Gadolinium ions block mechanosensitive channels by altering the packing and lateral pressure of anionic lipids.

Effects of polyvalent ions on the lateral packing of phospholipids have been known for decades, but the physiological consequences have not been systematically studied. Gd(3+) is a relatively nonspecific agent that blocks mechano-gated channels with a variable affinity. In this study, we show that the large mechanosensitive channel MscL of Escherichia coli is effectively blocked by Gd(3+) only when reconstituted with negatively charged phospholipids (e.