The amino terminus of acid-sensing ion channel 1a forms a reentrant 'loop' that frames the lower pore and harbors a conserved 'His-Gly' motif implicated in gating and ion selectivity mechanisms.

Independently gating ion channels typically act fast within milliseconds, but cooperative interactions within a cluster of channels allow for a memory of previous electrical activity for several seconds.

Mambalgin1 binds to the thumb domain of human ASIC1a channel and inhibits the channel through hindering the proton-induced transitions from the resting closed state to the active and/or desensitized state.

The tarantula toxins psalmotoxin and guangxitoxin have a similar concave surface for interacting with α-helices in voltage-gated and acid-sensing ion channels.

Structures of OSCA1.2, a member of a newly characterized family of mechanically activated ion channels, provide insights into mechanism of channel gating by membrane tension.

Development of nanobodies against a model pentameric ligand-gated ion channel demonstrates they can be functionally active as negative or positive allosteric modulators and offers opportunities for future drug development.

Computational models of gating processes in an ion channel show how stability shifts upon ligand-binding and mutations are reproduced, which highlights mechanistic details and proposes a new role for symmetry in gating.

Electrical signaling is demonstrated in Escherichia coli biofilms.

Tension is the activating stimulus of Piezo1 mechanosensitive ion channels and resting membrane tension modulates overall channel sensitivity to mechanical stimulation.

Identification of putative mechanisms for mechanosensation-dependent prey capture in carnivorous plants.