1
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Van NTH, Kim WK, Nam JH. Challenges in the Therapeutic Targeting of KCa Channels: From Basic Physiology to Clinical Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2965. [PMID: 38474212 PMCID: PMC10932353 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Calcium-activated potassium (KCa) channels are ubiquitously expressed throughout the body and are able to regulate membrane potential and intracellular calcium concentrations, thereby playing key roles in cellular physiology and signal transmission. Consequently, it is unsurprising that KCa channels have been implicated in various diseases, making them potential targets for pharmaceutical interventions. Over the past two decades, numerous studies have been conducted to develop KCa channel-targeting drugs, including those for disorders of the central and peripheral nervous, cardiovascular, and urinary systems and for cancer. In this review, we synthesize recent findings regarding the structure and activating mechanisms of KCa channels. We also discuss the role of KCa channel modulators in therapeutic medicine. Finally, we identify the major reasons behind the delay in bringing these modulators to the pharmaceutical market and propose new strategies to promote their application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nhung Thi Hong Van
- Department of Physiology, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju 38066, Republic of Korea;
- Channelopathy Research Center (CRC), Dongguk University College of Medicine, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo Kyung Kim
- Channelopathy Research Center (CRC), Dongguk University College of Medicine, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea
- Department of Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dongguk University, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo Hyun Nam
- Department of Physiology, Dongguk University College of Medicine, Gyeongju 38066, Republic of Korea;
- Channelopathy Research Center (CRC), Dongguk University College of Medicine, Goyang 10326, Republic of Korea
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2
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Kallure GS, Pal K, Zhou Y, Lingle CJ, Chowdhury S. High-resolution structures illuminate key principles underlying voltage and LRRC26 regulation of Slo1 channels. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.12.20.572542. [PMID: 38187713 PMCID: PMC10769243 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.20.572542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Multi-modal regulation of Slo1 channels by membrane voltage, intracellular calcium, and auxiliary subunits enables its pleiotropic physiological functions. Our understanding of how voltage impacts Slo1 conformational dynamics and the mechanisms by which auxiliary subunits, particularly of the LRRC (Leucine Rich Repeat containing) family of proteins, modulate its voltage gating remain unresolved. Here, we used single particle cryo-electron microscopy to determine structures of human Slo1 mutants which functionally stabilize the closed pore (F315A) or the activated voltage-sensor (R207A). Our structures, obtained under calcium-free conditions, reveal that a key step in voltage-sensing by Slo1 involves a rotameric flip of the voltage-sensing charges (R210 and R213) moving them by ∼6 Å across a hydrophobic gasket. Next we obtained reconstructions of a complex of human Slo1 with the human LRRC26 (γ1) subunit in absence of calcium. Together with extensive biochemical tests, we show that the extracellular domains of γ1 form a ring of interlocked dominos that stabilizes the quaternary assembly of the complex and biases Slo1:γ1 assembly towards high stoichiometric complexes. The transmembrane helix of γ1 is kinked and tightly packed against the Slo1 voltage-sensor. We hypothesize that γ1 subunits exert relatively small effects on early steps in voltage-gating but structurally stabilize non-S4 helices of Slo1 voltage-sensor which energetically facilitate conformational rearrangements that occur late in voltage stimulated transitions.
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3
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Sun L, Horrigan FT. A gating lever and molecular logic gate that couple voltage and calcium sensor activation to opening in BK potassium channels. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabq5772. [PMID: 36516264 PMCID: PMC9750137 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abq5772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BK channels uniquely integrate voltage and calcium signaling in diverse cell types through allosteric activation of their K+-conducting pore by structurally distinct V and Ca2+ sensor domains. Here, we define mechanisms and interaction pathways that link V sensors to the pore by analyzing effects on allosteric coupling of point mutations in the context of Slo1 BK channel structure. A gating lever, mediated by S4/S5 segment interaction within the transmembrane domain, rotates to engage and stabilize the open conformation of the S6 inner pore helix upon V sensor activation. In addition, an indirect pathway, mediated by the carboxyl-terminal cytosolic domain (CTD) and C-linker that connects the CTD to S6, stabilizes the closed conformation when V sensors are at rest. Unexpectedly, this mechanism, which bypasses the covalent connections of C-linker to CTD and pore, also transduces Ca2+-dependent coupling in a manner that is completely nonadditive with voltage, analogous to the function of a digital logic (OR) gate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Sun
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Frank T. Horrigan
- Department of Integrative Physiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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4
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Zhang G, Xu X, Jia Z, Geng Y, Liang H, Shi J, Marras M, Abella C, Magleby KL, Silva JR, Chen J, Zou X, Cui J. An allosteric modulator activates BK channels by perturbing coupling between Ca 2+ binding and pore opening. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6784. [PMID: 36351900 PMCID: PMC9646747 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34359-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BK type Ca2+-activated K+ channels activate in response to both voltage and Ca2+. The membrane-spanning voltage sensor domain (VSD) activation and Ca2+ binding to the cytosolic tail domain (CTD) open the pore across the membrane, but the mechanisms that couple VSD activation and Ca2+ binding to pore opening are not clear. Here we show that a compound, BC5, identified from in silico screening, interacts with the CTD-VSD interface and specifically modulates the Ca2+ dependent activation mechanism. BC5 activates the channel in the absence of Ca2+ binding but Ca2+ binding inhibits BC5 effects. Thus, BC5 perturbs a pathway that couples Ca2+ binding to pore opening to allosterically affect both, which is further supported by atomistic simulations and mutagenesis. The results suggest that the CTD-VSD interaction makes a major contribution to the mechanism of Ca2+ dependent activation and is an important site for allosteric agonists to modulate BK channel activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guohui Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Disorders, Cardiac Bioelectricity and Arrhythmia Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Xianjin Xu
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri - Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA.,Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri - Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri - Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA.,Institute for Data Science and Informatics, University of Missouri - Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Zhiguang Jia
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Yanyan Geng
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Hongwu Liang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Disorders, Cardiac Bioelectricity and Arrhythmia Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jingyi Shi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Disorders, Cardiac Bioelectricity and Arrhythmia Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Martina Marras
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Disorders, Cardiac Bioelectricity and Arrhythmia Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Carlota Abella
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Disorders, Cardiac Bioelectricity and Arrhythmia Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Karl L Magleby
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Jonathan R Silva
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Disorders, Cardiac Bioelectricity and Arrhythmia Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Jianhan Chen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA. .,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA.
| | - Xiaoqin Zou
- Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Missouri - Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA. .,Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Missouri - Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA. .,Department of Biochemistry, University of Missouri - Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA. .,Institute for Data Science and Informatics, University of Missouri - Columbia, Columbia, MO, USA.
