Mechanosensitive channel engineering: A study on the mixing and matching of YnaI and MscS sensor paddles and pores.

ABSTRACT: Osmotically varying environments are challenging for bacterial cells. Sudden drops in osmolytes cause an increased membrane tension and rupture the cells in the absence of protective mechanisms. One family of protective proteins are mechanosensitive channels of small conductance that open in response to membrane tension. Although these channels have a common architecture, they vary widely in the number of transmembrane helices, conductivity, and gating characteristics. Although there are various structures of channels in the open and closed state, the underlying common principles of the gating mechanism remain poorly understood. Here we show that YnaI opens by radial relocation of the transmembrane sensor paddles together with a shortening of the pore, which contrasts the prototypic smalle

SUBMITTER: Flegler VJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12375004 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature