β11-12 linker isomerization governs Acid-sensing ion channel desensitization and recovery

  1. Matthew L Rook
  2. Abby Williamson
  3. John D Lueck
  4. Maria Musgaard
  5. David M Maclean  Is a corresponding author
  1. University of Rochester Medical Center, United States
  2. University of Rochester, United States
  3. University of Ottawa, Canada

Abstract

Acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) are neuronal sodium-selective channels activated by reductions in extracellular pH. Structures of the three presumptive functional states, high-pH resting, low-pH desensitized, and toxin-stabilized open, have all been solved for chicken ASIC1. These structures, along with prior functional data, suggest that the isomerization or flipping of the β11-12 linker in the extracellular, ligand-binding domain is an integral component of the desensitization process. To test this, we combined fast perfusion electrophysiology, molecular dynamics simulations and state-dependent non-canonical amino acid cross-linking. We find that both desensitization and recovery can be accelerated by orders of magnitude by mutating resides in this linker or the surrounding region. Furthermore, desensitization can be suppressed by trapping the linker in the resting state, indicating that isomerization of the β11-12 linker is not merely a consequence of, but a necessity for the desensitization process in ASICs.

Data availability

All data generated during this study are included in the manuscript and supporting files.

Article and author information

Author details

  1. Matthew L Rook

    Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, United States
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
    ORCID icon "This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0002-5332-7678
  2. Abby Williamson

    Biomedical Engineering Program, University of Rochester, Rochester, United States
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  3. John D Lueck

    Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester, Rochester, United States
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
  4. Maria Musgaard

    Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
    ORCID icon "This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0001-6096-9014
  5. David M Maclean

    Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester, Rochester, United States
    For correspondence
    David_MacLean@urmc.rochester.edu
    Competing interests
    The authors declare that no competing interests exist.
    ORCID icon "This ORCID iD identifies the author of this article:" 0000-0001-8294-6075

Funding

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R00NS094761)

  • David M Maclean

Brain and Behavior Research Foundation (NARSAD Young Investigator Award)

  • David M Maclean

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (RGPIN 2019-06864)

  • Maria Musgaard

Canada Research Chairs (950-232154)

  • Maria Musgaard

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (LUECK18G0)

  • John D Lueck

National Institute of General Medical Sciences (T32GM068411-15)

  • Matthew L Rook

The funders had no role in study design, data collection and interpretation, or the decision to submit the work for publication.

Reviewing Editor

  1. Cynthia M Czajkowski, University of Wisconsin, Madison, United States

Version history

  1. Received: August 15, 2019
  2. Accepted: February 6, 2020
  3. Accepted Manuscript published: February 7, 2020 (version 1)
  4. Version of Record published: February 25, 2020 (version 2)

Copyright

© 2020, Rook et al.

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License permitting unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.

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  1. Matthew L Rook
  2. Abby Williamson
  3. John D Lueck
  4. Maria Musgaard
  5. David M Maclean
(2020)
β11-12 linker isomerization governs Acid-sensing ion channel desensitization and recovery
eLife 9:e51111.
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.51111

Share this article

https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.51111

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