Newest Articles
The discovery of single-photon signalingA retrospective on the scientific importance and impact of Hecht, Shlaer, and Pirenne’s classic 1942 paper, “Energy, Quanta, and Vision.”
Calcium channel gating pore currentsChahine highlights new work that exploits the increased expression of human CaV1.1 at the plasma membrane after coexpression with Stac3.
Stac proteins interact directly with CaV1.1In skeletal muscle, excitation–contraction coupling between CaV1.1 and RyR1 depends on the presence of a critical domain (residues 720–764/5) within the cytoplasmic II–III loop of CaV1.1. Polster et al. identify the adaptor protein Stac3 as a direct interaction partner of the critical domain.
Another way of seeing thingsJGP study explores a novel photoreception pathway in a marine mollusk.
Phosphorylation prevents Cav2.3 channel run-downCav2.3 Ca2+ channels are subject to cytosolic regulation, which has been difficult to characterize in native cells. Neumaier et al. demonstrate the role of phosphorylation in the function of these channels and suggest a close relationship between voltage dependence and the phosphorylation state.
Cooperative binding of Na+ and substrate to SERTThis study on serotonin transporters shows that amphetamine-induced monoamine release requires cooperative substrate and cosubstrate binding. A kinetic model is presented that can account qualitatively and quantitatively for the releasing action of amphetamines.
Lipid access pathways in P-glycoproteinP-glycoprotein contributes to multidrug resistance by exporting a broad range of substrates across the cell membrane. Using molecular dynamics simulations, Barreto-Ojeda et al. identify key lipid-binding sites and reveal lipid access pathways toward the cavity of the transporter.
Gating pore currents in HypoPP hCaV1.1Hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HypoPP) is thought to be caused by an aberrant inward current through the voltage sensors of mutant Na+ or Ca2+ channels. Wu et al. use Stac3 to enhance the membrane expression of two HypoPP CaV1.1 mutants in oocytes and find that both support gating pore currents.
Optimizing Cys-loop receptor concatenationNicotine acetylcholine receptors can form countless heteromeric stoichiometries from a common set of subunits. Ahring et al. present the limitations of subunit concatenation and establish a refinement that achieves substantiated expression of uniform receptor pools from complex stoichiometric origins.
Go-coupled rhodopsinThe mollusk Pecten irradians possesses ciliary photoreceptors that operate with an atypical mechanism. Arenas et al. reveal that a recently uncovered opsin type is the functional visual pigment in these photoreceptors and couples to Go, in contrast to other types of photoreceptor.
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Current Issue
April 2, 2018
Volume 150, No. 4
