title: Channel-lining residues of the AMPA receptor M2 segment: structural environment of the Q/R site and identification of the selectivity filter.
abstract: In AMPA receptor channels, a single amino acid residue (Q/R site) of the M2 segment controls permeation of calcium ions, single-channel conductance, blockade by intracellular polyamines, and permeation of anions. The structural environment of the Q/R site and its positioning with regard to a narrow constriction were probed with the accessibility of substituted cysteines to positively and negatively charged methanethiosulfonate reagents, applied from the extracellular and cytoplasmic sides of the channel. The accessibility patterns confirm that the M2 segment forms a pore loop with the Q/R site positioned at the tip of the loop (position 0) facing the extracellular vestibule. Cytoplasmically accessible residues on the N- and C-terminal sides of position 0 form the ascending alpha-helical (-8 to -1) and descending random coil (+1 to +6) components of the loop, respectively. Substitution of a glycine residue at position +2 with alanine strongly decreased the permeability of organic cations, indicating that position +2 contributes to the narrow constriction. The anionic 2-sulfonatoethyl-methanethiosufonate reacted with a cysteine at position 0 only from the external side and with cysteines at positions +1 to +4 only from the cytoplasmic side. These results suggest that charge selectivity occurs external to the constriction (+2) and possibly involves interactions of ions with the negative electrostatic potential created by the dipole of the alpha-helix formed by the ascending limb of the loop.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Molekulare Neurobiologie, Abteilung Zellphysiologie, Max-Planck Institut für Medizinische Forschung, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany. kuner@mpimf-heidelberg.mpg.de
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuner
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Beck
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sakmann
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Seeburg
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D003545:Cysteine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005020:Ethyl Methanesulfonate / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008698:Mesylates / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008845:Microinjections; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010539:Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013439:Sulfhydryl Reagents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: D008698:Mesylates; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D013439:Sulfhydryl Reagents; C093171:methanethiosulfonate ethylammonium; C109153:(2-sulfonatoethyl)methanethiosulfonate; C109154:(2-(trimethylammonium)ethyl)methanethiosulfonate; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005020:Ethyl Methanesulfonate; D003545:Cysteine; D007608:Kainic Acid; D002118:Calcium