Allosteric features of KCNQ1 gating revealed by alanine scanning mutagenesis.

ABSTRACT: Controlled opening and closing of an ion-selective pathway in response to changes of membrane potential is a fundamental feature of voltage-gated ion channels. In recent decades, various details of this process have been revealed with unprecedented precision based on studies of prototypic potassium channels. Though current scientific efforts are focused more on a thorough description of voltage-sensor movement, much less is known about the similarities and differences of the gating mechanisms among potassium channels. Here, we describe the peculiarities of the KCNQ1 gating process in parallel comparison to Shaker. We applied alanine scanning mutagenesis to the S4-S5 linker and pore region and followed the regularities of gating perturbations in KCNQ1. We found a fractional constitutive con

SUBMITTER: Ma LJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3037572 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature