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The S4-S5 linker acts as a signal integrator for HERG K+ channel activation and deactivation gating.

ABSTRACT: Human ether-à-go-go-related gene (hERG) K(+) channels have unusual gating kinetics. Characterised by slow activation/deactivation but rapid inactivation/recovery from inactivation, the unique gating kinetics underlie the central role hERG channels play in cardiac repolarisation. The slow activation and deactivation kinetics are regulated in part by the S4-S5 linker, which couples movement of the voltage sensor domain to opening of the activation gate at the distal end of the inner helix of the pore domain. It has also been suggested that cytosolic domains may interact with the S4-S5 linker to regulate activation and deactivation kinetics. Here, we show that the solution structure of a peptide corresponding to the S4-S5 linker of hERG contains an amphipathic helix. The effects of mutations at the majority of residues in the S4-S5 linker of hERG were consistent with the previously identified role in coupling voltage sensor movement to the activation gate. However, mutations to Ser543, Tyr545, Gly546 and Ala548 had more complex phenotypes indicating that these residues are involved in additional interactions. We propose a model in which the S4-S5 linker, in addition to coupling VSD movement to the activation gate, also contributes to interactions that stabilise the closed state and a separate set of interactions that stabilise the open state. The S4-S5 linker therefore acts as a signal integrator and plays a crucial role in the slow deactivation kinetics of the channel.

SUBMITTER: Ng CA

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3280985 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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The S4-S5 linker acts as a signal integrator for HERG K+ channel activation and deactivation gating.

Ng Chai Ann CA Perry Matthew D MD Tan Peter S PS Hill Adam P AP Kuchel Philip W PW Vandenberg Jamie I JI

PloS one 20120216 2

Human ether-à-go-go-related gene (hERG) K(+) channels have unusual gating kinetics. Characterised by slow activation/deactivation but rapid inactivation/recovery from inactivation, the unique gating kinetics underlie the central role hERG channels play in cardiac repolarisation. The slow activation and deactivation kinetics are regulated in part by the S4-S5 linker, which couples movement of the voltage sensor domain to opening of the activation gate at the distal end of the inner helix of the p ...[more]

PMID: 22359612

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Project description:Slow deactivation of hERG channels is critical for preventing cardiac arrhythmia yet the mechanistic basis for the slow gating transition is unclear. Here, we characterized the temporal sequence of events leading to voltage sensor stabilization upon membrane depolarization. Progressive increase in step depolarization duration slowed voltage-sensor return in a biphasic manner (τfast = 34 ms, τslow = 2.5 s). The faster phase of voltage-sensor return slowing correlated with the kinetics of pore opening. The slower component occurred over durations that exceeded channel activation and was consistent with voltage sensor relaxation. The S4-S5 linker mutation, G546L, impeded the faster phase of voltage sensor stabilization without attenuating the slower phase, suggesting that the S4-S5 linker is important for communications between the pore gate and the voltage sensor during deactivation. These data also demonstrate that the mechanisms of pore gate-opening-induced and relaxation-induced voltage-sensor stabilization are separable. Deletion of the distal N-terminus (Δ2-135) accelerated off-gating current, but did not influence the relative contribution of either mechanism of stabilization of the voltage sensor. Lastly, we characterized mode-shift behavior in hERG channels, which results from stabilization of activated channel states. The apparent mode-shift depended greatly on recording conditions. By measuring slow activation and deactivation at steady state we found the "true" mode-shift to be ∼15 mV. Interestingly, the "true" mode-shift of gating currents was ∼40 mV, much greater than that of the pore gate. This demonstrates that voltage sensor return is less energetically favorable upon repolarization than pore gate closure. We interpret this to indicate that stabilization of the activated voltage sensor limits the return of hERG channels to rest. The data suggest that this stabilization occurs as a result of reconfiguration of the pore gate upon opening by a mechanism that is influenced by the S4-S5 linker, and by a separable voltage-sensor intrinsic relaxation mechanism.

Project description:AIMS:The human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) encodes the rapidly activating delayed rectifier potassium channel (IKr). Malfunction of hERG/IKr is the primary cause of acquired long QT syndrome (LQTS), an electrical disorder of the heart that can cause arrhythmias and sudden death. Patients with autoimmune diseases display a high incidence of LQTS. While dysfunction of hERG channels induced by autoantibodies such as anti-Ro52 may play a role in this pathology, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. Here, we investigated the acute and chronic effects of anti-Ro52 antibody on hERG channels stably expressed in human embryonic kidney (hERG-HEK) 293 cells as well as IKr in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. METHODS AND RESULTS:Using whole-cell patch clamp, western blot analyses, and immunocytochemistry, we found that a 12-h treatment of hERG-HEK cells with patients' sera containing anti-Ro52 autoantibody decreased the hERG current (IhERG) by 32% compared to cells treated with autoantibody-negative patients' sera. Commercial anti-Ro52 antibody at 100 µg/mL did not acutely block IhERG. Instead, a 12-h treatment with anti-Ro52 antibody at a concentration of 4 µg/mL significantly reduced mature hERG protein expression and IhERG. Specifically, anti-Ro52 antibody did not acutely block hERG current but chronically facilitated hERG endocytic degradation. The extracellular S5-pore linker of hERG, which forms the turret of the channel on the outside of the cell, is the target region for anti-Ro52-mediated hERG reduction since its replacement with the analogous region of EAG abolished the anti-Ro52 effect. In neonatal rat ventricular myocytes, 100 µg/mL anti-Ro52 antibody did not acutely block IKr, but a 12-h treatment of cells with 4 µg/mL anti-Ro52 antibody selectively reduced IKr and prolonged the action potential duration. CONCLUSIONS:Our results indicate that anti-Ro52 antibody acts on the hERG S5-pore linker to chronically decrease hERG expression and current. These findings provide novel insights into hERG regulation and anti-Ro52 antibody-associated LQTS.

Dataset Information

The S4-S5 linker acts as a signal integrator for HERG K+ channel activation and deactivation gating.

Publications

The S4-S5 linker acts as a signal integrator for HERG K+ channel activation and deactivation gating.

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