Structure of mechanically activated ion channel OSCA2.3 reveals mobile elements in the transmembrane domain

Members of the OSCA/TMEM63 are mechanically activated ion channels and structures of some OSCA members have revealed the architecture of these channels and structural features that are potentially involved in mechanosensation. However, these structures are all in a similar state and information about the motion of different elements of the structure is limited, preventing a deeper understanding of how these channels work. Here, we used cryo-electron microscopy to determine high resolution structures of Arabidopsis thaliana OSCA1.2 and OSCA2.3 in peptidiscs. The structure of OSCA1.2 resembles previous structures of the same protein in different environments. Yet, in OSCA2.3 the TM6a-TM7 linker constricts the pore on its cytoplasmic side, revealing conformational heterogeneity within the OSCA family. Furthermore, coevolutionary sequence analysis uncovered a conserved interaction between TM6a-TM7 linker and the Beam-Like Domain. Our results support the involvement of TM6a-TM7 in mechanosensation and potentially in the diverse response of OSCA channels to mechanical stimuli.