7m2j
Structural Snapshots of Intermediates in the Gating of a K+ Channel
Structural highlights
FunctionKCSA_STRLI Acts as a pH-gated potassium ion channel; changing the cytosolic pH from 7 to 4 opens the channel, although it is not clear if this is the physiological stimulus for channel opening. Monovalent cation preference is K(+) > Rb(+) > NH4(+) >> Na(+) > Li(+).[1] Publication Abstract from PubMedRegulation of ion conduction through the pore of a K(+) channel takes place through the coordinated action of the activation gate at the bundle crossing of the inner helices and the inactivation gate located at the selectivity filter. The mechanism of allosteric coupling of these gates is of key interest. Here we report new insights into this allosteric coupling mechanism from studies on a W67F mutant of the KcsA channel. W67 is in the pore helix and is highly conserved in K(+) channels. The KcsA W67F channel shows severely reduced inactivation and an enhanced rate of activation. We use continuous wave EPR spectroscopy to establish that the KcsA W67F channel shows an altered pH dependence of activation. Structural studies on the W67F channel provide the structures of two intermediate states: a pre- open state and a pre-inactivated state of the KcsA channel. These structures highlight key nodes in the allosteric pathway. The structure of the KcsA W67F channel with the activation gate open shows altered ion occupancy at the second ion binding site (S2) in the selectivity filter. This finding in combination with previous studies strongly support a requirement for ion occupancy at the S2 site for the channel to inactivate. Structures of Gating Intermediates in a K(+) channel.,Reddi R, Matulef K, Riederer E, Moenne-Loccoz P, Valiyaveetil FI J Mol Biol. 2021 Nov 19;433(23):167296. doi: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167296. Epub 2021 , Oct 8. PMID:34627789[2] From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. See AlsoReferences
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