Voltage-dependent gating of the Cx32*43E1 hemichannel: conformational changes at the channel entrances.

ABSTRACT: Voltage is an important parameter that regulates the open probability of both intercellular channels (gap junctions) and undocked hemichannels formed by members of the connexin gene family. All connexin channels display two distinct voltage-gating processes, termed loop- or slow-gating and V(j)- or fast-gating, which are intrinsic hemichannel properties. Previous studies have established that the loop-gate permeability barrier is formed by a large conformational change that reduces pore diameter in a region of the channel pore located at the border of the first transmembrane domain and first extracellular loop (TM1/E1), the parahelix (residues 42-51). Here, we use cadmium metal bridge formation to measure conformational changes reported by substituted cysteines at loci demarcating the intr

SUBMITTER: Kwon T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3557306 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature