Evidence for sequential ion-binding loci along the inner pore of the IRK1 inward-rectifier K+ channel

Gating and modulation of an inward-rectifier potassium channel

Inward-rectifier potassium channels (Kirs) are lipid-gated ion channels that differ from other K+ channels in that they allow K+ ions to flow more easily into, rather than out of, the cell. Inward rectification is known to result from endogenous magnesium ions or polyamines (e.g., spermine) binding to Kirs, resulting in a block of outward potassium currents, but questions remain regarding the structural and dynamic basis of the rectification process and lipid-dependent channel activation. Here, we present the results of long-timescale molecular dynamics simulations starting from a crystal structure of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2)-bound chicken Kir2.2 with a non-conducting pore. After introducing a mutation (G178R) that is known to increase the open probability of a homologous channel, we were able to observe transitions to a stably open, ion-conducting pore, during which key conformational changes occurred in the main activation gate and the cytoplasmic domain. PIP2 binding appeared to increase stability of the pore in its open and conducting state, as PIP2 removal resulted in pore closure, with a median closure time about half of that with PIP2 present. To investigate structural details of inward rectification, we simulated spermine binding to and unbinding from the open pore conformation at positive and negative voltages, respectively, and identified a spermine-binding site located near a previously hypothesized site between the pore cavity and the selectivity filter. We also studied the effects of long-range electrostatics on conduction and spermine binding by mutating charged residues in the cytoplasmic domain and found that a finely tuned charge density, arising from basic and acidic residues within the cytoplasmic domain, modulated conduction and rectification.

Neuronal G protein-gated K+ channels

G protein-gated inwardly rectifying K⁺ (GIRK/Kir3) channels exert a critical inhibitory influence on neurons. Neuronal GIRK channels mediate the G protein-dependent, direct/postsynaptic inhibitory effect of many neurotransmitters including γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), serotonin, dopamine, adenosine, somatostatin, and enkephalin. In addition to their complex regulation by G proteins, neuronal GIRK channel activity is sensitive to PIP₂, phosphorylation, regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins, intracellular Na⁺ and Ca²⁺, and cholesterol. The application of genetic and viral manipulations in rodent models, together with recent progress in the development of GIRK channel modulators, has increased our understanding of the physiological and behavioral impact of neuronal GIRK channels. Work in rodent models has also revealed that neuronal GIRK channel activity is modified, transiently or persistently, by various stimuli including exposure drugs of abuse, changes in neuronal activity patterns, and aversive experience. A growing body of preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that dysregulation of GIRK channel activity contributes to neurological diseases and disorders. The primary goals of this review are to highlight fundamental principles of neuronal GIRK channel biology, mechanisms of GIRK channel regulation and plasticity, the nascent landscape of GIRK channel pharmacology, and the potential relevance of GIRK channels to the pathophysiology and treatment of neurological diseases and disorders.

Polyamines and potassium channels: A 25-year romance

Potassium channels that exhibit the property of inward rectification (Kir channels) are present in most cells. Cloning of the first Kir channel genes 25 years ago led to recognition that inward rectification is a consequence of voltage-dependent block by cytoplasmic polyamines, which are also ubiquitously present in animal cells. Upon cellular depolarization, these polycationic metabolites enter the Kir channel pore from the intracellular side, blocking the movement of K⁺ ions through the channel. As a consequence, high K⁺ conductance at rest can provide very stable negative resting potentials, but polyamine-mediated blockade at depolarized potentials ensures, for instance, the long plateau phase of the cardiac action potential, an essential feature for a stable cardiac rhythm. Despite much investigation of the polyamine block, where exactly polyamines get to within the Kir channel pore and how the steep voltage dependence arises remain unclear. This Minireview will summarize current understanding of the relevance and molecular mechanisms of polyamine block and offer some ideas to try to help resolve the fundamental issue of the voltage dependence of polyamine block.

The mechanism of inward rectification in Kir channels: A novel kinetic model with non-equilibrium thermodynamics approach

The mechanisms of the strong inward rectification in inward rectifier K(+) (Kir) channels are controversial because the drop in electrical potential due to the movement of the blocker and coupling ions is insufficient to explain the steep voltage-dependent block near the equilibrium potential. Here, we study the "driving force"-dependent block in Kir channels with a novel approach incorporating concepts from the non-equilibrium thermodynamics of small systems, and computer kinetic simulations based on the experimental data of internal Ba(2+) block on Kir2.1 channels. The steep exponential increase in the apparent binding rate near the equilibrium potential is explained, when the encounter frequency is construed as the likelihood of transfer events down or against the electrochemical potential gradient. The exponent of flux ratio, nf=2.62, implies that the blockage of the internal blocker may be coupled with the outward transport of 2 to 3K(+) ions. The flux-coupled block in the single-file multi-ion pore can be demonstrated by the concentration gradient alone, as well as when the driving force is the electrochemical potential difference across the membrane.

A synergistic blocking effect of Mg²⁺ and spermine on the inward rectifier K⁺ (Kir2.1) channel pore

Inward rectifier K⁺ channels (Kir2.1) exhibit an extraordinary rectifying feature in the current–voltage relationship. We have previously showed that the bundle–crossing region of the transmembrane domain constitutes the crucial segment responsible for the polyamine block. In this study, we demonstrated that the major blocking effect of intracellular Mg²⁺ on Kir2.1 channels is also closely correlated with K⁺ current flow, and the coupled movements of Mg²⁺ and K⁺ seem to happen in the same flux–coupling segment of the pore as polyamines. With a preponderant outward K⁺ flow, intracellular Mg²⁺ would also be pushed to and thus stay at the outermost site of a flux–coupling segment in the bundle–crossing region of Kir2.1 channels to block the pore, although with a much lower apparent affinity than spermine (SPM). However, in contrast to the evident possibilities of outward exit of SPM through the channel pore especially during strong membrane depolarization, intracellular Mg²⁺ does not seem to traverse the Kir2.1 channel pore in any case. Intracellular Mg²⁺ and SPM therefore may have a synergistic action on the pore–blocking effect, presumably via prohibition of the outward exit of the higher–affinity blocking SPM by the lower–affinity Mg²⁺.

Inward rectifiers and their regulation by endogenous polyamines

Inwardly-rectifying potassium (Kir) channels contribute to maintenance of the resting membrane potential and regulation of electrical excitation in many cell types. Strongly rectifying Kir channels exhibit a very steep voltage dependence resulting in silencing of their activity at depolarized membrane voltages. The mechanism underlying this steep voltage dependence is blockade by endogenous polyamines. These small multifunctional, polyvalent metabolites enter the long Kir channel pore from the intracellular side, displacing multiple occupant ions as they migrate to a stable binding site in the transmembrane region of the channel. Numerous structure-function studies have revealed structural elements of Kir channels that determine their susceptibility to polyamine block, and enable the steep voltage dependence of this process. In addition, various channelopathies have been described that result from alteration of the polyamine sensitivity or activity of strongly rectifying channels. The primary focus of this article is to summarize current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of polyamine block, and provide some perspective on lingering uncertainties related to this physiologically important mechanism of ion channel blockade. We also briefly review some of the important and well understood physiological roles of polyamine sensitive, strongly rectifying Kir channels, primarily of the Kir2 family.

The bundle crossing region is responsible for the inwardly rectifying internal spermine block of the Kir2.1 channel

Inward rectifier potassium channels conduct K(+) across the cell membrane more efficiently in the inward than outward direction in physiological conditions. Voltage-dependent and flow-dependent blocks of outward K(+) currents by intracellular polyamines (e.g., spermine (SPM)) have been proposed as the major mechanisms underlying inward rectification. In this study, we show that the SPM blocking affinity curve is shifted according to the shift in K(+) reversal potential. Moreover, the kinetics of SPM entry to and exit from the binding site are correlatively slowed by specific E224 and E299 mutations, which always also disrupt the flux coupling feature of SPM block. The entry rates carry little voltage dependence, whereas the exit rates are e-fold decelerated per ∼15 mV depolarization. Interestingly, the voltage dependence remains rather constant among WT and quite a few different mutant channels. This voltage dependence offers an unprecedented chance of mapping the location (electrical distance) of the SPM site in the pore because these kinetic data were obtained along the preponderant direction of K(+) current flow (outward currents for the entry rate and inward currents for the exit rate) and thus contamination from flow dependence should be negligible. Moreover, double mutations involving E224 and A178 or M183 seem to alter the height of the same asymmetrical barrier between the SPM binding site and the intracellular milieu. We conclude that the SPM site responsible for the inward rectifying block is located at an electrical distance of ∼0.5 from the inside and is involved in a flux coupling segment in the bundle crossing region of the pore. With preponderant outward K(+) flow, SPM is "pushed" to the outmost site of this segment (∼D172). On the other hand, the blocking SPM would be pushed to the inner end of this segment (∼M183-A184) with preponderant inward K(+) flow. Moreover, E224 and E299 very likely electrostatically interact with the other residues (e.g., R228, R260) in the cytoplasmic domain and then allosterically keep the bundle crossing region in an open conformation appropriate for the flux coupling block of SPM.

Interactions of external K+ and internal blockers in a weak inward-rectifier K+ channel

We investigated the effects of changing extracellular K(+) concentrations on block of the weak inward-rectifier K(+) channel Kir1.1b (ROMK2) by the three intracellular cations Mg(2+), Na(+), and TEA(+). Single-channel currents were monitored in inside-out patches made from Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing the channels. With 110 mM K(+) in the inside (cytoplasmic) solution and 11 mM K(+) in the outside (extracellular) solution, these three cations blocked K(+) currents with a range of apparent affinities (K(i) (0) = 1.6 mM for Mg(2+), 160 mM for Na(+), and 1.8 mM for TEA(+)) but with similar voltage dependence (zδ = 0.58 for Mg(2+), 0.71 for Na(+), and 0.61 for TEA(+)) despite having different valences. When external K(+) was increased to 110 mM, the apparent affinity of all three blockers was decreased approximately threefold with no significant change in the voltage dependence of block. The possibility that the transmembrane cavity is the site of block was explored by making mutations at the N152 residue, a position previously shown to affect rectification in Kir channels. N152D increased the affinity for block by Mg(2+) but not for Na(+) or TEA(+). In contrast, the N152Y mutation increased the affinity for block by TEA(+) but not for Na(+) or Mg(2+). Replacing the C terminus of the channel with that of the strong inward-rectifier Kir2.1 increased the affinity of block by Mg(2+) but had a small effect on that by Na(+). TEA(+) block was enhanced and had a larger voltage dependence. We used an eight-state kinetic model to simulate these results. The effects of voltage and external K(+) could be explained by a model in which the blockers occupy a site, presumably in the transmembrane cavity, at a position that is largely unaffected by changes in the electric field. The effects of voltage and extracellular K(+) are explained by shifts in the occupancy of sites within the selectivity filter by K(+) ions.

Multi-ion distributions in the cytoplasmic domain of inward rectifier potassium channels

Inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels act as cellular diodes, allowing unrestricted flow of potassium (K(+)) into the cell while preventing currents of large magnitude in the outward direction. The rectification mechanism by which this occurs involves a coupling between K(+) and intracellular blockers-magnesium (Mg(2+)) or polyamines-that simultaneously occupy the permeation pathway. In addition to the transmembrane pore, Kirs possess a large cytoplasmic domain (CD) that provides a favorable electronegative environment for cations. Electrophysiological experiments have shown that the CD is a key regulator of both conductance and rectification. In this study, we calculate and compare averaged equilibrium probability densities of K(+) and Cl(-) in open-pore models of the CDs of a weak (Kir1.1-ROMK) and a strong (Kir2.1-IRK) rectifier through explicit-solvent molecular-dynamics simulations in ~1 M KCl. The CD of both channels concentrates K(+) ions greater than threefold inside the cytoplasmic pore while IRK shows an additional K(+) accumulation region near the cytoplasmic entrance. Simulations carried out with Mg(2+) or spermine (SPM(4+)) show that these ions interact with pore-lining residues, shielding the surface charge and reducing K(+) in both channels. The results also show that SPM(4+) behaves differently inside these two channels. Although SPM(4+) remains inside the CD of ROMK, it diffuses around the entire volume of the pore. In contrast, this polyatomic cation finds long-lived conformational states inside the IRK pore, interacting with residues E224, D259, and E299. The strong rectifier CD is also capable of sequestering an additional SPM(4+) at the cytoplasmic entrance near a cluster of negative residues D249, D274, E275, and D276. Although understanding the actual mechanism of rectification blockade will require high-resolution structural information of the blocked state, these simulations provide insight into how sequence variation in the CD can affect the multi-ion distributions that underlie the mechanisms of conduction, rectification affinity, and kinetics.

Voltage profile along the permeation pathway of an open channel

For ion channels, the transmembrane potential plays a critical role by acting as a driving force for permeant ions. At the microscopic level, the transmembrane potential is thought to decay nonlinearly across the ion permeation pathway because of the irregular three-dimensional shape of the channel's pore. By taking advantage of the current structural and functional understanding of cyclic nucleotide-gated channels, in this study we experimentally explore the transmembrane potential's distribution across the open pore. As a readout for the voltage drop, we engineered cysteine residues along the selectivity filter and scanned the sensitivity of their modification rates by Ag(+) to the transmembrane potential. The experimental data, which indicate that the majority of the electric field drops across the selectivity filter, are in good agreement with continuum electrostatic calculations using a homology model of an open CNG channel. By focusing the transmembrane potential across the selectivity filter, the electromotive driving force is coupled with the movement of permeant ions in the filter, maximizing the efficiency of this process.

Locale and chemistry of spermine binding in the archetypal inward rectifier Kir2.1

Polyamine block of inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels underlies their steep voltage dependence observed in vivo. We have examined the potency, voltage dependence, and kinetics of spermine block in dimeric Kir2.1 constructs containing one nonreactive subunit and one cysteine-substituted subunit before and after modification by methanethiosulfonate (MTS) reagents. At position 169C (between the D172 “rectification controller” and the selectivity filter), modification by either 2-aminoethyl MTS (MTSEA) or 2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl MTS (MTSET) reduced the potency and voltage dependence of spermine block, consistent with this position overlapping the spermine binding site. At position 176C (between D172 and the M2 helix bundle crossing), modification by MTSEA also weakened spermine block. In contrast, MTSET modification of 176C dramatically slowed the kinetics of spermine unblock, with almost no effect on potency or voltage dependence. The data are consistent with MTSET modification of 176C introducing a localized barrier in the inner cavity, resulting in slower spermine entry into and exit from a “deep” binding site (likely between the D172 rectification controller and the selectivity filter), but leaving the spermine binding site mostly unaffected. These findings constrain the location of deep spermine binding that underlies steeply voltage-dependent block, and further suggest important chemical details of high affinity binding of spermine in Kir2.1 channels—the archetypal model of strong inward rectification.

Intrinsic versus extrinsic voltage sensitivity of blocker interaction with an ion channel pore

Many physiological and synthetic agents act by occluding the ion conduction pore of ion channels. A hallmark of charged blockers is that their apparent affinity for the pore usually varies with membrane voltage. Two models have been proposed to explain this voltage sensitivity. One model assumes that the charged blocker itself directly senses the transmembrane electric field, i.e., that blocker binding is intrinsically voltage dependent. In the alternative model, the blocker does not directly interact with the electric field; instead, blocker binding acquires voltage dependence solely through the concurrent movement of permeant ions across the field. This latter model may better explain voltage dependence of channel block by large organic compounds that are too bulky to fit into the narrow (usually ion-selective) part of the pore where the electric field is steep. To date, no systematic investigation has been performed to distinguish between these voltage-dependent mechanisms of channel block. The most fundamental characteristic of the extrinsic mechanism, i.e., that block can be rendered voltage independent, remains to be established and formally analyzed for the case of organic blockers. Here, we observe that the voltage dependence of block of a cyclic nucleotide-gated channel by a series of intracellular quaternary ammonium blockers, which are too bulky to traverse the narrow ion selectivity filter, gradually vanishes with extreme depolarization, a predicted feature of the extrinsic voltage dependence model. In contrast, the voltage dependence of block by an amine blocker, which has a smaller "diameter" and can therefore penetrate into the selectivity filter, follows a Boltzmann function, a predicted feature of the intrinsic voltage dependence model. Additionally, a blocker generates (at least) two blocked states, which, if related serially, may preclude meaningful application of a commonly used approach for investigating channel gating, namely, inferring the properties of the activation gate from the kinetics of channel block.

Crystal structure of the eukaryotic strong inward-rectifier K+ channel Kir2.2 at 3.1 A resolution

Inward-rectifier potassium (K+) channels conduct K+ ions most efficiently in one direction, into the cell. Kir2 channels control the resting membrane voltage in many electrically excitable cells, and heritable mutations cause periodic paralysis and cardiac arrhythmia. We present the crystal structure of Kir2.2 from chicken, which, excluding the unstructured amino and carboxyl termini, is 90% identical to human Kir2.2. Crystals containing rubidium (Rb+), strontium (Sr2+), and europium (Eu3+) reveal binding sites along the ion conduction pathway that are both conductive and inhibitory. The sites correlate with extensive electrophysiological data and provide a structural basis for understanding rectification. The channel's extracellular surface, with large structured turrets and an unusual selectivity filter entryway, might explain the relative insensitivity of eukaryotic inward rectifiers to toxins. These same surface features also suggest a possible approach to the development of inhibitory agents specific to each member of the inward-rectifier K+ channel family.

Ionic flow enhances low-affinity binding: a revised mechanistic view into Mg2+ block of NMDA receptors

The N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) channel is one of the major excitatory amino acid receptors in the mammalian brain. Since external Mg(2+) blocks the channel in an apparently voltage-dependent fashion, this ligand-gated channel displays intriguing voltage-dependent control of Na(+) and Ca(2+) permeability and thus plays an important role in synaptic physiology. We found that the essential features of Mg(2+) block could not be solely envisaged by binding of a charged blocker in the membrane electric field. Instead, the blocking effect of Mg(2+) is critically regulated by, and quantitatively correlated with, the relative tendency of outward and inward ionic fluxes. The 'intrinsic' affinity of Mg(2+) to the binding sites, however, is low (in the millimolar range) in the absence of net ionic flow at 0 mV. Besides, extracellular and intracellular Mg(2+) blocks the channel at distinct sites of electrical distances 0.7 and 0.95 from the outside, respectively. The two sites are separated by a high energy barrier for the movement of Mg(2+) (but not Na(+) or the other ions), and functionally speaking, each could accommodate 1.1 and 0.8 coexisting permeating ions, respectively. Mg(2+) block of the ionic flow thus is greatly facilitated by the flux-coupling effect or the ionic flow (the preponderant direction of permeant ion movement) per se, as if the poorly permeable Mg(2+) is 'pushed' against a high energy barrier by the otherwise permeating ions. Extracellular and intracellular Mg(2+) block then is in essence 'use dependent', more strongly inhibiting both Na(+) and Ca(2+) fluxes with stronger tendencies of influx and efflux, respectively. In conclusion, although permeant ions themselves could compete with Mg(2+), the flow or the tendency of movement of the permeant ions may actually enhance rather than interfere with Mg(2+) block, making the unique current-voltage relationship of NMDAR and the molecular basis of many important neurobiological phenomena.

Mutations reveal voltage gating of CNGA1 channels in saturating cGMP

Activity of cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) cation channels underlies signal transduction in vertebrate visual receptors. These highly specialized receptor channels open when they bind cyclic GMP (cGMP). Here, we find that certain mutations restricted to the region around the ion selectivity filter render the channels essentially fully voltage gated, in such a manner that the channels remain mostly closed at physiological voltages, even in the presence of saturating concentrations of cGMP. This voltage-dependent gating resembles the selectivity filter-based mechanism seen in KcsA K(+) channels, not the S4-based mechanism of voltage-gated K(+) channels. Mutations that render CNG channels gated by voltage loosen the attachment of the selectivity filter to its surrounding structure, thereby shifting the channel's gating equilibrium toward closed conformations. Significant pore opening in mutant channels occurs only when positive voltages drive the pore from a low-probability open conformation toward a second open conformation to increase the channels' open probability. Thus, the structure surrounding the selectivity filter has evolved to (nearly completely) suppress the expression of inherent voltage-dependent gating of CNGA1, ensuring that the binding of cGMP by itself suffices to open the channels at physiological voltages.

Physical determinants of strong voltage sensitivity of K(+) channel block

Strong voltage sensitivity of inward-rectifier K⁺ (Kir) channels has been hypothesized to arise primarily from an intracellular blocker displacing up to five K⁺ ions from the wide, intracellular part of the ion conduction pore outwardly across the narrow ion selectivity filter. The validity of this hypothesis depends on two assumptions: i) that five ion sites are located intracellular to the filter, and ii) that the blocker can force essentially unidirectional K⁺ movement in a pore region generally wider than the combined dimensions of the blocker plus a K⁺ ion. Here, we present a crystal structure of the cytoplasmic portion of a Kir channel with five ions bound, and demonstrate that a constriction near the intracellular end of the pore, acting as a gasket, prevents K⁺ ions from bypassing the blocker. This heretofore unrecognized “gasket” ensures that the blocker can effectively displace K⁺ ions across the selectivity filter to generate exceedingly strong voltage sensitivity.

Long-pore electrostatics in inward-rectifier potassium channels

Inward-rectifier potassium (Kir) channels differ from the canonical K⁺ channel structure in that they possess a long extended pore (∼85 Å) for ion conduction that reaches deeply into the cytoplasm. This unique structural feature is presumably involved in regulating functional properties specific to Kir channels, such as conductance, rectification block, and ligand-dependent gating. To elucidate the underpinnings of these functional roles, we examine the electrostatics of an ion along this extended pore. Homology models are constructed based on the open-state model of KirBac1.1 for four mammalian Kir channels: Kir1.1/ROMK, Kir2.1/IRK, Kir3.1/GIRK, and Kir6.2/KATP. By solving the Poisson-Boltzmann equation, the electrostatic free energy of a K⁺ ion is determined along each pore, revealing that mammalian Kir channels provide a favorable environment for cations and suggesting the existence of high-density regions in the cytoplasmic domain and cavity. The contribution from the reaction field (the self-energy arising from the dielectric polarization induced by the ion's charge in the complex geometry of the pore) is unfavorable inside the long pore. However, this is well compensated by the electrostatic interaction with the static field arising from the protein charges and shielded by the dielectric surrounding. Decomposition of the static field provides a list of residues that display remarkable correspondence with existing mutagenesis data identifying amino acids that affect conduction and rectification. Many of these residues demonstrate interactions with the ion over long distances, up to 40 Å, suggesting that mutations potentially affect ion or blocker energetics over the entire pore. These results provide a foundation for understanding ion interactions in Kir channels and extend to the study of ion permeation, block, and gating in long, cation-specific pores.

Blocker protection by short spermine analogs: refined mapping of the spermine binding site in a Kir channel

Strongly inwardly rectifying potassium channels are blocked by intracellular polyamines with a uniquely steep voltage dependence. An understanding of the fundamental details underlying the voltage dependence of polyamine block requires a constrained structural description of the polyamine-binding site. With this goal in mind, we previously used a "blocker protection" approach to examine the effects of polyamine occupancy on the rate of MTSEA modification of cysteine residues located at pore-lining sites in a strongly rectifying Kir channel (Kir6.2[N160D]). In the study presented here, we focused this strategy to characterize the effects of polyamine analogs that are similar in size to spermine on the rate of MTSEA modification. The observed protection profile of spermine is identical to that previously reported, with spermine occupancy inhibiting MTSEA modification of residue 157C, which is deep in the Kir pore, but having little effect on modification rates of 164C or 169C, closer to the intracellular side of the inner cavity. Remarkably, slightly longer synthetic spermine analogs (BE-spermine, CGC-11098) significantly increased the protection observed at position 164C. The extended protection profile observed with slightly extended polyamine analogs significantly enhances the resolution of our previous mapping efforts using the blocker protection approach, by eliminating uncertainties regarding the blocked conformations of the much longer polyamines that were used in earlier studies. For all short polyamine analogs examined, modification at the entrance to the inner cavity (169C) was unaffected by blocker occupancy, although blocker dissociation was dramatically slowed by partial modification of this site. These data support the validity of a blocker protection approach for mapping polyamine-binding sites in a Kir pore, and confirm that spermine binds stably at a deep site in the inner cavity of strongly rectifying Kir channels.

The molecular basis of chloroquine block of the inward rectifier Kir2.1 channel

Although chloroquine remains an important therapeutic agent for treatment of malaria in many parts of the world, its safety margin is very narrow. Chloroquine inhibits the cardiac inward rectifier K(+) current I(K1) and can induce lethal ventricular arrhythmias. In this study, we characterized the biophysical and molecular basis of chloroquine block of Kir2.1 channels that underlie cardiac I(K1). The voltage- and K(+)-dependence of chloroquine block implied that the binding site was located within the ion-conduction pathway. Site-directed mutagenesis revealed the location of the chloroquine-binding site within the cytoplasmic pore domain rather than within the transmembrane pore. Molecular modeling suggested that chloroquine blocks Kir2.1 channels by plugging the cytoplasmic conduction pathway, stabilized by negatively charged and aromatic amino acids within a central pocket. Unlike most ion-channel blockers, chloroquine does not bind within the transmembrane pore and thus can reach its binding site, even while polyamines remain deeper within the channel vestibule. These findings explain how a relatively low-affinity blocker like chloroquine can effectively block I(K1) even in the presence of high-affinity endogenous blockers. Moreover, our findings provide the structural framework for the design of safer, alternative compounds that are devoid of Kir2.1-blocking properties.

The role of the cytoplasmic pore in inward rectification of Kir2.1 channels

Steeply voltage-dependent block by intracellular polyamines underlies the strong inward rectification properties of Kir2.1 and other Kir channels. Mutagenesis studies have identified several negatively charged pore-lining residues (D172, E224, and E299, in Kir2.1) in the inner cavity and cytoplasmic domain as determinants of the properties of spermine block. Recent crystallographic determination of the structure of the cytoplasmic domains of Kir2.1 identified additional negatively charged residues (D255 and D259) that influence inward rectification. In this study, we have characterized the kinetic and steady-state properties of spermine block in WT Kir2.1 and in mutations of the D255 residue (D255E, A, K, R). Despite minimal effects on steady-state blockade by spermine, D255 mutations have profound effects on the blocking kinetics, with D255A marginally, and D255R dramatically, slowing the rate of block. In addition, these mutations result in the appearance of a sustained current (in the presence of spermine) at depolarized voltages. These features are reproduced with a kinetic model consisting of a single open state, two sequentially linked blocked states, and a slow spermine permeation step, with residue D255 influencing the spermine affinity and rate of entry into the shallow blocked state. The data highlight a “long-pore” effect in Kir channels, and emphasize the importance of considering blocker permeation when assessing the effects of mutations on apparent blocker affinity.

