Lock mechanism for a potassium channel (KirBac3,1). Analysis under high resolution making use of cryo-electron crystallography and native massa spectromics .

One of the most fundamental biological processes is the ability of a cell to facilitate the selective movement of ions and small molecules across the plasma membrane; this allows a cell to interact with its environment. The rapid movement of inorganic ions such as Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Cl- across the membrane in response to electrochemical gradients is achieved by ion channels: integral membrane proteins that provide ion-selective pathways across the otherwise impermeable cell membrane. However, ion channels are not simply unregulated pores. Instead, they are "gated", i.e. they open and close in response to a variety of mechanical, thermal, electrical and chemical signals. The inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels comprise a superfamily of K+ channels that regulate membrane electrical excitability and K+ transport in many cell types. Kir channels are found in almost every cell in the body where they control such diverse processes as heart rate, vascular tone, insulin secretion and salt/fluid balance.

Keywords:CRYO-ELECTRON CRYSTALLOGRAPHY, MASS SPECTROMETRY

Disciplines:Analytical chemistry, Physical chemistry

Project type:Collaboration project