Mechanical coupling of the multiple structural elements of the large-conductance mechanosensitive channel during expansion.

ABSTRACT: The prokaryotic mechanosensitive channel of large conductance (MscL) is a pressure-relief valve protecting the cell from lysing during acute osmotic downshock. When the membrane is stretched, MscL responds to the increase of membrane tension and opens a nonselective pore to about 30 Å wide, exhibiting a large unitary conductance of ∼ 3 nS. A fundamental step toward understanding the gating mechanism of MscL is to decipher the molecular details of the conformational changes accompanying channel opening. By applying fusion-protein strategy and controlling detergent composition, we have solved the structures of an archaeal MscL homolog from Methanosarcina acetivorans trapped in the closed and expanded intermediate states. The comparative analysis of these two new structures reveals significan

SUBMITTER: Li J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4553819 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature