scholarly journals Insights into the molecular mechanism for hyperpolarization-dependent activation of HCN channels

2018 ◽  
Vol 115 (34) ◽  
pp. E8086-E8095 ◽  
Author(s):  
Galen E. Flynn ◽  
William N. Zagotta
Keyword(s):  
Ion Channels ◽  
Cyclic Nucleotide ◽  
Electromechanical Coupling ◽  
Canonical Model ◽  
Hcn Channels ◽  
Voltage Gated ◽  
Kv Channels ◽  
Recovery From Inactivation ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Pore Domain

Hyperpolarization-activated, cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) ion channels are both voltage- and ligand-activated membrane proteins that contribute to electrical excitability and pace-making activity in cardiac and neuronal cells. These channels are members of the voltage-gated Kv channel superfamily and cyclic nucleotide-binding domain subfamily of ion channels. HCN channels have a unique feature that distinguishes them from other voltage-gated channels: the HCN channel pore opens in response to hyperpolarizing voltages instead of depolarizing voltages. In the canonical model of electromechanical coupling, based on Kv channels, a change in membrane voltage activates the voltage-sensing domains (VSD) and the activation energy passes to the pore domain (PD) through a covalent linker that connects the VSD to the PD. In this investigation, the covalent linkage between the VSD and PD, the S4-S5 linker, and nearby regions of spHCN channels were mutated to determine the functional role each plays in hyperpolarization-dependent activation. The results show that: (i) the S4-S5 linker is not required for hyperpolarization-dependent activation or ligand-dependent gating; (ii) the S4 C-terminal region (S4C-term) is not necessary for ligand-dependent gating but is required for hyperpolarization-dependent activation and acts like an autoinhibitory domain on the PD; (iii) the S5N-term region is involved in VSD–PD coupling and holding the pore closed; and (iv) spHCN channels have two voltage-dependent processes, a hyperpolarization-dependent activation and a depolarization-dependent recovery from inactivation. These results are inconsistent with the canonical model of VSD–PD coupling in Kv channels and elucidate the mechanism for hyperpolarization-dependent activation of HCN channels.

Uterine Excitability and Ion Channels and Their Changes with Gestation and Hormonal Environment

2020 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Wray ◽  
Sarah Arrowsmith
Keyword(s):  
Ion Channels ◽  
Inward Rectifier ◽  
Cation Channels ◽  
Annual Review ◽  
Publication Date ◽  
K Channels ◽  
Voltage Gated ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Pore Domain

We address advances in the understanding of myometrial physiology, focusing on excitation and the effects of gestation on ion channels and their relevance to labor. This review moves through pioneering studies to exciting new findings. We begin with the myometrium and its myocytes and describe how excitation might initiate and spread in this myogenic smooth muscle. We then review each of the ion channels in the myometrium: L- and T-type Ca2+ channels, KATP (Kir6) channels, voltage-dependent K channels (Kv4, Kv7, and Kv11), twin-pore domain K channels (TASK, TREK), inward rectifier Kir7.1, Ca2+-activated K+ channels with large (KCNMA1, Slo1), small (KCNN1–3), and intermediate (KCNN4) conductance, Na-activated K channels (Slo2), voltage-gated (SCN) Na+ and Na+ leak channels, nonselective (NALCN) channels, the Na K-ATPase, and hyperpolarization-activated cation channels. We finish by assessing how three key hormones— oxytocin, estrogen, and progesterone—modulate and integrate excitability throughout gestation. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Physiology, Volume 83 is February 10, 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

scholarly journals NONCANONICAL ELECTROMECHANICAL COUPLING MECHANISM OF AN HCN CHANNEL

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gucan Dai ◽  
Teresa K. Aman ◽  
Frank DiMaio ◽  
William N. Zagotta
Keyword(s):  
Cyclic Nucleotide ◽  
Metal Ion ◽  
Electromechanical Coupling ◽  
Transmembrane Domain ◽  
Coupling Mechanism ◽  
Hcn Channel ◽  
Membrane Hyperpolarization ◽  
Recovery From Inactivation ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Voltage Dependent

Pacemaker hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) ion channels exhibit a reversed voltage-dependent gating, activating by membrane hyperpolarization instead of depolarization. Sea urchin HCN (spHCN) channels also undergo an inactivation with hyperpolarization which occurs only in the absence of cyclic nucleotide. Here we applied transition metal ion FRET and Rosetta modeling to measure differences in the structural rearrangements between activation and inactivation of spHCN channels. We found that removal of cAMP produced a largely rigid-body rotation of the C-linker relative to transmembrane domain, bringing the A′ helix in close proximity to the voltage-sensing S4 helix. In addition, rotation of the C-linker was elicited by hyperpolarization in the absence but not in the presence of cAMP. These results suggest the A′ helix functions like a mechanical clutch to engage inactivation. cAMP binding disengages the clutch, permitting the hyperpolarization-dependent activation mediated by the S5 helix. Furthermore, rearrangement of A′ helix during recovery from inactivation of spHCN channels was similar to that for the activation of KCNH channels, suggesting a conserved mechanism for this noncanonical electromechanical coupling in the CNBD channel family.

