Unnatural amino acid incorporation into ion channels has proven to be a valuable approach to interrogate detailed hypotheses arising from atomic resolution structures. In this short review, we provide a brief overview of some of the basic principles and methods for incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins. We also review insights into the function and pharmacology of voltage-gated ion channels that have emerged from unnatural amino acid mutagenesis approaches.
© 2015 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2015 The Physiological Society.