Inhibition of the Prokaryotic Pentameric Ligand-Gated Ion Channel ELIC by Divalent Cations

Abstract

Author SummaryPentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) are ionotropic neurotransmitter receptors that mediate electrical signaling at chemical synapses. The pLGIC family includes receptors for acetylcholine, serotonin, GABA and glycine, which share a similar structural organization and activation mechanism: the channels are closed in the absence of ligands and open when neurotransmitters bind to a conserved site in the extracellular domain. In many family members, activation by the neurotransmitter can be affected by modulators (including several drugs in therapeutic use), which bind to different sites on the channel. Channel function can be modulated also by divalent cations, which either potentiate or inhibit pLGICs at physiological concentrations. Here, we analyze this mechanism in the pLGIC ELIC, a prokaryotic family member of known structure. We show that divalent cations such as calcium or zinc inhibit ELIC by occupying an extracellular site remote from the ligand-binding region thereby interfering with gating. Although the site of interaction is not conserved between different family members, we present evidence that regulation of other pLGICs involves the same region. Our study has thus provided insights into a regulatory process that appears to be general for the pLGIC family in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes.