scholarly journals Determinants of ion selectivity in ASIC1a- and ASIC2a-containing acid-sensing ion channels

2020 ◽  
Vol 152 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Lynagh ◽  
Emelie Flood ◽  
Céline Boiteux ◽  
Zeshan Pervez Sheikh ◽  
Toby W. Allen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ion Channels ◽  
Essential Role ◽  
Ion Selectivity ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Ion Permeation ◽  
Extracellular Acidification ◽  
Acid Sensing Ion Channels ◽  
Molecular Determinants ◽  
Energy Simulations

Trimeric acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) contribute to neuronal signaling by converting extracellular acidification into excitatory sodium currents. Previous work with homomeric ASIC1a implicates conserved leucine (L7′) and consecutive glycine-alanine-serine (GAS belt) residues near the middle, and conserved negatively charged (E18′) residues at the bottom of the pore in ion permeation and/or selectivity. However, a conserved mechanism of ion selectivity throughout the ASIC family has not been established. We therefore explored the molecular determinants of ion selectivity in heteromeric ASIC1a/ASIC2a and homomeric ASIC2a channels using site-directed mutagenesis, electrophysiology, and molecular dynamics free energy simulations. Similar to ASIC1a, E18′ residues create an energetic preference for sodium ions at the lower end of the pore in ASIC2a-containing channels. However, and in contrast to ASIC1a homomers, ion permeation through ASIC2a-containing channels is not determined by L7′ side chains in the upper part of the channel. This may be, in part, due to ASIC2a-specific negatively charged residues (E59 and E62) that lower the energy of ions in the upper pore, thus making the GAS belt more important for selectivity. This is confirmed by experiments showing that the L7′A mutation has no effect in ASIC2a, in contrast to ASIC1a, where it eliminated selectivity. ASIC2a triple mutants eliminating both L7′ and upper charges did not lead to large changes in selectivity, suggesting a different role for L7′ in ASIC2a compared with ASIC1a channels. In contrast, we observed measurable changes in ion selectivity in ASIC2a-containing channels with GAS belt mutations. Our results suggest that ion conduction and selectivity in the upper part of the ASIC pore may differ between subtypes, whereas the essential role of E18′ in ion selectivity is conserved. Furthermore, we demonstrate that heteromeric channels containing mutations in only one of two ASIC subtypes provide a means of functionally testing mutations that render homomeric channels nonfunctional.

scholarly journals Conserved His-Gly motif of acid-sensing ion channels resides in a reentrant ‘loop’ implicated in gating and ion selectivity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nate Yoder ◽  
Eric Gouaux
Keyword(s):  
Ion Channels ◽  
Ion Selectivity ◽  
Fear Memory ◽  
Amino Terminus ◽  
Ion Permeation ◽  
Structural Explanation ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Acid Sensing Ion Channels ◽  
And Function

ABSTRACTAcid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are proton-gated members of the epithelial sodium channel/degenerin (ENaC/DEG) superfamily of ion channels and are expressed throughout central and peripheral nervous systems. The homotrimeric splice variant ASIC1a has been implicated in nociception, fear memory, mood disorders and ischemia. Here we extract full-length chicken ASIC1a (cASIC1a) from cell membranes using styrene maleic acid (SMA) copolymer, yielding structures of ASIC1a channels in both high pH resting and low pH desensitized conformations by single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The structures of resting and desensitized channels reveal a reentrant loop at the amino terminus of ASIC1a that includes the highly conserved ‘His-Gly’ (HG) motif. The reentrant loop lines the lower ion permeation pathway and buttresses the ‘Gly-Ala-Ser’ (GAS) constriction, thus providing a structural explanation for the role of the His-Gly dipeptide in the structure and function of ASICs.

scholarly journals The His-Gly motif of acid-sensing ion channels resides in a reentrant ‘loop’ implicated in gating and ion selectivity

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nate Yoder ◽  
Eric Gouaux
Keyword(s):  
Ion Channels ◽  
Ion Selectivity ◽  
Fear Memory ◽  
Amino Terminus ◽  
Ion Permeation ◽  
Structural Explanation ◽  
Cryo Electron Microscopy ◽  
Acid Sensing Ion Channels ◽  
And Function

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are proton-gated members of the epithelial sodium channel/degenerin (ENaC/DEG) superfamily of ion channels and are expressed throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems. The homotrimeric splice variant ASIC1a has been implicated in nociception, fear memory, mood disorders and ischemia. Here, we extract full-length chicken ASIC1 (cASIC1) from cell membranes using styrene maleic acid (SMA) copolymer, elucidating structures of ASIC1 channels in both high pH resting and low pH desensitized conformations by single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The structures of resting and desensitized channels reveal a reentrant loop at the amino terminus of ASIC1 that includes the highly conserved ‘His-Gly’ (HG) motif. The reentrant loop lines the lower ion permeation pathway and buttresses the ‘Gly-Ala-Ser’ (GAS) constriction, thus providing a structural explanation for the role of the His-Gly dipeptide in the structure and function of ASICs.