| | - Jianmin Cui
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Center for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Disorders, Cardiac Bioelectricity and Arrhythmia Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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5
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Gessner G, Rühl P, Westerhausen M, Hoshi T, Heinemann SH. Fe 2+-Mediated Activation of BK Ca Channels by Rapid Photolysis of CORM-S1 Releasing CO and Fe 2. ACS Chem Biol 2020; 15:2098-2106. [PMID: 32667185 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Heme catabolism by heme oxygenase (HO) with a decrease in intracellular heme concentration and a concomitant local release of CO and Fe2+ has the potential to regulate BKCa channels. Here, we show that the iron-based photolabile CO-releasing molecule CORM-S1 [dicarbonyl-bis(cysteamine)iron(II)] coreleases CO and Fe2+, making it a suitable light-triggered source of these downstream products of HO activity. To investigate the impact of CO, iron, and cysteamine on BKCa channel activation, human Slo1 (hSlo1) was expressed in HEK293T cells and studied with electrophysiological methods. Whereas hSlo1 channels are activated by CO and even more strongly by Fe2+, Fe3+ and cysteamine possess only marginal activating potency. Investigation of hSlo1 mutants revealed that Fe2+ modulates the channels mainly through the Mg2+-dependent activation mechanism. Flash photolysis of CORM-S1 suits for rapid and precise delivery of Fe2+ and CO in biological settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guido Gessner
- Center for Molecular Biomedicine, Department of Biophysics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Jena University Hospital, Hans-Knöll-Str. 2, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Philipp Rühl
- Center for Molecular Biomedicine, Department of Biophysics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Jena University Hospital, Hans-Knöll-Str. 2, D-07745 Jena, Germany
| | - Matthias Westerhausen
- Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, D-07740 Jena, Germany
| | - Toshinori Hoshi
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania United States
| | - Stefan H. Heinemann
- Center for Molecular Biomedicine, Department of Biophysics, Friedrich Schiller University Jena and Jena University Hospital, Hans-Knöll-Str. 2, D-07745 Jena, Germany
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6
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Almássy J, Nánási PP. Brief structural insight into the allosteric gating mechanism of BK (Slo1) channel 1. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 2018; 97:498-502. [PMID: 30517027 DOI: 10.1139/cjpp-2018-0516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The big conductance Ca2+-dependent K+ channel, also known as BK, MaxiK, Slo1, or KCa1.1, is a ligand- and voltage-gated K+ channel. Although structure-function studies of the past decades, involving mutagenesis and electrophysiological measurements, revealed fine details of the mechanism of BK channel gating, the exact molecular details remained unknown until the quaternary structure of the protein has been solved at a resolution of 3.5 Å using cryo-electron microscopy. In this short review, we are going to summarize these results and interpret the gating model of the BK channel in the light of the recent structural results.
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Affiliation(s)
- János Almássy
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.,Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Péter P Nánási
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary.,Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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7
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Zhou Y, Xia XM, Lingle CJ. BK channel inhibition by strong extracellular acidification. eLife 2018; 7:38060. [PMID: 29963986 PMCID: PMC6054526 DOI: 10.7554/elife.38060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Mammalian BK-type voltage- and Ca2+-dependent K+ channels are found in a wide range of cells and intracellular organelles. Among different loci, the composition of the extracellular microenvironment, including pH, may differ substantially. For example, it has been reported that BK channels are expressed in lysosomes with their extracellular side facing the strongly acidified lysosomal lumen (pH ~4.5). Here we show that BK activation is strongly and reversibly inhibited by extracellular H+, with its conductance-voltage relationship shifted by more than +100 mV at pHO 4. Our results reveal that this inhibition is mainly caused by H+ inhibition of BK voltage-sensor (VSD) activation through three acidic residues on the extracellular side of BK VSD. Given that these key residues (D133, D147, D153) are highly conserved among members in the voltage-dependent cation channel superfamily, the mechanism underlying BK inhibition by extracellular acidification might also be applicable to other members in the family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - Xiao-Ming Xia
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
| | - Christopher J Lingle
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, United States
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8
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Zhou Y, Yang H, Cui J, Lingle CJ. Threading the biophysics of mammalian Slo1 channels onto structures of an invertebrate Slo1 channel. J Gen Physiol 2017; 149:985-1007. [PMID: 29025867 PMCID: PMC5677106 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201711845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2017] [Accepted: 09/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Zhou et al. consider the biophysics of large-conductance Ca2+-activated Slo1 channels in the context of Aplysia Slo1 structures. For those interested in the machinery of ion channel gating, the Ca2+ and voltage-activated BK K+ channel provides a compelling topic for investigation, by virtue of its dual allosteric regulation by both voltage and intracellular Ca2+ and because its large-single channel conductance facilitates detailed kinetic analysis. Over the years, biophysical analyses have illuminated details of the allosteric regulation of BK channels and revealed insights into the mechanism of BK gating, e.g., inner cavity size and accessibility and voltage sensor-pore coupling. Now the publication of two structures of an Aplysia californica BK channel—one liganded and one metal free—promises to reinvigorate functional studies and interpretation of biophysical results. The new structures confirm some of the previous functional inferences but also suggest new perspectives regarding cooperativity between Ca2+-binding sites and the relationship between voltage- and Ca2+-dependent gating. Here we consider the extent to which the two structures explain previous functional data on pore-domain properties, voltage-sensor motions, and divalent cation binding and activation of the channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis MO
| | - Huanghe Yang
- Department of Biochemistry, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC
| | - Jianmin Cui
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
| | - Christopher J Lingle
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis MO
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9
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Pchelintseva E, Djamgoz MBA. Mesenchymal stem cell differentiation: Control by calcium-activated potassium channels. J Cell Physiol 2017; 233:3755-3768. [PMID: 28776687 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.26120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are widely used in modern medicine for which understanding the mechanisms controlling their differentiation is fundamental. Ion channels offer novel insights to this process because of their role in modulating membrane potential and intracellular milieu. Here, we evaluate the contribution of calcium-activated potassium (KCa ) channels to the three main components of MSC differentiation: initiation, proliferation, and migration. First, we demonstrate the importance of the membrane potential (Vm ) and the apparent association of hyperpolarization with differentiation. Of KCa subtypes, most evidence points to activity of big-conductance channels in inducing initiation. On the other hand, intermediate-conductance currents have been shown to promote progression through the cell cycle. While there is no information on the role of KCa channels in migration of MSCs, work from other stem cells and cancer cells suggest that intermediate-conductance and to a lesser extent big-conductance channels drive migration. In all cases, these effects depend on species, tissue origin and lineage. Finally, we present a conceptual model that demonstrates how KCa activity could influence differentiation by regulating Vm and intracellular Ca2+ oscillations. We conclude that KCa channels have significant involvement in MSC differentiation and could potentially enable novel tissue engineering approaches and therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina Pchelintseva
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Neuroscience Solution to Cancer Research Group, London, UK.,Department of Bioengineering, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, UK
| | - Mustafa B A Djamgoz
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, Neuroscience Solution to Cancer Research Group, London, UK
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10
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Alcohol Regulates BK Surface Expression via Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling. J Neurosci 2017; 36:10625-10639. [PMID: 27733613 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0491-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been suggested that drug tolerance represents a form of learning and memory, but this has not been experimentally established at the molecular level. We show that a component of alcohol molecular tolerance (channel internalization) from rat hippocampal neurons requires protein synthesis, in common with other forms of learning and memory. We identify β-catenin as a primary necessary protein. Alcohol increases β-catenin, and blocking accumulation of β-catenin blocks alcohol-induced internalization in these neurons. In transfected HEK293 cells, suppression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling blocks ethanol-induced internalization. Conversely, activation of Wnt/β-catenin reduces BK current density. A point mutation in a putative glycogen synthase kinase phosophorylation site within the S10 region of BK blocks internalization, suggesting that Wnt/β-catenin directly regulates alcohol-induced BK internalization via glycogen synthase kinase phosphorylation. These findings establish de novo protein synthesis and Wnt/β-catenin signaling as critical in mediating a persistent form of BK molecular alcohol tolerance establishing a commonality with other forms of long-term plasticity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Alcohol tolerance is a key step toward escalating alcohol consumption and subsequent dependence. Our research aims to make significant contributions toward novel, therapeutic approaches to prevent and treat alcohol misuse by understanding the molecular mechanisms of alcohol tolerance. In our current study, we identify the role of a key regulatory pathway in alcohol-induced persistent molecular changes within the hippocampus. The canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway regulates BK channel surface expression in a protein synthesis-dependent manner reminiscent of other forms of long-term hippocampal neuronal adaptations. This unique insight opens the possibility of using clinically tested drugs, targeting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, for the novel use of preventing and treating alcohol dependency.
