title: Temperature-sensitive gating of hCx26: high-resolution Raman spectroscopy sheds light on conformational changes.
abstract: The temperature-sensitive gating of human Connexin 26 (hCx26) was analyzed with confocal Raman microscopy. High-resolution Raman spectra covering the spectral range between 400 and 1500 rel. cm(-1) with a spectral resolution of 1 cm(-1) were fully annotated, revealing notable differences between the spectrum recorded from solubilized hCx26 in Ca(2+)-buffered POPC at 10°C and any other set of protein conditions (temperature, Ca(2+) presence, POPC presence). Spectral components originating from specific amino acids show that the TM1/EL1 parahelix and probably the TM4 trans-membrane helix and the plug domain are involved in the gating process responsible for fully closing the hemichannel.
authors: Hanover Centre for Optical Technologies, Gottfried-Wilhelm-Leibniz Universität Hannover, Nienburger Str. 17, 30167 Hanover, Germany.
authors: Ann-Kathrin
authors: AK
authors: Kniggendorf
authors: Hanover Centre for Optical Technologies, Gottfried-Wilhelm-Leibniz Universität Hannover, Nienburger Str. 17, 30167 Hanover, Germany ; Cluster of Excellence Hearing4All, Hanover, Germany.
authors: Merve
authors: M
authors: Meinhardt-Wollweber
authors: Hanover Centre for Optical Technologies, Gottfried-Wilhelm-Leibniz Universität Hannover, Nienburger Str. 17, 30167 Hanover, Germany.
authors: Xiaogang
authors: X
authors: Yuan
authors: Hanover Centre for Optical Technologies, Gottfried-Wilhelm-Leibniz Universität Hannover, Nienburger Str. 17, 30167 Hanover, Germany.
authors: Bernhard
authors: B
authors: Roth
authors: Nanion Technologies GmbH, Gabrielenstr. 9, 80636 Munich, Germany.
authors: Astrid
authors: A
authors: Seifert
authors: Nanion Technologies GmbH, Gabrielenstr. 9, 80636 Munich, Germany.
authors: Niels
authors: N
authors: Fertig
authors: Gottfried-Wilhelm-Leibniz Universität Hannover and Biomolekulares Wirkstoffzentrum, Herrenhäuser Str. 2, 30419 Hanover, Germany ; zeilinger@biophysik.uni-hannover.de.
authors: Carsten
authors: C
authors: Zeilinger
keywords: (170.1420) Biology; (180.5655) Raman microscopy