title: Tuning Piezo ion channels to detect molecular-scale movements relevant for fine touch.
abstract: In sensory neurons, mechanotransduction is sensitive, fast and requires mechanosensitive ion channels. Here we develop a new method to directly monitor mechanotransduction at defined regions of the cell-substrate interface. We show that molecular-scale (~13 nm) displacements are sufficient to gate mechanosensitive currents in mouse touch receptors. Using neurons from knockout mice, we show that displacement thresholds increase by one order of magnitude in the absence of stomatin-like protein 3 (STOML3). Piezo1 is the founding member of a class of mammalian stretch-activated ion channels, and we show that STOML3, but not other stomatin-domain proteins, brings the activation threshold for Piezo1 and Piezo2 currents down to ~10 nm. Structure-function experiments localize the Piezo modulatory activity of STOML3 to the stomatin domain, and higher-order scaffolds are a prerequisite for function. STOML3 is the first potent modulator of Piezo channels that tunes the sensitivity of mechanically gated channels to detect molecular-scale stimuli relevant for fine touch.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle Straße 10, D-13092 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Poole
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle Straße 10, D-13092 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Herget
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle Straße 10, D-13092 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Liudmila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lapatsina
authors.affiliation: Microsensor & Actuator Technology, Technische Universität Berlin, D-13355 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Ha-Duong
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Ngo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroscience, Max-Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Robert-Rössle Straße 10, D-13092 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Gary R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Lewin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001703:Biophysics; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000166:cytology; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D040542:Mechanotransduction, Cellular / Q000502:physiology*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011984:Sensory Receptor Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D007473:Ion Channels; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C552920:Piezo1 protein, mouse; C552921:Piezo2 protein, mouse; C461699:Stoml3 protein, mouse