Potassium channels: watching a voltage-sensor tilt and twist

M S Sansom

doi:10.1016/s0960-9822(00)00354-7

Potassium channels: watching a voltage-sensor tilt and twist

Curr Biol. 2000 Mar 9;10(5):R206-9. doi: 10.1016/s0960-9822(00)00354-7.

Author

M S Sansom¹

Affiliation

¹ Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Department of Biochemistry, The University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK. mark@biop.ox.ac.uk.

PMID: 10712896
DOI: 10.1016/s0960-9822(00)00354-7

Abstract

The fourth transmembrane helix (S4) is the primary voltage-sensor of voltage-gated ion channels. Recent studies have used fluorescence resonance energy transfer as a spectroscopic ruler to determine the nature and magnitude of the voltage-induced movement of S4 that leads to channel opening.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Energy Transfer
Fluorescence
Ion Channel Gating
Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Models, Biological
Models, Molecular
Potassium Channels / chemistry
Potassium Channels / genetics
Potassium Channels / physiology*
Protein Conformation

Substances

Potassium Channels