TY - JOUR
T1 - Conductance and permeability of the residual state of connexin43 gap junction channels
AU - Bukauskas, Feliksas F.
AU - Bukauskiene, Angele
AU - Verselis, Vytas K.
PY - 2002
Y1 - 2002
N2 - We used cell lines expressing wild-type connexin43 and connexin43 fused with the enhanced green fluorescent protein (Cx43-EGFP) to examine conductance and perm-selectivity of the residual state of Cx43 homotypic and Cx43/Cx43-EGFP heterotypic gap junction channels. Each hemichannel in Cx43 cell-cell channel possesses two gates: a fast gate that closes channels to the residual state and a slow gate that fully closes channels; the transjunctional voltage (Vj) closes the fast gate in the hemichannel that is on the relatively negative side. Here, we demonstrate macroscopically and at the single-channel level that the I-V relationship of the residual state rectifies, exhibiting higher conductance at higher Vjs that are negative on the side of gated hemichannel. The degree of rectification increases when Cl- is replaced by Asp- and decreases when K+ is replaced by TEA+. These data are consistent with an increased anionic selectivity of the residual state. The Vj-gated channel is not permeable to monovalent positively and negatively charged dyes, which are readily permeable through the fully open channel. These data indicate that a narrowing of the channel pore accompanies gating to the residual state. We suggest that the fast gate operates through a conformational change that introduces positive charge at the cytoplasmic vestibule of the gated hemichannel, thereby producing current rectification, increased anionic selectivity, and a narrowing of channel pore that is largely responsible for reducing channel conductance and restricting dye transfer. Consequently, the fast Vj-sensitive gating mechanism can serve as a selectivity filter, which allows electrical coupling but limits metabolic communication.
AB - We used cell lines expressing wild-type connexin43 and connexin43 fused with the enhanced green fluorescent protein (Cx43-EGFP) to examine conductance and perm-selectivity of the residual state of Cx43 homotypic and Cx43/Cx43-EGFP heterotypic gap junction channels. Each hemichannel in Cx43 cell-cell channel possesses two gates: a fast gate that closes channels to the residual state and a slow gate that fully closes channels; the transjunctional voltage (Vj) closes the fast gate in the hemichannel that is on the relatively negative side. Here, we demonstrate macroscopically and at the single-channel level that the I-V relationship of the residual state rectifies, exhibiting higher conductance at higher Vjs that are negative on the side of gated hemichannel. The degree of rectification increases when Cl- is replaced by Asp- and decreases when K+ is replaced by TEA+. These data are consistent with an increased anionic selectivity of the residual state. The Vj-gated channel is not permeable to monovalent positively and negatively charged dyes, which are readily permeable through the fully open channel. These data indicate that a narrowing of the channel pore accompanies gating to the residual state. We suggest that the fast gate operates through a conformational change that introduces positive charge at the cytoplasmic vestibule of the gated hemichannel, thereby producing current rectification, increased anionic selectivity, and a narrowing of channel pore that is largely responsible for reducing channel conductance and restricting dye transfer. Consequently, the fast Vj-sensitive gating mechanism can serve as a selectivity filter, which allows electrical coupling but limits metabolic communication.
KW - Dye transfer
KW - EGFP
KW - Intercellular communication
KW - Permeability
KW - Voltage gating
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U2 - 10.1085/jgp.119.2.171
DO - 10.1085/jgp.119.2.171
M3 - Article
C2 - 11815667
AN - SCOPUS:0036097166
SN - 0022-1295
VL - 119
SP - 171
EP - 185
JO - Journal of General Physiology
JF - Journal of General Physiology
IS - 2
ER -