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11
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Structural basis for gating the high-conductance Ca 2+-activated K + channel. Nature 2016; 541:52-57. [PMID: 27974801 DOI: 10.1038/nature20775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The precise control of an ion channel gate by environmental stimuli is crucial for the fulfilment of its biological role. The gate in Slo1 K+ channels is regulated by two separate stimuli, intracellular Ca2+ concentration and membrane voltage. Slo1 is thus central to understanding the relationship between intracellular Ca2+ and membrane excitability. Here we present the Slo1 structure from Aplysia californica in the absence of Ca2+ and compare it with the Ca2+-bound channel. We show that Ca2+ binding at two unique binding sites per subunit stabilizes an expanded conformation of the Ca2+ sensor gating ring. These conformational changes are propagated from the gating ring to the pore through covalent linkers and through protein interfaces formed between the gating ring and the voltage sensors. The gating ring and the voltage sensors are directly connected through these interfaces, which allow membrane voltage to regulate gating of the pore by influencing the Ca2+ sensors.
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12
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Interactions of divalent cations with calcium binding sites of BK channels reveal independent motions within the gating ring. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2016; 113:14055-14060. [PMID: 27872281 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1611415113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Large-conductance voltage- and calcium-activated K+ (BK) channels are key physiological players in muscle, nerve, and endocrine function by integrating intracellular Ca2+ and membrane voltage signals. The open probability of BK channels is regulated by the intracellular concentration of divalent cations sensed by a large structure in the BK channel called the "gating ring," which is formed by four tandems of regulator of conductance for K+ (RCK1 and RCK2) domains. In contrast to Ca2+ that binds to both RCK domains, Mg2+, Cd2+, or Ba2+ interact preferentially with either one or the other. Interaction of cations with their binding sites causes molecular rearrangements of the gating ring, but how these motions occur remains elusive. We have assessed the separate contributions of each RCK domain to the cation-induced gating-ring structural rearrangements, using patch-clamp fluorometry. Here we show that Mg2+ and Ba2+ selectively induce structural movement of the RCK2 domain, whereas Cd2+ causes motions of RCK1, in all cases substantially smaller than those elicited by Ca2+ By combining divalent species interacting with unique sites, we demonstrate that RCK1 and RCK2 domains move independently when their specific binding sites are occupied. Moreover, binding of chemically distinct cations to both RCK domains is additive, emulating the effect of fully occupied Ca2+ binding sites.
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13
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Marrero HG, Treistman SN, Lemos JR. Ethanol Effect on BK Channels is Modulated by Magnesium. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2016; 39:1671-9. [PMID: 26331878 DOI: 10.1111/acer.12821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcoholics have been reported to have reduced levels of magnesium in both their extracellular and intracellular compartments. Calcium-dependent potassium channels (BK) are known to be one of ethanol (EtOH)'s better known molecular targets. METHODS Using outside-out patches from hippocampal neuronal cultures, we examined the consequences of altered intracellular Mg(2+) on the effects that EtOH has on BK channels. RESULTS We find that the effect of EtOH is bimodally influenced by the Mg(2+) concentration on the cytoplasmic side. More specifically, when internal Mg(2+) concentrations are ≤200 μM, EtOH decreases BK activity, whereas it increases activity when Mg(2+) is at 1 mM. Similar results are obtained when using patches from HEK cells expressing only the α-subunit of BK. When patches are made with the actin destabilizer cytochalasin D present on the cytoplasmic side, the potentiation caused by EtOH becomes independent of the Mg(2+) concentration. Furthermore, in the presence of the actin stabilizer phalloidin, EtOH causes inhibition even at Mg(2+) concentrations of 1 mM. CONCLUSIONS Internal Mg(2+) can modulate the EtOH effects on BK channels only when there is an intact, internal actin interaction with the channel, as is found at synapses. We propose that the EtOH-induced decrease in cytoplasmic Mg(2+) observed in frequent/chronic drinkers would decrease EtOH's actions on synaptic (e.g., actin-bound) BK channels, producing a form of molecular tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - José R Lemos
- Department of Microbiology and Physiological Systems, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts
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14
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Hoshi T, Heinemann SH. Modulation of BK Channels by Small Endogenous Molecules and Pharmaceutical Channel Openers. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2016; 128:193-237. [PMID: 27238265 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2016.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Voltage- and Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels of big conductance (BK channels) are abundantly found in various organs and their relevance for smooth muscle tone and neuronal signaling is well documented. Dysfunction of BK channels is implicated in an array of human diseases involving many organs including the nervous, pulmonary, cardiovascular, renal, and urinary systems. In humans a single gene (KCNMA1) encodes the pore-forming α subunit (Slo1) of BK channels, but the channel properties are variable because of alternative splicing, tissue- and subcellular-specific auxiliary subunits (β, γ), posttranslational modifications, and a multitude of endogenous signaling molecules directly affecting the channel function. Initiatives to develop drugs capable of activating BK channels (channel openers) therefore need to consider the tissue-specific variability of BK channel structure and the potential interference with endogenously produced regulatory factors. The atomic structural basis of BK channel function is only beginning to be revealed. However, building on detailed knowledge of BK channel function, including its single-channel characteristics, voltage- and Ca(2+) dependence of channel gating, and modulation by diffusible messengers, a multi-tier allosteric model of BK channel gating (Horrigan and Aldrich (HA) model) has become a valuable tool in studying modulation of the channel. Using the conceptual framework of the HA model, we here review the functional impact of endogenous modulatory factors and select small synthetic compounds that regulate BK channel activity. Furthermore, we devise experimental approaches for studying BK channel-drug interactions with the aim to classify BK-modulating substances according to their molecular mode of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Hoshi
- University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
| | - S H Heinemann
- Friedrich Schiller University Jena & Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany
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15
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Abstract
BK channels are universal regulators of cell excitability, given their exceptional unitary conductance selective for K(+), joint activation mechanism by membrane depolarization and intracellular [Ca(2+)] elevation, and broad expression pattern. In this chapter, we discuss the structural basis and operational principles of their activation, or gating, by membrane potential and calcium. We also discuss how the two activation mechanisms interact to culminate in channel opening. As members of the voltage-gated potassium channel superfamily, BK channels are discussed in the context of archetypal family members, in terms of similarities that help us understand their function, but also seminal structural and biophysical differences that confer unique functional properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Pantazis
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - R Olcese
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
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16
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Yang H, Zhang G, Cui J. BK channels: multiple sensors, one activation gate. Front Physiol 2015; 6:29. [PMID: 25705194 PMCID: PMC4319557 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2015.00029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Ion transport across cell membranes is essential to cell communication and signaling. Passive ion transport is mediated by ion channels, membrane proteins that create ion conducting pores across cell membrane to allow ion flux down electrochemical gradient. Under physiological conditions, majority of ion channel pores are not constitutively open. Instead, structural region(s) within these pores breaks the continuity of the aqueous ion pathway, thereby serves as activation gate(s) to control ions flow in and out. To achieve spatially and temporally regulated ion flux in cells, many ion channels have evolved sensors to detect various environmental stimuli or the metabolic states of the cell and trigger global conformational changes, thereby dynamically operate the opening and closing of their activation gate. The sensors of ion channels can be broadly categorized as chemical sensors and physical sensors to respond to chemical (such as neural transmitters, nucleotides and ions) and physical (such as voltage, mechanical force and temperature) signals, respectively. With the rapidly growing structural and functional information of different types of ion channels, it is now critical to understand how ion channel sensors dynamically control their gates at molecular and atomic level. The voltage and Ca2+ activated BK channels, a K+ channel with an electrical sensor and multiple chemical sensors, provide a unique model system for us to understand how physical and chemical energy synergistically operate its activation gate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanghe Yang
- Ion Channel Research Unit, Duke University Medical Center Durham, NC, USA ; Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center Durham, NC, USA
| | - Guohui Zhang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jianmin Cui
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in Saint Louis St. Louis, MO, USA ; Cardiac Bioelectricity and Arrhythmia Center, Washington University in Saint Louis St. Louis, MO, USA ; Center for The Investigation of Membrane Excitability Disorders, Washington University in Saint Louis St. Louis, MO, USA
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17
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Hoshi T, Pantazis A, Olcese R. Transduction of voltage and Ca2+ signals by Slo1 BK channels. Physiology (Bethesda) 2013; 28:172-89. [PMID: 23636263 DOI: 10.1152/physiol.00055.2012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Large-conductance Ca2+ -and voltage-gated K+ channels are activated by an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration and/or depolarization. The channel activation mechanism is well described by an allosteric model encompassing the gate, voltage sensors, and Ca2+ sensors, and the model is an excellent framework to understand the influences of auxiliary β and γ subunits and regulatory factors such as Mg2+. Recent advances permit elucidation of structural correlates of the biophysical mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Hoshi
- Department of Physiology, The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
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18
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Upadhyay Dhungel K, Kim TW, Sharma N, Bhattarai JP, Ah Park S, Han SK, Kim CJ. Magnesium increases iberiotoxin-sensitive large conductance calcium activated potassium currents on the basilar artery smooth muscle cells in rabbits. Neurol Res 2013; 34:11-6. [DOI: 10.1179/1743132811y.0000000049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kshitiz Upadhyay Dhungel
- Cerebrovascular Laboratory-Department of NeurosurgeryResearch Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School & Hospital, Jeonju, Korea
| | - Tae Woon Kim
- Cerebrovascular Laboratory-Department of NeurosurgeryResearch Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School & Hospital, Jeonju, Korea
| | - Naveen Sharma
- Cerebrovascular Laboratory-Department of NeurosurgeryResearch Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School & Hospital, Jeonju, Korea
| | - Janardhan Prasad Bhattarai
- Department of Oral Physiology & Institute of Oral BioscienceSchool of Dentistry, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Korea
| | - Seon Ah Park
- Department of Oral Physiology & Institute of Oral BioscienceSchool of Dentistry, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Korea
| | - Seong Kyu Han
- Department of Oral Physiology & Institute of Oral BioscienceSchool of Dentistry, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Korea
| | - Chul Jin Kim
- Cerebrovascular Laboratory-Department of NeurosurgeryResearch Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School & Hospital, Jeonju, Korea
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19
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Horrigan FT. Perspectives on: conformational coupling in ion channels: conformational coupling in BK potassium channels. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [PMID: 23183698 PMCID: PMC3514727 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201210849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Large conductance calcium- and voltage-dependent BK potassium channels (aka BK(Ca), MaxiK, Slo1, KCa1.1, and KCNMA1) are expressed in a wide variety of tissues throughout the body and are activated by both intracellular Ca(2+) and membrane depolarization. Owing to these properties, BK channels participate in diverse physiological processes from electrical excitability in neurons and secretory cells, and regulation of smooth muscle tone to tuning of auditory hair cells (Vergara et al., 1998; Ghatta et al., 2006). The response to voltage and Ca(2+) allows BK channels to integrate electrical and calcium signaling, which is central to their physiological role. Understanding how BK and other multimodal channels are regulated by and integrate diverse stimuli is not only physiologically important but also relevant to the topic of conformational coupling. As a voltage- and ligand-dependent channel, BK channels contain both voltage-sensor and ligand-binding domains as well as a gate to regulate the flow of K(+) through the pore. Coupling of conformational changes in one domain to another provides the basis for transducing voltage and ligand binding into channel opening and, therefore, defines, together with the functional properties of the gate and sensors, the signal transduction properties of the channel. The goal of this perspective is to provide an overview on the role and molecular basis of conformational coupling between functional domains in BK channels and outline some of the questions that remain to be answered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank T Horrigan
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Baylor College of Medicine Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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20
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Carvalho-de-Souza JL, Varanda WA, Tostes RC, Chignalia AZ. BK Channels in Cardiovascular Diseases and Aging. Aging Dis 2013; 4:38-49. [PMID: 23423545 PMCID: PMC3570140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2012] [Revised: 12/03/2012] [Accepted: 12/04/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, one of the main world-wide causes of death. Several structural and functional changes occur in the cardiovascular system during the aging process and the mechanisms involved in such alterations are yet to be completely described. BK channels are transmembrane proteins that play a key role in many physiological processes, including regulation of vascular tone. In vascular smooth muscle cells, BK opening and the consequent efflux of potassium (K(+)) leads to membrane hyperpolarization, which is followed by the closure of voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels, reduction of Ca(2+) entry and vasodilatation. BK regulates nitric oxide-mediated vasodilatation and thus is crucial for normal endothelial function. Herein we will briefly review general structural properties of BK and focus on their function in the cardiovascular system emphasizing their role in cardiovascular aging and diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rita C. Tostes
- Department of Pharmacology School of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Andreia Z. Chignalia
- Department of Pharmacology School of Medicine of Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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21
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Nguyen NV, Gruslova A, Kosiba WA, Wang B. Combined single-channel and macroscopic recording techniques to analyze gating mechanisms of the large conductance Ca2+ and voltage activated (BK) potassium channel. Methods Mol Biol 2013; 998:133-47. [PMID: 23529426 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-62703-351-0_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Ion channels are integral membrane proteins that regulate membrane potentials and signaling of cells in response to various stimuli. The patch-clamp technique enables the study of single channels or a population of channels. The macroscopic recording approaches are powerful in revealing population-averaged behaviors of channels both under basal conditions and in response to various stimuli, modulators and drugs. On their own, however, these approaches can be insufficient for determinations of channel gating mechanisms as they do not accurately report channel open probabilities below 10(-2) to 10(-3). This obstacle can be overcome with the use of single-channel recording techniques. Single-channel recording techniques can be applied to one or a few channels to estimate P o over a larger range than macroscopic recordings. The combination of heterologous overexpression of ion channels with macroscopic and single-channel recordings can be applied to hundreds of channels to estimate P o between 1 and 10(-8). Here, we describe practical approaches of single-channel recordings that our laboratory utilizes. We also provide examples where the combined macroscopic and single channel approach can be employed to study gating mechanisms of the BK type, large conductance, Ca(2+) and voltage activated potassium channel in a mammalian expression system. The techniques presented should be generally applicable to the studies of ion channels in heterologous expression systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen V Nguyen
- Department of Radiology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
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22
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Abstract
A thermodynamic approach to studying allosterically regulated ion channels such as the large-conductance voltage- and Ca(2+)-dependent (BK) channel is presented, drawing from principles originally introduced to describe linkage phenomena in hemoglobin. In this paper, linkage between a principal channel component and secondary elements is derived from a four-state thermodynamic cycle. One set of parallel legs in the cycle describes the "work function," or the free energy required to activate the principal component. The second are "lever operations" activating linked elements. The experimental embodiment of this linkage cycle is a plot of work function versus secondary force, whose asymptotes are a function of the parameters (displacements and interaction energies) of an allosteric network. Two essential work functions play a role in evaluating data from voltage-clamp experiments. The first is the conductance Hill energy W(H)([g]), which is a "local" work function for pore activation, and is defined as kT times the Hill transform of the conductance (G-V) curve. The second is the electrical capacitance energy W(C)([q]), representing "global" gating charge displacement, and is equal to the product of total gating charge per channel times the first moment (V(M)) of normalized capacitance (slope of Q-V curve). Plots of W(H)([g]) and W(C)([q]) versus voltage and Ca(2+) potential can be used to measure thermodynamic parameters in a model-independent fashion of the core gating constituents (pore, voltage-sensor, and Ca(2+)-binding domain) of BK channel. The method is easily generalized for use in studying other allosterically regulated ion channels. The feasibility of performing linkage analysis from patch-clamp data were explored by simulating gating and ionic currents of a 17-particle model BK channel in response to a slow voltage ramp, which yielded interaction energies deviating from their given values in the range of 1.3 to 7.2%.
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23
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Pantazis A, Olcese R. Relative transmembrane segment rearrangements during BK channel activation resolved by structurally assigned fluorophore-quencher pairing. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 140:207-18. [PMID: 22802360 PMCID: PMC3409098 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201210807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Voltage-activated proteins can sense, and respond to, changes in the electric field pervading the cell membrane by virtue of a transmembrane helix bundle, the voltage-sensing domain (VSD). Canonical VSDs consist of four transmembrane helices (S1-S4) of which S4 is considered a principal component because it possesses charged residues immersed in the electric field. Membrane depolarization compels the charges, and by extension S4, to rearrange with respect to the field. The VSD of large-conductance voltage- and Ca-activated K(+) (BK) channels exhibits two salient inconsistencies from the canonical VSD model: (1) the BK channel VSD possesses an additional nonconserved transmembrane helix (S0); and (2) it exhibits a "decentralized" distribution of voltage-sensing charges, in helices S2 and S3, in addition to S4. Considering these unique features, the voltage-dependent rearrangements of the BK VSD could differ significantly from the standard model of VSD operation. To understand the mode of operation of this unique VSD, we have optically tracked the relative motions of the BK VSD transmembrane helices during activation, by manipulating the quenching environment of site-directed fluorescent labels with native and introduced Trp residues. Having previously reported that S0 and S4 diverge during activation, in this work we demonstrate that S4 also diverges from S1 and S2, whereas S2, compelled by its voltage-sensing charged residues, moves closer to S1. This information contributes spatial constraints for understanding the BK channel voltage-sensing process, revealing the structural rearrangements in a non-canonical VSD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonios Pantazis
- Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Molecular Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90075, USA
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24
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Savalli N, Pantazis A, Yusifov T, Sigg D, Olcese R. The contribution of RCK domains to human BK channel allosteric activation. J Biol Chem 2012; 287:21741-50. [PMID: 22556415 PMCID: PMC3381136 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m112.346171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2012] [Revised: 04/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Large conductance voltage- and Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BK) channels are potent regulators of cellular processes including neuronal firing, synaptic transmission, cochlear hair cell tuning, insulin release, and smooth muscle tone. Their unique activation pathway relies on structurally distinct regulatory domains including one transmembrane voltage-sensing domain (VSD) and two intracellular high affinity Ca(2+)-sensing sites per subunit (located in the RCK1 and RCK2 domains). Four pairs of RCK1 and RCK2 domains form a Ca(2+)-sensing apparatus known as the "gating ring." The allosteric interplay between voltage- and Ca(2+)-sensing apparati is a fundamental mechanism of BK channel function. Using voltage-clamp fluorometry and UV photolysis of intracellular caged Ca(2+), we optically resolved VSD activation prompted by Ca(2+) binding to the gating ring. The sudden increase of intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) induced a hyperpolarizing shift in the voltage dependence of both channel opening and VSD activation, reported by a fluorophore labeling position 202, located in the upper side of the S4 transmembrane segment. The neutralization of the Ca(2+) sensor located in the RCK2 domain abolished the effect of [Ca(2+)](i) increase on the VSD rearrangements. On the other hand, the mutation of RCK1 residues involved in Ca(2+) sensing did not prevent the effect of Ca(2+) release on the VSD, revealing a functionally distinct interaction between RCK1 and RCK2 and the VSD. A statistical-mechanical model quantifies the complex thermodynamics interplay between Ca(2+) association in two distinct sites, voltage sensor activation, and BK channel opening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicoletta Savalli
- From the Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Molecular Medicine
| | - Antonios Pantazis
- From the Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Molecular Medicine
| | - Taleh Yusifov
- From the Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Molecular Medicine
| | - Daniel Sigg
- From the Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Molecular Medicine
| | - Riccardo Olcese
- From the Department of Anesthesiology, Division of Molecular Medicine
- the Brain Research Institute, and
- the Cardiovascular Research Laboratories, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90075
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25
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Chen RS, Geng Y, Magleby KL. Mg(2+) binding to open and closed states can activate BK channels provided that the voltage sensors are elevated. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 138:593-607. [PMID: 22124117 PMCID: PMC3226971 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.201110707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BK channels are activated by intracellular Ca2+ and Mg2+ as well as by depolarization. Such activation is possible because each of the four subunits has two high-affinity Ca2+ sites, one low-affinity Mg2+ site, and a voltage sensor. This study further investigates the mechanism of Mg2+ activation by using single-channel recording to determine separately the action of Mg2+ on the open and closed states of the channel. To limit Mg2+ action to the Mg2+ sites, the two high-affinity Ca2+ sites are disabled by mutation. When the voltage is stepped from negative holding potentials to +100 mV, we find that 10 mM Mg2+ decreases the mean closed latency to the first channel opening 2.1-fold, decreases the mean closed interval duration 8.7-fold, increases mean burst duration 10.1-fold, increases the number of openings per burst 4.4-fold, and increases mean open interval duration 2.3-fold. Hence, Mg2+ can bind to closed BK channels, increasing their opening rates, and to open BK channels, decreasing their closing rates. To explore the relationship between Mg2+ action and voltage sensor activation, we record single-channel activity in macropatches containing hundreds of channels. Open probability (Po) is dramatically increased by 10 mM Mg2+ when voltage sensors are activated with either depolarization or the mutation R210C. The increased Po arises from large decreases in mean closed interval durations and moderate increases in mean open interval durations. In contrast, 10 mM Mg2+ has no detectable effects on Po or interval durations when voltage sensors are deactivated with very negative potentials or the mutation R167E. These observations are consistent with a model in which Mg2+ can bind to and alter the gating of both closed and open states to increase Po, provided that one or more voltage sensors are activated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ren-Shiang Chen
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
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26
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Lee US, Cui J. BK channel activation: structural and functional insights. Trends Neurosci 2010; 33:415-23. [PMID: 20663573 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2010.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2010] [Revised: 06/22/2010] [Accepted: 06/22/2010] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
The voltage- and Ca(2+)-activated K(+) (BK) channels are involved in the regulation of neurotransmitter release and neuronal excitability. Structurally, BK channels are homologous to voltage- and ligand-gated K(+) channels, having a voltage sensor and pore as the membrane-spanning domain and a cytosolic domain containing metal binding sites. Recently published electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM) and X-ray crystallographic structures of the BK channel provided the first glimpse into the assembly of these domains, corroborating the close interactions among these domains during channel gating that have been suggested by functional studies. This review discusses these latest findings and an emerging new understanding about BK channel gating and implications for diseases such as epilepsy, in which mutations in BK channel genes have been associated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urvi S Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Cardiac Bioelectricity and Arrhythmia Center, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA
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27
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Cui J. BK-type calcium-activated potassium channels: coupling of metal ions and voltage sensing. J Physiol 2010; 588:4651-8. [PMID: 20660558 DOI: 10.1113/jphysiol.2010.194514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Ion channels and lipid phosphatases adopt a transmembrane voltage sensor domain (VSD) that moves in response to physiological variations of the membrane potential to control their activities. However, the VSD movements and coupling to the channel or phosphatase activities may differ depending on various interactions between the VSD and its host molecules. BK-type voltage, Ca²(+) and Mg²(+) activated K(+) channels contain the VSD and a large cytosolic domain (CTD) that binds Ca²(+)and Mg²(+). VSD movements are coupled to BK channel opening with a unique allosteric mechanism and are modulated by Ca²(+) and Mg²(+) binding via the interactions among the channel pore, VSD and CTD. These properties are energetically advantageous for the pore to be controlled by multiple stimuli, revealing the adaptability of the VSD to its host molecules and showing the potential for intracellular signals to affect the VSD in order to modulate the function of its host molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianmin Cui
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Cardiac Bioelectricity and Arrhythmia Center, Washington University, St Louis, MO 63130, USA.
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28
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Pau VPT, Abarca-Heidemann K, Rothberg BS. Allosteric mechanism of Ca2+ activation and H+-inhibited gating of the MthK K+ channel. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 135:509-26. [PMID: 20421375 PMCID: PMC2860591 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.200910387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
MthK is a Ca2+-gated K+ channel whose activity is inhibited by cytoplasmic H+. To determine possible mechanisms underlying the channel’s proton sensitivity and the relation between H+ inhibition and Ca2+-dependent gating, we recorded current through MthK channels incorporated into planar lipid bilayers. Each bilayer recording was obtained at up to six different [Ca2+] (ranging from nominally 0 to 30 mM) at a given [H+], in which the solutions bathing the cytoplasmic side of the channels were changed via a perfusion system to ensure complete solution exchanges. We observed a steep relation between [Ca2+] and open probability (Po), with a mean Hill coefficient (nH) of 9.9 ± 0.9. Neither the maximal Po (0.93 ± 0.005) nor nH changed significantly as a function of [H+] over pH ranging from 6.5 to 9.0. In addition, MthK channel activation in the nominal absence of Ca2+ was not H+ sensitive over pH ranging from 7.3 to 9.0. However, increasing [H+] raised the EC50 for Ca2+ activation by ∼4.7-fold per tenfold increase in [H+], displaying a linear relation between log(EC50) and log([H+]) (i.e., pH) over pH ranging from 6.5 to 9.0. Collectively, these results suggest that H+ binding does not directly modulate either the channel’s closed–open equilibrium or the allosteric coupling between Ca2+ binding and channel opening. We can account for the Ca2+ activation and proton sensitivity of MthK gating quantitatively by assuming that Ca2+ allosterically activates MthK, whereas H+ opposes activation by destabilizing the binding of Ca2+.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor P T Pau
- Department of Biochemistry, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.
