Ion channel thermodynamics studied with temperature jumps measured at the cell membrane.

Perturbing the temperature of a system modifies its energy landscape, thus providing a ubiquitous tool to understand biological processes. Here, we developed a framework to generate sudden temperature jumps (Tjumps) and sustained temperature steps (Tsteps) to study the temperature dependence of membrane proteins under voltage clamp while measuring the membrane temperature. Utilizing the melanin under the Xenopus laevis oocytes membrane as a photothermal transducer, we achieved short Tjumps up to 9°C in less than 1.5 ms and constant Tsteps for durations up to 150 ms. We followed the temperature at the membrane with sub-ms time resolution by measuring the time course of membrane capacitance, which is linearly related to temperature. We applied Tjumps in Kir1.1 isoform b, which reveals a highly temperature-sensitive blockage relief, and characterized the effects of Tsteps on the temperature-sensitive channels TRPM8 and TRPV1. These newly developed approaches provide a general tool to study membrane protein thermodynamics.

Remote nongenetic optical modulation of neuronal activity using fuzzy graphene.

The ability to modulate cellular electrophysiology is fundamental to the investigation of development, function, and disease. Currently, there is a need for remote, nongenetic, light-induced control of cellular activity in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) platforms. Here, we report a breakthrough hybrid nanomaterial for remote, nongenetic, photothermal stimulation of 2D and 3D neural cellular systems. We combine one-dimensional (1D) nanowires (NWs) and 2D graphene flakes grown out-of-plane for highly controlled photothermal stimulation at subcellular precision without the need for genetic modification, with laser energies lower than a hundred nanojoules, one to two orders of magnitude lower than Au-, C-, and Si-based nanomaterials. Photothermal stimulation using NW-templated 3D fuzzy graphene (NT-3DFG) is flexible due to its broadband absorption and does not generate cellular stress. Therefore, it serves as a powerful toolset for studies of cell signaling within and between tissues and can enable therapeutic interventions.

Optocapacitive Generation of Action Potentials by Microsecond Laser Pulses of Nanojoule Energy.

Millisecond pulses of laser light delivered to gold nanoparticles residing in close proximity to the surface membrane of neurons can induce membrane depolarization and initiate an action potential. An optocapacitance mechanism proposed as the basis of this effect posits that the membrane-interfaced particle photothermally induces a cell-depolarizing capacitive current, and predicts that delivering a given laser pulse energy within a shorter period should increase the pulse's action-potential-generating effectiveness by increasing the magnitude of this capacitive current. Experiments on dorsal root ganglion cells show that, for each of a group of interfaced gold nanoparticles and microscale carbon particles, reducing pulse duration from milliseconds to microseconds markedly decreases the minimal pulse energy required for AP generation, providing strong support for the optocapacitance mechanism hypothesis.

Charged Residues at the First Transmembrane Region Contribute to the Voltage Dependence of the Slow Gate of Connexins.

Connexins (Cxs) are a family of membrane-spanning proteins that form gap junction channels and hemichannels. Connexin-based channels exhibit two distinct voltage-dependent gating mechanisms termed slow and fast gating. Residues located at the C terminus of the first transmembrane segment (TM-1) are important structural components of the slow gate. Here, we determined the role of the charged residues at the end of TM-1 in voltage sensing in Cx26, Cx46, and Cx50. Conductance/voltage curves obtained from tail currents together with kinetics analysis reveal that the fast and slow gates of Cx26 involves the movement of two and four charges across the electric field, respectively. Primary sequence alignment of different Cxs shows the presence of well conserved glutamate residues in the C terminus of TM-1; only Cx26 contains a lysine in that position (lysine 41). Neutralization of lysine 41 in Cx26 increases the voltage dependence of the slow gate. Swapping of lysine 41 with glutamate 42 maintains the voltage dependence. In Cx46, neutralization of negative charges or addition of a positive charge in the Cx26 equivalent region reduced the slow gate voltage dependence. In Cx50, the addition of a glutamate in the same region decreased the voltage dependence, and the neutralization of a negative charge increased it. These results indicate that the charges at the end of TM-1 are part of the slow gate voltage sensor in Cxs. The fact that Cx42, which has no charge in this region, still presents voltage-dependent slow gating suggests that charges still unidentified also contribute to the slow gate voltage sensitivity.

Connexinopathies: a structural and functional glimpse.

Mutations in human connexin (Cx) genes have been related to diseases, which we termed connexinopathies. Such hereditary disorders include nonsyndromic or syndromic deafness (Cx26, Cx30), Charcot Marie Tooth disease (Cx32), occulodentodigital dysplasia and cardiopathies (Cx43), and cataracts (Cx46, Cx50). Despite the clinical phenotypes of connexinopathies have been well documented, their pathogenic molecular determinants remain elusive. The purpose of this work is to identify common/uncommon patterns in channels function among Cx mutations linked to human diseases. To this end, we compiled and discussed the effect of mutations associated to Cx26, Cx32, Cx43, and Cx50 over gap junction channels and hemichannels, highlighting the function of the structural channel domains in which mutations are located and their possible role affecting oligomerization, gating and perm/selectivity processes.

The type VI secretion system encoded in Salmonella pathogenicity island 19 is required for Salmonella enterica serotype Gallinarum survival within infected macrophages.

Salmonella enterica serotype Gallinarum is the causative agent of fowl typhoid, a disease characterized by high morbidity and mortality that causes major economic losses in poultry production. We have reported that S. Gallinarum harbors a type VI secretion system (T6SS) encoded in Salmonella pathogenicity island 19 (SPI-19) that is required for efficient colonization of chicks. In the present study, we aimed to characterize the SPI-19 T6SS functionality and to investigate the mechanisms behind the phenotypes previously observed in vivo. Expression analyses revealed that SPI-19 T6SS core components are expressed and produced under in vitro bacterial growth conditions. However, secretion of the structural/secreted components Hcp1, Hcp2, and VgrG to the culture medium could not be determined, suggesting that additional signals are required for T6SS-dependent secretion of these proteins. In vitro bacterial competition assays failed to demonstrate a role for SPI-19 T6SS in interbacterial killing. In contrast, cell culture experiments with murine and avian macrophages (RAW264.7 and HD11, respectively) revealed production of a green fluorescent protein-tagged version of VgrG soon after Salmonella uptake. Furthermore, infection of RAW264.7 and HD11 macrophages with deletion mutants of SPI-19 or strains with genes encoding specific T6SS core components (clpV and vgrG) revealed that SPI-19 T6SS contributes to S. Gallinarum survival within macrophages at 20 h postuptake. SPI-19 T6SS function was not linked to Salmonella-induced cytotoxicity or cell death of infected macrophages, as has been described for other T6SS. Our data indicate that SPI-19 T6SS corresponds to a novel tool used by Salmonella to survive within host cells.

A mechanistic reinterpretation of fast inactivation in voltage-gated Na+ channels.

The hinged-lid model was long accepted as the canonical model for fast inactivation in Nav channels. It predicts that the hydrophobic IFM motif acts intracellularly as the gating particle that binds and occludes the pore during fast inactivation. However, the observation in recent high-resolution structures that the bound IFM motif is located far from the pore, contradicts this preconception. Here, we provide a mechanistic reinterpretation of fast inactivation based on structural analysis and ionic/gating current measurements. We demonstrate that in Nav1.4 the final inactivation gate is comprised of two hydrophobic rings at the bottom of S6 helices. These rings function in series and close downstream of IFM binding. Reducing the volume of the sidechain in both rings leads to a partially conductive, leaky inactivated state and decreases the selectivity for Na+ ion. Altogether, we present an alternative molecular framework to describe fast inactivation.

A Mechanistic Reinterpretation of Fast Inactivation in Voltage-Gated Na+ Channels.

The hinged-lid model is long accepted as the canonical model for fast inactivation in Nav channels. It predicts that the hydrophobic IFM motif acts intracellularly as the gating particle that binds and occludes the pore during fast inactivation. However, the observation in recent high-resolution structures that the bound IFM motif locates far from the pore, contradicts this preconception. Here, we provide a mechanistic reinterpretation of fast inactivation based on structural analysis and ionic/gating current measurements. We demonstrate that in Nav1.4 the final inactivation gate is comprised of two hydrophobic rings at the bottom of S6 helices. These rings function in series and close downstream of IFM binding. Reducing the volume of the sidechain in both rings leads to a partially conductive "leaky" inactivated state and decreases the selectivity for Na + ion. Altogether, we present an alternative molecular framework to describe fast inactivation.

A Mechanistic Reinterpretation of Fast Inactivation in Voltage-Gated Na + Channels.

Fast Inactivation in voltage-gated Na + channels plays essential roles in numerous physiological functions. The canonical hinged-lid model has long predicted that a hydrophobic motif in the DIII-DIV linker (IFM) acts as the gating particle that occludes the permeation pathway during fast inactivation. However, the fact that the IFM motif is located far from the pore in recent high-resolution structures of Nav + channels contradicts this status quo model. The precise molecular determinants of fast inactivation gate once again, become an open question. Here, we provide a mechanistic reinterpretation of fast inactivation based on ionic and gating current data. In Nav1.4 the actual inactivation gate is comprised of two hydrophobic rings at the bottom of S6. These function in series and closing once the IFM motif binds. Reducing the volume of the sidechain in both rings led to a partially conductive inactivated state. Our experiments also point to a previously overlooked coupling pathway between the bottom of S6 and the selectivity filter.

Optocapacitance: physical basis and its application.

The observation that membrane capacitance increases with temperature has led to the development of new methods of neuronal stimulation using light. The optocapacitive effect refers to a light-induced change in capacitance produced by the heating of the membrane through a photothermal effect. This change in capacitance manifests as a current, named optocapacitive current that depolarizes cells and therefore can be used to stimulate excitable tissues. Here, we discuss how optocapacitance arises from basic membrane properties, the characteristics of the optocapacitive current, its use for neuronal stimulation, and the challenges for its application in vivo.

The syndromic deafness mutation G12R impairs fast and slow gating in Cx26 hemichannels.

Mutations in connexin 26 (Cx26) hemichannels can lead to syndromic deafness that affects the cochlea and skin. These mutations lead to gain-of-function hemichannel phenotypes by unknown molecular mechanisms. In this study, we investigate the biophysical properties of the syndromic mutant Cx26G12R (G12R). Unlike wild-type Cx26, G12R macroscopic hemichannel currents do not saturate upon depolarization, and deactivation is faster during hyperpolarization, suggesting that these channels have impaired fast and slow gating. Single G12R hemichannels show a large increase in open probability, and transitions to the subconductance state are rare and short-lived, demonstrating an inoperative fast gating mechanism. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that G12R causes a displacement of the N terminus toward the cytoplasm, favoring an interaction between R12 in the N terminus and R99 in the intracellular loop. Disruption of this interaction recovers the fast and slow voltage-dependent gating mechanisms. These results suggest that the mechanisms of fast and slow gating in connexin hemichannels are coupled and provide a molecular mechanism for the gain-of-function phenotype displayed by the syndromic G12R mutation.

Calcium binding and voltage gating in Cx46 hemichannels.

The opening of connexin (Cx) hemichannels in the membrane is tightly regulated by calcium (Ca2+) and membrane voltage. Electrophysiological and atomic force microscopy experiments indicate that Ca2+ stabilizes the hemichannel closed state. However, structural data show that Ca2+ binding induces an electrostatic seal preventing ion transport without significant structural rearrangements. In agreement with the closed-state stabilization hypothesis, we found that the apparent Ca2+ sensitivity is increased as the voltage is made more negative. Moreover, the voltage and Ca2+ dependence of the channel kinetics indicate that the voltage sensor movement and Ca2+ binding are allosterically coupled. An allosteric kinetic model in which the Ca2+ decreases the energy necessary to deactivate the voltage sensor reproduces the effects of Ca2+ and voltage in Cx46 hemichannels. In agreement with the model and suggesting a conformational change that narrows the pore, Ca2+ inhibits the water flux through Cx hemichannels. We conclude that Ca2+ and voltage act allosterically to stabilize the closed conformation of Cx46 hemichannels.

Extracellular Cysteine in Connexins: Role as Redox Sensors.

Connexin-based channels comprise hemichannels and gap junction channels. The opening of hemichannels allow for the flux of ions and molecules from the extracellular space into the cell and vice versa. Similarly, the opening of gap junction channels permits the diffusional exchange of ions and molecules between the cytoplasm and contacting cells. The controlled opening of hemichannels has been associated with several physiological cellular processes; thereby unregulated hemichannel activity may induce loss of cellular homeostasis and cell death. Hemichannel activity can be regulated through several mechanisms, such as phosphorylation, divalent cations and changes in membrane potential. Additionally, it was recently postulated that redox molecules could modify hemichannels properties in vitro. However, the molecular mechanism by which redox molecules interact with hemichannels is poorly understood. In this work, we discuss the current knowledge on connexin redox regulation and we propose the hypothesis that extracellular cysteines could be important for sensing changes in redox potential. Future studies on this topic will offer new insight into hemichannel function, thereby expanding the understanding of the contribution of hemichannels to disease progression.