Noise From Voltage-Gated Ion Channels May Influence Neuronal Dynamics in the Entorhinal Cortex

1998 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 262-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. White ◽  
Ruby Klink ◽  
Angel Alonso ◽  
Alan R. Kay
Keyword(s):  
Ion Channels ◽  
Voltage Clamp ◽  
Entorhinal Cortex ◽  
Channel Noise ◽  
Neuronal Dynamics ◽  
Voltage Gated ◽  
Subthreshold Oscillations ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Voltage Gated Ion Channels ◽  
Gated Ion Channels

White, John A., Ruby Klink, Angel Alonso, and Alan R. Kay. Noise from voltage-gated ion channels may influence neuronal dynamics in the entorhinal cortex. J. Neurophysiol. 80: 262–269, 1998. Neurons of the superficial medial entorhinal cortex (MEC), which deliver neocortical input to the hippocampus, exhibit intrinsic, subthreshold oscillations with slow dynamics. These intrinsic oscillations, driven by a persistent Na+ current and a slow outward current, may help to generate the theta rhythm, a slow rhythm that plays an important role in spatial and declarative learning. Here we show that the number of persistent Na+ channels underlying subthreshold oscillations is relatively small (<104) and use a physiologically based stochastic model to argue that the random behavior of these channels may contribute crucially to cellular-level responses. In acutely isolated MEC neurons under voltage clamp, the mean and variance of the persistent Na+ current were used to estimate the single channel conductance and voltage-dependent probability of opening. A hybrid stochastic-deterministic model was built by using voltage-clamp descriptions of the persistent and fast-inactivating Na+ conductances, along with the fast and slow K+ conductances. All voltage-dependent conductances were represented with nonlinear ordinary differential equations, with the exception of the persistent Na+ conductance, which was represented as a population of stochastic ion channels. The model predicts that the probabilistic nature of Na+ channels increases the cell's repertoire of qualitative behaviors; although deterministic models at a particular point in parameter space can generate either subthreshold oscillations or phase-locked spikes (but rarely both), models with an appropriate level of channel noise can replicate physiological behavior by generating both patterns of electrical activity for a single set of parameters. Channel noise may contribute to higher order interspike interval statistics seen in vitro with DC current stimulation. Models with channel noise show evidence of spike clustering seen in brain slice experiments, although the effect is apparently not as prominent as seen in experimental results. Channel noise may contribute to cellular responses in vivo as well; the stochastic system has enhanced sensitivity to small periodic stimuli in a form of stochastic resonance that is novel (in that the relevant noise source is intrinsic and voltage-dependent) and potentially physiologically relevant. Although based on a simple model that does not include all known membrane mechanisms of MEC stellate cells, these results nevertheless imply that the stochastic nature of small collections of molecules may have important effects at the cellular and network levels.

scholarly journals Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Ion Channels

2002 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 769-824 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Benjamin Kaupp ◽  
Reinhard Seifert
Keyword(s):  
Ion Channels ◽  
Sensory Neurons ◽  
Cyclic Nucleotide ◽  
Cation Channels ◽  
Voltage Gated ◽  
Nonselective Cation Channels ◽  
Retinal Photoreceptors ◽  
Cng Channel ◽  
B Subunits ◽  
Gated Ion Channels

Cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels are nonselective cation channels first identified in retinal photoreceptors and olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). They are opened by the direct binding of cyclic nucleotides, cAMP and cGMP. Although their activity shows very little voltage dependence, CNG channels belong to the superfamily of voltage-gated ion channels. Like their cousins the voltage-gated K+ channels, CNG channels form heterotetrameric complexes consisting of two or three different types of subunits. Six different genes encoding CNG channels, four A subunits (A1 to A4) and two B subunits (B1 and B3), give rise to three different channels in rod and cone photoreceptors and in OSNs. Important functional features of these channels, i.e., ligand sensitivity and selectivity, ion permeation, and gating, are determined by the subunit composition of the respective channel complex. The function of CNG channels has been firmly established in retinal photoreceptors and in OSNs. Studies on their presence in other sensory and nonsensory cells have produced mixed results, and their purported roles in neuronal pathfinding or synaptic plasticity are not as well understood as their role in sensory neurons. Similarly, the function of invertebrate homologs found in Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila,and Limulus is largely unknown, except for two subunits of C. elegans that play a role in chemosensation. CNG channels are nonselective cation channels that do not discriminate well between alkali ions and even pass divalent cations, in particular Ca2+. Ca2+ entry through CNG channels is important for both excitation and adaptation of sensory cells. CNG channel activity is modulated by Ca2+/calmodulin and by phosphorylation. Other factors may also be involved in channel regulation. Mutations in CNG channel genes give rise to retinal degeneration and color blindness. In particular, mutations in the A and B subunits of the CNG channel expressed in human cones cause various forms of complete and incomplete achromatopsia.

scholarly journals Structural and molecular insight into the pH-induced low-permeability of the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.2 through dewetting of the water cavity

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juhwan Lee ◽  
Mooseok Kang ◽  
Sangyeol Kim ◽  
Iksoo Chang
Keyword(s):  
Ion Channels ◽  
Ion Channel ◽  
Potassium Ion ◽  
Low Permeability ◽  
Voltage Gated ◽  
Kv Channels ◽  
Proton Concentration ◽  
Electrical Voltage ◽  
Gating Mechanism ◽  
Ph Dependent

AbstractUnderstanding the gating mechanism of ion channel proteins is key to understanding the regulation of cell signaling through these channels. Channel opening and closing are regulated by diverse environmental factors that include temperature, electrical voltage across the channel, and proton concentration. Low permeability in voltage-gated potassium ion channels (Kv) is intimately correlated with the prolonged action potential duration observed in many acidosis diseases. The Kv channels consist of voltage-sensing domains (S1–S4 helices) and central pore domains (S5–S6 helices) that include a selectivity filter and water-filled cavity. The voltage-sensing domain is responsible for the voltage-gating of Kv channels. While the low permeability of Kv channels to potassium ion is highly correlated with the cellular proton concentration, it is unclear how an intracellular acidic condition drives their closure, which may indicate an additional pH-dependent gating mechanism of the Kv family. Here, we show that two residues E327 and H418 in the proximity of the water cavity of Kv1.2 play crucial roles as a pH switch. In addition, we present a structural and molecular concept of the pH-dependent gating of Kv1.2 in atomic detail, showing that the protonation of E327 and H418 disrupts the electrostatic balance around the S6 helices, which leads to a straightening transition in the shape of their axes and causes dewetting of the water-filled cavity and closure of the channel. Our work offers a conceptual advancement to the regulation of the pH-dependent gating of various voltage-gated ion channels and their related biological functions.Author SummaryThe acid sensing ion channels are a biological machinery for maintaining the cell functional under the acidic or basic cellular environment. Understanding the pH-dependent gating mechanism of such channels provides the structural insight to design the molecular strategy in regulating the acidosis. Here, we studied the voltage-gated potassium ion channel Kv1.2 which senses not only the electrical voltage across the channels but also the cellular acidity. We uncovered that two key residues E327 and H418 in the pore domain of Kv1.2 channel play a role as pH-switch in that their protonation control the gating of the pore in Kv1.2 channel. It offered a molecular insight how the acidity reduces the ion permeability in voltage-gated potassium channels.

scholarly journals Structural insights into the mechanisms of CNBD channel function

2017 ◽  
Vol 150 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zachary M. James ◽  
William N. Zagotta
Keyword(s):  
Cyclic Nucleotide ◽  
Ion Selectivity ◽  
K Channel ◽  
Hcn Channels ◽  
Nucleotide Binding Domain ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Structural Framework ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Compare And Contrast ◽  
Structural Insights

Cyclic nucleotide-binding domain (CNBD) channels are a family of ion channels in the voltage-gated K+ channel superfamily that play crucial roles in many physiological processes. CNBD channels are structurally similar but functionally very diverse. This family includes three subfamilies: (1) the cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels, which are cation-nonselective, voltage-independent, and cyclic nucleotide-gated; (2) the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels, which are weakly K+ selective, hyperpolarization-activated, and cyclic nucleotide-gated; and (3) the ether-à-go-go-type (KCNH) channels, which are strongly K+ selective, depolarization-activated, and cyclic nucleotide-independent. Recently, several high-resolution structures have been reported for intact CNBD channels, providing a structural framework to better understand their diverse function. In this review, we compare and contrast the recent structures and discuss how they inform our understanding of ion selectivity, voltage-dependent gating, and cyclic nucleotide–dependent gating within this channel family.

