The voltage-dependent anion channel as a biological transistor: theoretical considerations.
The voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) is a porin of the mitochondrial outer membrane with a bell-shaped permeability-voltage characteristic. This porin restricts the flow of negatively charged metabolites at certain non-zero voltages, and thus might regulate their flux across the mitochondrial outer membrane. Here, we have developed a mathematical model illustrating the possibility of interaction between two steady-state fluxes of negatively charged metabolites circulating across the VDAC in a membrane. The fluxes interact by contributing to generation of the membrane electrical potential with subsequent closure of the VDAC. The model predicts that the VDAC might function as a single-molecule biological transistor and amplifier, because according to the obtained calculations a small change in the flux of one pair of different negatively charged metabolites causes a significant modulation of a more powerful flux of another pair of negatively charged metabolites circulating across the same membrane with the VDAC. Such transistor-like behavior of the VDAC in the mitochondrial outer membrane might be an important principle of the cell energy metabolism regulation under some physiological conditions.
School of Physics, Department of Science, National University of Colombia, Medellin Branch, Colombia. vvasilie@perseus.unalmed.edu.co
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D000818:Animals; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000502:physiology*; D002713:Chlorine / Q000378:metabolism; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000502:physiology*; D008954:Models, Biological; D018272:Porins / Q000502:physiology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism; D014173:Transistors, Electronic; D050994:Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels
D018272:Porins; D050994:Voltage-Dependent Anion Channels; D002713:Chlorine; D011188:Potassium