Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Voltage-gated Ion Channels01:26

Voltage-gated Ion Channels

12.5K
Voltage-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that open and close in response to changes in the membrane potential. They are present on the membranes of all electrically excitable cells such as neurons, heart, and muscle cells.
Generally, all voltage-gated ion channels have a 'voltage-sensing domain' that spans the lipid bilayer. The charged residues in the sensor move in response to the membrane potential changes that open the channel allowing ions movement. There are several types of...
12.5K
Voltage-gated Ion Channels01:26

Voltage-gated Ion Channels

5.1K
5.1K
Ion Channels01:19

Ion Channels

92.5K
The movement of ions like sodium, potassium, and calcium into and out of the cell is essential to maintain the electrochemical gradient in living cells. The ion channels—a class of membrane transport proteins—help maintain this ionic gradient for the smooth functioning of physiological activities such as maintaining cell size and volume, conducting nerve impulses, and gas and nutrient exchange.
Ion channels are specialized integral membrane proteins on the plasma membrane that allow...
92.5K
Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism01:30

Ligand-Gated Ion Channel Receptor: Gating Mechanism

4.6K
Ligand-gated ion channels are transmembrane proteins that play a vital role in intercellular communication and functions of the nervous system. They allow the influx of ions across the membrane once the neurotransmitter binds, allowing the subsequent transmission of electrical excitation across the neurons. Other ligand-gated ion channels, like the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, permit anions like chloride into the cells on the binding of the GABA molecule. Their entry into the cell...
4.6K
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels01:12

Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

8.0K
Mechanically-gated ion channels are proteins found in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell membranes that open in response to mechanical stress. Tension, compression, swelling, and shear stress can alter the conformation of the protein, opening a transmembrane channel that allows the passage of ions for signal transmission. In eukaryotes, mechanically-gated channels are distributed in several regions like the neurons, lungs, skin, bladder, and heart, where they play critical roles in numerous...
8.0K
Mechanically-gated Ion Channels01:12

Mechanically-gated Ion Channels

3.4K
3.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Involvement of the alpha-subunit N-terminus in the mechanism of the Na<sup>+</sup>,K<sup>+</sup>-ATPase.

Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular cell research·2023
Same author

First Report of Curvularia Leaf Spot of Field Corn, Caused by <i>Curvularia lunata</i>, in Mississippi.

Plant disease·2022
Same author

[Psychiatric emergencies and sense of urgency occurring upstream from health services: What should be done?]

L'Encephale·2020
Same author

Multiyear Regional Evaluation of Foliar Fungicide Applications for Cotton Target Spot Management in the Southeastern United States.

Plant disease·2019
Same author

Distribution and Recovery of Tilletia indica Teliospores from Regulated Wheat Fields in Texas.

Plant disease·2019
Same author

The Influence of Tillage on Dispersal of Tilletia indica Teliospores from a Concentrated Point Source.

Plant disease·2019

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 15, 2026

Multifunctional, Micropipette-based Method for Incorporation And Stimulation of Bacterial Mechanosensitive Ion Channels in Droplet Interface Bilayers
09:54

Multifunctional, Micropipette-based Method for Incorporation And Stimulation of Bacterial Mechanosensitive Ion Channels in Droplet Interface Bilayers

Published on: November 19, 2015

11.2K

Understanding Sodium Channel Function and Modulation Using Atomistic Simulations of Bacterial Channel Structures.

C Boiteux1, T W Allen2

  • 1RMIT University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

Current Topics in Membranes
|September 3, 2016
PubMed
Summary

New insights into bacterial sodium channels, revealed by high-resolution structures and simulations, illuminate molecular mechanisms of ion conduction and drug interactions. These simpler channels offer a powerful platform for understanding complex mammalian channel functions and developing new drugs.

Keywords:
Drug bindingInactivationIon permeationMolecular dynamics simulationSodium channels

More Related Videos

Measuring Nucleotide Binding to Intact, Functional Membrane Proteins in Real Time
08:33

Measuring Nucleotide Binding to Intact, Functional Membrane Proteins in Real Time

Published on: March 11, 2021

2.3K
Site Directed Spin Labeling and EPR Spectroscopic Studies of Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels
11:19

Site Directed Spin Labeling and EPR Spectroscopic Studies of Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels

Published on: July 4, 2016

11.1K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 15, 2026

Multifunctional, Micropipette-based Method for Incorporation And Stimulation of Bacterial Mechanosensitive Ion Channels in Droplet Interface Bilayers
09:54

Multifunctional, Micropipette-based Method for Incorporation And Stimulation of Bacterial Mechanosensitive Ion Channels in Droplet Interface Bilayers

Published on: November 19, 2015

11.2K
Measuring Nucleotide Binding to Intact, Functional Membrane Proteins in Real Time
08:33

Measuring Nucleotide Binding to Intact, Functional Membrane Proteins in Real Time

Published on: March 11, 2021

2.3K
Site Directed Spin Labeling and EPR Spectroscopic Studies of Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels
11:19

Site Directed Spin Labeling and EPR Spectroscopic Studies of Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channels

Published on: July 4, 2016

11.1K

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Structural Biology
  • Computational Biophysics

Background:

  • Sodium channels are crucial for electrical signaling in the nervous system, impacting functions like heartbeat and brain activity.
  • High-resolution X-ray structures of bacterial sodium channels provide unprecedented molecular-level views of their operation.
  • Bacterial sodium channels share key structural and functional similarities with mammalian channels, including ion conduction and drug modulation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To establish relationships between the structures and functions of bacterial and mammalian sodium channels.
  • To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying ion conduction, gating, and drug interactions in sodium channels.
  • To explore bacterial sodium channels as a simplified model for mechanistic discovery and pharmacological development.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of high-resolution X-ray structures of bacterial sodium channels.
  • Molecular dynamics simulations to investigate channel function, including ion permeation and gating.
  • Comparison of structural and functional data between bacterial and mammalian sodium channels.

Main Results:

  • Simulations revealed a multi-ion conduction mechanism involving Na(+) binding to a site formed by glutamate side chains, highlighting protein flexibility.
  • Structural changes leading to asymmetrical collapses of the activation gate were observed, potentially corresponding to inactivated states.
  • Molecular views of drug interactions were obtained, consistent with known binding sites and identifying potential new drug targets.

Conclusions:

  • Bacterial sodium channels serve as an excellent learning platform for understanding fundamental sodium channel mechanisms.
  • Studies of bacterial channels offer potential for examining drug activity mechanisms, including pore-blocking and inactivation.
  • These findings pave the way for mechanistic discovery and the development of novel pharmacological agents targeting sodium channels.