Helical motion of an S4 voltage sensor revealed by gating pore currents.
The mechanism by which the voltage sensors of voltage-gated ion channels move gating charge during the activation process is a subject of active debate. In this issue of Channels, Gamal El-Din et al. probe the movements of the S4 voltage sensor of Shaker K(+) channels through clever use of omega gating pore currents generated by paired gating-charge mutations. Their results provide strong support for a sliding helix or helical screw mechanism of gating charge movement.
Catterall
William A
WA
Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, USA. wcatt@u.washington.edu
Yarov-Yarovoy
Vladimir
V
D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine; D015640:Ion Channel Gating; D007700:Kinetics; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008958:Models, Molecular; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D021122:Protein Subunits; D051637:Shaker Superfamily of Potassium Channels / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014981:Xenopus
D021122:Protein Subunits; D051637:Shaker Superfamily of Potassium Channels; D001120:Arginine; D011188:Potassium