scholarly journals Epilepsy-causing KCNT1 variants increase KNa1.1 channel activity by disrupting the activation gate.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bethan A Cole ◽  
Nadia Pilati ◽  
Jonathan D Lippiat
Keyword(s):  
Intracellular Sodium ◽  
Selectivity Filter ◽  
Channel Structure ◽  
Channel Activity ◽  
Gain Of Function ◽  
Activation Kinetics ◽  
Pathogenic Variants ◽  
Activation Gate ◽  
Sodium Dependent ◽  
Voltage Dependent

Gain-of-function pathogenic missense KCNT1 variants are associated with several developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEE). With few exceptions, patients are heterozygous and there is a paucity of mechanistic information about how pathogenic variants increase KNa1.1 channel activity and the behaviour of heterotetrameric channels comprising both wild-type (WT) and variant subunits. To better understand these, we selected a range of variants across the DEE spectrum, involving mutations in different protein domains and studied their functional properties. Whole-cell electrophysiology was used to characterise homomeric and heteromeric KNa1.1 channel assemblies carrying DEE-causing variants in the presence and absence of 10 mM intracellular sodium. Voltage-dependent activation of homomeric variant KNa1.1 assemblies were more hyperpolarised than WT KNa1.1 and, unlike WT KNa1.1, exhibited voltage-dependent activation in the absence of intracellular sodium. Heteromeric channels formed by co-expression of WT and variant KNa1.1 had activation kinetics intermediate of homomeric WT and variant KNa1.1 channels, with residual sodium-independent activity. In general, WT and variant KNa1.1 activation followed a single exponential, with time constants unaffected by voltage or sodium. Mutating the threonine in the KNa1.1 selectivity filter disrupted voltage-dependent activation, but sodium-dependence remained intact. Our findings suggest that KNa1.1 gating involves a sodium-dependent activation gate that modulates a voltage-dependent selectivity filter gate. Collectively, all DEE-associated KNa1.1 mutations lowered the energetic barrier for sodium-dependent activation, but some also had direct effects on selectivity filter gating. Destabilisation of the inactivated unliganded channel conformation can explain how DEE-causing amino acid substitutions in diverse regions of the channel structure all cause gain-of-function.

scholarly journals Computational study of non-conductive selectivity filter conformations and C-type inactivation in a voltage-dependent potassium channel

2021 ◽  
Vol 153 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Li ◽  
Rong Shen ◽  
Ahmed Rohaim ◽  
Ramon Mendoza Uriarte ◽  
Mikolai Fajer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Potassium Channel ◽  
Computational Study ◽  
Homology Model ◽  
Selectivity Filter ◽  
K Channels ◽  
Activation Gate ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Signature Sequence ◽  
Dynamics Simulations ◽  
Pore Domain

C-type inactivation is a time-dependent process of great physiological significance that is observed in a large class of K+ channels. Experimental and computational studies of the pH-activated KcsA channel show that the functional C-type inactivated state, for this channel, is associated with a structural constriction of the selectivity filter at the level of the central glycine residue in the signature sequence, TTV(G)YGD. The structural constriction is allosterically promoted by the wide opening of the intracellular activation gate. However, whether this is a universal mechanism for C-type inactivation has not been established with certainty because similar constricted structures have not been observed for other K+ channels. Seeking to ascertain the general plausibility of the constricted filter conformation, molecular dynamics simulations of a homology model of the pore domain of the voltage-gated potassium channel Shaker were performed. Simulations performed with an open intracellular gate spontaneously resulted in a stable constricted-like filter conformation, providing a plausible nonconductive state responsible for C-type inactivation in the Shaker channel. While there are broad similarities with the constricted structure of KcsA, the hypothetical constricted-like conformation of Shaker also displays some subtle differences. Interestingly, those are recapitulated by the Shaker-like E71V KcsA mutant, suggesting that the residue at this position along the pore helix plays a pivotal role in determining the C-type inactivation behavior. Free energy landscape calculations show that the conductive-to-constricted transition in Shaker is allosterically controlled by the degree of opening of the intracellular activation gate, as observed with the KcsA channel. The behavior of the classic inactivating W434F Shaker mutant is also characterized from a 10-μs MD simulation, revealing that the selectivity filter spontaneously adopts a nonconductive conformation that is constricted at the level of the second glycine in the signature sequence, TTVGY(G)D.

scholarly journals Norfluoxetine inhibits TREK-2 K2P channels by multiple mechanisms including state-independent effects on the selectivity filter gate

2021 ◽  
Vol 153 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Proks ◽  
Marcus Schewe ◽  
Linus J. Conrad ◽  
Shanlin Rao ◽  
Kristin Rathje ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Single Channel ◽  
Selectivity Filter ◽  
Channel Activity ◽  
State Dependent ◽  
Channel Inhibition ◽  
K2p Channels ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Independent Effects ◽  
Allosteric Mechanisms

The TREK subfamily of two-pore domain K+ (K2P) channels are inhibited by fluoxetine and its metabolite, norfluoxetine (NFx). Although not the principal targets of this antidepressant, TREK channel inhibition by NFx has provided important insights into the conformational changes associated with channel gating and highlighted the role of the selectivity filter in this process. However, despite the availability of TREK-2 crystal structures with NFx bound, the precise mechanisms underlying NFx inhibition remain elusive. NFx has previously been proposed to be a state-dependent inhibitor, but its binding site suggests many possible ways in which this positively charged drug might inhibit channel activity. Here we show that NFx exerts multiple effects on single-channel behavior that influence both the open and closed states of the channel and that the channel can become highly activated by 2-APB while remaining in the down conformation. We also show that the inhibitory effects of NFx are unrelated to its positive charge but can be influenced by agonists which alter filter stability, such as ML335, as well as by an intrinsic voltage-dependent gating process within the filter. NFx therefore not only inhibits channel activity by altering the equilibrium between up and down conformations but also can directly influence filter gating. These results provide further insight into the complex allosteric mechanisms that modulate filter gating in TREK K2P channels and highlight the different ways in which filter gating can be regulated to permit polymodal regulation.

scholarly journals Molecular endpoints of Ca2+/calmodulin- and voltage-dependent inactivation of Cav1.3 channels

2010 ◽  
Vol 135 (3) ◽  
pp. 197-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael R. Tadross ◽  
Manu Ben Johny ◽  
David T. Yue
Keyword(s):  
Selectivity Filter ◽  
Mutant Library ◽  
Allosteric Inhibition ◽  
Channel Activation ◽  
Channel Modulation ◽  
Dependent Inactivation ◽  
Activation Gate ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Novel Theory

Ca2+/calmodulin- and voltage-dependent inactivation (CDI and VDI) comprise vital prototypes of Ca2+ channel modulation, rich with biological consequences. Although the events initiating CDI and VDI are known, their downstream mechanisms have eluded consensus. Competing proposals include hinged-lid occlusion of channels, selectivity filter collapse, and allosteric inhibition of the activation gate. Here, novel theory predicts that perturbations of channel activation should alter inactivation in distinctive ways, depending on which hypothesis holds true. Thus, we systematically mutate the activation gate, formed by all S6 segments within CaV1.3. These channels feature robust baseline CDI, and the resulting mutant library exhibits significant diversity of activation, CDI, and VDI. For CDI, a clear and previously unreported pattern emerges: activation-enhancing mutations proportionately weaken inactivation. This outcome substantiates an allosteric CDI mechanism. For VDI, the data implicate a “hinged lid–shield” mechanism, similar to a hinged-lid process, with a previously unrecognized feature. Namely, we detect a “shield” in CaV1.3 channels that is specialized to repel lid closure. These findings reveal long-sought downstream mechanisms of inactivation and may furnish a framework for the understanding of Ca2+ channelopathies involving S6 mutations.