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29
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Shelley C, Niu X, Geng Y, Magleby KL. Coupling and cooperativity in voltage activation of a limited-state BK channel gating in saturating Ca2+. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 135:461-80. [PMID: 20421372 PMCID: PMC2860587 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.200910331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Voltage-dependent gating mechanisms of large conductance Ca2+ and voltage-activated (BK) channels were investigated using two-dimensional maximum likelihood analysis of single-channel open and closed intervals. To obtain sufficient data at negative as well as positive voltages, single-channel currents were recorded at saturating Ca2+ from BK channels mutated to remove the RCK1 Ca2+ and Mg2+ sensors. The saturating Ca2+ acting on the Ca2+ bowl sensors of the resulting BKB channels increased channel activity while driving the gating into a reduced number of states, simplifying the model. Five highly constrained idealized gating mechanisms based on extensions of the Monod-Wyman-Changeux model for allosteric proteins were examined. A 10-state model without coupling between the voltage sensors and the opening/closing transitions partially described the voltage dependence of Po but not the single-channel kinetics. With allowed coupling, the model gave improved descriptions of Po and approximated the single-channel kinetics; each activated voltage sensor increased the opening rate approximately an additional 23-fold while having little effect on the closing rate. Allowing cooperativity among voltage sensors further improved the description of the data: each activated voltage sensor increased the activation rate of the remaining voltage sensors approximately fourfold, with little effect on the deactivation rate. The coupling factor was decreased in models with cooperativity from ∼23 to ∼18. Whether the apparent cooperativity among voltage sensors arises from imposing highly idealized models or from actual cooperativity will require additional studies to resolve. For both cooperative and noncooperative models, allowing transitions to five additional brief (flicker) closed states further improved the description of the data. These observations show that the voltage-dependent single-channel kinetics of BKB channels can be approximated by highly idealized allosteric models in which voltage sensor movement increases Po mainly through an increase in channel opening rates, with limited effects on closing rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Shelley
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
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30
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LRRC26 auxiliary protein allows BK channel activation at resting voltage without calcium. Nature 2010; 466:513-6. [PMID: 20613726 DOI: 10.1038/nature09162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2010] [Accepted: 05/07/2010] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Large-conductance, voltage- and calcium-activated potassium (BK, or K(Ca)1.1) channels are ubiquitously expressed in electrically excitable and non-excitable cells, either as alpha-subunit (BKalpha) tetramers or together with tissue specific auxiliary beta-subunits (beta1-beta4). Activation of BK channels typically requires coincident membrane depolarization and elevation in free cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)), which are not physiological conditions for most non-excitable cells. Here we present evidence that in non-excitable LNCaP prostate cancer cells, BK channels can be activated at negative voltages without rises in [Ca(2+)](i) through their complex with an auxiliary protein, leucine-rich repeat (LRR)-containing protein 26 (LRRC26). LRRC26 modulates the gating of a BK channel by enhancing the allosteric coupling between voltage-sensor activation and the channel's closed-open transition. This finding reveals a novel auxiliary protein of a voltage-gated ion channel that gives an unprecedentedly large negative shift ( approximately -140 mV) in voltage dependence and provides a molecular basis for activation of BK channels at physiological voltages and calcium levels in non-excitable cells.
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31
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Tang QY, Zeng XH, Lingle CJ. Closed-channel block of BK potassium channels by bbTBA requires partial activation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010; 134:409-36. [PMID: 19858359 PMCID: PMC2768800 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.200910251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Blockade of large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channels by the bulky quaternary ammonium compound, N-(4-[benzoyl]benzyl)-N,N,N-tributylammonium (bbTBA), exhibits features consistent with blockade of both closed and open states. Here, we examine block of closed BK channels by bbTBA and how it may differ from block of open channels. Although our observations generally confirm earlier results, we describe three observations that are inconsistent with a model in which closed and open channels are equally accessible to blockade by bbTBA. First, block by bbTBA exhibits Ca2+-dependent features that are inconsistent with strictly state-independent block. Second, the steady-state voltage dependence of bbTBA block at negative potentials shows that any block of completely closed states either does not occur or is completely voltage independent. Third, determination of the fractional unblock by bbTBA at either low or high Ca2+ reveals deviations from a model in which open- and closed-state block is identical. The results support the view that bbTBA blockade of fully closed channels does not occur. We imagine two general types of explanation. First, a stronger voltage dependence of closed-channel block may minimize the contribution of closed-channel block at negative potentials. Second, voltage-dependent conformational changes among closed-channel states may permit block by bbTBA. The analysis supports the latter view, suggesting that bbTBA blockade of fully closed channels does not occur, but the ability of bbTBA to block a closed channel requires movement of one or more voltage sensors. Models in which block is coupled to voltage sensor movement can qualitatively account for (1) the ability of open-channel block to better fit block of conductance–voltage curves at high Ca2+; (2) the voltage dependence of fractional availability; and (3) the fractional unblock at different open probabilities. BK channels appear to undergo voltage-dependent conformational changes among closed states that are permissive for bbTBA block.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong-Yao Tang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Hou S, Horrigan FT, Xu R, Heinemann SH, Hoshi T. Comparative effects of H+ and Ca2+ on large-conductance Ca2+- and voltage-gated Slo1 K+ channels. Channels (Austin) 2009; 3:249-58. [PMID: 19617704 DOI: 10.4161/chan.3.4.9253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Large-conductance Ca(2+)- and voltage-gated Slo1 BK channels are allosterically activated by depolarization and intracellular ligands such as Ca(2+). Of the two high-affinity Ca(2+) sensors present in the channel, the RCK1 sensor also mediates H(+)-dependent activation of the channel. In this study, we examined the comparative mechanisms of the channel activation by Ca(2+) and H(+). Steady-state macroscopic conductance-voltage measurements as well as single-channel openings at negative voltages where voltage-sensor activation is negligible showed that at respective saturating concentrations Ca(2+) is more effective in relative stabilization of the open conformation than H(+). Calculations using the Debye-Hückel formalism suggest that small structural changes in the RCK1 sensor, on the order of few angstroms, may accompany the H(+)-mediated opening of the channel. While the efficacy of H(+) in activation of the channel is less than that of Ca(2+), H(+) more effectively accelerates the activation kinetics when examined at the concentrations equipotent on macroscopic voltage-dependent activation. The RCK1 sensor therefore is capable of transducing the nature of the bound ligand and transmits qualitatively different information to the channel's permeation gate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shangwei Hou
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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Abstract
Large conductance, Ca(2+)-activated potassium (BK) channels are widely expressed throughout the animal kingdom and play important roles in many physiological processes, such as muscle contraction, neural transmission and hearing. These physiological roles derive from the ability of BK channels to be synergistically activated by membrane voltage, intracellular Ca(2+) and other ligands. Similar to voltage-gated K(+) channels, BK channels possess a pore-gate domain (S5-S6 transmembrane segments) and a voltage-sensor domain (S1-S4). In addition, BK channels contain a large cytoplasmic C-terminal domain that serves as the primary ligand sensor. The voltage sensor and the ligand sensor allosterically control K(+) flux through the pore-gate domain in response to various stimuli, thereby linking cellular metabolism and membrane excitability. This review summarizes the current understanding of these structural domains and their mutual interactions in voltage-, Ca(2+)- and Mg(2+)-dependent activation of the channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Cui
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Cardiac Bioelectricity and Arrhythmia Center, Washington University, 1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA.
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Wang B, Rothberg BS, Brenner R. Mechanism of increased BK channel activation from a channel mutation that causes epilepsy. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 133:283-94. [PMID: 19204188 PMCID: PMC2654085 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.200810141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Concerted depolarization and Ca2+ rise during neuronal action potentials activate large-conductance Ca2+- and voltage-dependent K+ (BK) channels, whose robust K+ currents increase the rate of action potential repolarization. Gain-of-function BK channels in mouse knockout of the inhibitory β4 subunit and in a human mutation (αD434G) have been linked to epilepsy. Here, we investigate mechanisms underlying the gain-of-function effects of the equivalent mouse mutation (αD369G), its modulation by the β4 subunit, and potential consequences of the mutation on BK currents during action potentials. Kinetic analysis in the context of the Horrigan-Aldrich allosteric gating model revealed that changes in intrinsic and Ca2+-dependent gating largely account for the gain-of-function effects. D369G causes a greater than twofold increase in the closed-to-open equilibrium constant (6.6e−7→1.65e−6) and an approximate twofold decrease in Ca2+-dissociation constants (closed channel: 11.3→5.2 µM; open channel: 0.92→0.54 µM). The β4 subunit inhibits mutant channels through a slowing of activation kinetics. In physiological recording solutions, we established the Ca2+ dependence of current recruitment during action potential–shaped stimuli. D369G and β4 have opposing effects on BK current recruitment, where D369G reduces and β4 increases K1/2 (K1/2 μM: αWT 13.7, αD369G 6.3, αWT/β4 24.8, and αD369G/β4 15.0). Collectively, our results suggest that the D369G enhancement of intrinsic gating and Ca2+ binding underlies greater contributions of BK current in the sharpening of action potentials for both α and α/β4 channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Wang
- Department of Physiology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
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Sweet TB, Cox DH. Measurements of the BKCa channel's high-affinity Ca2+ binding constants: effects of membrane voltage. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 132:491-505. [PMID: 18955592 PMCID: PMC2571968 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.200810094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
It has been established that the large conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channel contains two types of high-affinity Ca2+ binding sites, termed the Ca2+ bowl and the RCK1 site. The affinities of these sites, and how they change as the channel opens, is still a subject of some debate. Previous estimates of these affinities have relied on fitting a series of conductance–voltage relations determined over a series of Ca2+ concentrations with models of channel gating that include both voltage sensing and Ca2+ binding. This approach requires that some model of voltage sensing be chosen, and differences in the choice of voltage-sensing model may underlie the different estimates that have been produced. Here, to better determine these affinities we have measured Ca2+ dose–response curves of channel activity at constant voltage for the wild-type mSlo channel (minus its low-affinity Ca2+ binding site) and for channels that have had one or the other Ca2+ binding site disabled via mutation. To accurately determine these dose–response curves we have used a series of 22 Ca2+ concentrations, and we have used unitary current recordings, coupled with changes in channel expression level, to measure open probability over five orders of magnitude. Our results indicate that at −80 mV the Ca2+ bowl has higher affinity for Ca2+ than does the RCK1 site in both the opened and closed conformations of the channel, and that the binding of Ca2+ to the RCK1 site is voltage dependent, whereas at the Ca2+ bowl it is not.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tara-Beth Sweet
- Molecular Cardiology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111, USA
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Integration of an electric-metal sensory experience in the Slo1 BK channel. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2008; 15:1130-2. [PMID: 18985066 DOI: 10.1038/nsmb1108-1130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Structure, function, and modification of the voltage sensor in voltage-gated ion channels. Cell Biochem Biophys 2008; 52:149-74. [PMID: 18989792 DOI: 10.1007/s12013-008-9032-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 93] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/01/2008] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Voltage-gated ion channels are crucial for both neuronal and cardiac excitability. Decades of research have begun to unravel the intriguing machinery behind voltage sensitivity. Although the details regarding the arrangement and movement in the voltage-sensor domain are still debated, consensus is slowly emerging. There are three competing conceptual models: the helical-screw, the transporter, and the paddle model. In this review we explore the structure of the activated voltage-sensor domain based on the recent X-ray structure of a chimera between Kv1.2 and Kv2.1. We also present a model for the closed state. From this we conclude that upon depolarization the voltage sensor S4 moves approximately 13 A outwards and rotates approximately 180 degrees, thus consistent with the helical-screw model. S4 also moves relative to S3b which is not consistent with the paddle model. One interesting feature of the voltage sensor is that it partially faces the lipid bilayer and therefore can interact both with the membrane itself and with physiological and pharmacological molecules reaching the channel from the membrane. This type of channel modulation is discussed together with other mechanisms for how voltage-sensitivity is modified. Small effects on voltage-sensitivity can have profound effects on excitability. Therefore, medical drugs designed to alter the voltage dependence offer an interesting way to regulate excitability.
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Yang H, Shi J, Zhang G, Yang J, Delaloye K, Cui J. Activation of Slo1 BK channels by Mg2+ coordinated between the voltage sensor and RCK1 domains. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2008; 15:1152-9. [PMID: 18931675 PMCID: PMC2579968 DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.1507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2008] [Accepted: 09/29/2008] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The voltage sensor domain (VSD) and the ligand sensor (cytoplasmic domain) of BK channels synergistically control channel activities, thereby integrating electrical and chemical signals for cell function. Studies show that intracellular Mg2+ mediates the interaction between these sensory domains to activate the channel through an electrostatic interaction with the VSD. Here we report that Mg2+ binds to a site that consists of amino acid side-chains from both the VSD (Asp99 and Asn172) and the cytoplasmic domain (Glu374 and Glu399). For each Mg2+ binding site the residues in the VSD and those in the cytoplasmic domain come from neighboring subunits. These results suggest that the VSD and the cytoplasmic domains from different subunits may interact during channel gating, and the packing of VSD or the RCK1 domain to the pore in BK channels differ from that in Kv1.2 or MthK channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanghe Yang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Cardiac Bioelectricity and Arrhythmia Center, Washington University, 1 Brookings Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, USA
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Ma Z, Wong KY, Horrigan FT. An extracellular Cu2+ binding site in the voltage sensor of BK and Shaker potassium channels. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008; 131:483-502. [PMID: 18443360 PMCID: PMC2346571 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.200809980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Copper is an essential trace element that may serve as a signaling molecule in the nervous system. Here we show that extracellular Cu2+ is a potent inhibitor of BK and Shaker K+ channels. At low micromolar concentrations, Cu2+ rapidly and reversibly reduces macrosocopic K+ conductance (GK) evoked from mSlo1 BK channels by membrane depolarization. GK is reduced in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 and Hill coefficient of ∼2 μM and 1.0, respectively. Saturating 100 μM Cu2+ shifts the GK-V relation by +74 mV and reduces GKmax by 27% without affecting single channel conductance. However, 100 μM Cu2+ fails to inhibit GK when applied during membrane depolarization, suggesting that Cu2+ interacts poorly with the activated channel. Of other transition metal ions tested, only Zn2+ and Cd2+ had significant effects at 100 μM with IC50s > 0.5 mM, suggesting the binding site is Cu2+ selective. Mutation of external Cys or His residues did not alter Cu2+ sensitivity. However, four putative Cu2+-coordinating residues were identified (D133, Q151, D153, and R207) in transmembrane segments S1, S2, and S4 of the mSlo1 voltage sensor, based on the ability of substitutions at these positions to alter Cu2+ and/or Cd2+ sensitivity. Consistent with the presence of acidic residues in the binding site, Cu2+ sensitivity was reduced at low extracellular pH. The three charged positions in S1, S2, and S4 are highly conserved among voltage-gated channels and could play a general role in metal sensitivity. We demonstrate that Shaker, like mSlo1, is much more sensitive to Cu2+ than Zn2+ and that sensitivity to these metals is altered by mutating the conserved positions in S1 or S4 or reducing pH. Our results suggest that the voltage sensor forms a state- and pH-dependent, metal-selective binding pocket that may be occupied by Cu2+ at physiologically relevant concentrations to inhibit activation of BK and other channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongming Ma
- Department of Physiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Lingle
- Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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