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Gating in CNGA1 channels

  • Ion Channels, Receptors and Transporters
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Pflügers Archiv - European Journal of Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The aminoacid sequences of CNG and K+ channels share a significant sequence identity, and it has been suggested that these channels have a common ancestral 3D architecture. However, K+ and CNG channels have profoundly different physiological properties: indeed, K+ channels have a high ionic selectivity, their gating strongly depends on membrane voltage and when opened by a steady depolarizing voltage several K+ channels inactivate, whereas CNG channels have a low ion selectivity, their gating is poorly voltage dependent, and they do not desensitize in the presence of a steady concentration of cyclic nucleotides that cause their opening. The purpose of the present review is to summarize and recapitulate functional and structural differences between K+ and CNG channels with the aim to understand the gating mechanisms of CNG channels.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Mrs. M. Lough for checking the English. This work was supported by a COFIN grant from the Italian Ministry, a grant from CIPE (GRAND FVG), a FIRB grant RBLA03AF28 007 from MIUR, and the SMD Contract n.229375 (FP7-NMP-2008-SMALL-1) from the EU.

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  1. CBM S.c.r.l, Area Science Park SS 14 Km 163.5, 34012, Basovizza (TS), Trieste, Italy

    Monica Mazzolini

  2. Neurobiology Sector, International School for Advanced Studies, Area Science Park SS 14 Km 163.5 Ed, Q1 34012, Basovizza (TS), Trieste, Italy

    Monica Mazzolini, Arin Marchesi & Vincent Torre

  3. Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Mathematical, Physical and Natural Sciences, University of Verona, Ca’ Vignal 1: strada le Grazie 15, 37134, Verona, Italy

    Alejandro Giorgetti

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Correspondence to Vincent Torre.

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Mazzolini, M., Marchesi, A., Giorgetti, A. et al. Gating in CNGA1 channels. Pflugers Arch - Eur J Physiol 459, 547–555 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00424-009-0751-2

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