Acid-Sensing Ion Channels

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Gründer
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Ion Channels ◽  
Excitatory Synapses ◽  
Detailed Characterization ◽  
High Affinity ◽  
Acid Sensing Ion Channels ◽  
Long Time ◽  
Pathological Pain

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are proton-gated Na+ channels. Being almost ubiquitously present in neurons of the vertebrate nervous system, their precise function remained obscure for a long time. Various animal toxins that bind to ASICs with high affinity and specificity have been tremendously helpful in uncovering the role of ASICs. We now know that they contribute to synaptic transmission at excitatory synapses as well as to sensing metabolic acidosis and nociception. Moreover, detailed characterization of mouse models uncovered an unanticipated role of ASICs in disorders of the nervous system like stroke, multiple sclerosis, and pathological pain. This review provides an overview on the expression, structure, and pharmacology of ASICs plus a summary of what is known and what is still unknown about their physiological functions and their roles in diseases.

scholarly journals Identification of Amino Acid Residues in the α, β, and γ Subunits of the Epithelial Sodium Channel (ENaC) Involved in Amiloride Block and Ion Permeation

1997 ◽  
Vol 109 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurent Schild ◽  
Estelle Schneeberger ◽  
Ivan Gautschi ◽  
Dmitri Firsov
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acid ◽  
Ion Selectivity ◽  
Site Directed Mutagenesis ◽  
Ion Permeation ◽  
Amino Acid Residues ◽  
Α Subunit ◽  
Na Ions ◽  
Membrane Spanning ◽  
A Site ◽  
Epithelial Sodium Channel Enac

The amiloride-sensitive epithelial Nachannel (ENaC) is a heteromultimeric channel made of three αβγ subunits. The structures involved in the ion permeation pathway have only been partially identified, and the respective contributions of each subunit in the formation of the conduction pore has not yet been established. Using a site-directed mutagenesis approach, we have identified in a short segment preceding the second membrane-spanning domain (the pre-M2 segment) amino acid residues involved in ion permeation and critical for channel block by amiloride. Cys substitutions of Gly residues in β and γ subunits at position βG525 and γG537 increased the apparent inhibitory constant (Ki) for amiloride by >1,000-fold and decreased channel unitary current without affecting ion selectivity. The corresponding mutation S583 to C in the α subunit increased amiloride Ki by 20-fold, without changing channel conducting properties. Coexpression of these mutated αβγ subunits resulted in a nonconducting channel expressed at the cell surface. Finally, these Cys substitutions increased channel affinity for block by externalZn2+ ions, in particular the αS583C mutant showing a Ki for Zn2+of 29 μM. Mutations of residues αW582L or βG522D also increased amiloride Ki, the later mutation generating a Ca2+blocking site located 15% within the membrane electric field. These experiments provide strong evidence that αβγ ENaCs are pore-forming subunits involved in ion permeation through the channel. The pre-M2 segment of αβγ subunits may form a pore loop structure at the extracellular face of the channel, where amiloride binds within the channel lumen. We propose that amiloride interacts with Na+ions at an external Na+binding site preventing ion permeation through the channel pore.

scholarly journals Acid-sensing ion channels in sensory signaling

2020 ◽  
Vol 318 (3) ◽  
pp. F531-F543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcelo D. Carattino ◽  
Nicolas Montalbetti
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Ion Channels ◽  
Peripheral Nervous System ◽  
Sensory Neurons ◽  
Genetically Modified ◽  
Physiological Processes ◽  
Acid Sensing Ion Channels ◽  
Genetically Modified Mice ◽  
Sensory Processes

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are cation-permeable channels that in the periphery are primarily expressed in sensory neurons that innervate tissues and organs. Soon after the cloning of the ASIC subunits, almost 20 yr ago, investigators began to use genetically modified mice to assess the role of these channels in physiological processes. These studies provide critical insights about the participation of ASICs in sensory processes, including mechanotransduction, chemoreception, and nociception. Here, we provide an extensive assessment of these findings and discuss the current gaps in knowledge with regard to the functions of ASICs in the peripheral nervous system.

Ion Channel Permeation and Selectivity

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan J. Nogueira ◽  
Ben Corry
Keyword(s):  
Ion Channels ◽  
Ion Channel ◽  
Ion Selectivity ◽  
Ionic Currents ◽  
Biological Processes ◽  
Ion Permeation ◽  
Voltage Gated ◽  
Physical Mechanisms ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Mechanistic Insight

Many biological processes essential for life rely on the transport of specific ions at specific times across cell membranes. Such exquisite control of ionic currents, which is regulated by protein ion channels, is fundamental for the proper functioning of the cells. It is not surprising, therefore, that the mechanism of ion permeation and selectivity in ion channels has been extensively investigated by means of experimental and theoretical approaches. These studies have provided great mechanistic insight but have also raised new questions that are still unresolved. This chapter first summarizes the main techniques that have provided significant knowledge about ion permeation and selectivity. It then discusses the physical mechanisms leading to ion permeation and the explanations that have been proposed for ion selectivity in voltage-gated potassium, sodium, and calcium channels.

scholarly journals Acid-sensing ion channels regulate spontaneous inhibitory activity in the hippocampus: possible implications for epilepsy

2016 ◽  
Vol 371 (1700) ◽  
pp. 20150431 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Ievglevskyi ◽  
D. Isaev ◽  
O. Netsyk ◽  
A. Romanov ◽  
M. Fedoriuk ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ion Channels ◽  
Hippocampal Neurons ◽  
Hippocampal Slices ◽  
Synaptic Activity ◽  
Mammalian Brain ◽  
Strong Increase ◽  
Life And Death ◽  
Acid Sensing Ion Channels

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) play an important role in numerous functions in the central and peripheral nervous systems ranging from memory and emotions to pain. The data correspond to a recent notion that each neuron and many glial cells of the mammalian brain express at least one member of the ASIC family. However, the mechanisms underlying the involvement of ASICs in neuronal activity are poorly understood. However, there are two exceptions, namely, the straightforward role of ASICs in proton-based synaptic transmission in certain brain areas and the role of the Ca 2+ -permeable ASIC1a subtype in ischaemic cell death. Using a novel orthosteric ASIC antagonist, we have found that ASICs specifically control the frequency of spontaneous inhibitory synaptic activity in the hippocampus. Inhibition of ASICs leads to a strong increase in the frequency of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents. This effect is presynaptic because it is fully reproducible in single synaptic boutons attached to isolated hippocampal neurons. In concert with this observation, inhibition of the ASIC current diminishes epileptic discharges in a low Mg 2+ model of epilepsy in hippocampal slices and significantly reduces kainate-induced discharges in the hippocampus in vivo . Our results reveal a significant novel role for ASICs. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Evolution brings Ca 2+ and ATP together to control life and death’.

The role of acid-sensing ion channels in epithelial Na+ uptake in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio)

2015 ◽  
Vol 218 (8) ◽  
pp. 1244-1251 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Dymowska ◽  
D. Boyle ◽  
A. G. Schultz ◽  
G. G. Goss
Keyword(s):  
Ion Channels ◽  
Danio Rerio ◽  
Adult Zebrafish ◽  
Acid Sensing Ion Channels ◽  
Na Uptake

scholarly journals Identification of TMEM206 proteins as pore of PAORAC/ASOR acid-sensitive chloride channels

eLife ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Ullrich ◽  
Sandy Blin ◽  
Katina Lazarow ◽  
Tony Daubitz ◽  
Jens Peter von Kries ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Death ◽  
Plasma Membrane ◽  
Ion Channels ◽  
Gene Family ◽  
Chloride Channels ◽  
Anion Channel ◽  
Ion Permeation ◽  
Acid Sensing Ion Channels ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
A Genome

Acid-sensing ion channels have important functions in physiology and pathology, but the molecular composition of acid-activated chloride channels had remained unclear. We now used a genome-wide siRNA screen to molecularly identify the widely expressed acid-sensitive outwardly-rectifying anion channel PAORAC/ASOR. ASOR is formed by TMEM206 proteins which display two transmembrane domains (TMs) and are expressed at the plasma membrane. Ion permeation-changing mutations along the length of TM2 and at the end of TM1 suggest that these segments line ASOR’s pore. While not belonging to a gene family, TMEM206 has orthologs in probably all vertebrates. Currents from evolutionarily distant orthologs share activation by protons, a feature essential for ASOR’s role in acid-induced cell death. TMEM206 defines a novel class of ion channels. Its identification will help to understand its physiological roles and the diverse ways by which anion-selective pores can be formed.

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