title: Structural basis of slow activation gating in the cardiac I Ks channel complex.
abstract: Accessory β-subunits of the KCNE gene family modulate the function of various cation channel α-subunits by the formation of heteromultimers. Among the most dramatic changes of biophysical properties of a voltage-gated channel by KCNEs are the effects of KCNE1 on KCNQ1 channels. KCNQ1 and KCNE1 are believed to form nativeI(Ks) channels. Here, we characterize molecular determinants of KCNE1 interaction with KCNQ1 channels by scanning mutagenesis, double mutant cycle analysis, and molecular dynamics simulations. Our findings suggest that KCNE1 binds to the outer face of the KCNQ1 channel pore domain, modifies interactions between voltage sensor, S4-S5 linker and the pore domain, leading to structural modifications of the selectivity filter and voltage sensor domain. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest a stable interaction of the KCNE1 transmembrane α-helix with the pore domain S5/S6 and part of the voltage sensor domain S4 of KCNQ1 in a putative pre-open channel state. Formation of this state may induce slow activation gating, the pivotal characteristic of native cardiac I(Ks) channels. This new KCNQ1-KCNE1 model may become useful for dynamic modeling of disease-associated mutant I(Ks) channels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry I--Cation Channel Group, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Strutz-Seebohm
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pusch
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Raphael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stoll
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tapken
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gerwert
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Attali
authors.forename: Guiscard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seebohm
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000502:physiology*; D051657:KCNQ1 Potassium Channel / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D056004:Molecular Dynamics Simulation; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed; D009154:Mutation; D009865:Oocytes; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010957:Plasmids; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D017433:Protein Structure, Secondary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014982:Xenopus laevis
chemical_list: C489622:KCNE1 protein, human; D051657:KCNQ1 Potassium Channel; D024642:Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated; D011994:Recombinant Proteins