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Related Experiment Videos

Where are the gates in gap junction channels?

G Dahl1

  • 1Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Miami, School of Medicine, Florida 33101, USA.

Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology & Physiology
|December 1, 1996
PubMed
Summary

Gap junction channels have distinct docking and channel gates. The docking gate, located in extracellular loops of connexins, regulates channel opening, while channel gates control states. Voltage effects on these channels are complex and may involve non-connexin peptides.

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Area of Science:

  • Cellular Biology
  • Biophysics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Gap junction channels facilitate direct cell-to-cell communication.
  • Two distinct gating mechanisms, the docking gate and channel gates, regulate channel function.
  • Connexins, the protein subunits of gap junctions, possess extracellular loops critical for gating.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To differentiate and characterize the roles of docking and channel gates in gap junction function.
  • To investigate the molecular basis of the docking gate mechanism.
  • To explore the influence of voltage on gap junction channel gating.

Main Methods:

  • Connexin mutagenesis to probe docking gate function.
  • Synthetic peptide analysis to study extracellular loop interactions.

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  • Electrophysiological recordings to assess voltage-dependent gating.

    • Main Results:

    • The docking gate is formed by complex interactions within connexin extracellular loops, potentially involving inter- and intra-molecular forces and disulfide exchange.
    • Channel gates proper control the open/closed states of the entire gap junction channel.
    • Voltage effects on gap junction channels are diverse and complex, lacking a clear S4 voltage sensor equivalent, suggesting involvement of non-connexin peptides.

    Conclusions:

    • Gap junction channel gating involves distinct docking and channel gate mechanisms.
    • Extracellular loop interactions are crucial for docking gate function.
    • Voltage-dependent gating of gap junction channels is complex and may involve accessory proteins.