Dataset Information

Divalent Cation Modulation of Ion Permeation in TMEM16 Proteins.

ABSTRACT: Intracellular divalent cations control the molecular function of transmembrane protein 16 (TMEM16) family members. Both anion channels (such as TMEM16A) and phospholipid scramblases (such as TMEM16F) in this family are activated by intracellular Ca²⁺ in the low µM range. In addition, intracellular Ca²⁺ or Co²⁺ at mM concentrations have been shown to further potentiate the saturated Ca²⁺-activated current of TMEM16A. In this study, we found that all alkaline earth divalent cations in mM concentrations can generate similar potentiation effects in TMEM16A when applied intracellularly, and that manipulations thought to deplete membrane phospholipids weaken the effect. In comparison, mM concentrations of divalent cations minimally potentiate the current of TMEM16F but significantly change its cation/anion selectivity. We suggest that divalent cations may increase local concentrations of permeant ions via a change in pore electrostatic potential, possibly acting through phospholipid head groups in or near the pore. Monovalent cations appear to exert a similar effect, although with a much lower affinity. Our findings resolve controversies regarding the ion selectivity of TMEM16 proteins. The physiological role of this mechanism, however, remains elusive because of the nearly constant high cation concentrations in cytosols.

SUBMITTER: Nguyen DM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7926781 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Divalent Cation Modulation of Ion Permeation in TMEM16 Proteins.

Nguyen Dung M DM Kwon Hwoi Chan HC Chen Tsung-Yu TY

International journal of molecular sciences 20210223 4

Intracellular divalent cations control the molecular function of transmembrane protein 16 (TMEM16) family members. Both anion channels (such as TMEM16A) and phospholipid scramblases (such as TMEM16F) in this family are activated by intracellular Ca2+ in the low µM range. In addition, intracellular Ca2+ or Co2+ at mM concentrations have been shown to further potentiate the saturated Ca2+-activated current of TMEM16A. In this study, we found that all alk ...[more]

PMID: 33672260

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Project description:In voltage-gated ion channels, residues responsible for ion selectivity were identified in the pore-lining SS1-SS2 segments. Negatively charged glutamate residues (E393, E736, E1145, and E1446) found in each of the four repeats of the alpha 1C subunit were identified as the major determinant of selectivity in Ca2+ channels. Neutralization of glutamate residues by glutamine in repeat I (E393Q), repeat III (E1145Q), and repeat IV (E1446Q) decreased the channel affinity for calcium ions 10-fold from the wild-type channel. In contrast, neutralization of glutamate residues in repeat II failed to significantly alter Ca2+ affinity. Likewise, mutation of neighboring residues in E1149K and D1450N did not affect the channel affinity, further supporting the unique role of glutamate residues E1145 in repeat III and E1446 in repeat IV in determining Ca2+ selectivity. Conservative mutations E1145D and E1446D preserved high-affinity Ca2+ binding, which suggests that the interaction between Ca2+ and the pore ligand sites is predominantly electrostatic and involves charge neutralization. Mutational analysis of E1446 showed additionally that polar residues could achieve higher Ca2+ affinity than small hydrophobic residues could. The role of high-affinity calcium binding sites in channel permeation was investigated at the single-channel level. Neutralization of glutamate residue in repeats I, II, and III did not affect single-channel properties measured with 115 mM BaCl2. However, mutation of the high-affinity binding site E1446 was found to significantly affect the single-channel conductance for Ba2+ and Li+, providing strong evidence that E1446 is located in the narrow region of the channel outer mouth. Side-chain substitutions at 1446 in repeat IV were used to probe the nature of divalent cation-ligand interaction and monovalent cation-ligand interaction in the calcium channel pore. Monovalent permeation was found to be inversely proportional to the volume of the side chain at position 1446, with small neutral residues such as alanine and glycine producing higher Li+ currents than the wild-type channel. This suggests that steric hindrance is a major determinant for monovalent cation conductance. Divalent permeation was more complex. Ba2+ single-channel conductance decreased when small neutral residues such as glycine were replaced by bulkier ones such as glutamine. However, negatively charged amino acids produced single-channel conductance higher than predicted from the size of their side chain. Hence, negatively charged residues at position 1446 in repeat IV are required for divalent cation permeation.

Dataset Information

Divalent Cation Modulation of Ion Permeation in TMEM16 Proteins.

Publications

Divalent Cation Modulation of Ion Permeation in TMEM16 Proteins.

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