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Baronas VA, Wong A, Das D, Lamothe SM, Kurata HT. Unmasking subtype-dependent susceptibility to C-type inactivation in mammalian Kv1 channels. Biophys J 2023:S0006-3495(23)04160-7. [PMID: 38155577 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2023.12.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Shaker potassium channels have been an essential model for studying inactivation of ion channels and shaped our earliest understanding of N-type vs. C-type mechanisms. In early work describing C-type inactivation, López-Barneo and colleagues systematically characterized numerous mutations of Shaker residue T449, demonstrating that this position was a key determinant of C-type inactivation rate. In most of the closely related mammalian Kv1 channels, however, a persistent enigma has been that residue identity at this position has relatively modest effects on the rate of inactivation in response to long depolarizations. In this study, we report alternative ways to measure or elicit conformational changes in the outer pore associated with C-type inactivation. Using a strategically substituted cysteine in the outer pore, we demonstrate that mutation of Kv1.2 V381 (equivalent to Shaker T449) or W366 (Shaker W434) markedly increases susceptibility to modification by extracellularly applied MTSET. Moreover, due to the cooperative nature of C-type inactivation, Kv1.2 assembly in heteromeric channels markedly inhibits MTSET modification of this substituted cysteine in neighboring subunits. The identity of Kv1.2 residue V381 also markedly influences function in conditions that bias channels toward C-type inactivation, namely when Na+ is substituted for K+ as the permeant ion or when channels are blocked by an N-type inactivation particle (such as Kvβ1.2). Overall, our findings illustrate that in mammalian Kv1 channels, the identity of the T449-equivalent residue can strongly influence function in certain experimental conditions, even while having modest effects on apparent inactivation during long depolarizations. These findings contribute to reconciling differences in experimental outcomes in many Kv1 channels vs. Shaker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria A Baronas
- Department of Pharmacology, Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Anson Wong
- Department of Pharmacology, Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Damayantee Das
- Department of Pharmacology, Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Shawn M Lamothe
- Department of Pharmacology, Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Harley T Kurata
- Department of Pharmacology, Alberta Diabetes Institute, University of Alberta, Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
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2
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Mínguez-Viñas T, Prakash V, Wang K, Lindström SH, Pozzi S, Scott SA, Spiteri E, Stevenson DA, Ashley EA, Gunnarsson C, Pantazis A. Two epilepsy-associated variants in KCNA2 (K V 1.2) at position H310 oppositely affect channel functional expression. J Physiol 2023; 601:5367-5389. [PMID: 37883018 DOI: 10.1113/jp285052] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Two KCNA2 variants (p.H310Y and p.H310R) were discovered in paediatric patients with epilepsy and developmental delay. KCNA2 encodes KV 1.2-channel subunits, which regulate neuronal excitability. Both gain and loss of KV 1.2 function cause epilepsy, precluding the prediction of variant effects; and while H310 is conserved throughout the KV -channel superfamily, it is largely understudied. We investigated both variants in heterologously expressed, human KV 1.2 channels by immunocytochemistry, electrophysiology and voltage-clamp fluorometry. Despite affecting the same channel, at the same position, and being associated with severe neurological disease, the two variants had diametrically opposite effects on KV 1.2 functional expression. The p.H310Y variant produced 'dual gain of function', increasing both cell-surface trafficking and activity, delaying channel closure. We found that the latter is due to the formation of a hydrogen bond that stabilizes the active state of the voltage-sensor domain. Additionally, H310Y abolished 'ball and chain' inactivation of KV 1.2 by KV β1 subunits, enhancing gain of function. In contrast, p.H310R caused 'dual loss of function', diminishing surface levels by multiple impediments to trafficking and inhibiting voltage-dependent channel opening. We discuss the implications for KV -channel biogenesis and function, an emergent hotspot for disease-associated variants, and mechanisms of epileptogenesis. KEY POINTS: KCNA2 encodes the subunits of KV 1.2 voltage-activated, K+ -selective ion channels, which regulate electrical signalling in neurons. We characterize two KCNA2 variants from patients with developmental delay and epilepsy. Both variants affect position H310, highly conserved in KV channels. The p.H310Y variant caused 'dual gain of function', increasing both KV 1.2-channel activity and the number of KV 1.2 subunits on the cell surface. H310Y abolished 'ball and chain' (N-type) inactivation of KV 1.2 by KV β1 subunits, enhancing the gain-of-function phenotype. The p.H310R variant caused 'dual loss of function', diminishing the presence of KV 1.2 subunits on the cell surface and inhibiting voltage-dependent channel opening. As H310Y stabilizes the voltage-sensor active conformation and abolishes N-type inactivation, it can serve as an investigative tool for functional and pharmacological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Mínguez-Viñas
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Varsha Prakash
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Kaiqian Wang
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Sarah H Lindström
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Serena Pozzi
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Stuart A Scott
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Elizabeth Spiteri
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - David A Stevenson
- Division of Medical Genetics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Euan A Ashley
