The complete structure of an activated open sodium channel

Nat Commun. 2017 Feb 16:8:14205. doi: 10.1038/ncomms14205.

Abstract

Voltage-gated sodium channels (Navs) play essential roles in excitable tissues, with their activation and opening resulting in the initial phase of the action potential. The cycling of Navs through open, closed and inactivated states, and their closely choreographed relationships with the activities of other ion channels lead to exquisite control of intracellular ion concentrations in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Here we present the 2.45 Å resolution crystal structure of the complete NavMs prokaryotic sodium channel in a fully open conformation. A canonical activated conformation of the voltage sensor S4 helix, an open selectivity filter leading to an open activation gate at the intracellular membrane surface and the intracellular C-terminal domain are visible in the structure. It includes a heretofore unseen interaction motif between W77 of S3, the S4-S5 interdomain linker, and the C-terminus, which is associated with regulation of opening and closing of the intracellular gate.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Electrophysiology
  • Ion Channel Gating / genetics
  • Ion Channel Gating / physiology
  • Ion Channels / chemistry
  • Ion Channels / genetics
  • Ion Channels / physiology
  • Kinetics
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mutation
  • Prokaryotic Cells / chemistry
  • Prokaryotic Cells / metabolism
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Domains
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sodium Channel Agonists / chemistry*
  • Sodium Channel Agonists / metabolism*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels / chemistry*
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels / genetics
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels / physiology*
  • X-Ray Diffraction

Substances

  • Ion Channels
  • Sodium Channel Agonists
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels