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Selectivity filters and cysteine-rich extracellular loops in voltage-gated
sodium, calcium, and NALCN channels
#MMPMID26042044
Stephens RF
; Guan W
; Zhorov BS
; Spafford JD
Front Physiol
2015[]; 6
(?): 153
PMID26042044
show ga
How nature discriminates sodium from calcium ions in eukaryotic channels has been
difficult to resolve because they contain four homologous, but markedly different
repeat domains. We glean clues from analyzing the changing pore region in sodium,
calcium and NALCN channels, from single-cell eukaryotes to mammals. Alternative
splicing in invertebrate homologs provides insights into different structural
features underlying calcium and sodium selectivity. NALCN generates alternative
ion selectivity with splicing that changes the high field strength (HFS) site at
the narrowest level of the hourglass shaped pore where the selectivity filter is
located. Alternative splicing creates NALCN isoforms, in which the HFS site has a
ring of glutamates contributed by all four repeat domains (EEEE), or three
glutamates and a lysine residue in the third (EEKE) or second (EKEE) position.
Alternative splicing provides sodium and/or calcium selectivity in T-type
channels with extracellular loops between S5 and P-helices (S5P) of different
lengths that contain three or five cysteines. All eukaryotic channels have a set
of eight core cysteines in extracellular regions, but the T-type channels have an
infusion of 4-12 extra cysteines in extracellular regions. The pattern of
conservation suggests a possible pairing of long loops in Domains I and III,
which are bridged with core cysteines in NALCN, Cav, and Nav channels, and
pairing of shorter loops in Domains II and IV in T-type channel through disulfide
bonds involving T-type specific cysteines. Extracellular turrets of increasing
lengths in potassium channels (Kir2.2, hERG, and K2P1) contribute to a changing
landscape above the pore selectivity filter that can limit drug access and serve
as an ion pre-filter before ions reach the pore selectivity filter below. Pairing
of extended loops likely contributes to the large extracellular appendage as seen
in single particle electron cryo-microscopy images of the eel Nav1 channel.