Arachidonic acid reversibly enhances N-type calcium current at an extracellular site

2001 ◽  
Vol 280 (5) ◽  
pp. C1306-C1318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Curtis F. Barrett ◽  
Liwang Liu ◽  
Ann R. Rittenhouse
Keyword(s):  
Arachidonic Acid ◽  
Companion Paper ◽  
Current Amplitude ◽  
Voltage Sensitivity ◽  
Channel Activity ◽  
Activation Kinetics ◽  
Bath Application ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Cervical Ganglion ◽  
Ganglion Neurons

We examined the effects of arachidonic acid (AA) on whole cell Ca2+ channel activity in rat superior cervical ganglion neurons. Our companion paper (Liu L, Barrett CF, and Rittenhouse AR. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 280: C1293–C1305, 2001) demonstrates that AA induces several effects, including enhancement of current amplitude at negative voltages, and increased activation kinetics. This study examines the mechanisms underlying these effects. First, enhancement is rapidly reversible by bath application of BSA. Second, enhancement appears to occur extracellularly, since intracellular albumin was without effect on enhancement, and bath-applied arachidonoyl coenzyme A, an amphiphilic AA analog that cannot cross the cell membrane, mimicked enhancement. In addition, enhancement is voltage dependent, in that currents were enhanced to the greatest degree at −10 mV, whereas virtually no enhancement occurred positive of +30 mV. We also demonstrate that AA-induced increases in activation kinetics are correlated with enhancement of current amplitude. An observed increase in the voltage sensitivity may underlie these effects. Finally, the majority of enhancement is mediated through N-type current, thus providing the first demonstration that this current type can be enhanced by AA.

scholarly journals Rare Gain-of-Function KCND3 Variant Associated with Cerebellar Ataxia, Parkinsonism, Cognitive Dysfunction, and Brain Iron Accumulation

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (15) ◽  
pp. 8247
Author(s):  
Cheng-Tsung Hsiao ◽  
Thomas F. Tropea ◽  
Ssu-Ju Fu ◽  
Tanya M. Bardakjian ◽  
Pedro Gonzalez-Alegre ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cerebellar Ataxia ◽  
Iron Accumulation ◽  
Molecular Spectra ◽  
Loss Of Function ◽  
Brain Iron ◽  
Gain Of Function ◽  
Progressive Cerebellar Ataxia ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Window Current

Loss-of-function mutations in the KV4.3 channel-encoding KCND3 gene are linked to neurodegenerative cerebellar ataxia. Patients suffering from neurodegeneration associated with iron deposition may also present with cerebellar ataxia. The mechanism underlying brain iron accumulation remains unclear. Here, we aim to ascertain the potential pathogenic role of KCND3 variant in iron accumulation-related cerebellar ataxia. We presented a patient with slowly progressive cerebellar ataxia, parkinsonism, cognitive impairment, and iron accumulation in the basal ganglia and the cerebellum. Whole exome sequencing analyses identified in the patient a heterozygous KCND3 c.1256G>A (p.R419H) variant predicted to be disease-causing by multiple bioinformatic analyses. In vitro biochemical and immunofluorescence examinations revealed that, compared to the human KV4.3 wild-type channel, the p.R419H variant exhibited normal protein abundance and subcellular localization pattern. Electrophysiological investigation, however, demonstrated that the KV4.3 p.R419H variant was associated with a dominant increase in potassium current amplitudes, as well as notable changes in voltage-dependent gating properties leading to enhanced potassium window current. These observations indicate that, in direct contrast with the loss-of-function KCND3 mutations previously reported in cerebellar ataxia patients, we identified a rare gain-of-function KCND3 variant that may expand the clinical and molecular spectra of neurodegenerative cerebellar disorders associated with brain iron accumulation.

scholarly journals Probing the Cavity of the Slow Inactivated Conformation of Shaker Potassium Channels

2007 ◽  
Vol 129 (5) ◽  
pp. 403-418 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gyorgy Panyi ◽  
Carol Deutsch
Keyword(s):  
Potassium Channels ◽  
Binding Site ◽  
Conformational Change ◽  
Marked Decrease ◽  
Selectivity Filter ◽  
Slow Inactivation ◽  
Voltage Gated ◽  
Activation Gate ◽  
Shaker Potassium Channels

Slow inactivation involves a local rearrangement of the outer mouth of voltage-gated potassium channels, but nothing is known regarding rearrangements in the cavity between the activation gate and the selectivity filter. We now report that the cavity undergoes a conformational change in the slow-inactivated state. This change is manifest as altered accessibility of residues facing the aqueous cavity and as a marked decrease in the affinity of tetraethylammonium for its internal binding site. These findings have implications for global alterations of the channel during slow inactivation and putative coupling between activation and slow-inactivation gates.

