| 1. |
- Andersson, Alma E. V., et al.
(author)
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Exploring the Viral Channel Kcv(PBCV-1) Function via Computation
- 2018
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In: Journal of Membrane Biology. - : SPRINGER. - 0022-2631 .- 1432-1424. ; 251:3, s. 419-430
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Viral potassium channels (Kcv) are homologous to the pore module of complex -selective ion channels of cellular organisms. Due to their relative simplicity, they have attracted interest towards understanding the principles of conduction and channel gating. In this work, we construct a homology model of the open state, which we validate by studying the binding of known blockers and by monitoring ion conduction through the channel. Molecular dynamics simulations of this model reveal that the re-orientation of selectivity filter carbonyl groups coincides with the transport of potassium ions, suggesting a possible mechanism for fast gating. In addition, we show that the voltage sensitivity of this mechanism can originate from the relocation of potassium ions inside the selectivity filter. We also explore the interaction of with the surrounding bilayer and observe the binding of lipids in the area between two adjacent subunits. The model is available to the scientific community to further explore the structure/function relationship of Kcv channels.
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| 2. |
- Choudhury, Koushik, et al.
(author)
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An open state of a voltage-gated sodium channel involving a p-helix and conserved pore-facing asparagine
- 2022
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In: Biophysical Journal. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3495 .- 1542-0086. ; 121:1, s. 11-22
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels play critical roles in propagating action potentials and otherwise manipulating ionic gradients in excitable cells. These channels open in response to membrane depolarization, selectively permeating sodium ions until rapidly inactivating. Structural characterization of the gating cycle in this channel family has proved challenging, particularly due to the transient nature of the open state. A structure from the bacterium Magnetococcus marinus Nav (NavMs) was initially proposed to be open, based on its pore diameter and voltage-sensor conformation. However, the functional annotation of this model, and the structural details of the open state, remain disputed. In this work, we used molecular modeling and simulations to test possible open-state models of NavMs. The full-length experimental structure, termed here the cc-model, was consistently dehydrated at the activation gate, indicating an inability to conduct ions. Based on a spontaneous transition observed in extended simulations, and sequence/structure comparison to other Nav channels, we built an alternative p-model featuring a helix transition and the rotation of a conserved asparagine residue into the activation gate. Pore hydration, ion permeation, and state-dependent drug binding in this model were consistent with an open functional state. This work thus offers both a functional annotation of the full-length NavMs structure and a detailed model for a stable Nav open state, with potential conservation in diverse ion-channel families.
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| 3. |
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| 4. |
- Cournia, Zoe, et al.
(author)
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Membrane Protein Structure, Function, and Dynamics : a Perspective from Experiments and Theory
- 2015
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In: Journal of Membrane Biology. - : Springer. - 0022-2631 .- 1432-1424. ; 248:4, s. 611-640
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Membrane proteins mediate processes that are fundamental for the flourishing of biological cells. Membrane-embedded transporters move ions and larger solutes across membranes; receptors mediate communication between the cell and its environment and membrane-embedded enzymes catalyze chemical reactions. Understanding these mechanisms of action requires knowledge of how the proteins couple to their fluid, hydrated lipid membrane environment. We present here current studies in computational and experimental membrane protein biophysics, and show how they address outstanding challenges in understanding the complex environmental effects on the structure, function, and dynamics of membrane proteins.
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| 5. |
- Fleetwood, Oliver, et al.
(author)
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Molecular Insights from Conformational Ensembles via Machine Learning
- 2020
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In: Biophysical Journal. - : Biophysical Society. - 0006-3495 .- 1542-0086. ; 118:3, s. 765-780
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Biomolecular simulations are intrinsically high dimensional and generate noisy data sets of ever-increasing size. Extracting important features from the data is crucial for understanding the biophysical properties of molecular processes, but remains a big challenge. Machine learning (ML) provides powerful dimensionality reduction tools. However, such methods are often criticized as resembling black boxes with limited human-interpretable insight. We use methods from supervised and unsupervised ML to efficiently create interpretable maps of important features from molecular simulations. We benchmark the performance of several methods, including neural networks, random forests, and principal component analysis, using a toy model with properties reminiscent of macromolecular behavior. We then analyze three diverse biological processes: conformational changes within the soluble protein calmodulin, ligand binding to a G protein-coupled receptor, and activation of an ion channel voltage-sensor domain, unraveling features critical for signal transduction, ligand binding, and voltage sensing. This work demonstrates the usefulness of ML in understanding biomolecular states and demystifying complex simulations.
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| 6. |
- Hedegaard, Sofie Fogh, et al.
(author)
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Fluorophore labeling of a cell-penetrating peptide significantly alters the mode and degree of biomembrane interaction
- 2018
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In: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 8:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The demand for highly efficient macromolecular drugs, used in the treatment of many severe diseases, is continuously increasing. However, the hydrophilic character and large molecular size of these drugs significantly limit their ability to permeate across cellular membranes and thus impede the drugs in reaching their target sites in the body. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPP) have gained attention as promising drug excipients, since they can facilitate drug permeation across cell membranes constituting a major biological barrier. Fluorophores are frequently covalently conjugated to CPPs to improve detection, however, the ensuing change in physico-chemical properties of the CPPs may alter their biological properties. With complementary biophysical techniques, we show that the mode of biomembrane interaction may change considerably upon labeling of the CPP penetratin (PEN) with a fluorophore. Fluorophore-PEN conjugates display altered modes of membrane interaction with increased insertion into the core of model cell membranes thereby exerting membrane-thinning effects. This is in contrast to PEN, which localizes along the head groups of the lipid bilayer, without affecting the thickness of the lipid tails. Particularly high membrane disturbance is observed for the two most hydrophobic PEN conjugates; rhodamine B or 1-pyrene butyric acid, as compared to the four other tested fluorophore-PEN conjugates.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
- Kasimova, Marina A., et al.
(author)
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Determining the molecular basis of voltage sensitivity in membrane proteins
- 2018
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In: The Journal of General Physiology. - : Rockefeller University Press. - 0022-1295 .- 1540-7748. ; 215:10, s. 1444-1458
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Voltage-sensitive membrane proteins are united by their ability to transform changes in membrane potential into mechanical work. They are responsible for a spectrum of physiological processes in living organisms, including electrical signaling and cell-cycle progression. Although the mechanism of voltage-sensing has been well characterized for some membrane proteins, including voltage-gated ion channels, even the location of the voltage-sensing elements remains unknown for others. Moreover, the detection of these elements by using experimental techniques is challenging because of the diversity of membrane proteins. Here, we provide a computational approach to predict voltage-sensing elements in any membrane protein, independent of its structure or function. It relies on an estimation of the propensity of a protein to respond to changes in membrane potential. We first show that this property correlates well with voltage sensitivity by applying our approach to a set of voltage-sensitive and voltage-insensitive membrane proteins. We further show that it correctly identifies authentic voltage-sensitive residues in the voltage-sensor domain of voltage-gated ion channels. Finally, we investigate six membrane proteins for which the voltage-sensing elements have not yet been characterized and identify residues and ions that might be involved in the response to voltage. The suggested approach is fast and simple and enables a characterization of voltage sensitivity that goes beyond mere identification of charges. We anticipate that its application before mutagenesis experiments will significantly reduce the number of potential voltage-sensitive elements to be tested.
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| 9. |
- Kasimova, Marina A., et al.
(author)
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Evolutionarily Conserved Interactions within the Pore Domain of Acid-Sensing Ion Channels
- 2020
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In: Biophysical Journal. - : CELL PRESS. - 0006-3495 .- 1542-0086. ; 118:4, s. 861-872
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Despite the sequence homology between acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) and epithelial sodium channel (ENaCs), these channel families display very different functional characteristics. Whereas ASICs are gated by protons and show a relatively low degree of selectivity for sodium over potassium, ENaCs are constitutively active and display a remarkably high degree of sodium selectivity. To decipher if some of the functional diversity originates from differences within the transmembrane helices (M1 and M2) of both channel families, we turned to a combination of computational and functional interrogations, using statistical coupling analysis and mutational studies on mouse ASIC1a. The coupling analysis suggests that the relative position of M1 and M2 in the upper part of the pore domain is likely to remain constant during the ASIC gating cycle, whereas they may undergo relative movements in the lower part. Interestingly, our data suggest that to account for coupled residue pairs being in close structural proximity, both domain-swapped and nondomain-swapped ASIC M2 conformations need to be considered. Such conformational flexibility is consistent with structural work, which suggested that the lower part of M2 can adopt both domain-swapped and nondomain-swapped conformations. Overall, mutations to residues in the middle and lower pore were more likely to affect gating and/or ion selectivity than those in the upper pore. Indeed, disrupting the putative interaction between a highly conserved Trp/Glu residue pair in the lower pore is detrimental to gating and selectivity, although this interaction might occur in both domain-swapped and nonswapped conformations. Finally, our results suggest that the greater number of larger, aromatic side chains in the ENaC M2 helix may contribute to the constitutive activity of these channels at a resting pH. Together, the data highlight differences in the transmembrane domains of these closely related ion channels that may help explain some of their distinct functional properties.
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| 10. |
- Kasimova, Marina A., et al.
(author)
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Helix breaking transition in the S4 of HCN channel is critical for hyperpolarization- dependent gating
- 2019
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In: eLIFE. - : NLM (Medline). - 2050-084X. ; 8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In contrast to most voltage-gated ion channels, hyperpolarization- and cAMP gated (HCN) ion channels open on hyperpolarization. Structure-function studies show that the voltagesensor of HCN channels are unique but the mechanisms that determine gating polarity remain poorly understood. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations (similar to 20 mu s) of HCN1 channel under hyperpolarization reveals an initial downward movement of the S4 voltage-sensor but following the transfer of last gating charge, the S4 breaks into two sub-helices with the lower sub-helix becoming parallel to the membrane. Functional studies on bipolar channels show that the gating polarity strongly correlates with helical turn propensity of the substituents at the breakpoint. Remarkably, in a proto-HCN background, the replacement of breakpoint serine with a bulky hydrophobic amino acid is sufficient to completely flip the gating polarity from inward to outward-rectifying. Our studies reveal an unexpected mechanism of inward rectification involving a linker sub-helix emerging from HCN S4 during hyperpolarization.
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