The Voltage-Dependent K+ Channel Family

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanne B. Rasmussen ◽  
James S. Trimmer
Keyword(s):  
Ion Channels ◽  
Neuronal Excitability ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
K Channel ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Kv Channels ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Α Subunits

Voltage-dependent K+ (potassium; Kv) channels are ion channels that critically impact neuronal excitability and function. Four principal α subunits assemble to create a membrane-spanning pore that opens in a voltage-dependent manner to allow the selective passage of K+ ions across the cell membrane. Forty human genes encoding Kv channel α subunits have been identified, and most of them are expressed in the nervous system. The individual Kv subunits display unique cellular and subcellular expression patterns and co-assemble into distinct homo- and hetero-tetrameric channels that differ in their electrophysiological and pharmacological properties, and their sensitivity to dynamic modulation, by cellular signaling pathways. The resulting diversity allows Kv channels to impact all steps in electrical information processing, as well as numerous other aspects of neuronal functions, including those in which they appear to play a non-conducting role. This chapter reviews the current basic knowledge about this large and important family of ion channels.

scholarly journals S4 Movement in a Mammalian HCN Channel

2003 ◽  
Vol 123 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sriharsha Vemana ◽  
Shilpi Pandey ◽  
H. Peter Larsson
Keyword(s):  
Voltage Sensor ◽  
K Channel ◽  
Hcn Channels ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Hcn Channel ◽  
Voltage Range ◽  
Kv Channels ◽  
State Dependent ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Hcn1 Channels

Hyperpolarization-activated, cyclic nucleotide–gated ion channels (HCN) mediate an inward cation current that contributes to spontaneous rhythmic firing activity in the heart and the brain. HCN channels share sequence homology with depolarization-activated Kv channels, including six transmembrane domains and a positively charged S4 segment. S4 has been shown to function as the voltage sensor and to undergo a voltage-dependent movement in the Shaker K+ channel (a Kv channel) and in the spHCN channel (an HCN channel from sea urchin). However, it is still unknown whether S4 undergoes a similar movement in mammalian HCN channels. In this study, we used cysteine accessibility to determine whether there is voltage-dependent S4 movement in a mammalian HCN1 channel. Six cysteine mutations (R247C, T249C, I251C, S253C, L254C, and S261C) were used to assess S4 movement of the heterologously expressed HCN1 channel in Xenopus oocytes. We found a state-dependent accessibility for four S4 residues: T249C and S253C from the extracellular solution, and L254C and S261C from the internal solution. We conclude that S4 moves in a voltage-dependent manner in HCN1 channels, similar to its movement in the spHCN channel. This S4 movement suggests that the role of S4 as a voltage sensor is conserved in HCN channels. In addition, to determine the reason for the different cAMP modulation and the different voltage range of activation in spHCN channels compared with HCN1 channels, we constructed a COOH-terminal–deleted spHCN. This channel appeared to be similar to a COOH-terminal–deleted HCN1 channel, suggesting that the main functional differences between spHCN and HCN1 channels are due to differences in their COOH termini or in the interaction between the COOH terminus and the rest of the channel protein in spHCN channels compared with HCN1 channels.

scholarly journals Estimating the voltage-dependent free energy change of ion channels using the median voltage for activation

2011 ◽  
Vol 139 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandipan Chowdhury ◽  
Baron Chanda
Keyword(s):  
Free Energy ◽  
Ion Channels ◽  
Ion Channel ◽  
Free Energy Change ◽  
Energy Change ◽  
Displacement Curve ◽  
Charge Movement ◽  
Voltage Gated ◽  
State Process ◽  
Voltage Dependent

Voltage-gated ion channels are crucial for electrical activity and chemical signaling in a variety of cell types. Structure-activity studies involving electrophysiological characterization of mutants are widely used and allow us to quickly realize the energetic effects of a mutation by measuring macroscopic currents and fitting the observed voltage dependence of conductance to a Boltzmann equation. However, such an approach is somewhat limiting, principally because of the inherent assumption that the channel activation is a two-state process. In this analysis, we show that the area delineated by the gating charge displacement curve and its ordinate axis is related to the free energy of activation of a voltage-gated ion channel. We derive a parameter, the median voltage of charge transfer (Vm), which is proportional to this area, and prove that the chemical component of free energy change of a system can be obtained from the knowledge of Vm and the maximum number of charges transferred. Our method is not constrained by the number or connectivity of intermediate states and is applicable to instances in which the observed responses show a multiphasic behavior. We consider various models of ion channel gating with voltage-dependent steps, latent charge movement, inactivation, etc. and discuss the applicability of this approach in each case. Notably, our method estimates a net free energy change of approximately −14 kcal/mol associated with the full-scale activation of the Shaker potassium channel, in contrast to −2 to −3 kcal/mol estimated from a single Boltzmann fit. Our estimate of the net free energy change in the system is consistent with those derived from detailed kinetic models (Zagotta et al. 1994. J. Gen. Physiol. doi:10.1085/jgp.103.2.321). The median voltage method can reliably quantify the magnitude of free energy change associated with activation of a voltage-dependent system from macroscopic equilibrium measurements. This will be particularly useful in scanning mutagenesis experiments.

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