An intersubunit interaction between S4-S5 linker and S6 is responsible for the slow off-gating component in Shaker K+ channels.

ABSTRACT: Voltage-gated ion channels are controlled by the membrane potential, which is sensed by peripheral, positively charged voltage sensors. The movement of the charged residues in the voltage sensor may be detected as gating currents. In Shaker K(+) channels, the gating currents are asymmetric; although the on-gating currents are fast, the off-gating currents contain a slow component. This slow component is caused by a stabilization of the activated state of the voltage sensor and has been suggested to be linked to ion permeation or C-type inactivation. The molecular determinants responsible for the stabilization, however, remain unknown. Here, we identified an interaction between Arg-394, Glu-395, and Leu-398 on the C termini of the S4-S5 linker and Tyr-485 on the S6 of the neighboring subuni

SUBMITTER: Batulan Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2859562 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature