Functional and structural characterization of a novel pH-modulated open state of a pentameric ligand-gated ion channel

Abstract

Pentameric ligand-gated ion channels are critical mediators of electrochemical signal transduction in a variety of excitable cells. Biophysical and pharmacological development in this family relies heavily on high-quality structural data in multiple distinct functional states. Bacterial family members could provide valuable insight into conducting states, as they often desensitize to a lesser extent than eukaryotic channels. Recently, a new prokaryotic family member (DeCLIC) from a Desulfofustis deltaproteobacterium was identified, including a previously uncharacterized N-terminal domain.