Nat Commun
Structural Biology Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
Published: June 2020
The canonical mechanistic model explaining potassium channel gating is of a conformational change that alternately dilates and constricts a collar-like intracellular entrance to the pore. It is based on the premise that K ions maintain a complete hydration shell while passing between the transmembrane cavity and cytosol, which must be accommodated. To put the canonical model to the test, we locked the conformation of a Kir K channel to prevent widening of the narrow collar. Unexpectedly, conduction was unimpaired in the locked channels. In parallel, we employed all-atom molecular dynamics to simulate K ions moving along the conduction pathway between the lower cavity and cytosol. During simulations, the constriction did not significantly widen. Instead, transient loss of some water molecules facilitated K permeation through the collar. The low free energy barrier to partial dehydration in the absence of conformational change indicates Kir channels are not gated by the canonical mechanism.
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