The potassium channel from Streptomyces lividans is an integral membrane protein with sequence similarity to all known K+ channels, particularly in the pore region. X-ray analysis with data to 3.2 angstroms reveals that four identical subunits create an inverted teepee, or cone, cradling the selectivity filter of the pore in its outer end. The narrow selectivity filter is only 12 angstroms long, whereas the remainder of the pore is wider and lined with hydrophobic amino acids. A large water-filled cavity and helix dipoles are positioned so as to overcome electrostatic destabilization of an ion in the pore at the center of the bilayer. Main chain carbonyl oxygen atoms from the K+ channel signature sequence line the selectivity filter, which is held open by structural constraints to coordinate K+ ions but not smaller Na+ ions. The selectivity filter contains two K+ ions about 7.5 angstroms apart. This configuration promotes ion conduction by exploiting electrostatic repulsive forces to overcome attractive forces between K+ ions and the selectivity filter. The architecture of the pore establishes the physical principles underlying selective K+ conduction.

Modular PDZ domains, found in many cell junction-associated proteins, mediate the clustering of membrane ion channels by binding to their C-terminus. The X-ray crystallographic structures of the third PDZ domain from the synaptic protein PSD-95 in complex with and in the absence of its peptide ligand have been determined at 1.8 angstroms and 2.3 angstroms resolution, respectively. The structures reveal that a four-residue C-terminal stretch (X-Thr/Ser-X-Val-COO(-)) engages the PDZ domain through antiparallel main chain interactions with a beta sheet of the domain. Recognition of the terminal carboxylate group of the peptide is conferred by a cradle of main chain amides provided by a Gly-Leu-Gly-Phe loop as well as by an arginine side chain. Specific side chain interactions and a prominent hydrophobic pocket explain the selective recognition of the C-terminal consensus sequence.

The KirBac1.1 channel belongs to the inward-rectifier family of potassium channels. Here we report the structure of the entire prokaryotic Kir channel assembly, in the closed state, refined to a resolution of 3.65 angstroms. We identify the main activation gate and structural elements involved in gating. On the basis of structural evidence presented here, we suggest that gating involves coupling between the intracellular and membrane domains. This further suggests that initiation of gating by membrane or intracellular signals represents different entry points to a common mechanistic pathway.

The seven members of the human 14-3-3 protein family regulate a diverse range of cell signaling pathways by formation of proteinprotein complexes with signaling proteins that contain phosphorylated Ser͞Thr residues within specific sequence motifs. Previously, crystal structures of three 14-3-3 isoforms (zeta, sigma, and tau) have been reported, with structural data for two isoforms deposited in the Protein Data Bank (zeta and sigma). In this study, we provide structural detail for five 14-3-3 isoforms bound to ligands, providing structural coverage for all isoforms of a human protein family. A comparative structural analysis of the seven 14-3-3 proteins revealed specificity determinants for binding of phosphopeptides in a specific orientation, target domain interaction surfaces and flexible adaptation of 14-3-3 proteins through domain movements. Specifically, the structures of the beta isoform in its apo and peptide bound forms showed that its binding site can exhibit structural flexibility to facilitate binding of its protein and peptide partners. In addition, the complex of 14-3-3 beta with the exoenzyme S peptide displayed a secondary structural element in the 14-3-3 peptide binding groove. These results show that the 14-3-3 proteins are adaptable structures in which internal flexibility is likely to facilitate recognition and binding of their interaction partners.phosphorylation ͉ signaling

The magnesium ion, Mg 2+ , is essential for myriad biochemical processes and remains the only major biological ion whose transport mechanisms remain unknown. The CorA family of magnesium transporters is the primary Mg 2+ uptake system of most prokaryotes 1-3 and a functional homologue of the eukaryotic mitochondrial magnesium transporter 4 . Here we determine crystal structures of the full-length Thermotoga maritima CorA in an apparent closed state and its isolated cytoplasmic domain at 3.9 Å and 1.85Å resolution, respectively. The transporter is a funnel-shaped homopentamer with two transmembrane helices per monomer. The channel is formed by an inner group of five helices and putatively gated by bulky hydrophobic residues. The large cytoplasmic domain forms a funnel whose wide mouth points into the cell and whose walls are formed by five long helices that are extensions of the transmembrane helices. The cytoplasmic neck of the pore is surrounded, on the outside of the funnel, by a ring of highly conserved positively charged residues. Two negatively charged helices in the cytoplasmic domain extend back towards the membrane on the outside of the funnel and abut the ring of positive charge. An apparent Mg 2+ ion was bound between monomers at a conserved site in the cytoplasmic domain, suggesting a mechanism to link gating of the pore to the intra-cellular concentration of Mg 2+ . The CorA magnesium transporter is a homopentamer with fivefold symmetry about a central pore and can be divided into three parts (Fig. 1). A carboxy-terminal transmembrane domain comprises two transmembrane helices from each monomer (Fig. 2). The middle portion resembles a funnel, narrow at the entrance ( 5 Å) and wide at the mouth ( 20Å), that is formed largely by a long -helix extension of the inner transmembrane helix. Finally, a large cytoplasmic domain lies exterior to the funnel.The cytoplasmic domain of CorA is a seven-stranded parallel/antiparallel -sheet ( 2 1 3 7 6 5 4 ) sandwiched between two sets of -helices ( 1, 2, 3) and ( 4, 5, 6) ( Fig. 1). The domain fold is unlike all other known structures of ion channels or transporters and constitutes a new protein fold (see Supplementary Information). This domain, solved in its soluble form at 1.85 Å resolution ( Supplementary Fig. S1), is linked to the transmembrane helices by the long 7 helix (residues 251-312), termed the stalk helix. The stalk helix kinks as it enters the membrane, extends through the membrane, forms the first transmembrane helix (TM1; residues 293-312) and harbours the 'YGMNF' signature sequence of CorA (residues 311-315) 5,6 ( Fig. 2 and Supplementary Fig. S2). The five TM1 helices (residues 293-312) form the pore. After a short extracellular seven-amino-acid loop, the TM2 helix (residues 326-345) returns back to the cytoplasm and ends in a highly conserved C-terminal KKKKWL motif (Fig. 3). In the current structure, neither the extracellular loop nor the final two amino acids could be resolved.The cytoplasmic domain shows the lowest sequence conservati...

Regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins accelerate GTP hydrolysis by G␣ subunits and thus facilitate termination of signaling initiated by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). RGS proteins hold great promise as disease intervention points, given their signature role as negative regulators of GPCRs-receptors to which the largest fraction of approved medications are currently directed. RGS proteins share a hallmark RGS domain that interacts most avidly with G␣ when in its transition state for GTP hydrolysis; by binding and stabilizing switch regions I and II of G␣, RGS domain binding consequently accelerates G␣-mediated GTP hydrolysis. The human genome encodes more than three dozen RGS domaincontaining proteins with varied G␣ substrate specificities. To facilitate their exploitation as drug-discovery targets, we have taken a systematic structural biology approach toward cataloging the structural diversity present among RGS domains and identifying molecular determinants of their differential G␣ selectivities. Here, we determined 14 structures derived from NMR and x-ray crystallography of members of the R4, R7, R12, and RZ subfamilies of RGS proteins, including 10 uncomplexed RGS domains and 4 RGS domain/G␣ complexes. Heterogeneity observed in the structural architecture of the RGS domain, as well as in engagement of switch III and the all-helical domain of the G␣ substrate, suggests that unique structural determinants specific to particular RGS protein/G␣ pairings exist and could be used to achieve selective inhibition by small molecules.GTPase-accelerating proteins ͉ NMR structure ͉ RGS proteins ͉ x-ray crystallography G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are critical for many physiological processes including vision, olfaction, neurotransmission, and the actions of many hormones (1). As such, GPCRs are the largest fraction of the ''druggable proteome,'' and their ligand-binding and signaling properties remain of considerable interest to academia and industry (2). GPCRs catalyze activation of heterotrimeric G proteins comprising a guanine nucleotide-binding G␣ subunit and an obligate G␤␥ dimer (3). Receptor-promoted activation of G␣␤␥ causes exchange of GDP for GTP by G␣ and resultant dissociation of G␤␥. GTP-bound G␣ and freed G␤␥ then regulate intracellular effectors such as adenylyl cyclase, phospholipase C, ion channels, RhoGEFs, and phosphodiesterases (1, 4). This ''G protein cycle'' is reset by the intrinsic GTP hydrolysis activity of G␣, producing G␣⅐GDP that favors heterotrimer reformation and, consequently, signal termination. Thus, a major determinant of the duration and magnitude of GPCR signaling is the lifetime of G␣ in the GTP-bound state.Regulators of G protein signaling are GTPase-accelerating proteins (GAPs) for G␣ subunits and thus facilitate GPCR signal termination (5). GAP activity is conferred by an RGS domain present in one or more copies within members of this protein superfamily (5). The archetypal RGS domain is composed of nine ␣-helices (6) and binds most avidly to G␣ in the transi...

The lipid bilayer is a critical determinant of ion channel activity; however, efforts to define the lipid dependence of channel function have generally been limited to cellular expression systems in which the membrane composition cannot be fully controlled. We reconstituted purified human Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 channels into liposomes of defined composition to study their phospholipid dependence of activity using (86)Rb(+) flux and patch-clamp assays. Our results demonstrate that Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 have two distinct lipid requirements for activity: a specific requirement for phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP(2)) and a nonspecific requirement for anionic phospholipids. Whereas we previously showed that PIP(2) increases the channel open probability, in this work we find that activation by POPG increases both the open probability and unitary conductance. Oleoyl CoA potently inhibits Kir2.1 by antagonizing the specific requirement for PIP(2), and EPC appears to antagonize activation by the nonspecific anionic requirement. Phosphatidylinositol phosphates can act on both lipid requirements, yielding variable and even opposite effects on Kir2.1 activity depending on the lipid background. Mutagenesis experiments point to the role of intracellular residues in activation by both PIP(2) and anionic phospholipids. In conclusion, we utilized purified proteins in defined lipid membranes to quantitatively determine the phospholipid requirements for human Kir channel activity.

Potassium channels allow the selective flow of K(+) ions across membranes. In response to external gating signals, the potassium channel can move reversibly through a series of structural conformations from a closed to an open state. 2D crystals of the inwardly rectifying K(+) channel KirBac3.1 from Magnetospirillum magnetotacticum have been captured in two distinct conformations, providing "snap shots" of the gating process. Analysis by electron cryomicroscopy of these KirBac3.1 crystals has resulted in reconstructed images in projection at 9 A resolution. Kir channels are tetramers of four subunits arranged as dimers of dimers. Each subunit has two transmembrane helices (inner and outer). In one crystal form, the pore is blocked; in the other crystal form, the pore appears open. Modeling based on the KirBac1.1 (closed) crystal structure shows that opening of the ion conduction pathway could be achieved by bending of the inner helices and significant movements of the outer helices.