim RY, Yang R, Kurata HT. Decomposition of slide helix contributions to ATP-dependent inhibition of Kir6.2 channels. J Biol Chem 2013; 288:23038-49. [PMID: 23798684 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.485789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Regulation of inwardly rectifying potassium channels by intracellular ligands couples cell membrane excitability to important signaling cascades and metabolic pathways. We investigated the molecular mechanisms that link ligand binding to the channel gate in ATP-sensitive Kir6.2 channels. In these channels, the "slide helix" forms an interface between the cytoplasmic (ligand-binding) domain and the transmembrane pore, and many slide helix mutations cause loss of function. Using a novel approach to rescue electrically silent channels, we decomposed the contribution of each interface residue to ATP-dependent gating. We demonstrate that effective inhibition by ATP relies on an essential aspartate at residue 58. Characterization of the functional importance of this conserved aspartate, relative to other residues in the slide helix, has been impossible because of loss-of-function of Asp-58 mutant channels. The Asp-58 position exhibits an extremely stringent requirement for aspartate because even a highly conservative mutation to glutamate is insufficient to restore normal channel function. These findings reveal unrecognized slide helix elements that are required for functional channel expression and control of Kir6.2 gating by intracellular ATP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenny B W Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z3, Canada
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18
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Checchetto V, Formentin E, Carraretto L, Segalla A, Giacometti GM, Szabo I, Bergantino E. Functional characterization and determination of the physiological role of a calcium-dependent potassium channel from cyanobacteria. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2013; 162:953-964. [PMID: 23640756 PMCID: PMC3668083 DOI: 10.1104/pp.113.215129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Despite the important achievement of the high-resolution structures of several prokaryotic channels, current understanding of their physiological roles in bacteria themselves is still far from complete. We have identified a putative two transmembrane domain-containing channel, SynCaK, in the genome of the freshwater cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, a model photosynthetic organism. SynCaK displays significant sequence homology to MthK, a calcium-dependent potassium channel isolated from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. Expression of SynCaK in fusion with enhanced GFP in mammalian Chinese hamster ovary cells' plasma membrane gave rise to a calcium-activated, potassium-selective activity in patch clamp experiments. In cyanobacteria, Western blotting of isolated membrane fractions located SynCaK mainly to the plasma membrane. To understand its physiological function, a SynCaK-deficient mutant of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, ΔSynCaK, has been obtained. Although the potassium content in the mutant organisms was comparable to that observed in the wild type, ΔSynCaK was characterized by a depolarized resting membrane potential, as determined by a potential-sensitive fluorescent probe. Growth of the mutant under various conditions revealed that lack of SynCaK does not impair growth under osmotic or salt stress and that SynCaK is not involved in the regulation of photosynthesis. Instead, its lack conferred an increased resistance to the heavy metal zinc, an environmental pollutant. A similar result was obtained using barium, a general potassium channel inhibitor that also caused depolarization. Our findings thus indicate that SynCaK is a functional channel and identify the physiological consequences of its deletion in cyanobacteria.
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19
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D'Avanzo N, McCusker EC, Powl AM, Miles AJ, Nichols CG, Wallace BA. Differential lipid dependence of the function of bacterial sodium channels. PLoS One 2013; 8:e61216. [PMID: 23579615 PMCID: PMC3620320 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0061216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2012] [Accepted: 03/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The lipid bilayer is important for maintaining the integrity of cellular compartments and plays a vital role in providing the hydrophobic and charged interactions necessary for membrane protein structure, conformational flexibility and function. To directly assess the lipid dependence of activity for voltage-gated sodium channels, we compared the activity of three bacterial sodium channel homologues (NaChBac, NavMs, and NavSp) by cumulative (22)Na(+) uptake into proteoliposomes containing a 3∶1 ratio of 1-palmitoyl 2-oleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine and different "guest" glycerophospholipids. We observed a unique lipid profile for each channel tested. NavMs and NavSp showed strong preference for different negatively-charged lipids (phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylglycerol, respectively), whilst NaChBac exhibited a more modest variation with lipid type. To investigate the molecular bases of these differences we used synchrotron radiation circular dichroism spectroscopy to compare structures in liposomes of different composition, and molecular modeling and electrostatics calculations to rationalize the functional differences seen. We then examined pore-only constructs (with voltage sensor subdomains removed) and found that in these channels the lipid specificity was drastically reduced, suggesting that the specific lipid influences on voltage-gated sodium channels arise primarily from their abilities to interact with the voltage-sensing subdomains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazzareno D'Avanzo
- Department of Physiology and GEPROM (Group d'étude des Proteins Membranaires), Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology and Center for Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Emily C. McCusker
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew M. Powl
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew J. Miles
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Colin G. Nichols
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology and Center for Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CN); (BW)
| | - B. A. Wallace
- Department of Biological Sciences, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, United Kingdom
- * E-mail: (CN); (BW)
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20
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Using yeast to study potassium channel function and interactions with small molecules. Methods Mol Biol 2013; 995:31-42. [PMID: 23494370 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-62703-345-9_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Analysis of ion channel mutants is a widely used approach for dissecting ion channel function and for characterizing the mechanisms of action of channel-directed modulators. Expression of functional potassium channels in potassium-uptake-deficient yeast together with genetic selection approaches offers an unbiased, high-throughput, activity-based readout that can rapidly identify large numbers of active ion channel mutants. Because of the assumption-free nature of the method, detailed biophysical analysis of the functional mutants from such selections can provide new and unexpected insights into both ion channel gating and ion channel modulator mechanisms. Here, we present detailed protocols for generation and identification of functional mutations in potassium channels using yeast selections in the potassium-uptake-deficient strain SGY1528. This approach is applicable for the analysis of structure-function relationships of potassium channels from a wide range of sources including viruses, bacteria, plants, and mammals and can be used as a facile way to probe the interactions between ion channels and small-molecule modulators.
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21
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Structural rearrangements underlying ligand-gating in Kir channels. Nat Commun 2012; 3:617. [PMID: 22233627 PMCID: PMC4277880 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2011] [Accepted: 11/29/2011] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels are physiologically regulated by a wide range of ligands that all act on a common gate, although structural details of gating are unclear. Here we show, using small molecule fluorescent probes attached to introduced cysteines, the molecular motions associated with gating of KirBac1.1 channels. The accessibility of the probes indicates a major barrier to fluorophore entry to the inner cavity. Changes in FRET between fluorophores attached to KirBac1.1 tetramers show that PIP2-induced closure involves tilting and rotational motions of secondary structural elements of the cytoplasmic domain that couple ligand binding to a narrowing of the cytoplasmic vestibule. The observed ligand-dependent conformational changes in KirBac1.1 provide a general model for ligand-induced Kir channel gating at the molecular level.
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22
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Bavro VN, De Zorzi R, Schmidt MR, Muniz JRC, Zubcevic L, Sansom MSP, Vénien-Bryan C, Tucker SJ. Structure of a KirBac potassium channel with an open bundle crossing indicates a mechanism of channel gating. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2012; 19:158-63. [PMID: 22231399 PMCID: PMC3272479 DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.2208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2011] [Accepted: 11/14/2011] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
KirBac channels are prokaryotic homologs of mammalian inwardly rectifying (Kir) potassium channels, and recent crystal structures of both Kir and KirBac channels have provided major insight into their unique structural architecture. However, all of the available structures are closed at the helix bundle crossing, and therefore the structural mechanisms that control opening of their primary activation gate remain unknown. In this study, we engineered the inner pore-lining helix (TM2) of KirBac3.1 to trap the bundle crossing in an apparently open conformation and determined the crystal structure of this mutant channel to 3.05 Å resolution. Contrary to previous speculation, this new structure suggests a mechanistic model in which rotational 'twist' of the cytoplasmic domain is coupled to opening of the bundle-crossing gate through a network of inter- and intrasubunit interactions that involve the TM2 C-linker, slide helix, G-loop and the CD loop.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vassiliy N Bavro
- Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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