Functional and Biochemical Characterization of Alvinella pompejana Cys-Loop Receptor Homologues.

Cys-loop receptors are membrane spanning ligand-gated ion channels involved in fast excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission. Three-dimensional structures of these ion channels, determined by X-ray crystallography or electron microscopy, have revealed valuable information regarding the molecular...

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Main Authors: Eveline Wijckmans, Mieke Nys, Sarah Debaveye, Marijke Brams, Els Pardon, Katrien Willegems, Daniel Bertrand, Jan Steyaert, Rouslan Efremov, Chris Ulens
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2016-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4801368?pdf=render
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author Eveline Wijckmans
Mieke Nys
Sarah Debaveye
Marijke Brams
Els Pardon
Katrien Willegems
Daniel Bertrand
Jan Steyaert
Rouslan Efremov
Chris Ulens
author_facet Eveline Wijckmans
Mieke Nys
Sarah Debaveye
Marijke Brams
Els Pardon
Katrien Willegems
Daniel Bertrand
Jan Steyaert
Rouslan Efremov
Chris Ulens
author_sort Eveline Wijckmans
collection DOAJ
description Cys-loop receptors are membrane spanning ligand-gated ion channels involved in fast excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission. Three-dimensional structures of these ion channels, determined by X-ray crystallography or electron microscopy, have revealed valuable information regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying ligand recognition, channel gating and ion conductance. To extend and validate the current insights, we here present promising candidates for further structural studies. We report the biochemical and functional characterization of Cys-loop receptor homologues identified in the proteome of Alvinella pompejana, an extremophilic, polychaete annelid found in hydrothermal vents at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Seven homologues were selected, named Alpo1-7. Five of them, Alpo2-6, were unidentified prior to this study. Two-electrode voltage clamp experiments revealed that wild type Alpo5 and Alpo6, both sharing remarkably high sequence identity with human glycine receptor α subunits, are anion-selective channels that can be activated by glycine, GABA and taurine. Furthermore, upon expression in insect cells fluorescence size-exclusion chromatography experiments indicated that four homologues, Alpo1, Alpo4, Alpo6 and Alpo7, can be extracted out of the membrane by a wide variety of detergents while maintaining their oligomeric state. Finally, large-scale purification efforts of Alpo1, Alpo4 and Alpo6 resulted in milligram amounts of biochemically stable and monodisperse protein. Overall, our results establish the evolutionary conservation of glycine receptors in annelids and pave the way for future structural studies.
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spelling doaj.art-cbfe1b4f12f54c099efaa6a7d02c1f0d2022-12-22T02:44:29ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032016-01-01113e015118310.1371/journal.pone.0151183Functional and Biochemical Characterization of Alvinella pompejana Cys-Loop Receptor Homologues.Eveline WijckmansMieke NysSarah DebaveyeMarijke BramsEls PardonKatrien WillegemsDaniel BertrandJan SteyaertRouslan EfremovChris UlensCys-loop receptors are membrane spanning ligand-gated ion channels involved in fast excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission. Three-dimensional structures of these ion channels, determined by X-ray crystallography or electron microscopy, have revealed valuable information regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying ligand recognition, channel gating and ion conductance. To extend and validate the current insights, we here present promising candidates for further structural studies. We report the biochemical and functional characterization of Cys-loop receptor homologues identified in the proteome of Alvinella pompejana, an extremophilic, polychaete annelid found in hydrothermal vents at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean. Seven homologues were selected, named Alpo1-7. Five of them, Alpo2-6, were unidentified prior to this study. Two-electrode voltage clamp experiments revealed that wild type Alpo5 and Alpo6, both sharing remarkably high sequence identity with human glycine receptor α subunits, are anion-selective channels that can be activated by glycine, GABA and taurine. Furthermore, upon expression in insect cells fluorescence size-exclusion chromatography experiments indicated that four homologues, Alpo1, Alpo4, Alpo6 and Alpo7, can be extracted out of the membrane by a wide variety of detergents while maintaining their oligomeric state. Finally, large-scale purification efforts of Alpo1, Alpo4 and Alpo6 resulted in milligram amounts of biochemically stable and monodisperse protein. Overall, our results establish the evolutionary conservation of glycine receptors in annelids and pave the way for future structural studies.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4801368?pdf=render
spellingShingle Eveline Wijckmans
Mieke Nys
Sarah Debaveye
Marijke Brams
Els Pardon
Katrien Willegems
Daniel Bertrand
Jan Steyaert
Rouslan Efremov
Chris Ulens
Functional and Biochemical Characterization of Alvinella pompejana Cys-Loop Receptor Homologues.
PLoS ONE
title Functional and Biochemical Characterization of Alvinella pompejana Cys-Loop Receptor Homologues.
title_full Functional and Biochemical Characterization of Alvinella pompejana Cys-Loop Receptor Homologues.
title_fullStr Functional and Biochemical Characterization of Alvinella pompejana Cys-Loop Receptor Homologues.
title_full_unstemmed Functional and Biochemical Characterization of Alvinella pompejana Cys-Loop Receptor Homologues.
title_short Functional and Biochemical Characterization of Alvinella pompejana Cys-Loop Receptor Homologues.
title_sort functional and biochemical characterization of alvinella pompejana cys loop receptor homologues
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4801368?pdf=render
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