The polyamine binding site in inward rectifier K+ channels

Strongly inwardly rectifying potassium channels exhibit potent and steeply voltage-dependent block by intracellular polyamines. To locate the polyamine binding site, we have examined the effects of polyamine blockade on the rate of MTSEA modification of cysteine residues strategically substituted in the pore of a strongly rectifying Kir channel (Kir6.2[N160D]). Spermine only protected cysteines substituted at a deep location in the pore, between the “rectification controller” residue (N160D in Kir6.2, D172 in Kir2.1) and the selectivity filter, against MTSEA modification. In contrast, blockade with a longer synthetic polyamine (CGC-11179) also protected cysteines substituted at sites closer to the cytoplasmic entrance of the channel. Modification of a cysteine at the entrance to the inner cavity (169C) was unaffected by either spermine or CGC-11179, and spermine was clearly “locked” into the inner cavity (i.e., exhibited a dramatically slower exit rate) following modification of this residue. These data provide physical constraints on the spermine binding site, demonstrating that spermine stably binds at a deep site beyond the “rectification controller” residue, near the extracellular entrance to the channel.

Long polyamines act as cofactors in PIP2 activation of inward rectifier potassium (Kir2.1) channels

Phosphatidylinosital-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP₂) acts as an essential factor regulating the activity of all Kir channels. In most Kir members, the dependence on PIP₂ is modulated by other factors, such as protein kinases (in Kir1), G_βγ (in Kir3), and the sulfonylurea receptor (in Kir6). So far, however, no regulator has been identified in Kir2 channels. Here we show that polyamines, which cause inward rectification by selectively blocking outward current, also regulate the interaction of PIP₂ with Kir2.1 channels to maintain channel availability. Using spermine and diamines as polyamine analogs, we demonstrate that both spontaneous and PIP₂ antibody–induced rundown of Kir2.1 channels in excised inside-out patches was markedly slowed by long polyamines; in contrast, polyamines with shorter chain length were ineffective. In K188Q mutant channels, which have a low PIP₂ affinity, application PIP₂ (10 μM) was unable to activate channel activity in the absence of polyamines, but markedly activated channels in the presence of long diamines. Using neomycin as a measure of PIP₂ affinity, we found that long polyamines were capable of strengthening either the wild type or K188Q channels' interaction with PIP₂. The negatively charged D172 residue inside the transmembrane pore region was critical for the shift of channel–PIP₂ binding affinity by long polyamines. Sustained pore block by polyamines was neither sufficient nor necessary for this effect. We conclude that long polyamines serve a dual role as both blockers and coactivators (with PIP₂) of Kir2.1 channels.

Differential polyamine sensitivity in inwardly rectifying Kir2 potassium channels

Recent studies have shown that Kir2 channels display differential sensitivity to intracellular polyamines, and have raised a number of questions about several properties of inward rectification important to the understanding of their physiological roles. In this study, we have carried out a detailed characterization of steady-state and kinetic properties of block of Kir2.1-3 channels by spermine. High-resolution recordings from outside-out patches showed that in all Kir2 channels current-voltage relationships display a 'crossover' effect upon change in extracellular K+. Experiments at different concentrations of spermine allowed for the characterization of two distinct shallow components of rectification, with the voltages for half-block negative (V1(1/2)) and positive (V2(1/2)) to the voltage of half-block for the major steep component of rectification (V0(1/2)). While V1(1/2) and V2(1/2) voltages differ significantly between Kir2 channels, they were coupled to each other according to the equation V1(1/2)-V2(1/2) = constant, strongly suggesting that similar structures may underlie both components. In Kir2.3 channels, the V2(1/2) was approximately 50 mV positive to V0(1/2), leading to a pattern of outward currents distinct from that of Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 channels. The effective valency of spermine block (Z0) was highest in Kir2.2 channels while the valencies in Kir2.1 and Kir2.3 channels were not significantly different. The voltage dependence of spermine unblock was similar in all Kir2 channels, but the rates of unblock were approximately 7-fold and approximately 16-fold slower in Kir2.3 channels than those in Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 when measured at high and physiological extracellular K+, respectively. In all Kir2 channels, the instantaneous phase of activation was present. The instantaneous phase was difficult to resolve at high extracellular K+ but it became evident and accounted for nearly 30-50% of the total current when recorded at physiological extracellular K+. In conclusion, the data are consistent with the universal mechanism of rectification in Kir2 channels, but also point to significant, and physiologically important, quantitative differences between Kir2 isoforms.