Altered frequency-dependent inactivation and steady-state inactivation of polyglutamine-expanded α1A in SCA6

2007 ◽  
Vol 292 (3) ◽  
pp. C1078-C1086 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haiyan Chen ◽  
Erika S. Piedras-Rentería
Keyword(s):  
Steady State ◽  
Late Onset ◽  
Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type ◽  
Gain Of Function ◽  
Calcium Dependent ◽  
Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 6 ◽  
Dependent Inactivation ◽  
Voltage Dependent ◽  
Steady State Inactivation ◽  
Activity Dependent

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6) is a neurodegenerative disease of the cerebellum and inferior olives characterized by a late-onset cerebellar ataxia and selective loss of Purkinje neurons ( 15 , 16 ). SCA6 arises from an expansion of the polyglutamine tract located in exon 47 of the α1A (P/Q-type calcium channel) gene from a nonpathogenic size of 4 to 18 glutamines (CAG4–18) to CAG19–33 in SCA6. The molecular basis of SCA6 is poorly understood. To date, the biophysical properties studied in heterologous systems support both a gain and a loss of channel function in SCA6. We studied the behavior of the human α1A isoform, previously found to elicit a gain of function in disease ( 41 ), focusing on properties in which the COOH terminus of the channel is critical for function: we analyzed the current properties in the presence of β4- and β2a-subunits (both known to interact with the α1A COOH terminus), current kinetics of activation and inactivation, calcium-dependent inactivation and facilitation, voltage-dependent inactivation, frequency dependence, and steady-state activation and inactivation properties. We found that SCA6 channels have decreased activity-dependent inactivation and a depolarizing shift (+6 mV) in steady-state inactivation properties consistent with a gain of function.

scholarly journals Cantu syndrome-associated SUR2 (ABCC9) mutations in distinct structural domains result in KATP channel gain-of-function by differential mechanisms

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Conor McClenaghan ◽  
Alex Hanson ◽  
Monica Sala-Rabanal ◽  
Helen I. Roessler ◽  
Dragana Josifova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Katp Channel ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Cardiovascular Disorder ◽  
Major Effect ◽  
Channel Activity ◽  
Gain Of Function ◽  
Structural Domains ◽  
Equivalent Position ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Patch Clamp Electrophysiology

AbstractThe complex cardiovascular disorder Cantu Syndrome arises from gain-of-function mutations in either KCNJ8 or ABCC9, the genes encoding the Kir6.1 and SUR2 subunits of ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels. Recent reports indicate that such mutations can increase channel activity by multiple molecular mechanisms. In this study, we determine the mechanism by which KATP function is altered by several mutations in distinct structural domains of SUR2: D207E in the intracellular L0-linker and Y985S, G989E, M1060I, and R1154Q/W in TMD2. Mutations were engineered at their equivalent position in rat SUR2A (D207E, Y981S, G985E, M1056I and R1150Q/W) and functional effects were investigated using macroscopic rubidium (86Rb+) efflux assays and patch clamp electrophysiology. The results show that D207E increases KATP activity by increasing intrinsic stability of the open state, whilst the cluster of Y981S/G985E/M1056I mutations, as well as R1150Q/W, augment Mg-nucleotide activation. The response of mutant channels to inhibition by the sulfonylurea drug glibenclamide, a potential pharmacotherapy for CS, was also tested. There was no major effect on glibenclamide sensitivity for the D207E, Y981S, G985E or M1056I mutations, but glutamine and tryptophan substitution at R1150 resulted in significant decreases in potency.

scholarly journals hERG S4-S5 linker acts as a voltage-dependent ligand that binds to the activation gate and locks it in a closed state

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olfat A. Malak ◽  
Zeineb Es-Salah-Lamoureux ◽  
Gildas Loussouarn
Keyword(s):  
Closed State ◽  
Activation Gate ◽  
Voltage Dependent
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