Newest Articles
Allosteric crosstalk between the activation and inactivation gates in KcsADelemotte appraises new computational work revealing that the intracellular activation gate must open for C-type inactivation to occur in K+ channels.
ENaC selectivityThe origin of ion selectivity in epithelial Na+ channels and the closely related acid-sensing ion channels is uncertain. Yang and Palmer show that the site of ion selectivity in epithelial Na+ channels is more extracellular than that proposed for acid-sensing ion channels.
STIM1 controls Orai1 gating and pore propertiesThe quantitative relation between STIM1 binding to Orai1 and store-operated CRAC channel activation is not well understood. Yen and Lewis find that STIM1 must bind to all six Orai1 subunits to effectively open the channel and generate the high ion selectivity and low conductance seen in native cells.
Slow inactivation in Nav channelsA new study reveals that conformational flexibility in the pore of a voltage-gated sodium channel may underlie slow inactivation.
Plasticity in microvillar photoreceptorsNeuronal plasticity in adulthood is important for adaptation to different environments. Frolov et al. show that rearing mature Periplaneta americana in prolonged light or dark leads to distinct changes in photoreceptor responses, suggesting remodeling of the light-sensitive membrane.
Propofol’s paradox, explainedTandem JGP studies investigate how propofol affects voltage-gated sodium channels.
Electrical polyspermy blockJaffe underscores new research that identifies key roles for IP3 and TMEM16a in the fast block to polyspermy.
Structural dynamics of slow inactivation in NaV channelsVoltage-gated sodium channels undergo slow inactivation during prolonged depolarization by means of a mechanism that is poorly understood. Chatterjee et al. study this process spectroscopically and reveal conformational flexibility of the pore region in the slow-inactivated state.
Rapid constriction of the selectivity filter underlies C-type inactivation in KcsA potassium channelC-type inactivation in K+ channels is thought to be a result of constriction of the selectivity filter. By using MD simulations, Li et al. show that rapid constriction occurs within 1–2 s when the intracellular activation gate is fully open, but not when the gate is closed or partially open.
Transient K+ current in microvillar photoreceptorsThe transient K+ current carried by Shaker channels is thought to play a role in low-frequency signal amplification in Drosophila melanogaster photoreceptors. By combining patch-clamp recordings with a physiological variability analysis, Frolov reveals its role in high-frequency signal transmission.
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Current Issue
October 1, 2018
Volume 150, No. 10
