Asymmetric gating of a homopentameric ion channel GLIC revealed by cryo-EM.

ABSTRACT: Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) are vital neurotransmitter receptors that are key therapeutic targets for neurological disorders. Although the high-resolution structures of these channels have been elucidated, capturing their dynamic conformational transitions remains challenging due to the transient nature of intermediate states. In this study, we investigated a prokaryotic proton-gated pLGIC, GLIC. In our cryo-EM data at pH 4.0, we identified and segregated asymmetric particles, which we precisely aligned to resolve high-resolution structures of several previously unresolved asymmetric intermediate states, in addition to symmetric closed and open states. Detailed structural analysis revealed systematic conformational changes at individual subunits driving the channel openin

SUBMITTER: Li Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12582304 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature