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Benndorf K, Schulz E. Identifiability of equilibrium constants for receptors with two to five binding sites. J Gen Physiol 2023; 155:e202313423. [PMID: 37882789 PMCID: PMC10602793 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202313423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs) are regularly oligomers containing between two and five binding sites for ligands. Neither in homomeric nor heteromeric LGICs the activation process evoked by the ligand binding is fully understood. Here, we show on theoretical grounds that for LGICs with two to five binding sites, the cooperativity upon channel activation can be determined in considerable detail. The main requirements for our strategy are a defined number of binding sites in a channel, which can be achieved by concatenation, a systematic mutation of all binding sites and a global fit of all concentration-activation relationships (CARs) with corresponding intimately coupled Markovian state models. We take advantage of translating these state models to cubes with dimensions 2, 3, 4, and 5. We show that the maximum possible number of CARs for these LGICs specify all 7, 13, 23, and 41 independent model parameters, respectively, which directly provide all equilibrium constants within the respective schemes. Moreover, a fit that uses stochastically varied scaled unitary start vectors enables the determination of all parameters, without any bias imposed by specific start vectors. A comparison of the outcome of the analyses for the models with 2 to 5 binding sites showed that the identifiability of the parameters is best for a case with 5 binding sites and 41 parameters. Our strategy can be used to analyze experimental data of other LGICs and may be applicable to voltage-gated ion channels and metabotropic receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus Benndorf
- Institute of Physiology II, Jena University Hospital, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Eckhard Schulz
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences, Schmalkalden, Germany
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2
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Krall RF, Tzounopoulos T, Aizenman E. The Function and Regulation of Zinc in the Brain. Neuroscience 2021; 457:235-258. [PMID: 33460731 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2021.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Nearly sixty years ago Fredrich Timm developed a histochemical technique that revealed a rich reserve of free zinc in distinct regions of the brain. Subsequent electron microscopy studies in Timm- stained brain tissue found that this "labile" pool of cellular zinc was highly concentrated at synaptic boutons, hinting a possible role for the metal in synaptic transmission. Although evidence for activity-dependent synaptic release of zinc would not be reported for another twenty years, these initial findings spurred decades of research into zinc's role in neuronal function and revealed a diverse array of signaling cascades triggered or regulated by the metal. Here, we delve into our current understanding of the many roles zinc plays in the brain, from influencing neurotransmission and sensory processing, to activating both pro-survival and pro-death neuronal signaling pathways. Moreover, we detail the many mechanisms that tightly regulate cellular zinc levels, including metal binding proteins and a large array of zinc transporters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca F Krall
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA; Pittsburgh Hearing Research Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA; Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA
| | - Thanos Tzounopoulos
- Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA; Pittsburgh Hearing Research Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA.
| | - Elias Aizenman
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA; Pittsburgh Hearing Research Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA; Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, USA.
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3
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New Insights of the Zn(II)-Induced P2 × 4R Positive Allosteric Modulation: Role of Head Receptor Domain SS2/SS3, E160 and D170. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21186940. [PMID: 32971737 PMCID: PMC7555825 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
P2 × 4R is allosterically modulated by Zn(II), and despite the efforts to understand the mechanism, there is not a consensus proposal; C132 is a critical amino acid for the Zn(II) modulation, and this residue is located in the receptor head domain, forming disulfide SS3. To ascertain the role of the SS2/SS3 microenvironment on the rP2 × 4R Zn(II)-induced allosteric modulation, we investigated the contribution of each individual SS2/SS3 cysteine plus carboxylic acid residues E118, E160, and D170, located in the immediate vicinity of the SS2/SS3 disulfide bonds. To this aim, we combined electrophysiological recordings with protein chemical alkylation using thiol reagents such as N-ethylmaleimide or iodoacetamide, and a mutation of key amino acid residues together with P2 × 4 receptor bioinformatics. P2 × 4R alkylation in the presence of the metal obliterated the allosteric modulation, a finding supported by the site-directed mutagenesis of C132 and C149 by a corresponding alanine. In addition, while E118Q was sensitive to Zn(II) modulation, the wild type receptor, mutants E160Q and D170N, were not, suggesting that these acid residues participate in the modulatory mechanism. Poisson–Boltzmann analysis indicated that the E160Q and D170N mutants showed a shift towards more positive electrostatic potential in the SS2/SS3 microenvironment. Present results highlight the role of C132 and C149 as putative Zn(II) ligands; in addition, we infer that acid residues E160 and D170 play a role attracting Zn(II) to the head receptor domain.
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4
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Antibodies binding the head domain of P2X4 inhibit channel function and reverse neuropathic pain. Pain 2019; 160:1989-2003. [DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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5
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North RA. P2X receptors. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 371:rstb.2015.0427. [PMID: 27377721 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2015.0427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Extracellular adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) activates cell surface P2X and P2Y receptors. P2X receptors are membrane ion channels preferably permeable to sodium, potassium and calcium that open within milliseconds of the binding of ATP. In molecular architecture, they form a unique structural family. The receptor is a trimer, the binding of ATP between subunits causes them to flex together within the ectodomain and separate in the membrane-spanning region so as to open a central channel. P2X receptors have a widespread tissue distribution. On some smooth muscle cells, P2X receptors mediate the fast excitatory junction potential that leads to depolarization and contraction. In the central nervous system, activation of P2X receptors allows calcium to enter neurons and this can evoke slower neuromodulatory responses such as the trafficking of receptors for the neurotransmitter glutamate. In primary afferent nerves, P2X receptors are critical for the initiation of action potentials when they respond to ATP released from sensory cells such as taste buds, chemoreceptors or urothelium. In immune cells, activation of P2X receptors triggers the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin 1β. The development of selective blockers of different P2X receptors has led to clinical trials of their effectiveness in the management of cough, pain, inflammation and certain neurodegenerative diseases.This article is part of the themed issue 'Evolution brings Ca(2+) and ATP together to control life and death'.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Alan North
- Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
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6
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Peralta FA, Huidobro-Toro JP. Zinc as Allosteric Ion Channel Modulator: Ionotropic Receptors as Metalloproteins. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:E1059. [PMID: 27384555 PMCID: PMC4964435 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17071059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Revised: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Zinc is an essential metal to life. This transition metal is a structural component of many proteins and is actively involved in the catalytic activity of cell enzymes. In either case, these zinc-containing proteins are metalloproteins. However, the amino acid residues that serve as ligands for metal coordination are not necessarily the same in structural proteins compared to enzymes. While crystals of structural proteins that bind zinc reveal a higher preference for cysteine sulfhydryls rather than histidine imidazole rings, catalytic enzymes reveal the opposite, i.e., a greater preference for the histidines over cysteines for catalysis, plus the influence of carboxylic acids. Based on this paradigm, we reviewed the putative ligands of zinc in ionotropic receptors, where zinc has been described as an allosteric modulator of channel receptors. Although these receptors do not strictly qualify as metalloproteins since they do not normally bind zinc in structural domains, they do transitorily bind zinc at allosteric sites, modifying transiently the receptor channel's ion permeability. The present contribution summarizes current information showing that zinc allosteric modulation of receptor channels occurs by the preferential metal coordination to imidazole rings as well as to the sulfhydryl groups of cysteine in addition to the carboxyl group of acid residues, as with enzymes and catalysis. It is remarkable that most channels, either voltage-sensitive or transmitter-gated receptor channels, are susceptible to zinc modulation either as positive or negative regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Andrés Peralta
- Laboratorio de Farmacología de Nucleótidos, Laboratorio de Farmacología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, y Centro para el Desarrollo de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología (CEDENNA), Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Alameda Libertador B. O'Higgins, 3363 Santiago, Chile.
| | - Juan Pablo Huidobro-Toro
- Laboratorio de Farmacología de Nucleótidos, Laboratorio de Farmacología, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Química y Biología, y Centro para el Desarrollo de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología (CEDENNA), Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Alameda Libertador B. O'Higgins, 3363 Santiago, Chile.
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7
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Stephan G, Kowalski-Jahn M, Zens C, Schmalzing G, Illes P, Hausmann R. Inter-subunit disulfide locking of the human P2X3 receptor elucidates ectodomain movements associated with channel gating. Purinergic Signal 2016; 12:221-33. [PMID: 26825305 DOI: 10.1007/s11302-016-9496-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
P2X3 receptors (P2X3R) are trimeric ATP-gated cation channels involved in sensory neurotransmission and inflammatory pain. We used homology modeling and molecular dynamic simulations of the hP2X3R to identify inter-subunit interactions of residues that are instrumental to elucidate conformational changes associated with gating of the hPX3R. We identified an ionic interaction between E112 and R198 of the head domain and dorsal fin domain, respectively, and E57 and T263 of the lower body domains of adjacent subunits and detected a marked rearrangement of these domains during gating of the hP3X3R. Double-mutant cycle analysis of the inter-subunit residue pairs E112/R198 and E57/T263 revealed significant interaction-free energies. Disulfide locking of the hP2X3R E112C/R198C or the E57C/T263C double cysteine mutants markedly reduced the ATP-induced current responses. The decreased current amplitude following inter-subunit disulfide cross-linking indicates that disulfide locking of the head and dorsal fin domains or at the level of the lower body domains of the hP2X3R prevents the gating-induced conformational rearrangement of the subunits with respect to each other. The distinct reorganization of the subunit interfaces during gating of the hP2X3R is generally consistent with the gating mechanism of other P2XRs. Charge-reversal mutagenesis and methanethiosulfonate (MTS)-modification of substituted cysteines demonstrated that E112 and R198 interact electrostatically. Both disulfide locking and salt bridge breaking of the E112/R198 interaction reduced the hP2X3R function. We conclude that the inter-subunit salt bridge between E112 and R198 of the head and dorsal fin domains, respectively, serves to control the mobility of these domains during agonist-activation of the hP2X3R.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Stephan
- Rudolf Boehm Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Leipzig, Haertelstrasse 16-18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maria Kowalski-Jahn
- Rudolf Boehm Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Leipzig, Haertelstrasse 16-18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christopher Zens
- Rudolf Boehm Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Leipzig, Haertelstrasse 16-18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Günther Schmalzing
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - Peter Illes
- Rudolf Boehm Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Leipzig, Haertelstrasse 16-18, 04107, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Ralf Hausmann
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
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8
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Habermacher C, Martz A, Calimet N, Lemoine D, Peverini L, Specht A, Cecchini M, Grutter T. Photo-switchable tweezers illuminate pore-opening motions of an ATP-gated P2X ion channel. eLife 2016; 5:e11050. [PMID: 26808983 PMCID: PMC4739762 DOI: 10.7554/elife.11050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
P2X receptors function by opening a transmembrane pore in response to extracellular ATP. Recent crystal structures solved in apo and ATP-bound states revealed molecular motions of the extracellular domain following agonist binding. However, the mechanism of pore opening still remains controversial. Here we use photo-switchable cross-linkers as ‘molecular tweezers’ to monitor a series of inter-residue distances in the transmembrane domain of the P2X2 receptor during activation. These experimentally based structural constraints combined with computational studies provide high-resolution models of the channel in the open and closed states. We show that the extent of the outer pore expansion is significantly reduced compared to the ATP-bound structure. Our data further reveal that the inner and outer ends of adjacent pore-lining helices come closer during opening, likely through a hinge-bending motion. These results provide new insight into the gating mechanism of P2X receptors and establish a versatile strategy applicable to other membrane proteins. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.11050.001 Protein receptors in the cell membrane play an important role transmitting signals from outside to inside the cell. Members of the P2X family of receptors are ion channels that form pores through the membrane. When a molecule of ATP binds to the external region of the receptor, it activates it and causes the receptor to change from a closed to an open shape. Once opened, ions flow through the channel’s pore and trigger a response inside the cell. P2X receptors are found on most animal cells (including nerve cells) and are involved in both normal cellular activity and processes linked to disease, including inflammation and chronic pain. The P2X receptor has three parts or subunits, and each contributes to the channel’s pore. Recent research using a technique called X-ray crystallography has revealed how ATP binding causes shape changes in the external region of the receptor. But these three-dimensional structures did not reveal details of how the subunits move to open or close the channel’s pore. Habermacher et al. have now added light-sensitive linkers onto the P2X receptor in a way that meant that different colors of light could be used to force parts of the receptor to come closer together or move apart. This allowed the pore to be opened and closed in response to changes in light. Habermacher et al. then studied the behavior of these modified receptors within a natural membrane and found that the light stimulated movements were similar to those seen with ATP. When the behavior of the receptor and light-sensitive linkers was studied using computer simulations, it led to new models of the P2X pore in the open and closed state. In these models, the open channel was more tightly packed than in the previous structure and an unexpected hinge-bending movement was seen to accompany the opening of the channel. It is hoped that this new approach will also be useful for probing how other membrane proteins change their shape when activated. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.11050.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Habermacher
- Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7199, Équipe de Chimie et Neurobiologie Moléculaire, Illkirch, France
| | - Adeline Martz
- Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7199, Équipe de Chimie et Neurobiologie Moléculaire, Illkirch, France
| | - Nicolas Calimet
- ISIS, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7006, Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Fonctions Moléculaires, Strasbourg, France
| | - Damien Lemoine
- Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7199, Équipe de Chimie et Neurobiologie Moléculaire, Illkirch, France
| | - Laurie Peverini
- Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7199, Équipe de Chimie et Neurobiologie Moléculaire, Illkirch, France
| | - Alexandre Specht
- Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7199, Équipe de Chimie et Neurobiologie Moléculaire, Illkirch, France
| | - Marco Cecchini
- ISIS, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7006, Laboratoire d'Ingénierie des Fonctions Moléculaires, Strasbourg, France
| | - Thomas Grutter
- Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, Illkirch, France.,Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7199, Équipe de Chimie et Neurobiologie Moléculaire, Illkirch, France
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9
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Structural Insights into Divalent Cation Modulations of ATP-Gated P2X Receptor Channels. Cell Rep 2016; 14:932-944. [PMID: 26804916 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.12.087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2015] [Revised: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 12/18/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
P2X receptors are trimeric ATP-gated cation channels involved in physiological processes ranging widely from neurotransmission to pain and taste signal transduction. The modulation of the channel gating, including that by divalent cations, contributes to these diverse physiological functions of P2X receptors. Here, we report the crystal structure of an invertebrate P2X receptor from the Gulf Coast tick Amblyomma maculatum in the presence of ATP and Zn(2+) ion, together with electrophysiological and computational analyses. The structure revealed two distinct metal binding sites, M1 and M2, in the extracellular region. The M1 site, located at the trimer interface, is responsible for Zn(2+) potentiation by facilitating the structural change of the extracellular domain for pore opening. In contrast, the M2 site, coupled with the ATP binding site, might contribute to regulation by Mg(2+). Overall, our work provides structural insights into the divalent cation modulations of P2X receptors.
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10
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Hausmann R, Kless A, Schmalzing G. Key sites for P2X receptor function and multimerization: overview of mutagenesis studies on a structural basis. Curr Med Chem 2015; 22:799-818. [PMID: 25439586 PMCID: PMC4460280 DOI: 10.2174/0929867322666141128163215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2014] [Revised: 10/20/2014] [Accepted: 11/27/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
P2X receptors constitute a seven-member family (P2X1-7) of extracellular ATP-gated cation
channels of widespread expression. Because P2X receptors have been implicated in neurological, inflammatory
and cardiovascular diseases, they constitute promising drug targets. Since the first P2X cDNA sequences
became available in 1994, numerous site-directed mutagenesis studies have been conducted to disclose
key sites of P2X receptor function and oligomerization. The publication of the 3-Å crystal structures of the zebrafish
P2X4 (zfP2X4) receptor in the homotrimeric apo-closed and ATP-bound open states in 2009 and 2012, respectively, has
ushered a new era by allowing for the interpretation of the wealth of molecular data in terms of specific three-dimensional
models and by paving the way for designing more-decisive experiments. Thanks to these structures, the last five years
have provided invaluable insight into our understanding of the structure and function of the P2X receptor class of ligandgated
ion channels. In this review, we provide an overview of mutagenesis studies of the pre- and post-crystal structure
eras that identified amino acid residues of key importance for ligand binding, channel gating, ion flow, formation of the
pore and the channel gate, and desensitization. In addition, the sites that are involved in the trimerization of P2X receptors
are reviewed based on mutagenesis studies and interface contacts that were predicted by the zfP2X4 crystal structures.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Gunther Schmalzing
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Medical Faculty of the RWTH Aachen University, Wendlingweg 2, D-52074 Aachen, Germany.
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11
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Habermacher C, Dunning K, Chataigneau T, Grutter T. Molecular structure and function of P2X receptors. Neuropharmacology 2015; 104:18-30. [PMID: 26231831 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2015.07.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Revised: 07/23/2015] [Accepted: 07/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
ATP-gated P2X receptors are trimeric ion channels selective to cations. Recent progress in the molecular biophysics of these channels enables a better understanding of their function. In particular, data obtained from biochemical, electrophysiogical and molecular engineering in the light of recent X-ray structures now allow delineation of the principles of ligand binding, channel opening and allosteric modulation. However, although a picture emerges as to how ATP triggers channel opening, there are a number of intriguing questions that remain to be answered, in particular how the pore itself opens in response to ATP and how the intracellular domain, for which structural information is limited, moves during activation. In this review, we provide a summary of functional studies in the context of the post-structure era, aiming to clarify our understanding of the way in which P2X receptors function in response to ATP binding, as well as the mechanism by which allosteric modulators are able to regulate receptor function. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Purines in Neurodegeneration and Neuroregeneration'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloé Habermacher
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7199, Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Équipe de Chimie et Neurobiologie Moléculaire, F-67400, Illkirch, France; Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, F-67400, Illkirch, France
| | - Kate Dunning
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7199, Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Équipe de Chimie et Neurobiologie Moléculaire, F-67400, Illkirch, France; Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, F-67400, Illkirch, France
| | - Thierry Chataigneau
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7199, Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Équipe de Chimie et Neurobiologie Moléculaire, F-67400, Illkirch, France; Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, F-67400, Illkirch, France
| | - Thomas Grutter
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Unité Mixte de Recherche 7199, Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Équipe de Chimie et Neurobiologie Moléculaire, F-67400, Illkirch, France; Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de Pharmacie, F-67400, Illkirch, France.
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12
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Igawa T, Abe Y, Tsuda M, Inoue K, Ueda T. Solution structure of the rat P2X4 receptor head domain involved in inhibitory metal binding. FEBS Lett 2015; 589:680-6. [PMID: 25662851 DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2015.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2014] [Revised: 01/22/2015] [Accepted: 01/23/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The P2X receptor is an ATP-gated cation channel expressed on the plasma membrane. The head domain (Gln111-Val167 in the rat P2X4 receptor) regulates ATP-induced cation influx. In this study, we prepared a head domain with three disulfide bonds, such as the intact rat P2X4 receptor contains. NMR analysis showed that the head domain possessed the same fold as in the zebrafish P2X4 receptor previously determined by crystallography. Furthermore, the inhibitory, divalent, metal ion binding sites were determined by NMR techniques. These findings will be useful for the design of specific inhibitors for the P2X receptor family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatsuhiro Igawa
- Department of Protein Structure, Function and Design, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Yoshito Abe
- Department of Protein Structure, Function and Design, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Makoto Tsuda
- Department of Molecular and System Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Kazuhide Inoue
- Department of Molecular and System Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
| | - Tadashi Ueda
- Department of Protein Structure, Function and Design, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
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13
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Abstract
The ATP activation signal in trimeric P2X2 receptors propagates down individual subunits before spreading to all three at the level of the pore. P2X2 receptor channel, a homotrimer activated by the binding of extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to three intersubunit ATP-binding sites (each located ∼50 Å from the ion permeation pore), also shows voltage-dependent activation upon hyperpolarization. Here, we used tandem trimeric constructs (TTCs) harboring critical mutations at the ATP-binding, linker, and pore regions to investigate how the ATP activation signal is transmitted within the trimer and how signals generated by ATP and hyperpolarization converge. Analysis of voltage- and [ATP]-dependent gating in these TTCs showed that: (a) Voltage- and [ATP]-dependent gating of P2X2 requires binding of at least two ATP molecules. (b) D315A mutation in the β-14 strand of the linker region connecting the ATP-binding domains to the pore-forming helices induces two different gating modes; this requires the presence of the D315A mutation in at least two subunits. (c) The T339S mutation in the pore domains of all three subunits abolishes the voltage dependence of P2X2 gating in saturating [ATP], making P2X2 equally active at all membrane potentials. Increasing the number of T339S mutations in the TTC results in gradual changes in the voltage dependence of gating from that of the wild-type channel, suggesting equal and independent contributions of the subunits at the pore level. (d) Voltage- and [ATP]-dependent gating in TTCs differs depending on the location of one D315A relative to one K308A that blocks the ATP binding and downstream signal transmission. (e) Voltage- and [ATP]-dependent gating does not depend on where one T339S is located relative to K308A (or D315A). Our results suggest that each intersubunit ATP-binding signal is directly transmitted on the same subunit to the level of D315 via the domain that contributes K308 to the β-14 strand. The signal subsequently spreads equally to all three subunits at the level of the pore, resulting in symmetric and independent contributions of the three subunits to pore opening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Batu Keceli
- Division of Biophysics and Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Kubo
- Division of Biophysics and Neurobiology, Department of Molecular Physiology, National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Aichi 444-8585, Japan Department of Physiological Sciences, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies, School of Life Science, Kanagawa 240-0155, Japan
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14
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Marger L, Schubert C, Bertrand D. Zinc: An underappreciated modulatory factor of brain function. Biochem Pharmacol 2014; 91:426-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2014.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2014] [Revised: 07/30/2014] [Accepted: 08/08/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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15
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Kowalski M, Hausmann R, Dopychai A, Grohmann M, Franke H, Nieber K, Schmalzing G, Illes P, Riedel T. Conformational flexibility of the agonist binding jaw of the human P2X3 receptor is a prerequisite for channel opening. Br J Pharmacol 2014; 171:5093-112. [PMID: 24989924 DOI: 10.1111/bph.12830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2014] [Revised: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 06/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE It is assumed that ATP induces closure of the binding jaw of ligand-gated P2X receptors, which eventually results in the opening of the membrane channel and the flux of cations. Immobilization by cysteine mutagenesis of the binding jaw inhibited ATP-induced current responses, but did not allow discrimination between disturbances of binding, gating, subunit assembly or trafficking to the plasma membrane. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH A molecular model of the pain-relevant human (h)P2X3 receptor was used to identify amino acid pairs, which were located at the lips of the binding jaw and did not participate in agonist binding but strongly approached each other even in the absence of ATP. KEY RESULTS A series of cysteine double mutant hP2X3 receptors, expressed in HEK293 cells or Xenopus laevis oocytes, exhibited depressed current responses to α,β-methylene ATP (α,β-meATP) due to the formation of spontaneous inter-subunit disulfide bonds. Reducing these bonds with dithiothreitol reversed the blockade of the α,β-meATP transmembrane current. Amino-reactive fluorescence labelling of the His-tagged hP2X3 receptor and its mutants expressed in HEK293 or X. laevis oocytes demonstrated the formation of inter-subunit cross links in cysteine double mutants and, in addition, confirmed their correct trimeric assembly and cell surface expression. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS In conclusion, spontaneous tightening of the binding jaw of the hP2X3 receptor by inter-subunit cross-linking of cysteine residues substituted at positions not directly involved in agonist binding inhibited agonist-evoked currents without interfering with binding, subunit assembly or trafficking.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Kowalski
- Rudolf-Boehm-Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
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16
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Jie Y, Zhang L, Xu H, Gao C, Ma W, Li Z. Involvement of the left-flipper-to-dorsal-fin interface of the zebrafish P2X4 receptor in ATP binding and structural rearrangement. Neurosci Lett 2014; 582:1-5. [PMID: 25175421 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2014.08.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2014] [Revised: 08/04/2014] [Accepted: 08/21/2014] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
P2X receptors are trimeric ATP-activated non-selective cation channels. The ATP binding pocket is positioned between two neighboring subunits. Accompanying ligand binding, subunit-subunit contacts are most likely involved in receptor function and drive a conformational change to open the ion permeation pathway. In this way, we sought to determine the function of side chains of the zebrafish P2X4 receptor ectodomain left-flipper-to-dorsal-fin interface residues in ligand binding. By combining site-directed mutagenesis and electrophysiology methods, we showed that cysteine substitutions of I212, S215, Y216 and L217 resulted in decreased sensitivity to ATP. In addition, the ATP induced current at L217C was completely inhibited by sodium (2-sulfonatoethyl) methanethiosulfonate (MTSES(-)), indicating a role for this residue in ATP action. Deletion of residues 285-293 from the zebrafish P2X4 receptor abolished channel function. However, insertion of the same sequence frame into a homologous position of the rat P2X6 receptor did not rescue channel function, suggesting that these residues are necessary but not sufficient for achieving the correct ATP-induced conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanling Jie
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Longmei Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Huijuan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Chao Gao
- School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230027, China
| | - Wenbo Ma
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China
| | - Zhiyuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510530, China.
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17
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Stojilkovic SS, Leiva-Salcedo E, Rokic MB, Coddou C. Regulation of ATP-gated P2X channels: from redox signaling to interactions with other proteins. Antioxid Redox Signal 2014; 21:953-70. [PMID: 23944253 PMCID: PMC4116155 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2013.5549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE The family of purinergic P2X receptors (P2XRs) is a part of ligand-gated superfamily of channels activated by extracellular adenosine-5'-triphosphate. P2XRs are present in virtually all mammalian tissues as well as in tissues of other vertebrate and nonvertebrate species and mediate a large variety of functions, including fast transmission at central synapses, contraction of smooth muscle cells, platelet aggregation, and macrophage activation to proliferation and cell death. RECENT ADVANCES The recent solving of crystal structure of the zebrafish P2X4.1R is a major advance in the understanding of structural correlates of channel activation and regulation. Combined with growing information obtained in the post-structure era and the reinterpretation of previous work within the context of the tridimensional structure, these data provide a better understanding of how the channel operates at the molecular levels. CRITICAL ISSUES This review focuses on the relationship between redox signaling and P2XR function. We also discuss other allosteric modulation of P2XR gating in the physiological/pathophysiological context. This includes the summary of extracellular actions of trace metals, which can be released to the synaptic cleft, pH decrease that happens during ischemia and inflammation, and calcium, an extracellular and intracellular messenger. FUTURE DIRECTIONS Our evolving understanding of activation and regulation of P2XRs is helpful in clarifying the mechanism by which these channels trigger and modulate cellular functions. Further research is required to identify the signaling pathways contributing to the regulation of the receptor activity and to develop novel and receptor-specific allosteric modulators, which could be used in vivo with therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanko S Stojilkovic
- 1 Section on Cellular Signaling, Program in Developmental Neuroscience, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health , Bethesda, Maryland
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18
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Stelmashenko O, Compan V, Browne LE, North RA. Ectodomain movements of an ATP-gated ion channel (P2X2 receptor) probed by disulfide locking. J Biol Chem 2014; 289:9909-17. [PMID: 24515105 PMCID: PMC3975035 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m113.542811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The ectodomain of the P2X receptor is formed mainly from two- or three-stranded β-sheets provided symmetrically by each of the three subunits. These enclose a central cavity that is closed off furthest from the plasma membrane (the turret) and that joins with the transmembrane helices to form the ion permeation pathway. Comparison of closed and open crystal structures indicates that ATP binds in a pocket positioned between strands provided by different subunits and that this flexes the β-sheets of the lower body and enlarges the central cavity: this pulls apart the outer ends of the transmembrane helices and thereby opens an aperture, or gate, where they intersect within the membrane bilayer. In the present work, we examined this opening model by introducing pairs of cysteines into the rat P2X2 receptor that might form disulfide bonds within or between subunits. Receptors were expressed in human embryonic kidney cells, and disulfide formation was assessed by observing the effect of dithiothreitol on currents evoked by ATP. Substitutions in the turret (P90C, P89C/S97C), body wall (S65C/S190C, S65C/D315C) and the transmembrane domains (V48C/I328C, V51C/I328C, S54C/I328C) strongly inhibited ATP-evoked currents prior to reduction with dithiothreitol. Western blotting showed that these channels also formed predominately as dimers and/or trimers rather than monomers. The results strongly support the channel opening mechanism proposed on the basis of available crystal structures.
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19
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Chataigneau T, Lemoine D, Grutter T. Exploring the ATP-binding site of P2X receptors. Front Cell Neurosci 2013; 7:273. [PMID: 24415999 PMCID: PMC3874471 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2013.00273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2013] [Accepted: 12/07/2013] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
P2X receptors are ATP-gated non-selective cation channels involved in many different physiological processes, such as synaptic transmission, inflammation, and neuropathic pain. They form homo- or heterotrimeric complexes and contain three ATP-binding sites in their extracellular domain. The recent determination of X-ray structures of a P2X receptor solved in two states, a resting closed state and an ATP-bound, open-channel state, has provided unprecedented information not only regarding the three-dimensional shape of the receptor, but also on putative conformational changes that couple ATP binding to channel opening. These data provide a structural template for interpreting the huge amount of functional, mutagenesis, and biochemical data collected during more than fifteen years. In particular, the interfacial location of the ATP binding site and ATP orientation have been successfully confirmed by these structural studies. It appears that ATP binds to inter-subunit cavities shaped like open jaws, whose tightening induces the opening of the ion channel. These structural data thus represent a firm basis for understanding the activation mechanism of P2X receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Chataigneau
- Equipe de Chimie et Neurobiologie Moléculaire, Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR 7199 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg Illkirch, France
| | - Damien Lemoine
- Equipe de Chimie et Neurobiologie Moléculaire, Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR 7199 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg Illkirch, France
| | - Thomas Grutter
- Equipe de Chimie et Neurobiologie Moléculaire, Laboratoire de Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Faculté de Pharmacie, UMR 7199 CNRS, Université de Strasbourg Illkirch, France
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20
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Saul A, Hausmann R, Kless A, Nicke A. Heteromeric assembly of P2X subunits. Front Cell Neurosci 2013; 7:250. [PMID: 24391538 PMCID: PMC3866589 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2013.00250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2013] [Accepted: 11/21/2013] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcripts and/or proteins of P2X receptor (P2XR) subunits have been found in virtually all mammalian tissues. Generally more than one of the seven known P2X subunits have been identified in a given cell type. Six of the seven cloned P2X subunits can efficiently form functional homotrimeric ion channels in recombinant expression systems. This is in contrast to other ligand-gated ion channel families, such as the Cys-loop or glutamate receptors, where homomeric assemblies seem to represent the exception rather than the rule. P2XR mediated responses recorded from native tissues rarely match exactly the biophysical and pharmacological properties of heterologously expressed homomeric P2XRs. Heterotrimerization of P2X subunits is likely to account for this observed diversity. While the existence of heterotrimeric P2X2/3Rs and their role in physiological processes is well established, the composition of most other P2XR heteromers and/or the interplay between distinct trimeric receptor complexes in native tissues is not clear. After a description of P2XR assembly and the structure of the intersubunit ATP-binding site, this review summarizes the distribution of P2XR subunits in selected mammalian cell types and the biochemically and/or functionally characterized heteromeric P2XRs that have been observed upon heterologous co-expression of P2XR subunits. We further provide examples where the postulated heteromeric P2XRs have been suggested to occur in native tissues and an overview of the currently available pharmacological tools that have been used to discriminate between homo- and heteromeric P2XRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anika Saul
- Department of Molecular Biology of Neuronal Signals, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ralf Hausmann
- Molecular Pharmacology, RWTH Aachen University Aachen, Germany
| | - Achim Kless
- Department of Discovery Informatics, Grünenthal GmbH, Global Drug Discovery Aachen, Germany
| | - Annette Nicke
- Department of Molecular Biology of Neuronal Signals, Max Planck Institute for Experimental Medicine Göttingen, Germany
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21
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P2X receptor intermediate activation states have altered nucleotide selectivity. J Neurosci 2013; 33:14801-8. [PMID: 24027280 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.2022-13.2013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Purinergic P2X receptors are widely distributed in the nervous system and are known to play roles in primary afferent transmission and central respiratory regulation. They are trimeric membrane proteins, with the extracellular domain that provides three intersubunit ATP binding sites. We expressed the rat P2X7 receptor in human embryonic kidney cells and measured membrane currents before and after photo-affinity labeling with the agonist 2'(3')-O-(4-benzoylbenzoyl)-ATP (BzATP). After tethering BzATP with ultraviolet light, a persistent current remained after washing out the agonist. Additional current could now be elicited by other nucleotides (CTP and ADP) that are not normally effective as P2X receptor agonists. Similar results were obtained at P2X2 receptors even without previous agonist tethering: exposure to low concentrations of ATP caused the receptor to become sensitive to activation by CTP and ADP. The results show that ATP binding to the first of the three binding sites causes a conformational change to an intermediate closed state that shows increased effectiveness of pyrimidine and diphosphate nucleotide analogs.
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22
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Inter- and intrasubunit interactions between transmembrane helices in the open state of P2X receptor channels. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:E4045-54. [PMID: 24082111 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1311071110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
P2X receptor channels open in response to the binding of extracellular ATP, a property that is essential for purinergic sensory signaling. Apo and ATP-bound X-ray structures of the detergent-solubilized zebrafish P2X4 receptor provide a blueprint for receptor mechanisms but unexpectedly showed large crevices between subunits within the transmembrane (TM) domain of the ATP-bound structure. Here we investigate both intersubunit and intrasubunit interactions between TM helices of P2X receptors in membranes using both computational and functional approaches. Our results suggest that intersubunit crevices found in the TM domain of the ATP-bound crystal structure are not present in membrane-embedded receptors but substantiate helix interactions within individual subunits and identify a hot spot at the internal end of the pore where both the gating and permeation properties of P2X receptors can be tuned. We propose a model for the structure of the open state that has stabilizing intersubunit interactions and that is compatible with available structural constraints from functional channels in membrane environments.
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23
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Liang X, Xu H, Li C, Yin S, Xu T, Liu J, Li Z. Functional identification of close proximity amino acid side chains within the transmembrane-spanning helixes of the P2X2 receptor. PLoS One 2013; 8:e70629. [PMID: 23936459 PMCID: PMC3735612 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0070629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2013] [Accepted: 06/20/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The transition from the closed to open state greatly alters the intra- and inter-subunit interactions of the P2X receptor (P2XR). The interactions that occur in the transmembrane domain of the P2X2R remain unclear. We used substituted cysteine mutagenesis disulfide mapping to identify pairs of residues that are in close proximity within the transmembrane domain of rP2X2R and compared our results to the predicted positions of these amino acids obtained from a rat P2X2R homology model of the available open and closed zebrafish P2X4R structures. Alternations in channel function were measured as a change in the ATP-gated current before and after exposure to dithiothreitol. Thirty-six pairs of double mutants of rP2X2R expressed in HEK293 cells produced normal functioning channels. Thirty-five pairs of these mutants did not exhibit a functionally detectable disulfide bond. The double mutant H33C/S345C formed redox-dependent cross-links in the absence of ATP. Dithiothreitol ruptured the disulfide bond of H33C/S345C and induced a 2 to 3-fold increase in current. The EC50 for H33C/S345C before dithiothreitol treatment was ∼2-fold higher than that after dithiothreitol treatment. Dithiothreitol reduced the EC50 to wild-type levels. Furthermore, expression of trimeric concatamer receptors with Cys mutations at some but not all six positions showed that the more disulfide bond formation sites within the concatamer, the greater current potentiation after dithiothreitol incubation. Immunoblot analysis of H33C/S345C revealed one monomer band under nonreducing conditions strongly suggesting that disulfide bonds are formed within single subunits (intra-subunit) and not between two subunits (inter-subunit). Taken together, these data indicate that His33 and Ser345 are proximal to each other across an intra-subunit interface. The relative movement between the first transmembrane and the second transmembrane in the intra-subunit is likely important for transmitting the action of ATP binding to the opening of the channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Liang
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Huijuan Xu
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Caiyue Li
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shikui Yin
- The School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Tingting Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jinsong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhiyuan Li
- Key Laboratory of Regenerative Biology, South China Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- * E-mail:
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24
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Abstract
The study of P2X receptors has long been handicapped by a poverty of small-molecule tools that serve as selective agonists and antagonists. There has been progress, particularly in the past 10 years, as cell-based high-throughput screening methods were applied, together with large chemical libraries. This has delivered some drug-like molecules in several chemical classes that selectively target P2X1, P2X3, or P2X7 receptors. Some of these are, or have been, in clinical trials for rheumatoid arthritis, pain, and cough. Current preclinical research programs are studying P2X receptor involvement in pain, inflammation, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, spinal cord injury, and bladder dysfunction. The determination of the atomic structure of P2X receptors in closed and open (ATP-bound) states by X-ray crystallography is now allowing new approaches by molecular modeling. This is supported by a large body of previous work using mutagenesis and functional expression, and is now being supplemented by molecular dynamic simulations and in silico ligand docking. These approaches should lead to P2X receptors soon taking their place alongside other ion channel proteins as therapeutically important drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Alan North
- Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
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25
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Abstract
P2X receptors are nonselective cation channels gated by extracellular ATP. They represent new therapeutic targets, and they form channels with a unique trimeric architecture. In 2009, the first crystal structure of a P2X receptor was reported, in which the receptor was in an ATP-free, closed channel state. However, our view recently changed when a second crystal structure was reported, in which a P2X receptor was bound to ATP and resolved in an open channel conformation. This remarkable structure not only confirms many key experimental data, including the recent mechanisms of ATP binding and ion permeation, but also reveals unanticipated mechanisms. Certainly, this new information will accelerate our understanding of P2X receptor function and pharmacology at the atomic level.
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26
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Cloning and characterization of a P2X receptor expressed in the central nervous system of Lymnaea stagnalis. PLoS One 2012; 7:e50487. [PMID: 23209755 PMCID: PMC3510196 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0050487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2012] [Accepted: 10/22/2012] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
P2X receptors are membrane ion channels gated by extracellular ATP. Mammals possess seven distinct P2X subtypes (P2X1-7) that have important functions in a wide array of physiological processes including roles in the central nervous system (CNS) where they have been linked to modulation of neurotransmitter release. We report here the cloning and functional characterization of a P2X receptor from the mollusc Lymnaea stagnalis. This model organism has a relatively simple CNS consisting of large readily identifiable neurones, a feature which together with a well characterized neuronal circuitry for important physiological processes such as feeding and respiration makes it an attractive potential model to examine P2X function. Using CODEHOP PCR we identified a single P2X receptor (LymP2X) in Lymnaea CNS which was subsequently cloned by RT-PCR. When heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes, LymP2X exhibited ATP evoked inward currents (EC(50) 6.2 µM) which decayed during the continued presence of agonist. UTP and ADP did not activate the receptor whereas αβmeATP was a weak agonist. BzATP was a partial agonist with an EC(50) of 2.4 µM and a maximal response 33% smaller than that of ATP. The general P2 receptor antagonists PPADS and suramin both inhibited LymP2X currents with IC(50) values of 8.1 and 27.4 µM respectively. LymP2X is inhibited by acidic pH whereas Zn(2+) and Cu(2+) ions exhibited a biphasic effect, potentiating currents up to 100 µM and inhibiting at higher concentrations. Quantitative RT-PCR and in situ hybridization detected expression of LymP2X mRNA in neurones of all CNS ganglia suggesting this ion channel may have widespread roles in Lymnaea CNS function.
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27
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Dellal SS, Hume RI. Covalent modification of mutant rat P2X2 receptors with a thiol-reactive fluorophore allows channel activation by zinc or acidic pH without ATP. PLoS One 2012; 7:e47147. [PMID: 23112811 PMCID: PMC3480388 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2012] [Accepted: 09/11/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rat P2X2 receptors open at an undetectably low rate in the absence of ATP. Furthermore, two allosteric modulators, zinc and acidic pH, cannot by themselves open these channels. We describe here the properties of a mutant receptor, K69C, before and after treatment with the thiol-reactive fluorophore Alexa Fluor 546 C(5)-maleimide (AM546). Xenopus oocytes expressing unmodified K69C were not activated under basal conditions nor by 1,000 µM ATP. AM546 treatment caused a small increase in the inward holding current which persisted on washout and control experiments demonstrated this current was due to ATP independent opening of the channels. Following AM546 treatment, zinc (100 µM) or acidic external solution (pH 6.5) elicited inward currents when applied without any exogenous ATP. In the double mutant K69C/H319K, zinc elicited much larger inward currents, while acidic pH generated outward currents. Suramin, which is an antagonist of wild type receptors, behaved as an agonist at AM546-treated K69C receptors. Several other cysteine-reactive fluorophores tested on K69C did not cause these changes. These modified receptors show promise as a tool for studying the mechanisms of P2X receptor activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shlomo S. Dellal
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Neurobiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Richard I. Hume
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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28
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Abstract
Extracellular adenosine 5' triphosphate (ATP) is a widespread cell-to-cell signaling molecule in the brain, where it activates cell surface P2X and P2Y receptors. P2X receptors define a protein family unlike other neurotransmitter-gated ion channels in terms of sequence, subunit topology, assembly, and architecture. Within milliseconds of binding ATP, they catalyze the opening of a cation-selective pore. However, recent data show that P2X receptors often underlie neuromodulatory responses on slower time scales of seconds or longer. Herein, we review these findings at molecular, cellular and systems levels. We propose that, while P2X receptors are fast ligand-gated cation channels, they are most adept at mediating slow neuromodulatory functions that are more widespread and more physiologically utilized than fast ATP synaptic transmission in the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baljit S Khakh
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1751, USA.
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29
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Lemoine D, Jiang R, Taly A, Chataigneau T, Specht A, Grutter T. Ligand-gated ion channels: new insights into neurological disorders and ligand recognition. Chem Rev 2012; 112:6285-318. [PMID: 22988962 DOI: 10.1021/cr3000829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Damien Lemoine
- Laboratoire de Biophysicochimie des Récepteurs Canaux, UMR 7199 CNRS, Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg , 67400 Illkirch, France
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30
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Jiang R, Taly A, Lemoine D, Martz A, Specht A, Grutter T. Intermediate closed channel state(s) precede(s) activation in the ATP-gated P2X2 receptor. Channels (Austin) 2012; 6:398-402. [PMID: 22992569 DOI: 10.4161/chan.21520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular mechanism underlying channel opening in response to agonist binding remains a challenging issue in neuroscience. In this regard, many efforts have been recently undertaken in ATP-gated P2X receptors. Among those efforts, we have provided evidence in the P2X2 receptor that tightening of ATP sites upon agonist binding induces opening of the ion channel. Here we extend our analysis to show that the sulfhydryl-reactive ATP analog 8-thiocyano-ATP (NCS-ATP), a potent P2X2 agonist, when covalently labeled in the ATP-binding site at position Leu186 likely favors the tightening mechanism, but not the channel opening mechanism. Our data predict the existence of intermediate or preactivation state(s) trapped by NCS-ATP, in which tightening of the binding site is favored while the channel is still closed. We propose that this (these) intermediate ATP-bound state(s) prime(s) channel gating in the P2X2 receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruotian Jiang
- Laboratoire de Biophysicochimie des Récepteurs Canaux, Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, CNRS UMR 7199, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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Stelmashenko O, Lalo U, Yang Y, Bragg L, North RA, Compan V. Activation of trimeric P2X2 receptors by fewer than three ATP molecules. Mol Pharmacol 2012; 82:760-6. [PMID: 22828800 DOI: 10.1124/mol.112.080903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
P2X receptors are trimeric membrane proteins. When they bind extracellular ATP, a conformational change occurs that opens a transmembrane ion channel. The ATP-binding pocket is formed in a cleft between two subunits, and a critical amino acid residue for ATP contact is Lys⁶⁹ (P2X2 numbering). In the present work, we sought to determine whether the binding of fewer than three ATP molecules could open the ion channel. We expressed eight concatenated cDNAs in human embryonic kidney cells, which encoded three serially joined, epitope-tagged, subunits with either Lys or Ala at position 69 (denoted as KKK, KKA, KAK, AKK, KAA, AKA, AAK, and AAA). Western blotting of surface-biotinylated proteins indicated that breakdown of concatemers to individual subunits was minimal. Recording of membrane currents in response to ATP (whole cell and excised outside-out patch) showed that all formed functional channels except AAK, AKA, and AAA. There was no difference in the kinetics of activation and deactivation among KKK, KKA, KAK, and AKK channels, and amplitude of the unitary conductances was in all cases not different from that found after expression of a single wild-type subunit. Currents through KKA and KAK receptors were larger than those observed for AKK receptors. The results indicate that trimeric P2X receptors containing only two intact binding sites can be readily activated by ATP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Stelmashenko
- Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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Petrushenko YA. P2X Receptors: Peculiarities of the Structure and Modulation of the Functions. NEUROPHYSIOLOGY+ 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s11062-012-9284-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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Punthambaker S, Blum JA, Hume RI. High potency zinc modulation of human P2X2 receptors and low potency zinc modulation of rat P2X2 receptors share a common molecular mechanism. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:22099-111. [PMID: 22556417 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.369157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Human P2X2 receptors (hP2X2) are strongly inhibited by zinc over the range of 2-100 μM, whereas rat P2X2 receptors (rP2X2) are strongly potentiated over the same range, and then inhibited by zinc over 100 μM. However, the biological role of zinc modulation is unknown in either species. To identify candidate regions controlling zinc inhibition in hP2X2 a homology model based on the crystal structure of zebrafish P2X4.1 was made. In this model, His-204 and His-209 of one subunit were near His-330 of the adjacent subunit. Cross-linking studies confirmed that these residues are within 8 Å of each other. Simultaneous mutation of these three histidines to alanines decreased the zinc potency of hP2X2 nearly 100-fold. In rP2X2, one of these histidines is replaced by a lysine, and in a background in which zinc potentiation was eliminated, mutation of Lys-197 to histidine converted rP2X2 from low potency to high potency inhibition. We explored whether the zinc-binding site lies within the vestibules running down the central axis of the receptor. Elimination of all negatively charged residues from the upper vestibule had no effect on zinc inhibition. In contrast, mutation of several residues in the hP2X2 middle vestibule resulted in dramatic changes in the potency of zinc inhibition. In particular, the zinc potency of P206C could be reversibly shifted from extremely high (∼10 nM) to very low (>100 μM) by binding and unbinding MTSET. These results suggest that the cluster of histidines at the subunit interface controls access of zinc to its binding site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukanya Punthambaker
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA
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Tightening of the ATP-binding sites induces the opening of P2X receptor channels. EMBO J 2012; 31:2134-43. [PMID: 22473210 DOI: 10.1038/emboj.2012.75] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2011] [Accepted: 03/06/2012] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The opening of ligand-gated ion channels in response to agonist binding is a fundamental process in biology. In ATP-gated P2X receptors, little is known about the molecular events that couple ATP binding to channel opening. In this paper, we identify structural changes of the ATP site accompanying the P2X2 receptor activation by engineering extracellular zinc bridges at putative mobile regions as revealed by normal mode analysis. We provide evidence that tightening of the ATP sites shaped like open 'jaws' induces opening of the P2X ion channel. We show that ATP binding favours jaw tightening, whereas binding of a competitive antagonist prevents gating induced by this movement. Our data reveal the inherent dynamic of the binding jaw, and provide new structural insights into the mechanism of P2X receptor activation.
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Coddou C, Yan Z, Obsil T, Huidobro-Toro JP, Stojilkovic SS. Activation and regulation of purinergic P2X receptor channels. Pharmacol Rev 2011; 63:641-83. [PMID: 21737531 DOI: 10.1124/pr.110.003129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 394] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian ATP-gated nonselective cation channels (P2XRs) can be composed of seven possible subunits, denoted P2X1 to P2X7. Each subunit contains a large ectodomain, two transmembrane domains, and intracellular N and C termini. Functional P2XRs are organized as homomeric and heteromeric trimers. This review focuses on the binding sites involved in the activation (orthosteric) and regulation (allosteric) of P2XRs. The ectodomains contain three ATP binding sites, presumably located between neighboring subunits and formed by highly conserved residues. The detection and coordination of three ATP phosphate residues by positively charged amino acids are likely to play a dominant role in determining agonist potency, whereas an AsnPheArg motif may contribute to binding by coordinating the adenine ring. Nonconserved ectodomain histidines provide the binding sites for trace metals, divalent cations, and protons. The transmembrane domains account not only for the formation of the channel pore but also for the binding of ivermectin (a specific P2X4R allosteric regulator) and alcohols. The N- and C- domains provide the structures that determine the kinetics of receptor desensitization and/or pore dilation and are critical for the regulation of receptor functions by intracellular messengers, kinases, reactive oxygen species and mercury. The recent publication of the crystal structure of the zebrafish P2X4.1R in a closed state provides a major advance in the understanding of this family of receptor channels. We will discuss data obtained from numerous site-directed mutagenesis experiments accumulated during the last 15 years with reference to the crystal structure, allowing a structural interpretation of the molecular basis of orthosteric and allosteric ligand actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Coddou
- Section on Cellular Signaling, Program in Developmental Neuroscience, National Institute of Child Health and Human Developmant, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-4510, USA
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Chen J, Myerburg MM, Passero CJ, Winarski KL, Sheng S. External Cu2+ inhibits human epithelial Na+ channels by binding at a subunit interface of extracellular domains. J Biol Chem 2011; 286:27436-46. [PMID: 21659509 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m111.232058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial Na(+) channels (ENaCs) play an essential role in the regulation of body fluid homeostasis. Certain transition metals activate or inhibit the activity of ENaCs. In this study, we examined the effect of extracellular Cu(2+) on human ENaC expressed in Xenopus oocytes and investigated the structural basis for its effects. External Cu(2+) inhibited human αβγ ENaC with an estimated IC(50) of 0.3 μM. The slow time course and a lack of change in the current-voltage relationship were consistent with an allosteric (non pore-plugging) inhibition of human ENaC by Cu(2+). Experiments with mixed human and mouse ENaC subunits suggested that both the α and β subunits were primarily responsible for the inhibitory effect of Cu(2+) on human ENaC. Lowering bath solution pH diminished the inhibition by Cu(2+). Mutations of two α, two β, and two γ His residues within extracellular domains significantly reduced the inhibition of human ENaC by Cu(2+). We identified a pair of residues as potential Cu(2+)-binding sites at the subunit interface between thumb subdomain of αhENaC and palm subdomain of βhENaC, suggesting a counterclockwise arrangement of α, β, and γ ENaC subunits in a trimeric channel complex when viewed from above. We conclude that extracellular Cu(2+) is a potent inhibitor of human ENaC and binds to multiple sites within the extracellular domains including a subunit interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxin Chen
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA
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Hodges RR, Vrouvlianis J, Scott R, Dartt DA. Identification of P2X₃ and P2X₇ purinergic receptors activated by ATP in rat lacrimal gland. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2011; 52:3254-63. [PMID: 21421865 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.10-7042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE. To identify the type of purinergic receptors activated by adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in rat lacrimal gland and to determine their role in protein secretion. METHODS. Purinergic receptors were identified by RT-PCR, Western blot analysis, and immunofluorescence techniques. Acini from rat lacrimal gland were isolated by collagenase digestion. Acini were incubated with the fluorescence indicator fura-2 tetra-acetoxylmethyl ester, and intracellular [Ca(2+)] ([Ca(2+)](i)) was determined. Protein secretion was measured by fluorescence assay. RESULTS. The authors previously showed that P2X(7)receptors were functional in the lacrimal gland. In this study, they show that P2X(1-4) and P2X(6)receptors were identified in the lacrimal gland by RT-PCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence analyses. P2X(5) receptors were not detected. ATP increased [Ca(2+)](i) and protein secretion in a concentration-dependent manner. Removal of extracellular Ca(2+) significantly reduced the ATP-stimulated increase in [Ca(2+)](i). Repeated applications of ATP caused desensitization of the [Ca(2+)](i) response. Incubation with the P2X(1) receptor inhibitor NF023 did not alter ATP-stimulated [Ca(2+)](i). Incubation with zinc, which potentiates P2X(2) and P2X(4) receptor responses, or lowering the pH to 6.8, which potentiates P2X(2) receptor responses, did not alter the ATP-stimulated [Ca(2+)](i). P2X(3) receptor inhibitors A-317491 and TNP-ATP significantly decreased ATP-stimulated [Ca(2+)](i) and protein secretion, whereas the P2X(3) receptor agonist α,β methylene ATP significantly increased them. The P2X(7) receptor inhibitor A438079 had no effect on ATP-stimulated [Ca(2+)](i) at 10(-6) M but did have an effect at 10(-4) M. CONCLUSIONS. Purinergic receptors P2X(1-4) and P2X(6) are present in the lacrimal gland. ATP uses P2X(3) and P2X(7) receptors to stimulate an increase in [Ca(2+)](i) and protein secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin R Hodges
- Schepens Eye Research Institute, Department of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02114, USA.
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39
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Abstract
ATP-gated P2X receptors are trimeric ion channels, as recently confirmed by X-ray crystallography. However, the structure was solved without ATP and even though extracellular intersubunit cavities surrounded by conserved amino acid residues previously shown to be important for ATP function were proposed to house ATP, the localization of the ATP sites remains elusive. Here we localize the ATP-binding sites by creating, through a proximity-dependent "tethering" reaction, covalent bonds between a synthesized ATP-derived thiol-reactive P2X2 agonist (NCS-ATP) and single cysteine mutants engineered in the putative binding cavities of the P2X2 receptor. By combining whole-cell and single-channel recordings, we report that NCS-ATP covalently and specifically labels two previously unidentified positions N140 and L186 from two adjacent subunits separated by about 18 Å in a P2X2 closed state homology model, suggesting the existence of at least two binding modes. Tethering reaction at both positions primes subsequent agonist binding, yet with distinct functional consequences. Labeling of one position impedes subsequent ATP function, which results in inefficient gating, whereas tethering of the other position, although failing to produce gating by itself, enhances subsequent ATP function. Our results thus define a large and dynamic intersubunit ATP-binding pocket and suggest that receptors trapped in covalently agonist-bound states differ in their ability to gate the ion channel.
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40
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Abstract
Seven mammalian purinergic receptor subunits, denoted P2X1-P2X7, and several spliced forms of these subunits have been cloned. When heterologously expressed, these cDNAs encode ATP-gated non-selective cation channels organized as trimers. All activated receptors produce cell depolarization and promote Ca(2+) influx through their pores and indirectly by activating voltage-gated calcium channels. However, the biophysical and pharmacological properties of these receptors differ considerably, and the majority of these subunits are also capable of forming heterotrimers with other members of the P2X receptor family, which confers further different properties. These channels have three ATP binding domains, presumably located between neighboring subunits, and occupancy of at least two binding sites is needed for their activation. In addition to the orthosteric binding sites for ATP, these receptors have additional allosteric sites that modulate the agonist action at receptors, including sites for trace metals, protons, neurosteroids, reactive oxygen species and phosphoinositides. The allosteric regulation of P2X receptors is frequently receptor-specific and could be a useful tool to identify P2X members in native tissues and their roles in signaling. The focus of this review is on common and receptor-specific allosteric modulation of P2X receptors and the molecular base accounting for allosteric binding sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Coddou
- Section on Cellular Signaling, Program in Developmental Neuroscience, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892-4510, USA.
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41
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Abstract
P2X receptors for ATP are ligand gated cation channels that form from the trimeric assembly of subunits with two transmembrane segments, a large extracellular ligand binding loop, and intracellular amino and carboxy termini. The receptors are expressed throughout the body, involved in functions ranging from blood clotting to inflammation, and may provide important targets for novel therapeutics. Mutagenesis based studies have been used to develop an understanding of the molecular basis of their pharmacology with the aim of developing models of the ligand binding site. A crystal structure for the zebra fish P2X4 receptor in the closed agonist unbound state has been published recently, which provides a major advance in our understanding of the receptors. This review gives an overview of mutagenesis studies that have led to the development of a model of the ATP binding site, as well as identifying residues contributing to allosteric regulation and antagonism. These studies are discussed with reference to the crystal to provide a structural interpretation of the molecular basis of drug action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Evans
- Cell Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.
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42
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Jacobson KA, Gao ZG, Göblyös A, IJzerman AP. Allosteric modulation of purine and pyrimidine receptors. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2011; 61:187-220. [PMID: 21586360 PMCID: PMC3165024 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-385526-8.00007-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Among the purine and pyrimidine receptors, the discovery of small molecular allosteric modulators has been most highly advanced for the A(1) and A(3) adenosine receptors (ARs). These AR modulators have allosteric effects that are structurally separated from the orthosteric effects in SAR studies. The benzoylthiophene derivatives tend to act as allosteric agonists as well as selective positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of the A(1) AR. A 2-amino-3-aroylthiophene derivative T-62 has been under development as a PAM of the A(1) AR for the treatment of chronic pain. Several structurally distinct classes of allosteric modulators of the human A(3) AR have been reported: 3-(2-pyridinyl)isoquinolines, 2,4-disubstituted quinolines, 1H-imidazo-[4,5-c]quinolin-4-amines, endocannabinoid 2-arachidonylglycerol, and the food dye Brilliant Black BN. Site-directed mutagenesis of A(1) and A(3) ARs has identified residues associated with the allosteric effect, distinct from those that affect orthosteric binding. A few small molecular allosteric modulators have been reported for several of the P2X ligand-gated ion channels and the G protein-coupled P2Y receptor nucleotides. Metal ion modulation of the P2X receptors has been extensively explored. The allosteric approach to modulation of purine and pyrimidine receptors looks promising for development of drugs that are event and site specific in action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth A. Jacobson
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Zhan-Guo Gao
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Anikó Göblyös
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Adriaan P. IJzerman
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Leiden/Amsterdam Center for Drug Research, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 RA, Leiden, The Netherlands
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43
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Li M, Kawate T, Silberberg SD, Swartz KJ. Pore-opening mechanism in trimeric P2X receptor channels. Nat Commun 2010; 1:44. [PMID: 20975702 PMCID: PMC2982178 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2010] [Accepted: 06/30/2010] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The opening of ion channels in response to ligand binding, voltage or membrane stretch underlies electrical and chemical signalling throughout biology. Two structural classes of pore-opening mechanisms have been established, including bending of pore-lining helices in the case of tetrameric cation channels, or tilting of such helices in mechanosensitive channels. In this paper, we explore how the structure of the pore changes during opening in P2X receptors by measuring the modification of introduced cysteine residues in transmembrane helices by thiol-reactive reagents, and by engineering metal bridges. Our results are consistent with the X-ray structure of the closed state, and demonstrate that expansion of the gate region in the external pore is accompanied by a significant narrowing of the inner pore, indicating that pore-forming helices straighten on ATP binding to open the channel. This unique pore-opening mechanism has fundamental implications for the role of subunit interfaces in the gating mechanism of P2X receptors and points to a role of the internal pore in ion permeation. A recent X-ray structure revealed the closed state of a P2X receptor ion channel. Here, Li and colleagues probe the structural rearrangements that take place during channel opening by measuring the effects of covalent modification of engineered cysteines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mufeng Li
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Section, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
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44
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Jiang R, Martz A, Gonin S, Taly A, de Carvalho LP, Grutter T. A putative extracellular salt bridge at the subunit interface contributes to the ion channel function of the ATP-gated P2X2 receptor. J Biol Chem 2010; 285:15805-15. [PMID: 20308075 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m110.101980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent crystal structure of the ATP-gated P2X4 receptor revealed a static view of its architecture, but the molecular mechanisms underlying the P2X channels activation are still unknown. By using a P2X2 model based on the x-ray structure, we sought salt bridges formed between charged residues located in a region that directly connects putative ATP-binding sites to the ion channel. To reveal their significance for ion channel activation, we made systematic charge exchanges and measured the effects on ATP sensitivity. We found that charge reversals at the interfacial residues Glu(63) and Arg(274) produced gain-of-function phenotypes that were cancelled upon paired charge swapping. These results suggest that a putative intersubunit salt bridge formed between Glu(63) and Arg(274) contributes to the ion channel function. Engineered cysteines E63C and R274C formed redox-dependent cross-links in the absence of ATP. By contrast, the presence of ATP reduced the rate of disulfide bond formation, indicating that ATP binding might trigger relative movement of adjacent subunits at the level of Glu(63) and Arg(274), allowing the transmembrane helices to open the channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruotian Jiang
- Laboratoire de Biophysicochimie des Récepteurs Canaux, UMR 7199 CNRS, Conception et Application de Molécules Bioactives, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Strasbourg, 74 route du Rhin, BP 24, 67401 Illkirch Cedex, France
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45
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Browne LE, Jiang LH, North RA. New structure enlivens interest in P2X receptors. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2010; 31:229-37. [PMID: 20227116 PMCID: PMC2954318 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2010.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2009] [Revised: 02/07/2010] [Accepted: 02/12/2010] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
P2X receptors are ATP-gated membrane ion channels with multifarious roles, including afferent sensation, autocrine feedback loops, and inflammation. Their molecular operation has been less well elucidated compared with other ligand-gated channels (nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, ionotropic glutamate receptors). This will change with the recent publication of the crystal structure of a closed P2X receptor. Here we re-interpret results from 15 years of experiments using site-directed mutagenesis with a model based on the new structure. Previous predictions of receptor stoichiometry, the extracellular ATP binding site, inter-subunit contacts, and many details of the permeation pathway fall into place in three dimensions. We can therefore quickly understand how the channel operates at the molecular level. This is important not only for ion- channel aficionados, but also those engaged in developing effective antagonists at P2X receptors for potential therapeutic use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam E Browne
- Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences, University of Manchester, UK
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46
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Kracun S, Chaptal V, Abramson J, Khakh BS. Gated access to the pore of a P2X receptor: structural implications for closed-open transitions. J Biol Chem 2010; 285:10110-10121. [PMID: 20093367 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m109.089185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
P2X receptors are ligand-gated cation channels that transition from closed to open states upon binding ATP. The crystal structure of the closed zebrafish P2X4.1 receptor directly reveals that the ion-conducting pathway is formed by three transmembrane domain 2 (TM2) alpha-helices, each being provided by the three subunits of the trimer. However, the transitions in TM2 that accompany channel opening are incompletely understood and remain unresolved. In this study, we quantified gated access to Cd(2+) at substituted cysteines in TM2 of P2X2 receptors in the open and closed states. Our data for the closed state are consistent with the zebrafish P2X4.1 structure, with isoleucines and threonines (Ile-332 and Thr-336) positioned one helical turn apart lining the channel wall on approach to the gate. Our data for the open state reveal gated access to deeper parts of the pore (Thr-339, Val-343, Asp-349, and Leu-353), suggesting the closed channel gate is between Thr-336 and Thr-339. We also found unexpected interactions between native Cys-348 and D349C that result in tight Cd(2+) binding deep within the intracellular vestibule in the open state. Interpreted with a P2X2 receptor structural model of the closed state, our data suggest that the channel gate opens near Thr-336/Thr-339 and is accompanied by movement of the pore-lining regions, which narrow toward the cytosolic end of TM2 in the open state. Such transitions would relieve the barrier to ion flow and render the intracellular vestibule less splayed during channel opening in the presence of ATP.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jeff Abramson
- Departments of Physiology, Los Angeles, California 90095
| | - Baljit S Khakh
- Departments of Physiology, Los Angeles, California 90095; Neurobiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095.
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47
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P2X receptors: dawn of the post-structure era. Trends Biochem Sci 2009; 35:83-90. [PMID: 19836961 PMCID: PMC2824114 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2009.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2009] [Revised: 09/10/2009] [Accepted: 09/14/2009] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
P2X receptors are non-selective cation channels gated by extracellular ATP. They play key roles in various physiological processes such as nerve transmission, pain sensation and the response to inflammation, making them attractive drug targets for the treatment of inflammatory pain. The recent report of the three-dimensional (3D) crystal structure of zebrafish P2X4.1 represents a step change in our understanding of these membrane ion channels, where previously only low-resolution structural data and inferences from indirect structure–function studies were available. The purpose of this review is to place previous work within the context of the new 3D structure, and to summarize the key questions and challenges which await P2X researchers as we move into the post-structure era.
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48
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Abstract
P2X receptors are membrane cation channels gated by extracellular ATP. Seven P2X receptor subunits (P2X(1-7)) are widely distributed in excitable and nonexcitable cells of vertebrates. They play key roles in inter alia afferent signaling (including pain), regulation of renal blood flow, vascular endothelium, and inflammatory responses. We summarize the evidence for these and other roles, emphasizing experimental work with selective receptor antagonists or with knockout mice. The receptors are trimeric membrane proteins: Studies of the biophysical properties of mutated subunits expressed in heterologous cells have indicated parts of the subunits involved in ATP binding, ion permeation (including calcium permeability), and membrane trafficking. We review our current understanding of the molecular properties of P2X receptors, including how this understanding is informed by the identification of distantly related P2X receptors in simple eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annmarie Surprenant
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, United Kingdom.
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49
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Roberts JA, Valente M, Allsopp RC, Watt D, Evans RJ. Contribution of the region Glu181 to Val200 of the extracellular loop of the human P2X1 receptor to agonist binding and gating revealed using cysteine scanning mutagenesis. J Neurochem 2009; 109:1042-52. [PMID: 19519776 PMCID: PMC2695859 DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.06035.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
At the majority of mutants in the region Glu181-Val200 incorporating a conserved AsnPheThrΦΦxLys motif cysteine substitution had no effect on sensitivity to ATP, partial agonists, or methanethiosulfonate (MTS) compounds. For the F185C mutant the efficacy of partial agonists was reduced by ∼ 90% but there was no effect on ATP potency or the actions of MTS reagents. At T186C, F188C and K190C mutants ATP potency and partial agonists responses were reduced. The ATP sensitivity of the K190C mutant was rescued towards WT levels by positively charged (2-aminoethyl)methanethiosulfonate hydrobromide and reduced by negatively charged sodium (2-sulfonatoethyl) methanethiosulfonate. Both MTS reagents decreased ATP potency at the T186C mutant, and abolished responses at the F195C mutant. 32P-2-azido ATP binding to the mutants T186C and K190C was sensitive to MTS reagents consistent with an effect on binding, however binding at F195C was unaffected indicating an effect on gating. The accessibility of the introduced cysteines was probed with (2-aminoethyl)methanethiosulfonate hydrobromide-biotin, this showed that the region Thr186-Ser192 is likely to form a beta sheet and that accessibility is blocked by ATP. Taken together these results suggest that Thr186, Phe188 and Lys190 are involved in ATP binding to the receptor and Phe185 and Phe195 contribute to agonist evoked conformational changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan A Roberts
- Department of Cell Physiology & Pharmacology, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
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Schwarz N, Fliegert R, Adriouch S, Seman M, Guse AH, Haag F, Koch-Nolte F. Activation of the P2X7 ion channel by soluble and covalently bound ligands. Purinergic Signal 2009; 5:139-49. [PMID: 19255877 PMCID: PMC2686825 DOI: 10.1007/s11302-009-9135-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2008] [Accepted: 09/16/2008] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The homotrimeric P2X7 purinergic receptor has sparked interest because of its capacity to sense adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) released from cells and to induce calcium signaling and cell death. Here, we examine the response of arginine mutants of P2X7 to soluble and covalently bound ligands. High concentrations of ecto-ATP gate P2X7 by acting as a soluble ligand and low concentrations of ecto-NAD gate P2X7 following ADP-ribosylation at R125 catalyzed by toxin-related ecto-ADP-ribosyltransferase ART2.2. R125 lies on a prominent cysteine-rich finger at the interface of adjacent receptor subunits, and ADP-ribosylation at this site likely places the common adenine nucleotide moiety into the ligand-binding pocket of P2X7.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Schwarz
- Institute of Immunology, Campus-Forschung 02.059, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany
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