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Publication Abstract from PubMed

Voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCCs) allow the passage of Ca(2+) ions through cellular membranes in response to membrane depolarization. The channel pore-forming subunit, alpha1, and a regulatory subunit (Ca(V)beta) form a high affinity complex where Ca(V)beta binds to a alpha1 interacting domain in the intracellular linker between alpha1 membrane domains I and II (I-II linker). We determined crystal structures of Ca(V)beta2 functional core in complex with the Ca(V)1.2 and Ca(V)2.2 I-II linkers to a resolution of 1.95 and 2.0 A, respectively. Structural differences between the highly conserved linkers, important for coupling Ca(V)beta to the channel pore, guided mechanistic functional studies. Electrophysiological measurements point to the importance of differing linker structure in both Ca(V)1 and 2 subtypes with mutations affecting both voltage- and calcium-dependent inactivation and voltage dependence of activation. These linker effects persist in the absence of Ca(V)beta, pointing to the intrinsic role of the linker in VDCC function and suggesting that I-II linker structure can serve as a brake during inactivation.

The role of a voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel intracellular linker: a structure-function analysis.,Almagor L, Chomsky-Hecht O, Ben-Mocha A, Hendin-Barak D, Dascal N, Hirsch JA J Neurosci. 2012 May 30;32(22):7602-13. PMID:22649239^[1]

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.