Open state destabilization by ATP occupancy is mechanism speeding burst exit underlying KATP channel inhibition by ATP

Molecular structure of an open human KATP channel

KATP channels are metabolic sensors that translate intracellular ATP/ADP balance into membrane excitability. The molecular composition of KATP includes an inward-rectifier potassium channel (Kir) and an ABC transporter-like sulfonylurea receptor (SUR). Although structures of KATP have been determined in many conformations, in all cases, the pore in Kir is closed. Here, we describe human pancreatic KATP (hKATP) structures with an open pore at 3.1- to 4.0-Å resolution using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Pore opening is associated with coordinated structural changes within the ATP-binding site and the channel gate in Kir. Conformational changes in SUR are also observed, resulting in an area reduction of contact surfaces between SUR and Kir. We also observe that pancreatic hKATP exhibits the unique (among inward-rectifier channels) property of PIP2-independent opening, which appears to be correlated with a docked cytoplasmic domain in the absence of PIP2.

The Genetic and Molecular Mechanisms of Congenital Hyperinsulinism

Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a heterogenous and complex disorder in which the unregulated insulin secretion from pancreatic beta-cells leads to hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia. The severity of hypoglycaemia varies depending on the underlying molecular mechanism and genetic defects. The genetic and molecular causes of CHI include defects in pivotal pathways regulating the secretion of insulin from the beta-cell. Broadly these genetic defects leading to unregulated insulin secretion can be grouped into four main categories. The first group consists of defects in the pancreatic KATP channel genes (ABCC8 and KCNJ11). The second and third categories of conditions are enzymatic defects (such as GDH, GCK, HADH) and defects in transcription factors (for example HNF1α, HNF4α) leading to changes in nutrient flux into metabolic pathways which converge on insulin secretion. Lastly, a large number of genetic syndromes are now linked to hyperinsulinaemic hypoglycaemia. As the molecular and genetic basis of CHI has expanded over the last few years, this review aims to provide an up-to-date knowledge on the genetic causes of CHI.

Role of the C-terminus of SUR in the differential regulation of β-cell and cardiac KATP channels by MgADP and metabolism

Key points

β‐Cell K_ATP channels are partially open in the absence of metabolic substrates, whereas cardiac K_ATP channels are closed.

Using cloned channels heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes we measured the effect of MgADP on the MgATP concentration–inhibition curve immediately after patch excision.

MgADP caused a far more striking reduction in ATP inhibition of Kir6.2/SUR1 channels than Kir6.2/SUR2A channels; this effect declined rapidly after patch excision.

Exchanging the final 42 amino acids of SUR was sufficient to switch the Mg‐nucleotide regulation of Kir6.2/SUR1 and Kir6.2/SUR2A channels, and partially switch their sensitivity to metabolic inhibition.

Deletion of the C‐terminal 42 residues of SUR abolished MgADP activation of both Kir6.2/SUR1 and Kir6.2/SUR2A channels.

We conclude that the different metabolic sensitivity of Kir6.2/SUR1 and Kir6.2/SUR2A channels is at least partially due to their different regulation by Mg‐nucleotides, which is determined by the final 42 amino acids.

Abstract

ATP‐sensitive potassium (K_ATP) channels couple the metabolic state of a cell to its electrical activity and play important physiological roles in many tissues. In contrast to β‐cell (Kir6.2/SUR1) channels, which open when extracellular glucose levels fall, cardiac (Kir6.2/SUR2A) channels remain closed. This is due to differences in the SUR subunit rather than cell metabolism. As ATP inhibition and MgADP activation are similar for both types of channels, we investigated channel inhibition by MgATP in the presence of 100 μm MgADP immediately after patch excision [when the channel open probability (P_O) is near maximal]. The results were strikingly different: 100 μm MgADP substantially reduced MgATP inhibition of Kir6.2/SUR1, but had no effect on MgATP inhibition of Kir6.2/SUR2A. Exchanging the final 42 residues of SUR2A with that of SUR1 switched the channel phenotype (and vice versa), and deleting this region abolished Mg‐nucleotide activation. This suggests the C‐terminal 42 residues are important for the ability of MgADP to influence ATP inhibition at Kir6.2. This region was also necessary, but not sufficient, for activation of the K_ATP channel in intact cells by metabolic inhibition (azide). We conclude that the ability of MgADP to impair ATP inhibition at Kir6.2 accounts, in part, for the differential metabolic sensitivities of β‐cell and cardiac K_ATP channels.

β‐Cell K_ATP channels are partially open in the absence of metabolic substrates, whereas cardiac K_ATP channels are closed.

Using cloned channels heterologously expressed in Xenopus oocytes we measured the effect of MgADP on the MgATP concentration–inhibition curve immediately after patch excision.

MgADP caused a far more striking reduction in ATP inhibition of Kir6.2/SUR1 channels than Kir6.2/SUR2A channels; this effect declined rapidly after patch excision.

Exchanging the final 42 amino acids of SUR was sufficient to switch the Mg‐nucleotide regulation of Kir6.2/SUR1 and Kir6.2/SUR2A channels, and partially switch their sensitivity to metabolic inhibition.

Deletion of the C‐terminal 42 residues of SUR abolished MgADP activation of both Kir6.2/SUR1 and Kir6.2/SUR2A channels.

We conclude that the different metabolic sensitivity of Kir6.2/SUR1 and Kir6.2/SUR2A channels is at least partially due to their different regulation by Mg‐nucleotides, which is determined by the final 42 amino acids.

Cryo-electron microscopy structures and progress toward a dynamic understanding of KATP channels

Puljung reviews recent cryo-EM K_ATP channel structures and proposes a mechanism by which ligand binding results in channel opening.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)–sensitive K⁺ (K_ATP) channels are molecular sensors of cell metabolism. These hetero-octameric channels, comprising four inward rectifier K⁺ channel subunits (Kir6.1 or Kir6.2) and four sulfonylurea receptor (SUR1 or SUR2A/B) subunits, detect metabolic changes via three classes of intracellular adenine nucleotide (ATP/ADP) binding site. One site, located on the Kir subunit, causes inhibition of the channel when ATP or ADP is bound. The other two sites, located on the SUR subunit, excite the channel when bound to Mg nucleotides. In pancreatic β cells, an increase in extracellular glucose causes a change in oxidative metabolism and thus turnover of adenine nucleotides in the cytoplasm. This leads to the closure of K_ATP channels, which depolarizes the plasma membrane and permits Ca²⁺ influx and insulin secretion. Many of the molecular details regarding the assembly of the K_ATP complex, and how changes in nucleotide concentrations affect gating, have recently been uncovered by several single-particle cryo-electron microscopy structures of the pancreatic K_ATP channel (Kir6.2/SUR1) at near-atomic resolution. Here, the author discusses the detailed picture of excitatory and inhibitory ligand binding to K_ATP that these structures present and suggests a possible mechanism by which channel activation may proceed from the ligand-binding domains of SUR to the channel pore.

Molecular action of sulphonylureas on KATP channels: a real partnership between drugs and nucleotides

Sulphonylureas stimulate insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells primarily by closing ATP-sensitive K⁺ channels in the β-cell plasma membrane. The mechanism of channel inhibition by these drugs is unusually complex. As direct inhibitors of channel activity, sulphonylureas act only as partial antagonists at therapeutic concentrations. However, they also exert an additional indirect inhibitory effect via modulation of nucleotide-dependent channel gating. In this review, we summarize current knowledge and recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanism of action of these drugs.

Hyperinsulinemic Hypoglycemia - The Molecular Mechanisms

Under normal physiological conditions, pancreatic β-cells secrete insulin to maintain fasting blood glucose levels in the range 3.5-5.5 mmol/L. In hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia (HH), this precise regulation of insulin secretion is perturbed so that insulin continues to be secreted in the presence of hypoglycemia. HH may be due to genetic causes (congenital) or secondary to certain risk factors. The molecular mechanisms leading to HH involve defects in the key genes regulating insulin secretion from the β-cells. At this moment, in time genetic abnormalities in nine genes (ABCC8, KCNJ11, GCK, SCHAD, GLUD1, SLC16A1, HNF1A, HNF4A, and UCP2) have been described that lead to the congenital forms of HH. Perinatal stress, intrauterine growth retardation, maternal diabetes mellitus, and a large number of developmental syndromes are also associated with HH in the neonatal period. In older children and adult's insulinoma, non-insulinoma pancreatogenous hypoglycemia syndrome and post bariatric surgery are recognized causes of HH. This review article will focus mainly on describing the molecular mechanisms that lead to unregulated insulin secretion.

Sulfonylureas suppress the stimulatory action of Mg-nucleotides on Kir6.2/SUR1 but not Kir6.2/SUR2A KATP channels: a mechanistic study

Sulfonylureas suppress the stimulatory effect of Mg-nucleotides on recombinant β-cell (Kir6.2/SUR1) but not cardiac (Kir6.2/SUR2A) K_ATP channels.

Sulfonylureas, which stimulate insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells, are widely used to treat both type 2 diabetes and neonatal diabetes. These drugs mediate their effects by binding to the sulfonylurea receptor subunit (SUR) of the ATP-sensitive K⁺ (K_ATP) channel and inducing channel closure. The mechanism of channel inhibition is unusually complex. First, sulfonylureas act as partial antagonists of channel activity, and second, their effect is modulated by MgADP. We analyzed the molecular basis of the interactions between the sulfonylurea gliclazide and Mg-nucleotides on β-cell and cardiac types of K_ATP channel (Kir6.2/SUR1 and Kir6.2/SUR2A, respectively) heterologously expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. The SUR2A-Y1206S mutation was used to confer gliclazide sensitivity on SUR2A. We found that both MgATP and MgADP increased gliclazide inhibition of Kir6.2/SUR1 channels and reduced inhibition of Kir6.2/SUR2A-Y1206S. The latter effect can be attributed to stabilization of the cardiac channel open state by Mg-nucleotides. Using a Kir6.2 mutation that renders the K_ATP channel insensitive to nucleotide inhibition (Kir6.2-G334D), we showed that gliclazide abolishes the stimulatory effects of MgADP and MgATP on β-cell K_ATP channels. Detailed analysis suggests that the drug both reduces nucleotide binding to SUR1 and impairs the efficacy with which nucleotide binding is translated into pore opening. Mutation of one (or both) of the Walker A lysines in the catalytic site of the nucleotide-binding domains of SUR1 may have a similar effect to gliclazide on MgADP binding and transduction, but it does not appear to impair MgATP binding. Our results have implications for the therapeutic use of sulfonylureas.

A Conserved Residue Cluster That Governs Kinetics of ATP-dependent Gating of Kir6.2 Potassium Channels

ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels are heteromultimeric complexes of an inwardly rectifying Kir channel (Kir6.x) and sulfonylurea receptors. Their regulation by intracellular ATP and ADP generates electrical signals in response to changes in cellular metabolism. We investigated channel elements that control the kinetics of ATP-dependent regulation of KATP (Kir6.2 + SUR1) channels using rapid concentration jumps. WT Kir6.2 channels re-open after rapid washout of ATP with a time constant of ∼60 ms. Extending similar kinetic measurements to numerous mutants revealed fairly modest effects on gating kinetics despite significant changes in ATP sensitivity and open probability. However, we identified a pair of highly conserved neighboring amino acids (Trp-68 and Lys-170) that control the rate of channel opening and inhibition in response to ATP. Paradoxically, mutations of Trp-68 or Lys-170 markedly slow the kinetics of channel opening (500 and 700 ms for W68L and K170N, respectively), while increasing channel open probability. Examining the functional effects of these residues using φ value analysis revealed a steep negative slope. This finding implies that these residues play a role in lowering the transition state energy barrier between open and closed channel states. Using unnatural amino acid incorporation, we demonstrate the requirement for a planar amino acid at Kir6.2 position 68 for normal channel gating, which is potentially necessary to localize the ϵ-amine of Lys-170 in the phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate-binding site. Overall, our findings identify a discrete pair of highly conserved residues with an essential role for controlling gating kinetics of Kir channels.

Mechanisms underlying stage-1 TRPL channel translocation in Drosophila photoreceptors

BACKGROUND

TRP channels function as key mediators of sensory transduction and other cellular signaling pathways. In Drosophila, TRP and TRPL are the light-activated channels in photoreceptors. While TRP is statically localized in the signaling compartment of the cell (the rhabdomere), TRPL localization is regulated by light. TRPL channels translocate out of the rhabdomere in two distinct stages, returning to the rhabdomere with dark-incubation. Translocation of TRPL channels regulates their availability, and thereby the gain of the signal. Little, however, is known about the mechanisms underlying this trafficking of TRPL channels.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS

We first examine the involvement of de novo protein synthesis in TRPL translocation. We feed flies cycloheximide, verify inhibition of protein synthesis, and test for TRPL translocation in photoreceptors. We find that protein synthesis is not involved in either stage of TRPL translocation out of the rhabdomere, but that re-localization to the rhabdomere from stage-1, but not stage-2, depends on protein synthesis. We also characterize an ex vivo eye preparation that is amenable to biochemical and genetic manipulation. We use this preparation to examine mechanisms of stage-1 TRPL translocation. We find that stage-1 translocation is: induced with ATP depletion, unaltered with perturbation of the actin cytoskeleton or inhibition of endocytosis, and slowed with increased membrane sterol content.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE

Our results indicate that translocation of TRPL out of the rhabdomere is likely due to protein transport, and not degradation/re-synthesis. Re-localization from each stage to the rhabdomere likely involves different strategies. Since TRPL channels can translocate to stage-1 in the absence of ATP, with no major requirement of the cytoskeleton, we suggest that stage-1 translocation involves simple diffusion through the apical membrane, which may be regulated by release of a light-dependent anchor in the rhabdomere.

Measuring and evaluating the role of ATP-sensitive K+ channels in cardiac muscle

Since ion channels move electrical charge during their activity, they have traditionally been studied using electrophysiological approaches. This was sometimes combined with mathematical models, for example with the description of the ionic mechanisms underlying the initiation and propagation of action potentials in the squid giant axon by Hodgkin and Huxley. The methods for studying ion channels also have strong roots in protein chemistry (limited proteolysis, the use of antibodies, etc.). The advent of the molecular cloning and the identification of genes coding for specific ion channel subunits in the late 1980s introduced a multitude of new techniques with which to study ion channels and the field has been rapidly expanding ever since (e.g. antibody development against specific peptide sequences, mutagenesis, the use of gene targeting in animal models, determination of their protein structures) and new methods are still in development. This review focuses on techniques commonly employed to examine ion channel function in an electrophysiological laboratory. The focus is on the K(ATP) channel, but many of the techniques described are also used to study other ion channels.

Activation of the K(ATP) channel by Mg-nucleotide interaction with SUR1

The mechanism of adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-sensitive potassium (K_ATP) channel activation by Mg-nucleotides was studied using a mutation (G334D) in the Kir6.2 subunit of the channel that renders K_ATP channels insensitive to nucleotide inhibition and has no apparent effect on their gating. K_ATP channels carrying this mutation (Kir6.2-G334D/SUR1 channels) were activated by MgATP and MgADP with an EC₅₀ of 112 and 8 µM, respectively. This activation was largely suppressed by mutation of the Walker A lysines in the nucleotide-binding domains of SUR1: the remaining small (∼10%), slowly developing component of MgATP activation was fully inhibited by the lipid kinase inhibitor LY294002. The EC₅₀ for activation of Kir6.2-G334D/SUR1 currents by MgADP was lower than that for MgATP, and the time course of activation was faster. The poorly hydrolyzable analogue MgATPγS also activated Kir6.2-G334D/SUR1. AMPPCP both failed to activate Kir6.2-G334D/SUR1 and to prevent its activation by MgATP. Maximal stimulatory concentrations of MgATP (10 mM) and MgADP (1 mM) exerted identical effects on the single-channel kinetics: they dramatically elevated the open probability (P_O > 0.8), increased the mean open time and the mean burst duration, reduced the frequency and number of interburst closed states, and eliminated the short burst states. By comparing our results with those obtained for wild-type K_ATP channels, we conclude that the MgADP sensitivity of the wild-type K_ATP channel can be described quantitatively by a combination of inhibition at Kir6.2 (measured for wild-type channels in the absence of Mg²⁺) and activation via SUR1 (determined for Kir6.2-G334D/SUR1 channels). However, this is not the case for the effects of MgATP.

Voltage-dependent gating in a "voltage sensor-less" ion channel

The voltage sensitivity of voltage-gated cation channels is primarily attributed to conformational changes of a four transmembrane segment voltage-sensing domain, conserved across many levels of biological complexity. We have identified a remarkable point mutation that confers significant voltage dependence to Kir6.2, a ligand-gated channel that lacks any canonical voltage-sensing domain. Similar to voltage-dependent Kv channels, the Kir6.2[L157E] mutant exhibits time-dependent activation upon membrane depolarization, resulting in an outwardly rectifying current-voltage relationship. This voltage dependence is convergent with the intrinsic ligand-dependent gating mechanisms of Kir6.2, since increasing the membrane PIP2 content saturates Po and eliminates voltage dependence, whereas voltage activation is more dramatic when channel Po is reduced by application of ATP or poly-lysine. These experiments thus demonstrate an inherent voltage dependence of gating in a "ligand-gated" K+ channel, and thereby provide a new view of voltage-dependent gating mechanisms in ion channels. Most interestingly, the voltage- and ligand-dependent gating of Kir6.2[L157E] is highly sensitive to intracellular [K+], indicating an interaction between ion permeation and gating. While these two key features of channel function are classically dealt with separately, the results provide a framework for understanding their interaction, which is likely to be a general, if latent, feature of the superfamily of cation channels.

Inwardly rectifying potassium channels: their structure, function, and physiological roles

Inwardly rectifying K(+) (Kir) channels allow K(+) to move more easily into rather than out of the cell. They have diverse physiological functions depending on their type and their location. There are seven Kir channel subfamilies that can be classified into four functional groups: classical Kir channels (Kir2.x) are constitutively active, G protein-gated Kir channels (Kir3.x) are regulated by G protein-coupled receptors, ATP-sensitive K(+) channels (Kir6.x) are tightly linked to cellular metabolism, and K(+) transport channels (Kir1.x, Kir4.x, Kir5.x, and Kir7.x). Inward rectification results from pore block by intracellular substances such as Mg(2+) and polyamines. Kir channel activity can be modulated by ions, phospholipids, and binding proteins. The basic building block of a Kir channel is made up of two transmembrane helices with cytoplasmic NH(2) and COOH termini and an extracellular loop which folds back to form the pore-lining ion selectivity filter. In vivo, functional Kir channels are composed of four such subunits which are either homo- or heterotetramers. Gene targeting and genetic analysis have linked Kir channel dysfunction to diverse pathologies. The crystal structure of different Kir channels is opening the way to understanding the structure-function relationships of this simple but diverse ion channel family.

ATP-sensitive potassium channels in health and disease

The ATP-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channel plays a crucial role in insulin secretion and thus glucose homeostasis. K(ATP) channel activity in the pancreatic beta-cell is finely balanced; increased activity prevents insulin secretion, whereas reduced activity stimulates insulin release. The beta-cell metabolism tightly regulates K(ATP) channel gating, and if this coupling is perturbed, two distinct disease states can result. Diabetes occurs when the K(ATP) channel fails to close in response to increased metabolism, whereas congenital hyperinsulinism results when K(ATP) channels remain closed even at very low blood glucose levels. In general there is a good correlation between the magnitude of K(ATP) current and disease severity. Mutations that cause a complete loss of K(ATP) channels in the beta-cell plasma membrane produce a severe form of congenital hyperinsulinism, whereas mutations that partially impair channel function produce a milder phenotype. Similarly mutations that greatly reduce the ATP sensitivity of the K(ATP) channel lead to a severe form of neonatal diabetes with associated neurological complications, whilst mutations that cause smaller shifts in ATP sensitivity cause neonatal diabetes alone. This chapter reviews our current understanding of the pancreatic beta-cell K(ATP) channel and highlights recent structural, functional and clinical advances.

Modeling K(ATP) channel gating and its regulation

ATP-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channels couple cell metabolism to plasmalemmal potassium fluxes in a variety of cell types. The activity of these channels is primarily determined by intracellular adenosine nucleotides, which have both inhibitory and stimulatory effects. The role of K(ATP) channels has been studied most extensively in pancreatic beta-cells, where they link glucose metabolism to insulin secretion. Many mutations in K(ATP) channel subunits (Kir6.2, SUR1) have been identified that cause either neonatal diabetes or congenital hyperinsulinism. Thus, a mechanistic understanding of K(ATP) channel behavior is necessary for modeling beta-cell electrical activity and insulin release in both health and disease. Here, we review recent advances in the K(ATP) channel structure and function. We focus on the molecular mechanisms of K(ATP) channel gating by adenosine nucleotides, phospholipids and sulphonylureas and consider the advantages and limitations of various mathematical models of macroscopic and single-channel K(ATP) currents. Finally, we outline future directions for the development of more realistic models of K(ATP) channel gating.

How ATP inhibits the open K(ATP) channel

ATP-sensitive potassium (K_ATP) channels are composed of four pore-forming Kir6.2 subunits and four regulatory SUR1 subunits. Binding of ATP to Kir6.2 leads to inhibition of channel activity. Because there are four subunits and thus four ATP-binding sites, four binding events are possible. ATP binds to both the open and closed states of the channel and produces a decrease in the mean open time, a reduction in the mean burst duration, and an increase in the frequency and duration of the interburst closed states. Here, we investigate the mechanism of interaction of ATP with the open state of the channel by analyzing the single-channel kinetics of concatenated Kir6.2 tetramers containing from zero to four mutated Kir6.2 subunits that possess an impaired ATP-binding site. We show that the ATP-dependent decrease in the mean burst duration is well described by a Monod-Wyman-Changeux model in which channel closing is produced by all four subunits acting in a single concerted step. The data are inconsistent with a Hodgkin-Huxley model (four independent steps) or a dimer model (two independent dimers). When the channel is open, ATP binds to a single ATP-binding site with a dissociation constant of 300 μM.

DEND mutation in Kir6.2 (KCNJ11) reveals a flexible N-terminal region critical for ATP-sensing of the KATP channel

ATP-sensitive K(+)-channels link metabolism and excitability in neurons, myocytes, and pancreatic islets. Mutations in the pore-forming subunit (Kir6.2; KCNJ11) cause neonatal diabetes, developmental delay, and epilepsy by decreasing sensitivity to ATP inhibition and suppressing electrical activity. Mutations of residue G53 underlie both mild (G53R,S) and severe (G53D) forms of the disease. All examined substitutions (G53D,R,S,A,C,F) reduced ATP-sensitivity, indicating an intolerance of any amino acid other than glycine. Surprisingly, each mutation reduces ATP affinity, rather than intrinsic gating, although structural modeling places G53 at a significant distance from the ATP-binding pocket. We propose that glycine is required in this location for flexibility of the distal N-terminus, and for an induced fit of ATP at the binding site. Consistent with this hypothesis, glycine substitution of the adjacent residue (Q52G) partially rescues ATP affinity of reconstituted Q52G/G53D channels. The results reveal an important feature of the noncanonical ATP-sensing mechanism of K(ATP) channels.

Testing for violations of microscopic reversibility in ATP-sensitive potassium channel gating

In pancreatic beta cells, insulin secretion is tightly controlled by the cells' metabolic state via the ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel. ATP is a key mediator in this signaling process, where its role as an inhibitor of KATP channels has been extensively studied. Since the channel contains an ATPase as an accessory subunit, the possibility that ATP hydrolysis mediates KATP channel opening has also been proposed. However, a rigorous test of coupling between ATP hydrolysis and channel gating has not previously been performed. In the present work, we examine whether KATP channel gating obeys detailed balance in order to determine whether ATP hydrolysis is strongly coupled to the gating of the KATP channel. Single-channel records were obtained from inside-out patches of transiently transfected HEK-293 cells. Channel activity in membrane patches with exactly one channel shows no violations of microscopic reversibility. Although KATP channel gating shows long closed times on the time scale where ATP hydrolysis takes place, the time symmetry of channel gating indicates that it is not tightly coupled to ATP hydrolysis. This lack of coupling suggests that channel gating operates close to equilibrium; although detailed balance is not expected to hold for ATP hydrolysis, it still does so in channel gating. On the basis of these results, the function of the ATPase active site in channel gating may be to sense nucleotides by differential binding of ATP and ADP, rather than to drive a thermodynamically unfavorable conformational change.

Ligand-dependent linkage of the ATP site to inhibition gate closure in the KATP channel

Major advances have been made on the inhibition gate and ATP site of the K(ir)6.2 subunit of the K(ATP) channel, but little is known about conformational coupling between the two. ATP site mutations dramatically disrupt ATP-dependent gating without effect on ligand-independent gating, observed as interconversions between active burst and inactive interburst conformations in the absence of ATP. This suggests that linkage between site and gate is conditionally dependent on ATP occupancy. We studied all substitutions at position 334 of the ATP site in K(ir)6.2deltaC26 that express in Xenopus oocytes. All substitutions disrupted ATP-dependent gating by 10-fold or more. Only positive-charged arginine or lysine at 334, however, slowed ligand-independent gating from the burst, and this was in some but not all patches. Moreover, the polycationic peptide protamine reversed the slowed gating from the burst of 334R mutant channels, and speeded the slow gating from the burst of wild-type SUR1/K(ir)6.2 in the absence of ATP. Our results support a two-step ligand-dependent linkage mechanism for K(ir)6.2 channels in which ATP-occupied sites function to electrostatically dissociate COOH-terminal domains from the membrane, then as in all K(ir) channels, free COOH-terminal domains and inner M2 helices transit to a lower energy state for gate closure.

Concerted gating mechanism underlying KATP channel inhibition by ATP

KATP channels assemble from four regulatory SUR1 and four pore-forming Kir6.2 subunits. At the single-channel current level, ATP-dependent gating transitions between the active burst and the inactive interburst conformations underlie inhibition of the KATP channel by intracellular ATP. Previously, we identified a slow gating mutation, T171A in the Kir6.2 subunit, which dramatically reduces rates of burst to interburst transitions in Kir6.2DeltaC26 channels without SUR1 in the absence of ATP. Here, we constructed all possible mutations at position 171 in Kir6.2DeltaC26 channels without SUR1. Only four substitutions, 171A, 171F, 171H, and 171S, gave rise to functional channels, each increasing Ki,ATP for ATP inhibition by >55-fold and slowing gating to the interburst by >35-fold. Moreover, we investigated the role of individual Kir6.2 subunits in the gating by comparing burst to interburst transition rates of channels constructed from different combinations of slow 171A and fast T171 "wild-type" subunits. The relationship between gating transition rate and number of slow subunits is exponential, which excludes independent gating models where any one subunit is sufficient for inhibition gating. Rather, our results support mechanisms where four ATP sites independently can control a single gate formed by the concerted action of all four Kir6.2 subunit inner helices of the KATP channel.

Activation of the Drosophila TRP and TRPL channels requires both Ca2+ and protein dephosphorylation

The Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) proteins constitute a large and diverse family of channel proteins, which is conserved through evolution. TRP channel proteins have critical functions in many tissues and cell types, but their gating mechanism is an enigma. In the present study patch-clamp whole-cell recordings was applied to measure the TRP- and TRP-like (TRPL)-dependent currents in isolated Drosophila ommatidia. Also, voltage responses to light and to metabolic stress were recorded from the eye in vivo. We report new insight into the gating of the Drosophila light-sensitive TRP and TRPL channels, by which both Ca2+ and protein dephosphorylation are required for channel activation. ATP depletion or inhibition of protein kinase C activated the TRP channels, while photo-release of caged ATP or application of phorbol ester antagonized channels openings in the dark. Furthermore, Mg(2+)-dependent stable phosphorylation event by ATPgammaS or protein phosphatase inhibition by calyculin A abolished activation of the TRP and TRPL channels. While a high reduction of cellular Ca2+ abolished channel activation, subsequent application of Ca2+ combined with ATP depletion induced a robust dark current that was reminiscent of light responses. The results suggest that the combined action of Ca2+ and protein dephosphorylation activate the TRP and TRPL channels, while protein phosphorylation by PKC antagonized channels openings.

The pore helix is involved in stabilizing the open state of inwardly rectifying K+ channels

Ion channels can be gated by various extrinsic cues, such as voltage, pH, and second messengers. However, most ion channels display extrinsic cue-independent transitions as well. These events represent spontaneous conformational changes of the channel protein. The molecular basis for spontaneous gating and its relation to the mechanism by which channels undergo activation gating by extrinsic cue stimulation is not well understood. Here we show that the proximal pore helix of inwardly rectifying (Kir) channels is partially responsible for determining spontaneous gating characteristics, affecting the open state of the channel by stabilizing intraburst openings as well as the bursting state itself without affecting K(+) ion-channel interactions. The effect of the pore helix on the open state of the channel is qualitatively similar to that of two well-characterized mutations at the second transmembrane domain (TM2), which stabilize the channel in its activated state. However, the effects of the pore helix and the TM2 mutations on gating were additive and independent of each other. Moreover, in sharp contrast to the two TM2 mutations, the pore helix mutation did not affect the functionality of the agonist-responsive gate. Our results suggest that in Kir channels, the bottom of the pore helix and agonist-induced conformational transitions at the TM2 ultimately stabilize via different pathways the open conformation of the same gate.

Phosphatidic acid stimulates cardiac KATP channels like phosphatidylinositols, but with novel gating kinetics

Membrane-bound anionic phospholipids such as phosphatidylinositols have the capacity to modulate ATP-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channels through a mechanism involving long-range electrostatic interaction between the lipid headgroup and channel. However, it has not yet been determined whether the multiple effects of phosphatidylinositols reported in the literature all result from this general electrostatic interaction or require a specific headgroup structure. The present study investigated whether phosphatidic acid (PA), an anionic phospholipid substantially different in structure from phosphatidylinositols, evokes effects similar to phosphatidylinositols on native K(ATP) channels of rat heart and heterogeneous Kir6.2/SUR2A channels. Channels treated with PA (0.2-1 mg/ml applied to the cytoplasmic side of the membrane) exhibited higher activity, lower sensitivity to ATP inhibition, less Mg(2+)-dependent nucleotide stimulation, and poor sulfonylurea inhibition. These effects match the spectrum of phosphatidylinositols' effects, but, in addition, PA also induced a novel pattern in gating kinetics, represented by a decreased mean open time (from 12.2 +/- 2.0 to 3.3 +/- 0.7 ms). This impact on gating kinetics clearly distinguishes PA's effects from those of phosphatidylinositols. Results indicate that multiple effects of anionic phospholipids on K(ATP) channels are related phenomena and can likely be attributed to a common mechanism, but additional specific effects due to other mechanisms may also coincide.

Molecular basis for Kir6.2 channel inhibition by adenine nucleotides

K(ATP) channels are comprised of a pore-forming protein, Kir6.x, and the sulfonylurea receptor, SURx. Interaction of adenine nucleotides with Kir6.2 positively charged amino acids such as K185 and R201 on the C-terminus causes channel closure. Substitution of these amino acids with other positively charged residues had small effects on inhibition by adenine nucleotide, while substitution with neutral or negative residues had major effects, suggesting electrostatic interactions between Kir6.2 positive charges and adenine nucleotide negative phosphate groups. Furthermore, R201 mutation decreased channel sensitivity to ATP, ADP, and AMP to a similar extent, but K185 mutation decreased primarily ATP and ADP sensitivity, leaving the AMP sensitivity relatively unaffected. Thus, channel inhibition by ATP may involve interaction of the alpha-phosphate with R201 and interaction of the beta-phosphate with K185. In addition, decreased open probability due to rundown or sulfonylureas caused an increase in ATP sensitivity in the K185 mutant, but not in the R201 mutant. Thus, the beta-phosphate may bind in a state-independent fashion to K185 to destabilize channel openings, while R201 interacts with the alpha-phosphate to stabilize a channel closed configuration. Substitution of R192 on the C-terminus and R50 on the N-terminus with different charged residues also affected ATP sensitivity. Based on these results a structural scheme is proposed, which includes features of other recently published models.

SUR-dependent modulation of KATP channels by an N-terminal KIR6.2 peptide. Defining intersubunit gating interactions

Ntp and Ctp, synthetic peptides based on the N- and C-terminal sequences of K(IR)6.0, respectively, were used to probe gating of K(IR)6.0/SUR K(ATP) channels. Micromolar Ntp dose-dependently increased the mean open channel probability in ligand-free solution (P(O(max))) and attenuated the ATP inhibition of K(IR)6.2/SUR1, but had no effect on homomeric K(IR)6.2 channels. Ntp (up to approximately 10(-4) m) did not affect significantly the mean open or "fast," K(+) driving force-dependent, intraburst closed times, verifying that Ntp selectively modulates the ratio of mean burst to interburst times. Ctp and Rnp, a randomized Ntp, had no effect, indicating that the effects of Ntp are structure specific. Ntp opened K(IR)6.1/SUR1 channels normally silent in the absence of stimulatory Mg(-) nucleotide(s) and attenuated the coupling of high-affinity sulfonylurea binding with K(ATP) pore closure. These effects resemble those seen with N-terminal deletions (DeltaN) of K(IR)6.0, and application of Ntp to DeltaNK(ATP) channels decreased their P(O(max)) and apparent IC(50) for ATP in the absence of Mg(2+). The results are consistent with a competition between Ntp and the endogenous N terminus for a site of interaction on the cytoplasmic face of the channel or with partial replacement of the deleted N terminus by Ntp, respectively. The K(IR) N terminus and the TMD0-L0 segment of SUR1 are known to control the P(O(max)). The L0 linker has been reported to be required for glibenclamide binding, and DeltaNK(IR)6.2/SUR1 channels exhibit reduced labeling of K(IR) with (125)I-azidoglibenclamide, implying that the K(IR) N terminus and L0 of SUR1 are in proximity. We hypothesize that L0 interacts with the K(IR) N terminus in ligand-inhibited K(ATP) channels and put forward a model, based on the architecture of BtuCD, MsbA, and the KcsA channel, in which TMD0-L0 links the MDR-like core of SUR with the K(IR) pore.