- Division of Medical Genetics, Stanford University, Palo Alto, California, USA
| | - Cecilia Gunnarsson
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Centre for Rare Diseases in South East Region of Sweden, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Antonios Pantazis
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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3
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Naranjo D, Diaz-Franulic I. Sweetening K-channels: what sugar taught us about permeation and gating. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1063796. [PMID: 37122567 PMCID: PMC10140501 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1063796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Because they enable for the modification of both viscosity and osmolarity, sugars have been used as a biophysical probe of voltage-gated K-channels for a while. Viscosity variations made it possible to measure the pore sizes in large and small conductance K-channels using techniques similar to those used in the 1980s to study the gramicidin A channel. These analyses led to the finding that the size of the internal mouth appears to be the primary cause of the conductance differences between Shaker-like channels and large conductance BK-channels. As an osmotic agent, adding sugar unilaterally causes streaming potentials that indicate H2O/K+ cotransport across the BK-channel pore. Osmotic experiments on Shaker K-channels suggest that the pore gate operation and the slow inactivation displace comparable amounts of water. Functionally isolated voltage sensors allow estimation of individual osmotic work for each voltage sensing charge during voltage-activation, reporting dramatic internal and external remodeling of the Voltage Sensing Domain´s solvent exposed surfaces. Remarkably, each charge of the VSD appears to take a unique trajectory. Thus, manipulation of viscosity and osmolarity, together with 3D structures, brings in solid grounds to harmonize function and structure in membrane proteins such as K-channels and, in a wider scope, other structurally dynamic proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Naranjo
- Instituto de Neurociencia, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- *Correspondence: David Naranjo, ; Ignacio Diaz-Franulic,
| | - Ignacio Diaz-Franulic
- Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Santiago, Chile
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Neurociencia de Valparaíso, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
- *Correspondence: David Naranjo, ; Ignacio Diaz-Franulic,
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4
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Short B. Kv1 channel inactivation: Slow and slower. J Gen Physiol 2022; 154:e202213271. [PMID: 36223075 PMCID: PMC9574567 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202213271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
JGP study suggests that Kv1 channels share a common mechanism of slow inactivation, but that some family members are less prone to inactivate than others.
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5
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Wu X, Gupta K, Swartz KJ. Mutations within the selectivity filter reveal that Kv1 channels have distinct propensities to slow inactivate. J Gen Physiol 2022; 154:e202213222. [PMID: 36197416 PMCID: PMC9539455 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202213222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Voltage-activated potassium (Kv) channels open in response to membrane depolarization and subsequently inactivate through distinct mechanisms. For the model Shaker Kv channel from Drosophila, fast N-type inactivation is thought to occur by a mechanism involving blockade of the internal pore by the N-terminus, whereas slow C-type inactivation results from conformational changes in the ion selectivity filter in the external pore. Kv channel inactivation plays critical roles in shaping the action potential and regulating firing frequency, and has been implicated in a range of diseases including episodic ataxia and arrhythmias. Although structures of the closely related Shaker and Kv1.2 channels containing mutations that promote slow inactivation both support a mechanism involving dilation of the outer selectivity filter, mutations in the outer pores of these two Kv channels have been reported to have markedly distinct effects on slow inactivation, raising questions about the extent to which slow inactivation is related in both channels. In this study, we characterized the influence of a series of mutations within the external pore of Shaker and Kv1.2 channels and observed many distinct mutant phenotypes. We find that mutations at four positions near the selectivity filter promote inactivation less dramatically in Kv1.2 when compared to Shaker, and they identify one key variable position (T449 in Shaker and V381 in Kv1.2) underlying the different phenotypes in the two channels. Collectively, our results suggest that Kv1.2 is less prone to inactivate compared to Shaker, yet support a common mechanism of inactivation in the two channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaosa Wu
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Section, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Kanchan Gupta
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Section, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Kenton J. Swartz
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Section, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
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6
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Reddi R, Matulef K, Riederer EA, Whorton MR, Valiyaveetil FI. Structural basis for C-type inactivation in a Shaker family voltage-gated K + channel. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm8804. [PMID: 35452285 PMCID: PMC9032944 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm8804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
C-type inactivation is a process by which ion flux through a voltage-gated K+ (Kv) channel is regulated at the selectivity filter. While prior studies have indicated that C-type inactivation involves structural changes at the selectivity filter, the nature of the changes has not been resolved. Here, we report the crystal structure of the Kv1.2 channel in a C-type inactivated state. The structure shows that C-type inactivation involves changes in the selectivity filter that disrupt the outer two ion binding sites in the filter. The changes at the selectivity filter propagate to the extracellular mouth and the turret regions of the channel pore. The structural changes observed are consistent with the functional hallmarks of C-type inactivation. This study highlights the intricate interplay between K+ occupancy at the ion binding sites and the interactions of the selectivity filter in determining the balance between the conductive and the inactivated conformations of the filter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravikumar Reddi
- Program in Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Kimberly Matulef
- Program in Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Erika A. Riederer
- Program in Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Matthew R. Whorton
- Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Francis I. Valiyaveetil
- Program in Chemical Biology, Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR 97239, USA
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7
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Tan XF, Bae C, Stix R, Fernández-Mariño AI, Huffer K, Chang TH, Jiang J, Faraldo-Gómez JD, Swartz KJ. Structure of the Shaker Kv channel and mechanism of slow C-type inactivation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm7814. [PMID: 35302848 PMCID: PMC8932672 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm7814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Voltage-activated potassium (Kv) channels open upon membrane depolarization and proceed to spontaneously inactivate. Inactivation controls neuronal firing rates and serves as a form of short-term memory and is implicated in various human neurological disorders. Here, we use high-resolution cryo-electron microscopy and computer simulations to determine one of the molecular mechanisms underlying this physiologically crucial process. Structures of the activated Shaker Kv channel and of its W434F mutant in lipid bilayers demonstrate that C-type inactivation entails the dilation of the ion selectivity filter and the repositioning of neighboring residues known to be functionally critical. Microsecond-scale molecular dynamics trajectories confirm that these changes inhibit rapid ion permeation through the channel. This long-sought breakthrough establishes how eukaryotic K+ channels self-regulate their functional state through the plasticity of their selectivity filters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Feng Tan
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Section, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Chanhyung Bae
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Section, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Robyn Stix
- Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Ana I. Fernández-Mariño
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Section, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Kate Huffer
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Section, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Tsg-Hui Chang
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Section, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jiansen Jiang
- Laboratory of Membrane Proteins and Structural Biology and Biophysics Center, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - José D. Faraldo-Gómez
- Theoretical Molecular Biophysics Laboratory, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Kenton J. Swartz
- Molecular Physiology and Biophysics Section, Porter Neuroscience Research Center, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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8
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Costa F, Guardiani C, Giacomello A. Exploring K v 1.2 Channel Inactivation Through MD Simulations and Network Analysis. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:784276. [PMID: 34988118 PMCID: PMC8721119 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.784276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The KCNA2 gene encodes the K v 1.2 channel, a mammalian Shaker-like voltage-gated K+ channel, whose defections are linked to neuronal deficiency and childhood epilepsy. Despite the important role in the kinetic behavior of the channel, the inactivation remained hereby elusive. Here, we studied the K v 1.2 inactivation via a combined simulation/network theoretical approach that revealed two distinct pathways coupling the Voltage Sensor Domain and the Pore Domain to the Selectivity Filter. Additionally, we mutated some residues implicated in these paths and we explained microscopically their function in the inactivation mechanism by computing a contact map. Interestingly, some pathological residues shown to impair the inactivation lay on the paths. In summary, the presented results suggest two pathways as the possible molecular basis of the inactivation mechanism in the K v 1.2 channel. These pathways are consistent with earlier mutational studies and known mutations involved in neuronal channelopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Alberto Giacomello
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Aerospaziale, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy
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9
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Szanto TG, Gaal S, Karbat I, Varga Z, Reuveny E, Panyi G. Shaker-IR K+ channel gating in heavy water: Role of structural water molecules in inactivation. J Gen Physiol 2021; 153:212166. [PMID: 34014250 PMCID: PMC8148028 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202012742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been reported earlier that the slow (C-type) inactivated conformation in Kv channels is stabilized by a multipoint hydrogen-bond network behind the selectivity filter. Furthermore, MD simulations revealed that structural water molecules are also involved in the formation of this network locking the selectivity filter in its inactive conformation. We found that the application of an extracellular, but not intracellular, solution based on heavy water (D2O) dramatically slowed entry into the slow inactivated state in Shaker-IR mutants (T449A, T449A/I470A, and T449K/I470C, displaying a wide range of inactivation kinetics), consistent with the proposed effect of the dynamics of structural water molecules on the conformational stability of the selectivity filter. Alternative hypotheses capable of explaining the observed effects of D2O were examined. Increased viscosity of the external solution mimicked by the addition of glycerol had a negligible effect on the rate of inactivation. In addition, the inactivation time constants of K+ currents in the outward and the inward directions in asymmetric solutions were not affected by a H2O/D2O exchange, negating an indirect effect of D2O on the rate of K+ rehydration. The elimination of the nonspecific effects of D2O on our macroscopic current measurements supports the hypothesis that the rate of structural water exchange at the region behind the selectivity filter determines the rate of slow inactivation, as proposed by molecular modeling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tibor G Szanto
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Szabolcs Gaal
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Izhar Karbat
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Zoltan Varga
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Eitan Reuveny
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Gyorgy Panyi
- Department of Biophysics and Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
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10
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Pantazis A, Kaneko M, Angelini M, Steccanella F, Westerlund AM, Lindström SH, Nilsson M, Delemotte L, Saitta SC, Olcese R. Tracking the motion of the K V1.2 voltage sensor reveals the molecular perturbations caused by a de novo mutation in a case of epilepsy. J Physiol 2020; 598:5245-5269. [PMID: 32833227 PMCID: PMC8923147 DOI: 10.1113/jp280438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
KEY POINTS KV1.2 channels, encoded by the KCNA2 gene, regulate neuronal excitability by conducting K+ upon depolarization. A new KCNA2 missense variant was discovered in a patient with epilepsy, causing amino acid substitution F302L at helix S4, in the KV1.2 voltage-sensing domain. Immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry showed that F302L does not impair KCNA2 subunit surface trafficking. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that F302L alters the exposure of S4 residues to membrane lipids. Voltage clamp fluorometry revealed that the voltage-sensing domain of KV1.2-F302L channels is more sensitive to depolarization. Accordingly, KV1.2-F302L channels opened faster and at more negative potentials; however, they also exhibited enhanced inactivation: that is, F302L causes both gain- and loss-of-function effects. Coexpression of KCNA2-WT and -F302L did not fully rescue these effects. The proband's symptoms are more characteristic of patients with loss of KCNA2 function. Enhanced KV1.2 inactivation could lead to increased synaptic release in excitatory neurons, steering neuronal circuits towards epilepsy. ABSTRACT An exome-based diagnostic panel in an infant with epilepsy revealed a previously unreported de novo missense variant in KCNA2, which encodes voltage-gated K+ channel KV1.2. This variant causes substitution F302L, in helix S4 of the KV1.2 voltage-sensing domain (VSD). F302L does not affect KCNA2 subunit membrane trafficking. However, it does alter channel functional properties, accelerating channel opening at more hyperpolarized membrane potentials, indicating gain of function. F302L also caused loss of KV1.2 function via accelerated inactivation onset, decelerated recovery and shifted inactivation voltage dependence to more negative potentials. These effects, which are not fully rescued by coexpression of wild-type and mutant KCNA2 subunits, probably result from the enhancement of VSD function, as demonstrated by optically tracking VSD depolarization-evoked conformational rearrangements. In turn, molecular dynamics simulations suggest altered VSD exposure to membrane lipids. Compared to other encephalopathy patients with KCNA2 mutations, the proband exhibits mild neurological impairment, more characteristic of patients with KCNA2 loss of function. Based on this information, we propose a mechanism of epileptogenesis based on enhanced KV1.2 inactivation leading to increased synaptic release preferentially in excitatory neurons, and hence the perturbation of the excitatory/inhibitory balance of neuronal circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonios Pantazis
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
- Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Maki Kaneko
- Center for Personalized Medicine, Children's Hospital, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Division of Genomic Medicine, Department of Pathology, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Marina Angelini
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Federica Steccanella
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Annie M Westerlund
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, Sweden
| | - Sarah H Lindström
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Michelle Nilsson
- Division of Neurobiology, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (BKV), Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Lucie Delemotte
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Applied Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Solna, Sweden
| | - Sulagna C Saitta
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Division of Medical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Riccardo Olcese
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Physiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Brain Research Institute, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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