Cited by 418Ion channel regulation and functionLipid Membrane Structure and BehaviorIon Transport and Channel Regulation

Phospholipids and the origin of cationic gating charges in voltage sensors

Schmidt, Daniel, Jiang, Qiu-Xing, MacKinnon, Roderick·2006·Nature

Abstract

Cells communicate with their external environment through physical and chemical processes that take place in the cell-surrounding membrane. The membrane serves as a barrier as well as a special environment in which membrane proteins are able to carry out important processes. Certain membrane proteins have the ability to detect the membrane voltage and regulate ion conduction or enzyme activity. Such voltage-dependent processes rely on the action of protein domains known as voltage sensors, which are embedded inside the cell membrane and contain an excess of positively charged amino acids, which react to an electric field. How does the membrane create an environment suitable for voltage sensors? Here we show under a variety of conditions that the function of a voltage-dependent K+ channel is dependent on the negatively charged phosphodiester of phospholipid molecules. A non-voltage-dependent K+ channel does not exhibit the same dependence. The data lead us to propose that the phospholipid membrane, by providing stabilizing interactions between positively charged voltage-sensor arginine residues and negatively charged lipid phosphodiester groups, provides an appropriate environment for the energetic stability and operation of the voltage-sensing machinery. We suggest that the usage of arginine residues in voltage sensors is an adaptation to the phospholipid composition of cell membranes.

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Crossref · 10.1038/nature05416

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  • A shift in the ratio of specific GPL subclasses can affect membrane properties such as its fluidity and curvature, which can further modulate neuronal excitability.

    “In addition, a shift in the ratio of specific GPL subclasses can affect membrane properties such as its fluidity and curvature, 25 which can further modulate neuronal excitability.45,47,71”

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Authors
Schmidt, D., Jiang, Q.-X., & MacKinnon, R.
Affiliations
Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
Corresponding author
MacKinnon, Roderick
Venue
Nature
Published
2006-11-29
Volume
444
Issue
7120
Pages
775-779
ISSN
  • 0028-0836 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-4687
OpenAlex
W2022309859
Cited by
417
References
21
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 18 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 36 · 2013: 29 · 2012: 32
FWCI
13.31
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Nature (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R01GM043949)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Ion channel regulation and function
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Ion Transport and Channel Regulation
Keywords
voltage sensor, phospholipids, potassium channels, arginine residues, membrane lipid composition, membrane potential, voltage-gated ion channels, membrane protein stability
MeSH terms
Cations, Lipid Bilayers, Liposomes, Phospholipids, Ion Channel Gating, Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated

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