title: Molecular modeling of ligand-gated ion channels: progress and challenges.
abstract: There has been rapid progress in molecular modeling of LGICs in recent years. The convergence of improved software for molecular mechanics/dynamics, techniques of chimeric substitution and site-directed mutations, and the first X-ray structures of transmembrane ion channels will make it possible to build reasonable models of neuronal ion channels well in advance of publication of their crystal structures. These models will not only serve as guides for future site-directed mutagenesis, but they will also be a starting point for understanding the dynamics of ion channel gating.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bertaccini
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Trudell
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000502:physiology*; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics*; D008024:Ligands; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011487:Protein Conformation
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels; D008024:Ligands