1
|
Chen AY, Brooks BR, Damjanovic A. Ion channel selectivity through ion-modulated changes of selectivity filter p Ka values. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2220343120. [PMID: 37339196 PMCID: PMC10293820 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2220343120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In bacterial voltage-gated sodium channels, the passage of ions through the pore is controlled by a selectivity filter (SF) composed of four glutamate residues. The mechanism of selectivity has been the subject of intense research, with suggested mechanisms based on steric effects, and ion-triggered conformational change. Here, we propose an alternative mechanism based on ion-triggered shifts in pKa values of SF glutamates. We study the NavMs channel for which the open channel structure is available. Our free-energy calculations based on molecular dynamics simulations suggest that pKa values of the four glutamates are higher in solution of K+ ions than in solution of Na+ ions. Higher pKa in the presence of K+ stems primarily from the higher population of dunked conformations of the protonated Glu sidechain, which exhibit a higher pKa shift. Since pKa values are close to the physiological pH, this results in predominant population of the fully deprotonated state of glutamates in Na+ solution, while protonated states are predominantly populated in K+ solution. Through molecular dynamics simulations we calculate that the deprotonated state is the most conductive, the singly protonated state is less conductive, and the doubly protonated state has significantly reduced conductance. Thus, we propose that a significant component of selectivity is achieved through ion-triggered shifts in the protonation state, which favors more conductive states for Na+ ions and less conductive states for K+ ions. This mechanism also suggests a strong pH dependence of selectivity, which has been experimentally observed in structurally similar NaChBac channels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ada Y. Chen
- Department of Physics & Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21218
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
| | - Bernard R. Brooks
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
| | - Ana Damjanovic
- Laboratory of Computational Biology, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD20892
- Department of Biophysics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD21218
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
|
3
|
Oliveira ASF, Edsall CJ, Woods CJ, Bates P, Nunez GV, Wonnacott S, Bermudez I, Ciccotti G, Gallagher T, Sessions RB, Mulholland AJ. A General Mechanism for Signal Propagation in the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Family. J Am Chem Soc 2019; 141:19953-19958. [PMID: 31805762 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.9b09055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) modulate synaptic activity in the central nervous system. The α7 subtype, in particular, has attracted considerable interest in drug discovery as a target for several conditions, including Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. Identifying agonist-induced structural changes underlying nAChR activation is fundamentally important for understanding biological function and rational drug design. Here, extensive equilibrium and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations, enabled by cloud-based high-performance computing, reveal the molecular mechanism by which structural changes induced by agonist unbinding are transmitted within the human α7 nAChR. The simulations reveal the sequence of coupled structural changes involved in driving conformational change responsible for biological function. Comparison with simulations of the α4β2 nAChR subtype identifies features of the dynamical architecture common to both receptors, suggesting a general structural mechanism for signal propagation in this important family of receptors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Sofia F Oliveira
- School of Biochemistry , University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1DT , United Kingdom
- Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry , University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TS , United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J Edsall
- Research Software Engineering, Advanced Computing Research Centre , University of Bristol , Bristol BS1 5QD , United Kingdom
| | - Christopher J Woods
- Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry , University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TS , United Kingdom
- Research Software Engineering, Advanced Computing Research Centre , University of Bristol , Bristol BS1 5QD , United Kingdom
| | - Phil Bates
- Department of Computer Science, Faculty of Engineering , University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TR , United Kingdom
- Oracle Corporation, Oracle Cloud Development Centre , Bristol BS2 2JJ , United Kingdom
| | - Gerardo Viedma Nunez
- Oracle Corporation, Oracle Cloud Development Centre , Bristol BS2 2JJ , United Kingdom
| | - Susan Wonnacott
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry , University of Bath , Bath BA2 7AY , United Kingdom
| | - Isabel Bermudez
- Department of Biological and Medical Sciences , Oxford Brookes University , Oxford OX30BP , United Kingdom
| | - Giovanni Ciccotti
- Institute for Applied Computing "Mauro Picone" (IAC), CNR , Via dei Taurini 19 , 00185 Rome , Italy
- School of Physics , University College of Dublin UCD-Belfield , Dublin 4, Ireland
- Università di Roma La Sapienza , Ple. A. Moro 5 , 00185 Roma , Italy
| | - Timothy Gallagher
- Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry , University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TS , United Kingdom
| | - Richard B Sessions
- School of Biochemistry , University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1DT , United Kingdom
| | - Adrian J Mulholland
- Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry , University of Bristol , Bristol BS8 1TS , United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Wang Y, Finol-Urdaneta RK, Ngo VA, French RJ, Noskov SY. Bases of Bacterial Sodium Channel Selectivity Among Organic Cations. Sci Rep 2019; 9:15260. [PMID: 31649292 PMCID: PMC6813354 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51605-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Hille’s (1971) seminal study of organic cation selectivity of eukaryotic voltage-gated sodium channels showed a sharp size cut-off for ion permeation, such that no ion possessing a methyl group was permeant. Using the prokaryotic channel, NaChBac, we found some similarity and two peculiar differences in the selectivity profiles for small polyatomic cations. First, we identified a diverse group of minimally permeant cations for wildtype NaChBac, ranging in sizes from ammonium to guanidinium and tetramethylammonium; and second, for both ammonium and hydrazinium, the charge-conserving selectivity filter mutation (E191D) yielded substantial increases in relative permeability (PX/PNa). The relative permeabilities varied inversely with relative Kd calculated from 1D Potential of Mean Force profiles (PMFs) for the single cations traversing the channel. Several of the cations bound more strongly than Na+, and hence appear to act as blockers, as well as charge carriers. Consistent with experimental observations, the E191D mutation had little impact on Na+ binding to the selectivity filter, but disrupted the binding of ammonium and hydrazinium, consequently facilitating ion permeation across the NaChBac-like filter. We concluded that for prokaryotic sodium channels, a fine balance among filter size, binding affinity, occupancy, and flexibility seems to contribute to observed functional differences.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yibo Wang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin, 130022, China.,Centre for Molecular Simulation and the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Rocio K Finol-Urdaneta
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Van Anh Ngo
- Centre for Molecular Simulation and the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.,Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Lab, Los Alamos, NM, 87544, USA
| | - Robert J French
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, and the Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
| | - Sergei Yu Noskov
- Centre for Molecular Simulation and the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Oliveira ASF, Shoemark DK, Campello HR, Wonnacott S, Gallagher T, Sessions RB, Mulholland AJ. Identification of the Initial Steps in Signal Transduction in the α4β2 Nicotinic Receptor: Insights from Equilibrium and Nonequilibrium Simulations. Structure 2019; 27:1171-1183.e3. [PMID: 31130483 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2019.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) modulate synaptic transmission in the nervous system. These receptors have emerged as therapeutic targets in drug discovery for treating several conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, pain, and nicotine addiction. In this in silico study, we use a combination of equilibrium and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to map dynamic and structural changes induced by nicotine in the human α4β2 nAChR. They reveal a striking pattern of communication between the extracellular binding pockets and the transmembrane domains (TMDs) and show the sequence of conformational changes associated with the initial steps in this process. We propose a general mechanism for signal transduction for Cys-loop receptors: the mechanistic steps for communication proceed firstly through loop C in the principal subunit, and are subsequently transmitted, gradually and cumulatively, to loop F of the complementary subunit, and then to the TMDs through the M2-M3 linker.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Sofia F Oliveira
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1DT, UK; Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
| | | | - Hugo Rego Campello
- Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
| | - Susan Wonnacott
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
| | - Timothy Gallagher
- Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
| | | | - Adrian J Mulholland
- Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Callahan KM, Roux B. Molecular Dynamics of Ion Conduction through the Selectivity Filter of the Na VAb Sodium Channel. J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:10126-10142. [PMID: 30351118 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b09678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The determination of the atomic structures of voltage-gated bacterial sodium channels using X-ray crystallography has provided a first view of this family of membrane proteins. Molecular dynamics simulations offer one approach to clarify the underlying mechanism of permeation and selectivity in these channels. However, it appears that the intracellular gate of the pore domain is either closed or only open partially in the available X-ray structures. The lack of structure with a fully open intracellular gate poses a special challenge to computational studies aimed at simulating ion conduction. To circumvent this problem, we simulated a model of the NaVAb channel in which the transmembrane S5 and S6 helices of the pore domain have been truncated to provide direct open access to the intracellular entryway to the pore. Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out over a range of membrane potential and ion concentration of sodium and potassium. The simulations show that the NaVAb selectivity filter is essentially a cationic pore supporting the conduction of ions at a rate comparable to aqueous diffusion with no significant selectivity for sodium. Conductance and selectivity vary as a function of ion concentration for both cations. Permeation occurs primarily via a knock-on mechanism for both sodium and potassium, although the ion ordering in single file along the pore is not strictly maintained. The character of the outward current appears quite different from the inward current, with a buildup on ions in the selectivity filter prior to escape toward the extracellular side, indicating the presence of a rectification effect that is overcome by nonphysiological applied voltages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Karen M Callahan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Gordon Center for Integrative Science , The University of Chicago , Chicago , Illinois 60637 , United States
| | - Benoît Roux
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Gordon Center for Integrative Science , The University of Chicago , Chicago , Illinois 60637 , United States
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Ke S, Ulmschneider MB, Wallace BA, Ulmschneider JP. Role of the Interaction Motif in Maintaining the Open Gate of an Open Sodium Channel. Biophys J 2018; 115:1920-1930. [PMID: 30366630 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2018.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Voltage-gated sodium channels undergo transitions between open, closed, and inactivated states, enabling regulation of the translocation of sodium ions across membranes. A recently published crystal structure of the full-length prokaryotic NavMs crystal structure in the activated open conformation has revealed the presence of a novel motif consisting of an extensive network of salt bridges involving residues in the voltage sensor, S4-S5 linker, pore, and C-terminal domains. This motif has been proposed to be responsible for maintaining an open conformation that enables ion translocation through the channel. In this study, we have used long-time molecular dynamics calculations without artificial restraints to demonstrate that the interaction network of full-length NavMs indeed prevents a rapid collapse and closure of the gate, in marked difference to earlier studies of the pore-only construct in which the gate had to be restrained to remain open. Interestingly, a frequently discussed "hydrophobic gating" mechanism at nanoscopic level is also observed in our simulations, in which the discontinuous water wire close to the gate region leads to an energetic barrier for ion conduction. In addition, we demonstrate the effects of in silico mutations of several of the key residues in the motif on the open channel's stability and functioning, correlating them with existing functional studies on this channel and homologous disease-associated mutations in human sodium channels; we also examine the effects of truncating/removing the voltage sensor and C-terminal domains in maintaining an open gate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Song Ke
- Institute of Natural Sciences and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | | | - B A Wallace
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck College, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Jakob P Ulmschneider
- Institute of Natural Sciences and School of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abstract
Since the availability of the first crystal structure of a bacterial Na+ channel in 2011, understanding selectivity across this family of membrane proteins has been the subject of intense research efforts. Initially, free energy calculations based on molecular dynamics simulations revealed that although sodium ions can easily permeate the channel with their first hydration shell almost intact, the selectivity filter is too narrow for efficient conduction of hydrated potassium ions. This steric view of selectivity was subsequently questioned by microsecond atomic trajectories, which proved that the selectivity filter appears to the permeating ions as a highly degenerate, liquid-like environment. Although this liquid-like environment looks optimal for rapid conduction of Na+, it seems incompatible with efficient discrimination between similar ion species, such as Na+ and K+, through steric effects. Here extensive molecular dynamics simulations, combined with Markov state model analyses, reveal that at positive membrane potentials, potassium ions trigger a conformational change of the selectivity toward a nonconductive metastable state. It is this transition of the selectivity filter, and not steric effects, that prevents the outward flux of K+ at positive membrane potentials. This description of selectivity, triggered by the nature of the permeating ions, might have implications on the current understanding of how ion channels, and in particular bacterial Na+ channels, operate at the atomic scale.
Collapse
|
9
|
Ngo VA, Kim I, Allen TW, Noskov SY. Estimation of Potentials of Mean Force from Nonequilibrium Pulling Simulations Using Both Minh-Adib Estimator and Weighted Histogram Analysis Method. J Chem Theory Comput 2016; 12:1000-10. [PMID: 26799775 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.5b01050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Nonequilibrium pulling simulations have been a useful approach for investigating a variety of physical and biological problems. The major target in the simulations is to reconstruct reliable potentials of mean force (PMFs) or unperturbed free-energy profiles for quantitatively addressing both equilibrium mechanistic properties and contributions from nonequilibrium processes. While several current nonequilibrium methods were shown to be accurate in computing free-energy profiles in systems with relatively simple dynamics, they have proved to be unsuitable in more complicated systems. To extend the applicability of nonequilibrium sampling, we demonstrate a novel method that combines Minh-Adib's bidirectional estimator with nonlinear WHAM equations to reconstruct and assess PMFs from relatively fast pulling trajectories. We test the method in a one-dimensional model system and in a system of an antibiotic gramicidin-A (gA) channel, which is considered a significant challenge for nonequilibrium sampling. We identify key parameters for efficiently performing pulling simulations to improve and ensure the convergence and accuracy of estimated PMFs. We show that a few pulling trajectories of a relatively fast pulling speed v = 10 Å/ns can return a fair estimate of the PMF of a single potassium ion in gA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Van A Ngo
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary , Alberta, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Ilsoo Kim
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California , Los Angeles, California United States
| | - Toby W Allen
- School of Applied Science and Health Innovations Research Institute, RMIT University , Melbourne, 3000, Australia and.,Department of Chemistry, University of California , Davis California 95616, United States
| | - Sergei Y Noskov
- Centre for Molecular Simulation, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary , Alberta, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Ing C, Pomès R. Simulation Studies of Ion Permeation and Selectivity in Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels. CURRENT TOPICS IN MEMBRANES 2016; 78:215-60. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctm.2016.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
|