Intramolecular signaling in a cardiac connexin: Role of cytoplasmic domain dimerization.

ABSTRACT: Gap junctions, composed of connexins, mediate electrical coupling and impulse propagation in the working myocardium. In the human heart, the spatio-temporal regulation and distinct functional properties of the three dominant connexins (Cx43, Cx45, and Cx40) suggests non-redundant physiological roles for each isoform. There are substantial differences in gating properties, expression, and trafficking among these isoforms, however, little is known about the determinants of these different phenotypes. To gain insight regarding these determinants, we focused on the carboxyl-terminal (CT) domain because of its importance in channel regulation and large degree of sequence divergence among connexin family members. Using in vitro biophysical experiments, we identified a structural feature unique t

SUBMITTER: Trease AJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5600700 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature